03.22.23 BAC Minutes
CITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board/ Commission: Boulder Arts Commission
Date of Meeting: March 22, 2023
Contact information preparing summary: Lisa Wuycheck, Executive Assistant
Commission members present: Bruce Borowsky (Chair), Maria Cole, Caroline Kert, Kathleen McCormick, Georgia Schmid
(Vice Chair), Yaelaed Whyel
Commission members absent:
Staff present:
Cris Jones, Interim Director of Community Vitality
Matt Chasansky, Arts & Culture Manager, Office of Arts & Culture/Community Vitality
Lauren Click, Arts Program Manager, Office of Arts & Culture/Community Vitality
Lisa Wuycheck, Executive Assistant, Community Vitality
Members of the public present: Sarah Chestnut, Sara Goodroad, Deborah Malden, Colleen Mylott, Sara Pike, and Ryan
Scott
Type of Meeting: Hybrid (Location: Penfield Tate II Municipal Building, 1777 Broadway)
Agenda Item 1: CALL TO ORDER [00:49:00 Audio min]
Item 1A: Call to order and approval of agenda
The meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m.
First motion by McCormick to approve the agenda as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Kert. There was no
discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 2: MINUTES [01:12:00 Audio min.]
Item 2A: Approval of the February 22, 2023 Meeting Minutes
First motion by McCormick to approve the minutes as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Kert. There was no
discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [02:20:00 Audio min.]
Six members of the public were scheduled to join the meeting. These attendees were Sarah Chestnut, Sara Goodroad
(Pathways to Jazz), Deborah Malden (Create Boulder), Colleen Mylott (Band of Toughs), Sara Pike (BMoCA), and Ryan
Scott.
Ryan Scott spoke about public art on Pearl Street during the pandemic. He said a message on a street barrier at 9th and Pearl
Streets read ‘Wear a mask’. He said it was posted too long. Scott suggested the commissioners avoid funding art that has
temporary messaging. Scott also suggested allowing the public to attend Art Commission meetings in person. Borowsky
said the public will be permitted to attend the next meeting. Chasansky said the Community Vitality Department was not
directly involved with public mask-wearing messaging, and he confirmed the messaging has been removed.
Deborah Malden thanked Kathleen McCormick for her service on the Arts Commission. Malden spoke about the $250,000
in ARPA funding approved by City Council. She said she hopes the funding will be put towards the general operating
grants.
Agenda Item 4: GRANTS BUSINESS [00:10:48 Audio min.]
Item 4A: Recertification of 2022-24 General Operating Support (GOS) Grants.
1. Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts
2. EcoArts Connections
3. JLF Colorado
4. Junkyard Social Club
5. NoBo Art District
6. Band of Toughs
Click thanked the commissioners for reviewing the final seven recertification documents from the general operating support
grantees for this year. She said the commissioners also reviewed an updated document from Band of Toughs.
At the meeting, Commission members voted on the approval of the reports. Commissioners had the options to:
• Approve all reports,
• Approve individual reports,
• Approve individual reports while submitting specific questions,
• Not approve individual reports, and/or
• Postpone approval of individual reports pending the answers to specific questions.
Kert moved to accept the reports from EcoArts Connections, JLF Colorado, Junkyard Social Club, and NoBo Art District.
Second by McCormick. There was no discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
McCormick commended the work of EcoArts, congratulated Junkyard Social Club on their expansions and improvements,
and acknowledged the success of the NoBo Art District. She said she’s looking forward to the addition of BMoCA in NoBo.
McCormick and Kert expressed their appreciation of JLF’s programming, diversity, and literary richness. Kert said JLF is
very Bouder-focused.
Kert voiced her concerns regarding Colorado Music Festival’s budget. She discussed their 40-month deficit and their
$350,000 liability or line of credit. Kert said she is concerned about the organization’s ongoing longevity and viability. Kert
asked if the organization should address the Commission’s concerns before their report and funding are accepted.
McCormick said the Festival was financially disappointing last year, but the programming was excellent. She promoted
approving their funding and said she’s confident in their future post-COVID success. Borowsky commented on the
importance of liaisons and said he appreciated McCormick’s feedback. McCormick said the Colorado Music Festival is
appreciative to have the Arts Commission’s logo and support. Borowsky suggested approving funding with questions.
Chasansky recommended recertification. Chasansky added that denying funding is appropriate if the Commission concludes
that an organization is not able to continue.
Kert made a motion to accept the report of the Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts with a request to answer
how they plan to approach their monthly deficit and to address their large liability. Second by McCormick. There was no
discussion. The motion passed unanimously.
McCormick said she’s uneasy about Band of Toughs’ reach to the community due to their every-other-year incubation
period. She said two out of three GOS funding years are incubation years. She suggested the organization runs workshops in
Boulder during the years performances are not planned. Kert said Band of Toughs’ programming is not new, and she said
they create strong material. Kert said the incubation years are used to develop productions. McCormick suggested asking
the organization what they have planned over the next three years. Kert said quantitative programming questions are not
asked in the grant application. McCormick said GOS grant funding is meant for sustainability purposes, but she doesn’t
want to set a precedence if Band of Toughs is the only organization with incubation periods .
Colleen Mylott, from Band of Toughs, said her theater company is unique and does not produce a normal, regular season.
She said although Band of Toughs did not have income generating programming in Boulder over the past year, they were
still performing for the Boulder Community. She explained that Band of Toughs did a collaboratory performance as part of
Boulder Arts Week at the Museum of Boulder. Mylott said they also did a small collaboration at The Spark in addition to a
lot of educational programing. She said Band of Toughs’ education programs served the County of Boulder more than the
City of Boulder. She said the company reached 400-500 people in the Boulder community last year, which is 53% of their
reach. Mylott said their reach is smaller than some because they are in the lowest tier of funding. She said Band of Toughs
has been unique in terms of the time it takes for them to devise work and then share that work with the community. Mylott
said the incubation year has been a part of the company’s programming since their inception. She said they are planning two
public-facing, income-generating events in Boulder this year and one in 2024, so there will be performances two out of the
three funding years. Mylott said the company needs to take time away from performances to produce high quality work.
Borowsky said he’s looking for at least one Boulder performance every year. He said he’s focused on tangible performances
rather than reach or numbers. McCormick suggested offering workshops in Boulder during the incubation periods. Mylott
said she is focused on keeping the company’s presence in Boulder alive . She said the Commission’s concerns help shape
the way Band of Toughs publicizes and the way they develop inclusivity.
McCormick said, ‘I make a motion to approve the following report for this GOS Grant: Band of Toughs.’ Second by Kert.
There was no discussion. The motioned passed unanimously.
Item 4B: Report
1. Moon & Stars Foundation dba Kutandara, Pop-Up Parking Lot Concerts, $7,800
The commissioners commended their performances. McCormick requested Moon & Stars convey to the community that
they are receiving funding from the Boulder Arts Commission.
Schmid said, ‘I move that we approve the report by Moon & Stars Foundation dba Kutandara.’ Second by McCormick.
There was no discussion. The motion passes unanimously.
McCormick updated the Commission on the Street Wise Boulder Mural Festival. She said the organization is shifting from
holding a large festival to holding smaller mural pop-up events with three to five murals and supporting events over one or
two days. McCormick said Street Wise Boulder will have pop-up events two to three times a year.
Agenda Item 5: MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS [00:54:50 Audio min.]
Item 5A: Recognitions and Farewells to Kathleen McCormick
McCormick said she has been honored to serve on the Arts Commission. She read a statement which included promoting
funding for the arts. She offered her thanks to City Council for her appointment, to city staff for inspiring, educating, and
supporting her, and to her fellow commissioners for their dedication to a shared commitment. McCormick said her greatest
gratitude goes out to all of the artists and cultural leaders in the community who are co-partners in creating a more creative,
vibrant, and equitable city.
Bruce Borowsky thanked McCormick for her service and leadership on the Arts Commission. Matt Chasansky thanked
McCormick and said she was a presence on the Commission with her intelligence, clarity, and thoughtfulness. Cris Jones
expressed his appreciation to McCormick for her service.
Agenda Item 6: MATTERS FROM STAFF [01:08:00 Audio min.]
Item 6A: Questions about the Manager’s Memo
For the sake of time, Chasansky asked the commissioners to email any questions to him.
Click announced that Boulder Arts Week will be held from April 7 through April 15. Boulder Arts Week
Item 6B: New Funding Allocations from the City Council Budget Adjustment
Chasansky said City Council voted to allot $250,000 in ARPA funds to Arts & Culture. Chasansky said the Arts
Commision can determine how to divide the money. He recommended the commissioners focus on Council’s priorities to
support venues and artists. He explained that these ARPA funds are meant to support industries that have been most affected
APPROVED BY: ATTESTED:
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Board Chair Board Secretary
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Date Date
by the pandemic. Click said five organizations scored high enough to qualify for GOS grants but did not receive them due to
a lack of funding.
After some discussion, McCormick moved that the $250,000 in ARPA funds be distributed over the next two years to
artists, venues, and GOS grantees as follows.
$150,000:
Boulder Artists: $108,000
Boulder Venues: $42,000
$100,000: GOS grants for the five organizations who qualified for funding but did not receive funding.
2 small organizations: $16,640 (divided equally between the 2 orgs)
1 medium organization: $10,400
1 large organization: $20,800
1 x-large organization: $52,000
Schmid recused herself from the room and did not vote due to a potential conflict of interest. Second by Kert. There was no
discussion. The motion passed unanimously with one commissioner recused.
Borowsky commented on the importance of creating activations in the area by Central Park.
Agenda Item 7: ADJOURNMENT [01:49:00 Audio min.]
There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 8:34 p.m.
Date, time, and location of next meeting:
The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. This is a hybrid meeting
with staff attending at the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building, and the public attending remotely via a Zoom webinar link.
4/28/2023
Bruce Borowsky (Apr 28, 2023 10:30 MDT)
Bruce Borowsky
Apr 28, 2023
03.22.23 Arts Commission Minutes -
APPROVED
Final Audit Report 2023-04-28
Created:2023-04-28
By:Lisa Wuycheck (wuycheckl@bouldercolorado.gov)
Status:Signed
Transaction ID:CBJCHBCAABAAKnVMiPiwcEsSZ-pcrIrMHglR4HcunFsk
"03.22.23 Arts Commission Minutes - APPROVED" History
Document created by Lisa Wuycheck (wuycheckl@bouldercolorado.gov)
2023-04-28 - 4:11:25 PM GMT
Document emailed to Bruce Borowsky (bruce@pixelmillstudios.com) for signature
2023-04-28 - 4:11:56 PM GMT
Email viewed by Bruce Borowsky (bruce@pixelmillstudios.com)
2023-04-28 - 4:29:51 PM GMT
Document e-signed by Bruce Borowsky (bruce@pixelmillstudios.com)
Signature Date: 2023-04-28 - 4:30:34 PM GMT - Time Source: server
Agreement completed.
2023-04-28 - 4:30:34 PM GMT