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08.28.24 BAC PacketBoulder Arts Commission Meeting Agenda August 28, 2024 / 6:00 P.M. Hybrid Meeting: Office of Arts and Culture at 1500 Pearl Street, #300 / Online Video Meeting 1.CALL TO ORDER Approval of agenda 2.MINUTES Approval of the June and July 2024 meeting minutes 3.PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 4.COMMISSION BUSINESS (10 min) 5.MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS (10 min) A.Liaison Updates B.Other Topics from the Community 6.PUBLIC ART PROGRAM (15 min) – Brendan A.Action: Standing Selection Panel New Member Approval B.Progress Updates 7.COMMUNITY VITALITY BUDGET PRESENTATION (20 min) - Elliott 8.GRANTS PROGRAM (45 min) – Lauren A.Action: Grant Report B.Grant Program Blueprint Part 2 9.MATTERS FROM STAFF (10 min) – Lauren A.Questions about the Manager’s Memo B.October Retreat 10.ADJOURNMENT Next meetings: Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 6 to 8 p.m. Retreat: Wednesday, October 23, 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 20, 6 to 8 pm. 1 CITY OF BOULDER BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES Name of Board/ Commission: Boulder Arts Commission Date of Meeting: June 26, 2024 Contact information preparing summary: Lauren Kennedy, Board Specialist Commission members present: Sheryl Cardozo, Maria Cole, Jeffrey Kash, Jill Katzenberger, Caroline Kert (Chair), Georgia Schmid (Vice-Chair), Yaelaed Whyel Commission members absent: Staff present: Matt Chasansky, Senior Manager of Cultural Vibrancy and District Vitality Lauren Click, Arts + Culture Manager Brendan Picker-Mahoney, Public Arts Program Manager Cindy Sepucha, Arts Program Manager Lauren Kennedy, Board Specialist, Community Vitality Jake Hudson-Humphrey, Public Art Program Coordinator Guests present: Rachel Cain, More Sky Less Ceiling Members of the public present: Caulene Hudson (The Catamounts), Taylor Simpson, Liz Rowland (Boulder Chorale), Melissa Fathman (The Dairy), Osman Parvez (The Dairy), Gaya Vinay (The Dairy), Brandi Numedahl (The Dairy), Vonda Neely (The Dairy), Jennifer Mendelson (The Dairy), Lisa Albright (The Dairy), Brenda Kahn (The Dairy), Yvette Rollins, Jeff Nytch Type of Meeting: Hybrid (Location: 1500 Pearl Street, Suite #300, Boulder, CO 80302) Agenda Item 1: CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m. First motion by Kash to approve the agenda as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Cardozo. There was no discussion. The motion passed unanimously. 2 Agenda Item 2: MINUTES [00:04:13 Audio min.] Item 2A: Approval of the May 29, 2024, Minutes First motion by Kash to approve the minutes as presented in the meeting packet. Second by Whyel. There was discussion listed below, Cardozo recused herself from voting since she was absent from the May 29 meeting, and the motion passed unanimously. Schmid asked for clarification about the number of attendees listed, and if the high number of people were online. Lauren Click, Arts & Culture Manager confirmed that the attendees were online. Kash clarified that his statement about the Boulder Phil ending their season should have been presented as “the successful season was conducted,” – pun intended - and Lauren Kennedy, Board Specialist, Community Vitality confirmed she will update the minutes before sending them to the Chair for signature. Agenda Item 3: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [00:05:32 Audio min.] Caulene Hudson (The Catamounts) gave an update about the work the Catamounts have been doing for the community, including: -Educational programming at Heatherwood and Douglas Elementary Schools -Offering Camp Catamounts -Creating Uniquely Colorado Company Hudson offered to meet with any commissioners who wished to know more about the programming. Kash asked where Hudson was from, and she responded that she came from Florida and Nebraska and had been a teaching artist at a children’s theater in Nebraska. Melissa Fathman (The Dairy) gave a statement about Creative Nations and gave more information about the history of the program and the work it’s done for the community. She explained that Creative Nations is in a portion of the Dairy Arts building that has been permanently dedicated for the use of indigenous creators, with those creators having full control of their programming. Fathman discussed how The Dairy Arts Center supports the program financially, and how the program has become a blueprint for other indigenous programming across the country. Kert asked, given the right circumstances, what the best way to reach out to The Dairy with questions about their grant applications would be in the future, and Hudson responded that she was usure at the moment who the best contact would be. Schmid made a statement saying that she had met with both leaders of Creative Nations previously. Osman Parvez (The Dairy) gave a statement about his lived experiences with racism. He discussed his observations of The Dairy Arts center and how he has not seen any racism in his time working there. Gaya Vinay (The Dairy) gave a statement about her support for The Dairy Arts center, discussing recent claims of exclusion of indigenous voices at The Dairy and how they are false, recent allegations of misuse of Creative Nations grant awards by The Diary and how they are unfounded, and how The Dairy is transparent with their funds with regular reporting. Vinay discussed her support of Marty Strenczewilk as the managing director of Creative Nations, stating that he has demonstrated strong leadership and resilience. Schmid asked about the claim that there were allegations made of misuse of funds and that Marty Strenczewilk is not capable of running the Creative Nations program. Vinay answered that the allegation of misuse was made when Schmid, during previous commission meetings, talked about how the money was being allocated to Creative Nations and The Dairy, and claimed that The Dairy was taking some of the grant money from Creative Nations. Vinay stated that the other allegation came when Schmid, during previous commission meetings, talked about the systemic racism being shown by The Dairy by having a person of color, Strenczewilk, come to speak on behalf of Creative Nations. Schmid and Vinay discussed what the details are in the transcripts of previous meetings and agreed to look at the transcripts again for accuracy. 3 Cole brought up that she is interested in going to The Dairy on Fathman’s invitation, and Kert, Kash, Whyel, and Cordozo echoed their interest. Click informed the commission members that if they all go at once, it will have to be a meeting that is recorded and available to the public. She also let them know that they could attend in groups of 2 to not have to advertise and hold a meeting. Agenda Item 4: COMMISSION BUSINESS [00:25:07 Audio min.] Item 4A: Land Acknowledgement Update Click gave an update about her conversations with Phil Yates, a contact at the City of Boulder Tribal Council, and discussed how the efforts of the Land Acknowledgement Committee might need to be a larger discussion with other members of City staff. She discussed how the topic of land acknowledgement lead to a bigger discussion about what it means to be an Arts Commissioner in relation to this topic and how she should have a more concrete update at the next meeting regarding next steps. Kert asked about upcoming projects, and Click updated that there will be a project called The Boulder Blueprint coming soon. Agenda Item 5: MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS [00:26:57 Audio min.] Item 5A: Liaison Updates Cole gave an update about the BMOCA show and its success. She also updated about the number of architects who have submitted for the work happening at the North Boulder campus. Cole discussed attending the Boulder Youth Orchestra and Boulder Phil Harmonic concert where they performed house music. Kert discussed attending an event at The Dairy where they showcased classic films, put on by Commissioner Jeffrey Kash. She highly recommended the event. Kash discussed the Shakespeare Festival and their upcoming shows, the Colorado Music Festival and their upcoming season at Chautauqua, the Movers and Shakers fundraising event at The Dairy, the full summer schedule of Motus Theater, and classic movie event at The Diary. Cardozo updated about her experience at Betsy’s Mad Librarians Improv Show, and said it was a great time with humor appropriate for all ages. Whyel updated about a musical Lightning Thief held at The Dairy, and said it was a very good musical. They shared that The Spark has a summer concert playing Les Misérables songs opening at the end of June and running through the first week of July. Katzenberger updated that she is hosting the Rockey Mountain Equity fundraiser Queer Circus this weekend. She updated about the Boulder Comedy Festival that has already occurred and the upcoming Queer Comedy Festival. Kash discussed how Katzenberger will likely be assigned former Commissioner Borowsky’s liaison assignments. Item 5B: Other Topics from the Community There were no other topics from the community. Agenda Item 6: PUBLIC ART PROGRAM [00:33:34 Audio min.] Item 6A: Public Art Program/ Collection Update Brendan Picker-Mahoney, Public Arts Program Manager gave updates about: -Open RFQs for artwork at the Western City Campus Building - An upcoming dedication event for Nuages by Daily tous les jours at the new NoBo Library -Installation planning for North Broadway public art 4 - Guided Public Art Tours: Cole asked if there are accessible options, such as an interpreter, available, and Jake Hudson-Humphrey, Public Art Program Coordinator gave information about efforts to make the tour accessible and self-directed. Kert brought up that Kim Brody at Ars Nova Singers might have information about technology available for self-guided tours. Rachel Cain, More Sky Less Ceiling updated the commission about the arts collection audit. She outlined the criteria her team used to define City-owned public art, the breakdown of the audit results, and the differences between public art and urban design. Cain and Picker-Mahoney discussed the next steps for the project, including creating signage and maintenance plan for the art pieces, doing another physical inventory, updating the Beehive Database, and importing the collection to the Public Art Archive. Kert asked for clarification about the art that is staying with Parks and Recreation, and Picker-Mahoney discussed that the pieces that don’t meet the definition of public art will stay with Parks and Recreation. Cardozo asked if there was contention with Transportation and Parks and Recreation, and Picker-Mahoney clarified that those groups understand Public Arts will help with maintenance of pieces that meet the definition of public art, so it is unlikely there will be contention. Cain and Kash discussed the financial implications of maintaining these pieces, pointing out that the other groups will likely enjoy the lessening of the financial burden. Kert echoed these sentiments. Cain, Picker-Mahoney, Kert, and Kash discussed and clarified which art pieces were being considered and how many there could be. Matt Chasansky, Senior Manager of Cultural Vibrancy and District Vitality gave an update about why the Boulder Public Library has such a large collection of art pieces. He talked about a 1990s agreement between the Boulder Public Library and the Boulder Arts Commission Grant Program, wherein the Boulder Arts Commission must return one piece of artwork to the Boulder Public Library for every grant they approve. This practice was discontinued in the 2000s and officially removed from the Grant Program in 2015. This agreement is the reason the Boulder Public Library has such a large collection of art pieces. Click asked for a timeline, and Picker-Mahoney clarified that they will have updates before the end of the year. Kert asked if the Arts Commission could host an event. Click discussed that there are different resources for funding the maintenance of the adopted art pieces. Agenda Item 7: GRANTS PROGRAM [01:05:22 Audio min.] Item 7A: Action: Arts Education Project Grants Decisions Click introduced the options for Arts Education Project Grants. Schmid moved that The Catamounts, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, The Cultural Caravan, Boulder International Film Festival, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Open Studios, Boulder Opera, and Luna Cultura, art, science, and culture for thriving communities but not the Dairy Arts Center be awarded grants in the Arts Education Project Grants category. Cardoza seconded, Cole voted against, motion carried. Cole stated that she voted against the motion because she felt the Dairy Arts Center should be included in the motion. Kash moved for the Dairy, Cole seconded, Schmid offered Kash an opportunity to recuse himself due to his personal involvement with The Dairy. Kert asked for clarification on the definition of a conflict of interest and Click clarified that Kash is not legally showing a conflict of interest because he does not have a vested interested in The Dairy and will not receive monetary gains from voting for The Dairy to receive this grant. Schmid brought up the fact that Kash has deep personal connections at The Dairy. Kash confirmed that he will not recuse himself. Jeff Nytch asked if he could respond to Schmid’s comments, and Kert clarified that he could not at this time. The vote was unanimous, and the motion passed. Cardozo made a motion to approve Junkyard Social and Whyel seconded, Katzenberger recused herself, the motion passed unanimously. Item 7B: Action: Grant Reports Click presented the options for the Grant Reports. 5 APPROVED BY: ATTESTED: _________________________________________ ___________________________________ Board Chair Board Secretary ________________________________________ ___________________________________ Date Date Kash moved to approve the grant reports for Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Street Wise Arts, Cole seconded. Kash, Kert, and Cole made comments in support of both organizations and the work they are doing. The vote was unanimous, and the motion passed. Click went over upcoming due dates for the Leadership Pipeline Scholarship Fund, the dates for leadership training, and the dates for the retreat. The commissioners agreed on 8/23 for the training and decided to discuss the retreat date via email. Cardozo asked if Click has cross-referenced the dates with any religious or non-religious holidays, and Click confirmed she will make sure they don’t overlap. Agenda Item 8: MATTERS FROM STAFF [01:20:36 Audio min.] Item 8A: Boulder Arts Week Update Cindy Sepucha, Arts Program Manager gave a brief history of the Boulder Arts Week. She updated the commission on the 2024 numbers and how they were up from previous years. Sepucha discussed the overwhelming positive feedback received from participating organizations and artists as well as the somewhat negative feedback. She also discussed the attendee feedback, which was mostly positive. Cardoza asked if the event were marketed by the City, and Sepucha answered that the City did promote the events somewhat. Sepucha discussed the options for future Boulder Arts Weeks, including doing the same thing as previous years, adding an awards event component and maintaining a year-round presence, and/or completely changing the event to be a larger event. Sepucha discussed the financial implications, and Kert asked what the current budget is. Click clarified that the budget is $40,000 and is split up during the year. Kert asked what the budgeting focus is for staffing, and Sepucha answered that staffing is being considered and accounted for, and that there were fewer volunteers this year than last year. Click brought up other financial resources, including a fund for small grants, that can be utilized. Item 8B: Questions about the Manager’s Memo There were no questions about the Manager’s Memo. Agenda Item 9: ADJOURNMENT [01:36:01 Audio min.] There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, Kert adjourned the meeting at 7:36 p.m. Date, time, and location of next meeting: The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. This is a hybrid meeting to be held at The City of Boulder’s Community Vitality Department and via a Zoom webinar link. 6 CITY OF BOULDER BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES Name of Board/ Commission: Boulder Arts Commission Date of Meeting: July 31, 2024 Contact information preparing summary: Lisa Wuycheck, Executive Assistant Commission members present: Sheryl Cardozo, Maria Cole, Jeffrey Kash (Vice-Chair), Jill Katzenberger, Caroline Kert (Chair), Georgia Schmid Commission members absent: Yaelaed Whyel Staff present: Matt Chasansky, Community Vitality (CV) Senior Manager of Cultural Vibrancy and District Vitality Lauren Click, CV Arts & Culture Manager Lisa Wuycheck, CV Executive Assistant Members of the public present: Ivan-Daniel Espinosa (CU Boulder), Michael Carter (JLF Colorado International Literature Festival), Miriam Paisner, Liz Rowland (Boulder Chorale), Leah Quiller Type of Meeting: Hybrid (Location: 1500 Pearl Street, Suite #300, Boulder, CO 80302) Agenda Item 1: CALL TO ORDER [00:00:08 Audio min.] Kert called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. First motion by Kert to approve the agenda. Second by Schmid. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Executive Assistant Lisa Wuycheck read the public participation guidelines. Kert reminded those in attendance who applied for the Leadership Pipeline Fund to refrain from discussing their applications. Agenda Item 2: MINUTES [00:01:23 Audio min.] Item 2A: Approval of the 2024 June Minutes The June and July minutes will be considered for approval at the August 28 meeting. Agenda Item 3: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [00:05:01 Audio min.] Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) Advisory Board Member Michael Carter extended an invitation to the commissioners to attend the JLF Colorado International Literature Festival on September 13-15 at the Boulder Public Library. Former grant recipient Miriam Paisner discussed her challenges with low enrollment for her Hawiian hula classes. 7 Agenda Item 4: COMMISSION BUSINESS [00:11:02 Audio min.] Item 4A: Leadership Position Appointments Arts & Culture Manager Lauren Click announced Kert received three nominations for chair, Cole received one nomination for vice-chair, and Kash received one nomination for vice-chair. Cole declined her nomination and nominated Kash for vice-chair. Kert accepted her nomination for chair. Cole said, ‘I move that Carol Kert be appointed chair.’ Second by Schmid. There was no discussion. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Schmid and Kash both discussed their reasons for seeking the vice-chair position. Cole said, ‘I move that Jeffrey Kash be appointed Vice Chair’. Second by Cardozo. The motion passed with five in favor and one opposed. Cole said, ‘I move that Jeffrey be appointed as board member with the Dairy Arts Center, Maria be appointed as board member with the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, and Sheryl be appointed as board member with the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.’ Second by Kash. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Item 4B: General Operating Support Liaison Positions Click presented revised delegations for the 2024 General Operating Support Liaisons. Click assigned Katzenberger as a liaison for six grantees resulting in some new assignments for the commissioners. Agenda Item 5: MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS [00:34:19 Audio min.] Item 5A: Liaison Updates Cole announced BMOCA requested congressional funding and were approved for the first step. She said the RFQ process for the north Boulder campus is moving forward. Cole reported she enjoyed attending the Colorado Music Festival’s Mozart concert and said Colorado MahlerFest sent invitations to their 3rd Annual Sunset Season Reveal House Concert on October 6. Cole said she and Kert met with Navaho artist Melaine Yazzie to discuss the collaborative relationship between Creative Nations and the Dairy Arts Center. They said Melanie has invited the other commissioners to meet with her. Kash announced the Colorado Shakespeare Festival runs through August 11. Kash added he enjoyed the Colorado Music Festival which runs through Sunday, August 4. Schmid announced Locale Theater had their Season 14 kick-off with ‘We the People: The Democracy Cycle’ on July 27. Katzenberger said she’s excited to serve as a liaison and to get to know the organizations. She added Junkyard Social Club is wrapping up their third year of summer camps. Item 5B: Other Topics from the Community Schmid said she recommends visiting the Legacy Museum, in Montgomery, Alabama. 8 Agenda Item 6: GRANTS PROGRAM [00:50:53 Audio min.] Item 6A: Action: Grant Reports Arts & Culture Program Manager Lauren Click presented the following grant reports for Commission approval. 1. Arts Administration Rehiring Grants • 3rd Law Dance/Theater • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art • Boulder Opera Company • Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra • Dairy Arts Center • Frequent Flyers Productions, Inc. • Local Theater Company • Museum of Boulder • T2 Dance Company 2. 2023 Arts Education Project Grant, Boulder High School, BHS Panther Paw Project, $3,000 3. 2023 Arts Education Project Grant, The Cultural Caravan’s 2023-2024 Education & Family Concerts, $3,000 4. 2023 Community Project Grants for Organizations, Boulder Symphony, Expanded GLOW Project 2023, $10,000 Click said the Commission members will vote on the approval of the reports. She said commissioners have the options to: • Approve all reports, • Approve individual reports, • Approve individual reports while submitting specific questions, • Postpone approval of individual reports pending the answers to specific questions, and/or • Not approve individual reports and cancel the final payment. Kash said, ‘I move that we approve the grant reports from 3rd Law Dance/Theater, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder Opera Company, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Dairy Arts Center, Frequent Flyers Productions, Local Theater Company, Musuem of Boulder, T2 Dance Company, Boulder High School, The Cultural Caravan, and Boulder Symphony.’ Second by Cardozo. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Item 6B: Action: Leadership Pipeline Fund Scholarship Click explained the new application and nomination process. She said there is no scoring, and instead of conducting in- person interviews, the commissioners engaged in question-and-answer sessions with the applicants behind the scenes. Click said the applicants must be nominated by a commissioner and the top two will receive scholarships. Click announced there were four applicants last year and five applicants this year. Kash nominated Adriana Paola Palacios Luna. Schmid said, ‘I move that Adriana Paola Luna be awarded a scholarship in the Leadership Pipeline Fund.’ Katzenberger abstained from the vote. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Click presented the Leadership Pipeline goals and criteria as a reminder to the Commission. Kash nominated Ivan-Danield Espinosa. Cole said, ‘I move that Ivan-Daniel Espinosa be awarded a scholarship in the Leadership Pipeline Fund category.’ Katzenberger abstained from the vote. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously. 9 Item 6C: Grant Program Blueprint Part 1 Click expressed her thanks and said the community is very grateful to the commissioners. She announced the Arts Commission awarded 156 grants and fee waivers so far this year totaling $1.2 million. Click said staff reached out to the community for feedback on the grant program. She said staff has also offered feedback, and tonight’s goal is to focus on challenges, priorities, and improvements. Click explained the three-step process to create the new grant program. Tonight’s first step is discussing the staff, community, and Commission feedback about the grants program. The second step will occur next month when staff suggestions are presented based on tonight’s discussion. Staff will also review the updated budget next month. The third step is to start long-term planning for the program. Click said, after the commissioners discuss the feedback, tonight’s meeting will be open to public comment. Click presented areas for improvement from the community. She said the option of in-person interviews with applicants is also a potential area for improvement. • Perceived or genuine bias or impropriety in decision making • Weight of the scores in the scoring system • Concerns regarding consistency with diversity, equity, and inclusion in applying the rubric • Commissioners applying for grant funding • Interest in seeing quantities (audience members, for example) in applications • Encouraging collaboration • Concern with timing of project grants missing programs early in the year • Quantity of Community Project Grants for Organizations Schmid said a project with a small number of participants can still be very impactful. She added that, without a rubric, the scoring may appear to be biased. She and staff discussed the challenge of weighing scores. Click reviewed the following grant program schedule. 1. 2025 General Operating Support grant decision will shift to the end of 2024 and will be abbreviated for the one-year timeline 2. September to November process 3. 2025: You’ll review approximately 8 grant categories 4. 2025: You should expect to read from 100 to 130 individual applications 5. Reviewing will last from March through Fall 6. What concerns you? How can staff make the process manageable? Click presented staff’s recommended areas for improvement. • Perceived or genuine bias or impropriety in decision making • Weight of the scores in the scoring system • Concerns regarding consistency with diversity, equity, and inclusion in applying the rubric • Commissioners applying for grant funding • Interest in seeing quantities (audience numbers, for example) in applications • Encouraging collaboration • Concern with timing of project grants missing programs early in the year • Quantity of Community Project Grants for Organizations • Leadership Pipeline Scholarship retooling Public Comment Ivan-Daniel Espinosa (CU Boulder) expressed his gratitude to the commissioners for awarding him the Grant Pipeline Leadership Scholarship. 10 APPROVED BY: ATTESTED: _________________________________________ ___________________________________ Board Chair Board Secretary Click also presented the following feedback specifically on the grant process received for consideration during the Boulder Arts Blueprint. 1. Review general operating support grant • Tiered structure • Applications vs eligibility • Annual inflation increases 2. Climate adaptation emphasis, STEAM emphasis 3. Visiting artist residency 4. Indigenous artist fellowship or award 5. Technical assistance grants (for marketing, for example) 6. Increases in all grant categories for inflation Click discussed the next steps in the process. 1. Blueprint, Step Two at August Arts Commission meeting • Proposed financial structure • Proposed solutions • Proposed schedule 2. Grant Info Sessions 3. Thursday, November 21 at 11:30 a.m. at location TBD 4. Thursday, December 12 at 4 p.m. at location TBD Click reminded the commissioners of upcoming dates of importance. • Commission equity and leadership training: Friday, August 23, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. • Land acknowledgement committee: Thursday, October 17 at 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. • Arts Commission Retreat: Wednesday, October 23 from 2 to 7 p.m. at Roots Music Project Agenda Item 7: MATTERS FROM STAFF [01:41:22 Audio min.] Item 7A: Questions about the Manager’s Memo There were no questions from the commissioners. Senior Manager of Cultural Vibrancy and District Vitality Matt Chasansky congratulated Lauren Click on her promotion as the Arts & Culture Manager. Kert asked for the next step in the Grant Manager hiring process. Click said staff received over 100 applicants, and interviews will occur in the next few weeks. Agenda Item 8: ADJOURNMENT [01:42:51 Audio min.] There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, Kert adjourned the meeting at 7:47 p.m. Date, time, and location of next meeting: The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. This is a hybrid meeting to be held at The City of Boulder’s Community Vitality Department and via a Zoom webinar link. 11 ________________________________________ ___________________________________ Date Date 12 TO: Members of the Boulder Arts Commission FROM: Lauren Click, City of Boulder Office of Arts + Culture, Community Vitality Department DATE: August 23, 2024 SUBJECT: Manager’s Update for the Boulder Arts Commission Meeting on August 28, 2024 > To maximize access, the August 2024 meeting of the Arts Commission will be held as a hybrid in-person / video meeting. The Arts Commission, members of the community, and staff may attend either in person or by video. − The in-person meeting will be held at the Office of Arts and Culture at 1500 Pearl Street, #300. Due to room capacity, there may be a limited number of seats available for members of the community to attend in person. − To attend, please make a request by email to rsvp@bouldercolorado.gov by Tuesday, August 27 at 12:00 p.m. Please indicate in your email if you are requesting to attend in person or by video. > Notes on the August Meeting Agenda − 6A, Standing Selection Panel New Member Approval - One of the Standing Selection Panel resigned in the past few months. Staff has identified a candidate to replace the seat: Aaron Winston. In Attachment One, please find his resume. During the meeting, staff will ask commission members to approve of the addition of Aaron to the Standing Selection Panel. RECOMMENDED MOTION “I move that we approve Aaron Winston to join the Standing Selection Panel, bringing the membership number up to five.” − 7, Community Vitality Budget Presentation – Elliott LaBonte, Business Services Senior Manager, will present on the Proposed Community Vitality 2025 Budget. This will include a high-level review of the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Fund. In Attachment Two, please find the presentation. RECOMMENDED MOTION “I move that we recommend approval of the 2025 Community Vitality proposed budget, including the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan.” − 8A, Grant Report. The grant report requiring action have been distributed to Arts Commission members by email. This is the report being discussed: • 2022 Arts Administration Rehiring Grant, Boulder Symphony & Music Academy RECOMMENDED MOTION “I move that we approve the grant report from Boulder Symphony and Music Academy.” At the meeting Commission members will vote on the approval of the reports. Commissioners have the options to: 13 a. Approve the grant report, b. Approve the grant report with specific questions, c. Not approve the grant report and cancel the final 2024 payments, and/or d. Postpone approval of the report pending the answers to specific questions. − 8B, 2025 Grants Cycle Blueprint Process Part 2 – At the July meeting, staff and Commissioners discussed areas of improvement needed in the 2025 grant program. Below is a list of issues brought forth by staff, Arts Commissioners, and the public. At the meeting, staff will offer a presentation of solutions to address these issues, including staff recommendations and alternative options. The goal of this discussion is to get advice on specific changes to criteria and process which will be finalized at the September meeting. The September presentation by staff will include all final documents for the 2024 grant program: budget, updated criteria and guidelines, applications, reporting, and scoring documents, and a final schedule of deadlines. Below is the list of issues brought forth for discussion: • Perceived or genuine bias or impropriety in decision making • Weight of the scores in the scoring system • Concerns regarding consistency with diversity, equity, and inclusion in applying the rubric • Commissioners applying for grant funding • Interest in seeing quantities (audience numbers, for example) in applications • Encouraging collaboration • Concern with timing of project grants missing programs early in the year • Quantity of Community Project Grants for Organizations • Revise Leadership Pipeline Scholarship Process > Commission Correspondence The transparency practices of the Boulder Arts Commission require that emails to three or more members of the Commission be published in the public record. In Attachment Four, please find one email received between the publication of the July 31 and August 28, 2024, meeting packets. > Staff Updates > Administration and Planning Please find attached a response letter from Mayor Brockett and Mayor Pro Tem Speer to the Boulder Arts Commission regarding this term’s council priorities in Attachment Three. Please find attached the Short-Term Needs Assessment in Attachment Five. At the meeting, staff will offer a short overview of the findings. > Grants and Programs for Organizations Work continues to support applicants and promote the 2024 Boulder Arts Commission Grant Program. The following Venue and Fee Waiver grant awards were approved in advance of the meeting: - Boulder Shelter for the Homeless (dba All Roads), Rock the Shelter – A Fundraising Concert, eTown Hall Fee Waiver - Jeanne Dworak, Pinetop Perkins Blues Showcase with Bob Margolin, Roots Music Project Fee Waiver - KGNU, KGNU Kabaret: The Nalani Effect with Regi Wooten, Roots Music Project Fee Waiver 14 - KRFC 88.9, KRFC RadioVision LIVE@LUNCH feat. Graham Good & The Painters, Roots Music Project Fee Waiver - TAVN Fundraiser Featuring Funk Knuf, Roots Music Project Fee Waiver The following Venue and Fee Waiver grant reports were approved in advance of the meeting: - Miriam Paisner, Hawaiian Hula Performance Classes, The Spark, $1,000 The following Professional Development grant reports were approved in advance of the meeting: - Brian Jack, International Double Reed Society Conference 2024, Flagstaff, Arizona, $800 - Bridget Ryan, b12 Dance Festival in Berlin, Germany, $1,000 - Caroline Butcher, Uprooted Teacher's Workshop, New York City, NY, $1,000 - Soleil Lohl, Principles of Eccentric Performance with Avner Eisenberg, South Paris, Maine, $1,000 The following grant report extensions were approved in advance of the meeting: - Boulder Symphony, Arts Administration Rehiring Grants In Attachment Seven, please find a current grants program budget. > Public Art Program The Downtown Boulder Public Art Tour is live on our website. The public can now sign up for free tours. Most tours are “sold out”. Commissioners are encouraged to attend a tour. Sign up here: https://bouldercolorado.gov/services/public-art-walking-tours Work continues on expanding the public art presence in social media and the newsletter. Staff continue to work with the Budget Office on public art funding procedures in the Capital Improvement Program and the Community Culture Resilience and Safety Tax (CCRS) allocations. Staff continue to support colleagues in Planning and Development Services on improvements to the public art permitting process. Public Art Commissioning Updates: - North Broadway (Sharon Dowell): Installation has begun and should be wrapped up by Wednesday, Sept 18. Sharon will be at the NoBo First Friday event on Sept. 6, and we are holding a small dedication ceremony on-site on Sept. 17. Check website and social media for more info. - Western City Campus (Alpine Balsam): Finalist selection will occur on Thursday, Sept. 22. Finalists will then have 4 to 6 weeks to create proposals. Final selection should occur in October. - The Standing Selection Panel is working on an Artist Lecture Series invitational for local, national, and international artists to come to Boulder as part of the Experiments in Public Art series. Invitational was sent to 20 artists and deadline to receive letter of interest is Aug. 23. More soon! We are also asking for approval for the addition of a fifth member, Aaron Winston from Groundworks Art Lab, formerly Studio Arts Boulder to replace Mark Villareal. - Fire Station 3 (Michael Clapper): Final Design and Fabrication. Footer for sculpture has been poured, moving into fabrication of the artwork. Anticipated installation in Nov. 2024. - Urban Design - 19th and Upland (Anthony Garcia): Final Design. Waiting on parent project to commence construction. The anticipated parent project construction schedule is Winter 2024 to Spring 2026. Art will be installed in Spring 2026. - Valmont Rain Garden: Preliminary Design has been approved and community engagement activities were held. Working on final design (engineering). Anticipated installation Nov. 2024. - Art in Parking Garages: 11th and Spruce (David Franklin): Design Development. Engineering assessment of the garage is complete, and staff are now waiting on a revised preliminary design from the artists. 15 - Uni Hill Public Art: Staff is planning to research and develop a public art plan for the Uni Hill commercial district with funds from a withdrawn 2019 project. Awaiting response from Permitting. Community-Initiated and Donation Projects Updates: - Pleasant St. & Broadway Ave. Paint the Pavement: Staff is assisting with a project to install a crosswalk mural at an intersection in the Uni Hill district. The project will employ an artist from our Mural Artist Roster. Installation is planned for Summer 2024. - Goss Grove Street mural: community member Susan Lott is moving forward with a street mural at 19th and Grove Street. It is a long-standing mural that the neighborhood has maintained and repainted over 12 years. Maintenance and Conservation: - Accessible Signage: A consultant was hired to audit the public art collection and enter information into a new database. Work has begun. A CU Boulder grad student is also assisting. Following the audit, staff will hire a fabricator to begin work on new signage for all artworks. In Attachment Six, please find the public art program 5-year budget. > Creative Neighborhoods Work continues on the Creative Neighborhoods Mural program. We currently have five projects in four subcommunities underway. > Venues Staff is working with multiple departments to negotiate and complete a new lease with The Dairy Arts Center. Work continues to provide support on the proposal from the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA) to relocate their facility to a new location in the NoBo Art District. Staff is meeting with key venue utilizers (artists and organizations who use rental venues in the city) to discuss their experience, any unmet needs, and help us finalize a questionnaire that will be made available for all venue utilizers in the city. Staff is also working with Boulder County Arts Alliance (BCAA) as they have an existing database of venues on their website and a questionnaire to gather that information. Staff is partnering with BCAA for the venues’ information side of the venues study, to use the data they have already gathered and the tool they have already created to collect information about venues in the city. Results from the venues study will help inform the creation of the Boulder Arts Blueprint. > Professional Artists Work continues on the Artist Census. As of August 20, we have 213 completed and 38 people have asked to be added to the focus group list. Please spread the word about the census questionnaire. Our goal is to get around 400 responses, to have a statistically significant number of responses and create confidence in the representation of creative professionals in our community. We currently have a deadline of September 7, unless we need to keep it open longer to get the numbers we need. We are specifically looking to gather information from diverse cross sections of creative professionals, by age, race, gender, geographic residence location (within Boulder County), career stage, creative modality, and so on. Our next Professional Artist forum is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Junkyard Social Club. Public Art Manager Brendan Picker-Mahoney will be talking with artists about public art 16 processes: writing successful proposals, where to find open calls, collaborating with teams on large-scale work, and more. > Civic Dialog, Boulder Arts Week Boulder Arts Week 2025 is scheduled for April 4 to 11, 2025. 17 Aaron Winston 2105 Upland Ave. 303-847-3578 Boulder, CO 80304 aaron.w@groundworksartlab.org EDUCATION MFA University of New Mexico, 2004 BFA Columbus College of Art and Design, 2000 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Artistic Director, Groundworks Art Lab (formerly Studio Arts Boulder) 2023 - present •oversee studio managers and program staff •manage programs and organization partnerships •facility oversight •fulfill artistic mission of the organization Director, Studio Arts Boulder, Pottery Lab, Boulder, CO 2015 - 2023 •oversee and manage all aspects of the community pottery studio •design and implement educational programming •manage all full-time, part-time and volunteer staff •coordinate fundraising and community events •engage and build relationships with other community and arts members, organizations and institutions Studio Manager, City of Boulder Pottery Lab, Boulder, CO 2012 - 2015 •oversight and implementation of all day-to-day operations •volunteer coordination •managed inventory and ordering •marketing and graphic design Instructor & Studio Assistant, City of Boulder Pottery Lab, Boulder, CO 2006 - 2012 •teaching •studio and equipment maintenance and repair •inventory and ordering •management of studio processes •building maintenance •marketing and graphic design Designer and Production Artist, Crucial Detail Design Studio, San Diego, CA 2004 - 2005 •conceptualization, design, prototype creation •production of limited run porcelain vessels ATTACHMENT ONE: Standing Selection Panel Resume 18 Community Vitality’s 2025 Proposed Budget ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 19 Agenda Funding Source Details Formation and the Roles and Responsibilities Key Accomplishments 2025 Budget Budget Process Community Vitality Budget Capital Improvement Program Fund Specific Revenues & Expenses Feedback and Questions Next Steps Suggested Motion Language ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 20 •Key Accomplishments •$1.4+ million awarded through the grant program to 150+ grantees •Los Seis de Boulder installed •Boulder Arts Week 2024 •2025 Short-Term Needs Assessment completed •Work In Progress •Public Art Projects: Western City Campus,11th and Spruce, •Public Art Collection review •Boulder Arts Blueprint •Creative Neighborhoods Projects •Artist Census •Venues Study ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget Arts + Culture Key Accomplishments & Work In Progress 21 Budget Process Overview Commission & Council Priority Setting Department Work Plan Alignment Financial Projections and Strategic Planning Department Budget Development Citywide Budget Development Council Review & Adoption ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 22 Community Vitality Funds District City Other CAGID General Fund ARPA UHGID Arts, Culture & Heritage CCS/CCRS (Arts + Culture) BJAD-Parking BJAD-TDM ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 23 Revenues and Expenses Revenue Expenses Parking Revenue Personnel Property Tax Operating Leases, Rents, and Royalties Internal Services Specific Ownership Tax Debt Service Other Revenues Capital Transfers In Transfers Sales Tax ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 24 2025 Budget Highlights •Focus on realigning under utilized budget toprograms in need •‘We are incredibly constrained in our ability to take on new initiatives and positions’ •New dedicated sales tax for Arts, Culture andHeritage •Heavy expansion of Capital programs •Enhancements focused on business andemployee support •Headwinds •Initiative #50 Voter Approval to RetainAdditional Property Tax Revenue (4% cap)which could have a further impact with anyMill Levy rate adjustments. ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 25 Summary of 2025 Budget Changes •Realignments •Shifting EcoPass savings to support maintenance operations •Decrease in GF transfer to CAGID for credit card processing fees now GF obligation •Enhancements •Ambassador Program •Outdoor Dining •EcoPass expansion to part-time employees •Arts + Culture gap year and program expansions •Capital Highlights •Hill Focused Streetscape Renovations and Revitalizations •CMGC projects per garage starting in 2025 •Security Enhancements in Garages •1% for Public Art on Capital Projects ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 26 2025 Recommended Budget - Arts, Culture & Heritage BRIDGE YEAR GRANTS $432,000 – ONE-TIME IN 2025 CULTURAL PLAN UPDATE $165,250 – ONE-TIME IN 2025 ARTS-GRANT PROGRAM SPECIALIST – 2-YEAR FIXED TERM THROUGH 12/31/26 EXPERIMENTS IN PUBLIC ART $100,000 – ONE-TIME IN 2025 ARTIST HIRING INCENTIVE PROGRAM $75,000 – ONE-TIME IN 2025 PUBLIC ART MAINTENANCE RESERVE $50,000 – ONE-TIME IN 2025 CREATIVE NEIGHBORHOODS $30,000 – ONE-TIME IN 2025 SPONSORSHIPS $75,000 –ONE-TIME IN 2025, $25,000 IN GF, ARTS, AND CAGID ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 27 Proposed Community Vitality Budget 2024 Approved 2025 Proposed % Change Operating $6,193,701 $7,394,906 19.4% Personnel 4,651,236 5,039,923 8.4% Transfers 748,719 956,950 27.8% Internal Services 748,631 906,510 21.1% Debt Service --- Total $12,342,287 $14,298,289 15.9% Capital 5,197,789 8,980,223*72.8% Total Including Capital $17,540,076 $23,278,512 32.7% ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 28 2025 Proposed 2026 Proposed 2027 Proposed 2028 Proposed 2029 Proposed 2030 Proposed 1% For Public Art 125,223 127,780 130,854 134,035 137,330 140,745 Affordable Commercial 500,000 - - - - - Boulder Junction Public Improvements 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 100,000 Garage Security Enhancements 1,000,000 - - - - - Hill Streetscape Renovations 1,627,500 - - - - - Interior Tenant Space Repairs 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 Pearl Garage Renovations*- - 4,500,000 - - - Randolph Garage Renovations*- - - 5,000,000 - - RTD Garage Renovations - - - - 3,000,000 - Spruce Garage Renovations*5,000,000 - - - - 750,000 St. Julien Garage Renovation -5,000,000 - - - - Undergrounding CAGID Power Lines 500,000 500,000 500,000 500,000 500,000 500,000 Pearl Street Mall Refresh -2,000,000 - - - - Grand Total 8,902,723 7,777,780 5,280,854 5,784,035 3,787,330 1,540,745 ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 2025 – 2030 Capital Improvement Program 29 Revenues 2025 Proposed Sales and Use Tax $3,478,414 Expense 2025 Proposed Personnel $633,505 Operating $1,993,030 Transfers $151,566 Internal Services $0 Total $2,778,101 Proposed Arts, Culture + Heritage BudgetATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 30 Questions & Feedback ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 31 Next Steps Suggested Motion Language Commission recommends approval of the 2025 Community Vitality proposed budget including the 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Plan. ATTACHMENT TWO: CV 2025 Proposed Budget 32 1777 Broadway, Boulder CO 80302 | bouldercolorado.gov | O: 303 -441-3002 ATTACHMENT 3: CITY COUNCIL LETTER 33 1777 Broadway, Boulder CO 80302 | bouldercolorado.gov | O: 303 -441-3002 ATTACHMENT 3: CITY COUNCIL LETTER 34 1777 Broadway, Boulder CO 80302 | bouldercolorado.gov | O: 303 -441-3002 ATTACHMENT 3: CITY COUNCIL LETTER 35 1777 Broadway, Boulder CO 80302 | bouldercolorado.gov | O: 303 -441-3002 ATTACHMENT 3: CITY COUNCIL LETTER 36 External Sender Notice This email was sent by an external sender. Good morning Lauren! We would like to bring the performance of RUSH to the attention of the Boulder Arts Commission and Office and Arts and Culture as would we would very much appreciate them experiencing our work. Thank you and BAC for its time and support! Jenifer Sher RUSH - WORLD PREMIERE LEMON SPONGE CAKE'S RADICAL NEW WORK BY ROBERT SHER-MACHHERNDL The creation of RUSH - world premiere - celebrates Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet’s 25th year. This radical new work by internationally recognized choreographer and company founder Robert Sher-Machherndl, boldly brings contemporary ballet into sharp, present-day focus as he create something strange, beautiful and compelling. RUSH demonstrates the powerful imagination and deeply exquisite emotional context which Sher-Machherndl consistently manifests on stage. A rigorous display of movement, body shape, and highly specialized arm épaulement are at play. An experimental work: smooth and velvety, often contrasted with the awkward and pedestrian, creates this transformative performance. RUSH undeniably redirects one’s mind, and takes the witness on an intriguing journey. “ … highlight of the program” The New York Times. In RUSH, Sher-Machherndl pays homage to his European roots ~ after all, he’s a Viennese native who, prior to receiving the US “Alien of Extraordinary Abilities” visa, was principal dancer with Dutch National Ballet and Bavarian State Ballet. RUSH is performed by a powerhouse of collaborators: Makaila Wallace, formerly of Ballet BC; Sadie Brown, formerly of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet; and Sher-Machherndl himself. The dynamic interplay between these three master performers is a rare experience. SAT SEPT 14 @ 7:00PM SUN SEPT 15 @ 2PM GORDON GAMM THEATER DAIRY ARTS CENTER BOULDER ATTACHMENT FOUR: Commission Correspondence 37 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 38 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 39 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 40 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 41 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 42 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 43 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 44 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 45 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 46 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 47 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 48 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 49 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 50 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 51 ATTACHMENT FIVE: 2025 Short Term Needs Assessment 52 ATTACHMENT SIX: Current Public Art Program 5 Year Budget as of August 20, 2024 FUNDING SOURCE PROJECT/ARTIST TOTAL APPROPRIATE D AMOUNT PAID TO DATE BALANCE REMAINING 2024 PROJECTED SPENDING Multiple Art and Parking Garages $122,500 $6,125 $116,375 $85,760 CCS v1 North Broadway / Dowell $165,000 $82,500 $82,500 $123,750 CCS v2 Fire Station 3 (2021) $80,000 $47,500 $32,500 $32,500 Multiple Valmont Park Rain Garden $20,000 $3,750 $16,250 $16,250 Urban Design 19th and Upland (2025) $51,700 $2,585 $49,115 $0 % for Art Transportation (2025) $330,000 $0 $330,000 tbd % for Art Valmont City Park (2025) $144,000 $0 $144,000 tbd TOTAL $913,200 $142,460 $770,740 $258,260 CCS: Community Culture and Safety Tax CCRS: Community Culture Resiliency and Safety Tax Additional maintenance projects are not represented. 53 ATTACHMENT SEVEN Current Cultural Grants Program Budget as of August 23, 2024 GRANT CATEGORY ASSIGNED BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET GRANTS AWARDED BALANCE GOS: Extra Large Orgs1 $400,000 $426,035 $426,035 $0 GOS: Large Orgs1 $180,000 $190,414 $190,414 $0 GOS: Mid Orgs1 $80,000 $85,207 $85,207 $0 GOS: Small Orgs1 $96,000 $104,332 $104,332 $0 Community Projects: Indv. $25,000 $25,000 $24,500 $500 Community Projects: Orgs. $60,000 $60,000 $60,000 $0 Arts Education $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $0 Venue and Event Affordability Fund $16,000 $16,000 $15,445 $555 Prof. Dev. Scholarships $8,000 $8,000 $8,000 $0 Leadership Pipeline Fund $16,000 $16,000 $16,000 $0 Cultural Field Trips $10,000 $10,000 $384.20 $9,615.80 Assistance for Grant Writing $4,000 $4,000 $3,500 $500 TOTAL $925,000 $975,014 $963,817.20 $11,170.80 There are 8 free rentals still available for the Macky Auditorium. There are 3 free rentals still available from eTown Hall. There are 1 free rental still available from Roots Music Project. 1 100K was added to the budget from the general fund in May 2023. These funds were added to the four GOS categories and the $26 remaining to the Venue Fund. AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS (2024) GRANT CATEGORY ASSIGNED BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET GRANTS AWARDED BALANCE Artist Hiring Incentive Grants $54,000 $54,000 $54,000 $0 Venue and Event Affordability Fund $21,000 $21,000 $20,499 $501 TOTAL $75,000 $75,000 $74,499 $501 54