02.28.24 BAC MinutesCITY OF BOULDER
BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board/ Commission: Boulder Arts Commission
Date of Meeting: February 28, 2024
Contact information preparing summary: Lisa Wuycheck, Executive Assistant
Commission members present: Bruce Borowsky, Sheryl Cardozo, Maria Cole, Jeffrey Kash, Caroline Kert (Chair),
Georgia Schmid (Vice-Chair), Yaelaed Whyel
Commission members absent:
Staff present:
Matt Chasansky, Interim Senior Manager of Cultural Vibrancy and District Vitality
Lauren Click, Arts Program Manager, Office of Arts & Culture/Community Vitality
Lisa Wuycheck, Executive Assistant, Community Vitality
Cris Jones, Community Vitality Director
Cindy Sepucha, Arts Program Manager, Office of Arts & Culture/Community Vitality
Members of the public present:
Lisa Albright (Dairy Arts Center), Michael Deragisch (CU), Melissa Fathman (Dairy Arts Center), Kate Gipson (Local
Theater Co.), Sara Pike (BMoCA), Elaine Schnabel (Boulder Chorale), Danielle Farley (Temple of Tranquility)
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 6:07 p.m.
First motion by Schmid to approve the agenda. Second by Borowsky. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 2: MINUTES [00:01:04 Audio min.]
Item 2A: Approval of the 2024 January Meeting Minutes
Correction: Art commissioners are able to request 2 tickets per performance not 2 tickets per year.
First motion by Borowsky to approve the minutes as amended. Second by Schmid. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 3: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION [00:02:05 Audio min.]
No members of the public were registered to speak at the meeting.
Agenda Item 4: MATTERS FROM COMMISSIONERS [00:02:22 Audio min.]
Item 4A: Liaison Updates
Schmid and Borowsky spoke briefly about meeting with their liaison organizations. Borowsky said Jessie from the
Jaipur Literature Festival is very grateful for their grant funding.
Item 4B: Other Topics from the Community
There were no topics from the Community.
Agenda Item 5: GRANTS PROGRAM [00:04:08 Audio min.]
Item 5A: Grant Reports
Arts Program Manager Lauren Click reviewed the following 5 grant reports.
1. 2020 Arts Education Project Grants, Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra, Diverse Voices: Performance
and coaching with Boulder MUSE, $3,000
2. 2021 Community Projects for Organizations, Circle of Care Project, Arts on Call Project – A Virtual
Performing Arts Center for Vulnerable Boulder Seniors $10,000
3. 2023 Community Projects for Individuals, Samuel Tomatz, Changing the Tide of Teen Mental Health &
Suicide in Boulder ASAP, $3,925
4. 2023 Arts Education Project Grants, LOCAL Theater Company, LocalWRITES, $3,000
5. 2022 Community Project Grants for Organizations, Art in Community, Inc. (AIC), Temple of Tranquility,
$10,000
Click explained 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 individua 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 20% payment.
Borowsky said, ‘I move that we approve the grant reports from Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra, Circle of
Care Project, Samuel Tomatz, and LOCAL Theater Company.’ Second by Schmid. All were in favor. The motion
passed unanimous.
Borowsky said, ‘I move that we approve the grant report from Art in Community.’ Second by Whyel. Kert recused
herself from the vote. All were in favor. The motion passed unanimously.
Borowsky expressed his appreciation for the quality of the grants.
Item 5B: Recertification of 2022-24 General Operating Support (GOS) Grants
Click explained the Commission members will vote on the approval of 38 reports. She said commissioners have the
options to:
• Approve all reports,
• Approve individual reports,
• Approve individua 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 20% payment.
Whyel said, ‘I move that we approve the following reports for the 2022-24 GOS Grants: 3rd Law Dance/Theater, Arts
Parts Creative Reuse Center, Band of Toughs, Boulder Chorale, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company (BETC),
Boulder International Film Festival, Boulder Metalsmithing Association, Boulder MUSE, Boulder Museum of
Contemporary Art, Boulder Opera, Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, Boulder Samba School, Cantabile Singers,
Colorado MahlerFest, Colorado Music Festival & Center for Musical Arts, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Creativity
Alive, Dairy Arts Center, east window, eTown, Frequent Flyers Productions, Inc., Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras,
Junkyard Social Club, KGNU, Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet, LOCAL Theater Company, Motus Theater,
NoBo Art District, Parlando School for the Arts, Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema, Street Wise Arts, Studio Arts
Boulder, T2 Dance Company, The Catamounts, and The Spark A Performing Arts Community.’ Second by
Borowsky. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously.
Kash said, ‘I move that we approve the following report for the 2022-2024 GOS grants: Boulder Ballet, Museum of
Boulder, and Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra.’ Second by Cardozo. All in favor. The motion passed
unanimously.
Whyel inquired about discrepancies in reported incomes and revenues from Boulder MUSE, Colorado MahlerFest,
Boulder Music Festival, Dairy Arts Center, and Junkyard Social Club. Click will ask the organizations for updated
financial overview documents.
Click reminded commissioners the Community Projects for Organizations preliminary review is due Wednesday,
March 6 at noon.
Agenda Item 6: COMMISSION BUSINESS [00:41:56 Audio min.]
Item 6A: Letter to Council
The Arts Commission discussed and determined the following main priorities for 2024.
1. Making artist space available and affordable. The Office of Arts and Culture and members of
the Arts Commission receive consistent feedback that one of the largest barriers to working artists
is the high cost of venue and studio space in Boulder. Anecdotally, we have observed that artists are
leaving the City of Boulder to live and work elsewhere because they have been priced out of the city.
Continuing progress on workspace for artists and arts organizations was a commission priority as
early as 2017. Affordable commercial space for the arts contributes to healthy economic vitality
(http://tinyurl.com/A4AEconDev).
2. Housing affordability for artists. The arts, when supported, are the number one return on
investment. Housing affordability for artists to live and work in Boulder would foster greater
economic vibrancy (http://tinyurl.com/A4AHousing). As with venue and studio space, the cost of
housing in the city has priced many artists and arts administrators out of Boulder. Inclusion of
artists and art spaces within neighborhoods increases property values and helps create cultural
and tourism hubs. Arts organizations such as Colorado Music Festival and Center for Musical Arts
and the Conference on World Affairs utilize community home spaces to provide housing for visiting
artists. The community would benefit if there were incentives associated with affordable artist
housing offered on a more permanent basis.
3. Encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Boulder boasts talented artists and arts
organizations that contribute to ongoing conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion for
LGBTQ+, Latine, undocumented, unhoused, BIPOC, disabled, and other marginalized perspectives.
Incorporating their voices in all aspects of city work increases acceptance and improves
communities (http://tinyurl.com/A4ADEIJ). We encourage City Council to continue supporting the
APPROVED ON: March 27, 2024
APPROVED BY:
_________________________________________
Board Chair
________________________________________
Date
ATTESTED:
________________________________
Board Secretary
_________________________________
Date
use of the Race Equity Tool; appointing underrepresented voices to commissions, committees and
staff positions; and encouraging departments to incorporate blind hiring procedures.
Kash said, ‘I move that we approve the letter to city council allowing for minor revisions and copy editing by staff.’
Second by Schmid. All in favor. The motion passed unanimously.
Agenda Item 7: MATTERS FROM STAFF [01:44:58 Audio min.]
Item 7A: Questions about the Manager’s Memo
Kert asked when the new Arts commissioner will be appointed by City Council. Click said the voting by City Council
will occur at the March 14 Council Meeting.
Kert asked if the commissioner candidates’ interviews were recorded and posted. Click said she believes they are
posted on the city website, and she will send Kert a link.
Kash asked if commissioners are able to send individual recommendations to Council. Chasansky said the
commissioners can make recommendations to Council if they are speaking individually and not as a group.
Schmid stepped down as the liaison to The Dairy Arts Center. Cardozo said, ‘I move that Jeffrey Kash acts as an Arts
Commission board representative to the Dairy Arts Center. Second by Whyel. All in favor. The motion passed
unanimously.
Borowsky announced his two movies are showing at the Boulder International Film Festival.
Agenda Item 8: ADJOURNMENT [01:58:08 Audio min.]
There being no further business to come before the commission at this time, Kert adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m.
p.m.
Date, time, and location of next meeting:
The next Boulder Arts Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. This is a hybrid
meeting to be held at The City of Boulder’s Community Vitality Department and via a Zoom webinar link.
April 16, 2025
/s/ Lisa Wuycheck
Apr 23, 2025
02.28.24 Arts Commission Minutes -
APPROVED
Final Audit Report 2025-04-23
Created:2025-04-16
By:Ellie Kennedy (kennedyl@bouldercolorado.gov)
Status:Signed
Transaction ID:CBJCHBCAABAARtcUzjM8s1K8dj2blTc32eenn89cCtYb
"02.28.24 Arts Commission Minutes - APPROVED" History
Document created by Ellie Kennedy (kennedyl@bouldercolorado.gov)
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