Arts Commission Regular Meeting of the Arts Commission - This meeting will be held with some members attending in person and others attending remotely.
REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION March 24, 2025, at 6:00 PM Austin Energy, Mueller Assembly Rm 1111a (115). 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 Some members of the ARTS COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than Noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Jesús Varela at jesus.varela@austintexas.gov or at 512-974-2444. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Celina Zisman - Chair, Heidi Schmalbach - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Felipe Garza, Gina Houston, Acia Gray, Faiza Kracheni, Amy Mok, Nagavalli Medicharla AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on January 27, 2025. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Report of the Art in Public Places Liaison concerning actions taking during the March 3rd meeting of the Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Maldonado 3. Presentation by Board Members of Austin Creative Alliance on the most recent petition to Council 4. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural 5. Staff briefing on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding STAFF BRIEFINGS Funding Supervisor Supervisor DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS WORKING GROUP UPDATES 6. Update from joint Arts/Music Commission Working Group on Urban Core Issues with Commissioners Gray, and Schmalbach (chair). 7. Update from the Community Feedback on most recent release of the Cultural Funding Programs Working Group with Commissioner’s Kracheni, Maldonado, Gray, Houston, Medicharla (chair) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Jesús Varela at the Economic Development Department, at 512-974-2444, for additional information; TTY users route through …
3/5/25, 10:51 AM Mail - Zisman, Celina - BC - Outlook Outlook RESPONSE REQUESTED and Invitation to March 24th Arts Commission Meeting. From Gray, Acia - BC <BC-Acia.Gray@austintexas.gov> Date Thu 2/27/2025 5:21 PM To dewybrooks@gmail.com <dewybrooks@gmail.com>; djronan@gmail.com <djronan@gmail.com>; sbukowski@bukowskilawfirm.com <sbukowski@bukowskilawfirm.com>; AJ@ventanaballet.com <AJ@ventanaballet.com>; mglavigne@gmail.com <mglavigne@gmail.com>; anu.naimpally@gmail.com <anu.naimpally@gmail.com>; Jessica Nero <jessica@bluelapislight.org>; rommelsulit@gmail.com <rommelsulit@gmail.com> Cc Watson, Kirk <Kirk.Watson@austintexas.gov>; Harper-Madison, Natasha <Natasha.Madison@austintexas.gov>; Fuentes, Vanessa <Vanessa.Fuentes@austintexas.gov>; Velasquez, Jose <Jose.Velasquez@austintexas.gov>; Vela, Jose "Chito" <Chito.Vela@austintexas.gov>; Alter, Ryan <Ryan.Alter@austintexas.gov>; Laine, Krista <krista.laine@austintexas.gov>; Siegel, Mike <mike.siegel@austintexas.gov>; Ellis, Paige <Paige.Ellis@austintexas.gov>; Qadri, Zo <Zo.Qadri@austintexas.gov>; Duchen, Marc <marc.duchen@austintexas.gov>; Broadnax, TC <TC.Broadnax@austintexas.gov>; Mok, Amy - BC <bc- Amy.Mok@austintexas.gov>; Maldonado, Monica - BC <BC-Monica.Maldonado@austintexas.gov>; Schmalbach, Heidi - BC <BC-Heidi.Schmalbach@austintexas.gov>; Gray, Acia - BC <BC- Acia.Gray@austintexas.gov>; Medicharla, Nagavalli - BC <BC-Nagavalli.Medicharla@austintexas.gov>; Zisman, Celina - BC <BC-Celina.Zisman@austintexas.gov>; Kracheni, Faiza - BC <BC-Faiza.Kracheni@austintexas.gov>; Garza, Felipe - BC <BC-Felipe.Garza@austintexas.gov> February 27, 2025 To the Board Members of Austin Creative Alliance, ACA was established to be a critical partner to the City. This has been impossible given the aggressive and uncollaborative methods of your CEO, John Riedie. Case in point, the most recent petition being circulated by ACA. The arts commission is not a bystander to the CAD process. We approved the vision and high-level framework for the pilot programs. Now that the programs have run a full cycle, the commissioners have the opportunity to reflect on what is and is not working in order to take action and make needed changes, as evidenced by the working group report that John has served on. That he is participating in a working group (literally created to integrate community feedback into the re-visioning of the programs) and then circulating this petition simultaneously is completely hypocritical. Below is a list of issues we have identified with the petition (ACA language bulleted): "Cultural Arts Funding was suppressed by the Arts Commission, never released publicly, nor shared with Council." This was a city-driven survey. Nothing about it was suppressed from either council or the community to inform changes to the funding programs. Some of those suggestions have already been implemented while others are being considered as part of the current process. Please provide proof that this was actively "suppressed" “Just recently, focus groups conducted by Measure Austin expressed “mistrust” of the Arts Commission, as reported in the Austin Monitor, February 4, 2025.” https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGQ3ZmNjOTlhLTBmNDQtNDVmNy1hZTlhLTk5MmFjZjgzMGMxNQAQAGqjrKl7B8tAlmXl2WInXZg… 1/4 3/5/25, 10:51 AM Mail - Zisman, Celina - BC - Outlook This statement is intentionally misleading on the part of …
