Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION October 21, 2024, at 6:00 PM Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001. 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 The ARTS COMMISSION convened in a REGULAR meeting on 21, October 2024 at Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001. 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Commissioner Zisman called the ARTS COMMISSION Meeting to order at 6:09 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Celina Zisman, Heidi Schmalbach, Faiza Kracheni, Acia Gray, Gina Houston, Amy Mok, Monica Maldonado, Nagavalli Medicharla, Felipe Garza Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Board Members Absent: Keyheira Keys 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 1. Bonnie Cullum from The Vortex spoke on the lack of funding for small/medium arts venues that produce year-round programming and is concerned for the future of those organizations APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on September 16, 2024. The minutes from the meeting of September 16, 2024 were approved on Commissioner Gray’s motion, Commissioner Medicharla’s second on a 8-0 vote with Commissioner’s Garza and Keys absent. DISCUSSION ITEMS Discussion of Chair’s Report on Thrive and Elevate by Chair Zisman An update was given by Commissioner Zisman STAFF BRIEFINGS Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Laura Odegaard, Acting Cultural Arts Division Manager The presentation was made by Laura Odegaard, Acting Cultural Arts Division Manager Staff briefing on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Cultural Arts Division Manager and Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor The presentation was made by Laura Odegaard, Acting Cultural Arts Division Manager and Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS Discussion on Commission and Community Feedback on most recent release of the Cultural Funding Programs, and establish a working group to further discuss the feedback from all sides, and then follow up to report to Council. Maria Antonieta Bravo from Diverse Space Youth Dance spoke on their concerns about the panel review scores that they received. A motion to allow Maria Antonieta Bravo from from Diverse Space Youth Dance to speak beyond their 3 minutes of public comments approved on Commissioner Zisman’s motion, Commissioner Medicharla’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Keys absent. Amanda Johnston from Torch Literary Arts spoke on their positive experience receiving FY23 Thrive, but wanted to also express the need for equity focused support for those that are not reselected for Thrive and have their awards Shannon Embry from Beyond August Productions spoke on their reluctance to apply for the Cultural Funding Programs because they felt that the programs didn’t have a space for them 2. 3. 4. 5. Dylan Jones from Anthropos Arts spoke to express their appreciation for the Cultural Arts Programs. They were also shocked to learn that Tapestry was not funding in Thrive or Elevate. A motion to establish a working group to further discuss the feedback from all sides, and then follow up to report to Council is approved on Commissioner Mok’s motion, Commissioner Maldonado’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Keys absent. Establish a Cultural Funding Appeals Working Group A motion to establish a Cultural Funding Appeals Working Group to further discuss the feedback from all sides, and then follow up to report to Council is approved on Commissioner Zisman’s motion, Commissioner Mok’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Keys absent. Approve Final Design for AFD8/EMS7 & EMS 5 – Luis Angulo A motion to approve the Final Design for AFD8/EMS7 & EMS 5 – Luis Angulo is approved on Commissioner Gray’s motion, Commissioner Maldonado’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Keys absent. Establish a Deaccession Jury to review 8 Art In Public Places pieces A motion to approve Commissioner’s Gray’s participation on the AIPP deaccession jury on Commissioner Houston’s motion, Commissioner Maldonado’s second on a 9- 0 vote with Commissioner Keys absent. Approve 2025 Arts Commission Meeting Schedule A motion to update the March 2025 Arts Commission date to March 24 Schedule is approved on Commissioner Gray’s motion, Commissioner Medicharla’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Keys absent. A motion to approve the 2025 Arts Commission Meeting Schedule is approved on Commissioner Gray’s motion, Commissioner Medicharla’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Keys absent. WORKING GROUP UPDATES Update from joint Arts/Music Commission Working Group on Urban Core Issues with Commissioners Gray and Schmalbach (chair). Update was given by Commissioner Schmalbach Update from Community Engagement Working Group on collecting feedback on pilot funding programs and planning on ways the Arts Commission can be more involved in the community with Commissioners Zisman, Houston, and Kracheni (chair) 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. A motion to sunset the Community Engagement Working Group is approved on Commissioner Mok’s motion, Commissioner Gray’s second on a 8-0 vote with Commissioner Houston abstaining, and Commissioner Keys absent. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Gray adjourned the meeting at 8:59 P.M. without objection. The minutes were approved at the November 18, 2024 meeting on Commissioner Mok’s motion, Commissioner Schmalbach’s second on a 6-0 vote vote with Commissioner’s Gray, Maldonado, Kracheni, and Garza absent.