Item 04 - ACA-Board-Petition-Response-2025.pdf — original pdf

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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 ACA. The Measure report DID NOT suggest this. The Monitor article is quoting a current arts commissioner. The Measure report was shared with us immediately after the January commission meeting. Many of the things that were discussed in the January meeting with Measure are things that reflect and reinforce what the community AND the arts commission have been saying for months or years, and the analysis is being taken into account by both the commission and city staff. The Measure team provided the following comment in response to the verbiage of the petition: "Our findings highlight significant challenges that artists and organizations face in navigating grant processes, including complex application procedures, limited resources, and historical inequities that prevent marginalized communities from fully benefiting from available funds. While the grants have contributed to growth and resilience, there is a pressing need for more sustainable, equitable funding practices and innovative impact metrics that better capture the cultural value of these initiatives. Addressing these gaps is critical to fostering a more inclusive and vibrant cultural landscape in Austin." "The Arts Commission should have done more to bring these issues to light with City Council. " In addition to the work happening on the dias and through working groups, the Chair and Vice Chair have met independently with almost all council offices and shed light on challenges facing the community, and opportunities to better the ecosystem. Please remember that WE ARE VOLUNTEERS. The pilot programs are now being thoroughly evaluated and updated based on the feedback of the commission and working group. “The hard work of restoring a well-managed cultural funding process will require an empowered, knowledgeable Arts Commission, once again aligned with the community. Therefore, we, the undersigned, respectfully request that Council assist in restoring community confidence in the Arts Commission by reforming its membership while reiterating its oversight role in cultural funding and responsiveness to community input.” The ACA board is officially invited to the next meeting of the Arts Commission. Come to the meeting, and on the record explain specifically how we, current commissioners, are NOT "knowledgeable", "not aligned with community" or "unresponsive". ACA/John Riedie has not addressed the Commission on the dais or though official channels since 2021. Unfortunately, it's always a back door, disengaged smoke show and closed door conversations. Petitions like these get signatures because people agree with statements made without context or fact checking. "Please consider your appointments to the Arts Commission with an emphasis toward people focused on service, free of conflicts of interest and who prioritize community impact. The Arts Commission should once again center best practices in grant program design, convey accurate community feedback to City Council, and resume its long held duty to actively and diligently oversee cultural funding on your behalf." THIS IS COMPLETELY OFFENSIVE and impossible to not read as directed towards current Commissioners. Any implicit suggestion that current commissioners are not "focused on service" or community impact is absurd. The ONLY reason we serve on this commission is in the interest of the community. We spend many, many hours of volunteer time with no interest OTHER THAN service to the arts community. This is unpaid labor. Like ALL commissioners (arts and otherwise), we have full-time jobs, families, partners, young children, ART PRACTICES, and other responsibilities. https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGQ3ZmNjOTlhLTBmNDQtNDVmNy1hZTlhLTk5MmFjZjgzMGMxNQAQAGqjrKl7B8tAlmXl2WInXZg… 2/4 3/5/25, 10:51 AM Mail - Zisman, Celina - BC - Outlook We understand that the slow pace of change is unsatisfactory to many, and we share this frustration. But the constant suggestion that we, a volunteer body with more than a century of combined experience working in various arts and creative sectors, are not knowledgeable or active undermines our work and is counterproductive to the positive change we all want to see. John Reide and ACA have been invited over and over to participate and collaborate but instead chooses to circumvent established processes and hurl insults at city staff members ("y'all are trash") and commissioners. John Reidie is PAID to represent the community but spends a majority of time writing petitions instead of doing ACTUAL WORK in collaboration with the commission, council, and staff. The dossier, as requested by Councilmember Duchen, is only a portion of the testimonies and documentation provided by THE COMMUNITY. The things we heard (both on and off record) from former ACA staff and board members suggests that the ACA board has abdicated its responsibility. John Riedie has irreparably damaged ACA’s reputation and credibility within the community. We are requesting: 1. An official statement from the board in response to the attached dossier. 2. The board of Austin Creative Alliance present their concerns to the Arts Commission directly, in person, at the March meeting. This has been added to the March agenda. Acia Gray Austin Arts Commissioner / District 6 BC-Acia.Gray@austintexas.gov Rhythm is LIFE / Life is RHYTHM Follow ATX Arts and Culture Commission News on Facebook Sign up for the Arts Commission Newsletter Acia Gray Boards and Commissions https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGQ3ZmNjOTlhLTBmNDQtNDVmNy1hZTlhLTk5MmFjZjgzMGMxNQAQAGqjrKl7B8tAlmXl2WInXZg… 3/4 3/5/25, 10:51 AM Mail - Zisman, Celina - BC - Outlook Scheduled Meeting Disclosure Information: Written disclosure is required by visitors when attending a scheduled meeting with a City Official regarding a municipal question for compensation on behalf of another person. Anyone scheduling or accepting a meeting invitation with a City Official must either acknowledge that the disclosure requirement does not apply or respond to the following survey: https://forms.office.com/g/YQtNBw7nPg IMPORTANT NOTICE: The City of Austin provides e-mail addresses for members of its boards and commissions for their use as board members. This address should not be used for private or personal messages. The views expressed in e-mail messages reflect the views of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any board or commission of which the author may be a member. In particular, the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the City of Austin, or any of its departments, employees or officials. E-mail messages may be subject to required public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act. https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGQ3ZmNjOTlhLTBmNDQtNDVmNy1hZTlhLTk5MmFjZjgzMGMxNQAQAGqjrKl7B8tAlmXl2WInXZg… 4/4