Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION March 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM Austin Energy, Mueller Assembly Rm 1111a (115). 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 The ARTS COMMISSION convened in a REGULAR meeting on March 23, 2026 at Austin Energy, Mueller Assembly Rm 1111a (115). 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 Commissioner Houston called the ARTS COMMISSION Meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Houston, Hussaini, Medicharla, Garza Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Pownall, Schmalbach, Maldonado, Kracheni, Keys, Anderson Board Members Absent: Banskota CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Gina Houston - Chair, VACANT - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Felipe Garza, Heidi Schmalbach, Kirtana Banskota, Muna Hussaini, Bailey Pownall, Faiza Kracheni, Sharron B Anderson, Nagavalli Medicharla MEETING MINUTES CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL • Maggie Meador from Summer Break Theatre spoke on their concerns with the Elevate grant application process. It was concerning that they were not given the rubric in advance so that they could craft their application. It’s hard to answer questions successfully if they don’t know what to aim for in the rubric. One of the panelists were harsh. It was hurtful that their comments weren’t in full sentences and had typos and they wished the reviewer gave them more thoughtful comments. They were concerned that this particular panelist may have a negative effect on other people’s 1 of 5 • scores. They would like the process of staff providing feedback on drafts would be returned. It was a value recourse that was available for free to everyone, but it was a very valuable resource. Joel Laviolette from Rattletree school marimba spoke on that provides free cultural. They want to bring forward an administrative error in their application. They were awarded as an arts groups instead of a non-profit organization. They are asking for the application be re considered as a non-profit • Laura Esparza from A3 Austin invited the Ats Commission to their upcoming event “The Big We”. It will be a creative congress to ask how they could work together greater than their differences. They want to thank ACME, the Elevate Grant, and the Asian American Resource Center for helping to make the event happen. • Maria Luisa Guitierez from Casa Costura. They are here because they feel it’s very unfair they were left ouf of the Elevate funding cycle event though it was their highest score to date. They feel that the translation that was provided was not adequate. • Luis Ramirez would represents Voces Latinas. They were awarded 2015 and 2026 when they applied in English. They applied in Spanish this year and they experienced translation errors. They are concerned that these Spanish translation errors have impacted Spanish speaking applicants. They are asking for • Raquel Rivera founder of SUREM the application had translation errors. They are concerned around equitable language access in the grant process. • Luis Ordaz from shared examples of issues that Spanish language applicants had with the Elevat application. They are asking for emergency funding from a recommended by the Hispanic Quality of Life Commission APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on February 23, 2026. The minutes from the meeting of February 23, 2026 were approved on Commissioner Medicaharla’s motion, Commissioner Schmalbach’s second on a 10-0 vote with Commissioner Banskota absent DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Update on actions taken at the March 2, 2026 Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach. The update was given by Commissioner Schmalbach. 3. Update on actions taken at the March 11, 2026 Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston. The update was given by Commissioner Houston 2 of 5 4. Discussion of the TEMPO on the Trail 2025-2026 Artist Final Designs Presentation by Mandi Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, The Trail Conservancy. The presentation was given by Charlotte __ from The Trail Conservancy 5. Report from Mayor’s Public Places Task Force by Commissioner Garza. No Update Given 6. Update on meeting with Acting Director of Austin Convention Center, Katy Zamesnik, by Commissioner Anderson. No Update Given 7. Discussion on creating technical workshops at Cultural Centers. Hector Ordaz from spoke on their frustration with the level of incompetence of ACME. They don’t believe that workers at the cultural centers who came from parks and recreation aren’t actually cultural workers. They are concerned that aren’t enough resources for the technical workshops. They are asking for No Update Given 8. Discussion on The Long Center contract review. Luis Ordaz from spoke on the Hispanic Quality of Life passing a recommendation to provide the grant contracts in Spanish. Additionally, they asked for a community navigator to support Spanish language speakers. An update was provided by Morgan Messick, Assistant Director of ACME 9. Discussion of the Art in Public Places ordinance update. A motion to move Item 13 by Schmalbach seconded by __ STAFF BRIEFINGS 10. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. An update was provided by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 11. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. An update was provided by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 12. Staff briefing regarding an update on the ACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, ACME. An update was provided by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, ACME. 3 of 5 13. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. An update was provided by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 14. Discussion and approval on the 2027 Budget Recommendations. A motion to approve the 2027 Budget Recommendations was approved on Commissioner Maldonado’s motion, Commissioner Maldonado‘s second on a 8-0 vote with Commissioners Banskota, Anderson, and Garza absent 15. Discussion and possible action to elect new Vice Chair. No action taken 16. Approve at least one member to the Working Group on Urban Core Issues. No action taken 17. Approve a recommendation for edits to the Asian American Resource Center (AARC) Art in Public Places Project Art Call. 18. Approve a recommendation for the Shared Streets Art in Public Places Project Art Call. 19. Approve a recommendation for the Northeast Service Center (NESC) Administrative Building Suspended Artwork Art in Public Places Project Art Call. 20. Approve a recommendation for the William Cannon Corridor Art in Public Places Project Final Design. The motion to approve Items 17-20 on consensus was approved on Commissioner Schmalbach’s motion, Commissioner Anderson’s second on a 8-2 with Maldonado and Garza against and Commissioner Banskota absent 4 of 5 WORKING GROUP UPDATES 21. Update from joint Arts/Music Commission Working Group on Urban Core Issues with Commissioners Schmalbach (chair). 22. Update from Arts Commission Bylaws Working Group with Commissioners Houston, Garza, Keys, and Anderson (Chair). 23. Update from Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) Funding Appeals Working Group with Commissioners Anderson and Hussaini. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Presentation on Phase 2 of the Cultural Reset • Elect Chair and Vice Chair A motion to extend the meeting was past 10:00 PM was approved on Commissioner Schmalbach’s motion, Maldonado’s second on a 8-1 vote with Commissioner Garza against and Commissioners Banskota and Anderson absent ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Medicharla adjourned the meeting at 10:14 P.M. without objection. The minutes were approved at the April 20, 2026 meeting on Commissioner Maldonado’s motion, Commissioner Banskota’s second on a 8-0 vote with Commissioner Keys abstaining, and Commissioners Medicharla and Hussaini absent. 5 of 5