Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION July 20, 2026, 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 July 20, 2026 at Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001. 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Chair Houston called the ARTS COMMISSION Meeting to order at 6:11 PM Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Houston, Pownall, Anderson Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Keys, Maldonado, Schmalbach, Banskota, Kracheni, Medicharla Board Members Absent: Hussaini, CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Gina Houston - Chair, Muna Hussaini - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Heidi Schmalbach, Kirtana Banskota, Bailey Pownall, Faiza Kracheni, Sharron B Anderson, Nagavalli Medicharla MEETING MINUTES CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL • Piper L from Rancho Alegre spoke about their Conjunto Music Festival which was funded via an Elevate grant. They suggested that the rental period for cultural centers be expanded from six months to a year. • Hector Ordaz asked the Arts Commission to clarify and recant their recommendation to explore a possible collaboration with Coalition for Austin’s Arts & Spanish-Language Theatre for the expansion of the Latino Artist Access Program. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on June 15, 2026. The minutes from the meeting of June 15, 2026 were approved on Commissioner Schmalbach’s motion, Commissioner Houston’s second on a 7- 0 vote with Commissioner Maldonado abstaining and Hussaini. Keys absent DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Update on actions taken at the July 6th Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Schmalbach. The update was given by Commissioner Schmalbach A motion to take Item 13 after Item 9 passed on a 8-0 vote on Commissioner Schmalbach's motion, Commissioner Anderson’s second with Hussaini and Keys absent 3. Update on actions taken at the July 15th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Houston. The update was given by Commissioner Houston STAFF BRIEFINGS 4. Staff briefing on Fiscal Sponsorships and ACME Staff Conflict of Interest policy by Morgan Messick, ACME Assistant Director, and Laura Odegaard, ACME Acting Division Manager. An update was given by Morgan Messick, ACME Assistant Director, and Laura Odegaard, ACME Division Manager. 5. Staff briefing on ACME Strategic plan by Candice Cooper, ACME Interim Chief Administrative Officer, and Marjorie Flanagan, ACME Division Manager, Cultural Education & Programs. An update was given by Candice Cooper, ACME Interim Chief Administrative Officer, and Marjorie Flanagan, ACME Division Manager, Cultural Education & Programs. 6. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, ACME Cultural Funding Supervisor. An update was given by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 7. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, ACME Cultural Funding Supervisor. An update was given by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. 8. Staff briefing regarding an update on the ACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, ACME Acting Division Manager. An update was given by Laura Odegaard, Division Manager, ACME. 9. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, ACME Art in Public Places Manager. An update was given by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. 10. Staff briefing regarding an update on ACME Museums and Cultural Facilities by Guiniviere Webb, Culture & Arts Program Manager, Dougherty Arts Center and Zilker Hillside Theater. An update was given by Guiniviere Webb, Culture & Arts Program Manager, Dougherty Arts Center and Zilker Hillside Theater. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 11. Discussion and possible action to plan an Arts Commission Retreat. A motion to schedule a special called meeting in September was passed on Commissioner Houston’s motion, Commissioner Kracheni’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Hussaini absent 12. Approve a recommendation for the Spicewood Springs Corridor Art in Public Places Project Final Design. A motion to approve a recommendation of the Spicewood Springs Corridor Art in Public Places Project Final Design. was passed on Commissioner Scmalbach’s motion, Commissioner Banskota’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Hussaini absent 13. Approve a recommendation of the Special Meeting of the Art in Public Places Deaccession Review, Art in Public Places artwork, Crosswalk on the LakeI, by Mery Godigna Collet and Luis R. Guiterrez. An update was given by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager. A motion to approve a recommendation of the Special Meeting of the Art in Public Places Deaccession Review, Art in Public Places artwork, Crosswalk on the LakeI, by Mery Godigna Collet and Luis R. Guiterrez was passed on Commissioner Houston’s motion, Commissioner Anderson’s second on a 9-0 vote with Commissioner Hussaini absent WORKING GROUP UPDATES 14. Update from joint Arts/Music Commission Working Group on Urban Core Issues with Commissioners Schmalbach (Chair). The update was given by Commissioner Schmalbach. 15. Update from Arts Commission Bylaws Working Group with Commissioners Houston, Keys, and Anderson (Chair). The update was given by Commissioner Anderson. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS • Presentation by Austin Creative Alliance on __ • Staff presentation on City Owned Gallery spaces and exhibition stipends • Establish a Fiscal Sponsorship working group • Discuss Hispanic Quality of Life recommendations • Presentation on outstanding ACME bond projects (Sept) ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Houston adjourned the meeting at 9:57 P.M. without objection. The minutes were approved at the September 21, 2026 meeting on Commissioner Anderson’s motion, Commissioner Kracheni’s second on a 6-0 vote with Commissioners Keys, Maldonado, Banskota, and Pownall absent.