Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-14-21 CAC Meeting Minutes APPROVED Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, October 14, 2021 Regular Meeting – 5:00 PM Newport Beach Public Library – Small Conference Room 1000 Avocado Avenue Newport Beach, CA 92660 I.CALL MEETING TO ORDER – 5:02 P.M. II.ROLL CALL Commissioners Present: Arlene Greer, Chair Marie Little, Vice Chair Maureen Flanagan, Secretary Wayan Kaufman, Commissioner Leonard Simon, Commissioner Barbara George, Commissioner Commissioners Absent: Meghan McNulty, Commissioner Staff Present: Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director Camille Escareal-Garcia, Cultural Arts Assistant III.NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC IV.PUBLIC COMMENT None. V.CONSENT CALENDAR A.Approval of Minutes of the September 9, 2021, City Arts Commission Meeting 1.Draft of 9/9/2021 Minutes Chair Greer called for revisions to the minutes. Secretary Flanagan stated she planned to abstain as she had been absent. Chair Greer requested revisions to Page 2, Handwritten page 5 (paragraph 3). Specifically, she requested that the first five lines be struck from the minutes leaving the sentence beginning with, “She asked if the minutes could be looked at more closely…” She also requested a revision on Page 3, Handwritten page 6 (3rd paragraph from bottom) to clarify that she asked all Commissioners to attend the Newport Beach Arts Foundation (NBAF) check presentation to the City Council on September 28, 2021. Motion made by Commissioner Simon, seconded by Vice Chair Little, and carried (5-0-1- 1)to approve the September 9, 2021, meeting minutes as amended. AYES: Greer, Little, Kaufman, Simon, George NOES: None Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 2 ABSTENTIONS: Flanagan ABSENT: McNulty B. Consent Calendar Items 2. Financial Report – Review of financial information Library Services Director Tim Hetherton reported there were expenditures, but the City Arts Commission (CAC) has funds available for the Newport Beach Art Exhibition in Spring 2022. The sound engineering for the final concert was more expensive as they needed to rent a generator, staging, and lights. Some of the professional service funds can be used for the Art Exhibition for Alan Scott or for a new vendor who can assist with the set up and staging of artwork for the exhibition. Staff is issuing refunds to people who registered for the postponed Art Exhibition. Overall, the finances are doing well. Commissioner Simon asked if there were any expenditures for the Shelley Rusk concert that were not listed. Library Services Director Hetherton said the only other expenditure would be for marketing. Cultural Arts Assistant Camille Escareal-Garcia said that there were banners purchased to be displayed around the City, but there were no other expenses. Commissioner Simon confirmed there was no budget for security. Library Services Director Hetherton said that they only need security guards when there is alcohol. Park Patrol will act as security. They also hired a day porter for the concert to clean restrooms. Commissioner Simon stated that after the Shelley Rusk concert the CAC would have just under $32,000 remaining in the current budget. Chair Greer said that the Newport Beach Art Exhibition had to come from that budget. She inquired about the possibility of throwing another concert in spring 2022. Library Services Director Hetherton stated it was possible if the CAC had sufficient funds. Chair Greer indicated that the Newport Beach Art Exhibition would be at least $20,000 and another concert would be about $7,500. She asked if Library Services Director Hetherton wanted to retain any funds. Library Services Director Hetherton stated that was up to the CAC. Chair Greer noted that leftover funds were returned to the General Fund. Library Services Director Hetherton said that sometimes program opportunities came up during the year, but that it was always good to have plans. If the CAC has funds remaining after the Art Exhibition they could be used for another concert. He advised the CAC to investigate and arrange the concert in January or February 2022. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 3 Chair Greer said that they had been running four concerts over the summer, but this year had been scaled back due to the pandemic. Library Services Director Hetherton noted that towards the end of the fiscal year it was more difficult to get checks cut. Therefore, he recommended contracting a performer well in advance of a potential June concert date. Chair Greer said the CAC did not have the awards charged against the programming budget for the Newport Beach Student Art Exhibition. Library Services Director Hetherton explained that the gift cards had not been purchased for the winners. Chair Greer reminded Library Services Director Hetherton of the upcoming photo contest for the Sculpture Garden. Library Services Director Hetherton stated that would occur in the next Fiscal Year. Chair Greer said it was usually done in the Spring. Library Services Director Hetherton explained that the last contest covered Phases V and VI. He suggested the next could be for Phases VI and VII. Chair Greer called for further comments, but there were none. 3. Cultural Arts Activities – Monthly review of cultural arts activities from the Library Administrative Office for upcoming Library and City arts events and services Chair Greer called for the staff report. Library Services Director Hetherton said that he would not report on the grand opening, the luncheon, and the Concert on the Green as they would be discussed later by the Commissioners. Council approved the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park. The Newport Beach Arts Foundation (NBAF) presented a check to the City Council to help pay the honorariums. Richard Ferncase’s work is still on display at the Library Gallery. The next event scheduled was for the weekend and was the Shelley Rusk Concert on the Balboa Peninsula. The cultural arts grant process will begin in November. Motion made by Secretary Flanagan, seconded by Commissioner Simon, and carried (6-0-0-1) to approve the Consent Calendar as submitted by City staff with revisions to the minutes. AYES: Greer, Little, Flanagan, Kaufman, Simon, George NOES: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: McNulty Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 4 VI. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review and Possible Action 4. Student Art Exhibition – Prize Winners – Staff recommends that the City Arts Commission approve the winning submissions for the 2021 Student Art Exhibition as selected by the ad hoc subcommittee. Chair Greer directed the City Arts Commission (CAC) to Page 20 of the packet and invited staff to give the report. Library Services Director Hetherton said the quality of work submitted was excellent and the event was enjoyed by the public. Having work publicly displayed is a big deal to children and their families. Some of the work really stood apart and the pieces selected by the Ad Hoc Subcommittee were great. He commended Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia’s work and thought the program was great. He noted the program was cost effective, provided a nice viewing experience for the public, and won the CAC many friends in the community. He recommended approval of the winners. Commissioner Simon said there were very many talented young people who participated in the Student Art Exhibition. Library Services Director Hetherton agreed. Chair Greer called for a Motion, but then called for the public comment prior to the vote. Jim Mosher, Newport Beach resident, inquired if the winners had already been chosen. Chair Greer explained that the ad hoc subcommittee reviewed the art and voted on the winners in committee. Mr. Mosher said that some of the award names made him think of different artists than the ones being considered for the winners, but he understood that the winners had already been reviewed by the ad hoc subcommittee. Chair Greer asked if there was a comment on Bouquet of Roses or the photos. She asked if he had a copy and noted that some copies of the staff report were not in color. Chair Greer called for the vote. Motion made by Commissioner Simon, seconded by Commissioner Kaufman, and carried (6-0-0-1) to approve the winning submission for the 2021 Student Art Exhibition as selected by the ad hoc subcommittee. AYES: Greer, Little, Flanagan, Kaufman, Simon, George NOES: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: McNulty Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 5 Chair Greer asked Library Services Director Hetherton if the artwork was available in color when people download it from the City website. Library Services Director Hetherton speculated that the staff report may have been printed in black and white to save ink. He asked Mr. Mosher if he had the option to print in color. Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia explained that she had printed the public copies in black and white but going forward, for events such as the Student Art Exhibition she would make sure that entries were printed in color. If the packet is downloaded from the City website, it is in full color. All entries are currently on the Cultural Arts website in slideshow form. Chair Greer suggested that the winning pieces be displayed in a binder in the Teen Corner at the Library. Library Services Director Hetherton stated that they could be hung from a bulletin board or similar and that he would investigate it. Chair Greer thanked staff, specifically Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia, for their work on the project. She loved the awards and how they referenced well known artists. Library Services Director Hetherton asked if the CAC had seen the certificates created by Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia. Chair Greer indicated they had, and that they were impressive. She also thanked Vice Chair Little and Commissioner Kaufman for their work on the Student Art Exhibition. Commissioner Kaufman also acknowledged Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia’s work and explained that it was a big deal for all the entrants to come with their families and see their art on display at the Library. The art was nicely displayed and enhanced the student’s work. If this were to be an annual contest, she recommended shifting the timing to fall solidly within the school year for increased participation. Chair Greer agreed. Commissioner Kaufman suggested the winter for the program and noted that would allow students time to create art with their art teachers. Chair Greer said that they wanted to time it so that when they present the awards the seniors who have applied for early admission to college could be included. She noted that should be considered in the timing when planning future Student Art Exhibitions. She asked Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia to explain what would happen at the awards ceremony. Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia explained that the awards ceremony would be held in the Friends Room right before the November CAC meeting. She will contact the winners and they will be invited to receive their certificates signed by Chair Greer and Vice Chair Little. Library Services Director Hetherton asked if the CAC wanted to review the certificates. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 6 Chair Greer asked that the certificates be passed around. Per Commissioner Simon’s suggestion, at the next Student Art Exhibition the CAC would see that the awards were announced when the artwork was exhibited so that the ribbons could be posted with the artwork. Commissioner Simon noted that the Laguna Beach Pageant of the Masters included a large exhibit of student art with ribbons. Commissioner Simon said that the program was a voice for the Library, the City, and the CAC. The program is a win-win. Chair Greer noted that the Newport Beach Art Exhibition used to allow teenagers to enter the exhibition when it was held at the old City Hall. Then it changed to 18 or over. She thanked the CAC for its comments. 5. Sculpture Exhibition Phase VII Timeline and Selection Process Review – Staff will provide a review of the Phase VII project timeline and the new process for the selection of pieces, approved by the City Arts Commission at their August 2021 regular meeting, and by City Council on September 8, 2021. Chair Greer noted when the CAC voted at its August 2021 meeting the contract was different than the timeline and requested an update from Library Services Director Hetherton. The procedure for selecting pieces in Phase VII has slightly changed. Library Services Director Hetherton reported the timeline had changed because the situation changed. The main change is that the CAC and the curatorial panel will have an opportunity to see the pieces as they come in. At the December CAC meeting Commissioners will review all submissions and apply the four criteria. The criteria are artistic merit, durability, practicality, and site appropriateness. Pieces that do not meet the criteria will be rejected. Pieces the CAC approves will be included in the public survey. The public will select the 10 primary and 3 alternate pieces and that will go to City Council for final approval. The timeline spells everything out and is subject to change due to circumstances. Currently the timeline shows the grand opening and dedication for June 11, 2022, but Council Chambers and the Civic Center Community Room are unavailable that day. The new date will either be the 18th or 25th. The timeline will change as work continues. Council is happy with the new plan and has always encouraged the CAC to get the public more involved with the project. Commissioner Kaufman loved the increased public participation. She voiced concern over vote flooding for a certain artist or artists, especially if the voters are not local. She asked how the public survey could be crafted to ensure votes were counted once. Library Services Director Hetherton explained that past surveys had allowed one vote per device. He thought that responses could be limited by zip code but indicated he needed to check with Arts Orange County (ArtsOC). In the past when people voted for a piece as part of the campaign they were generally out of the country. He noted several votes for a past phase from Ukraine. Any time the City utilizes a survey they have issues so he will work with Arts OC and report back to the CAC on other possible measures. Since they are encouraging out of area artists to submit, he was not sure if the voting should be limited to Newport Beach only, but he could investigate it. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 7 Commissioner Kaufman said that they are inviting people from everywhere to view the Sculpture Garden, but in terms of the survey she assumed they wanted only Newport Beach residents to respond. Library Services Director Hetherton stated that was a CAC decision. Chair Greer indicated that a change was made to the procedure and that was the reason for the discussion. The people making the selections will not have all the information the CAC receives, such as the background information on the artist, how much work they have done before, and dimensions. Library Services Director Hetherton confirmed that dimensions had never been a part of the public survey. He understood Chair Greer’s point and explained that the CAC has the information and can ensure that any piece placed in the public survey is acceptable. He also understood the CAC’s consternation at having the choice removed from its hands, but they would still see excellent work for consideration of the Sculpture Garden. The public will have a selection of pieces curated by the CAC. Chair Greer was concerned with the outcome of the public’s decision. The CAC will create the pool for the survey by eliminating sculptures under the four criteria. She wanted the Commissioners to understand the process. Vice Chair Little explained that because of the changes it is important that the CAC spend a lot of time reviewing the pieces and criteria. It is crucial that all Commissioners look at each piece because if the CAC does not make careful choices then unacceptable sculptures will be included in the public survey. She expected that there would only be a handful of members of the public that would review pieces in the same manner as the CAC. Members of the public should be able to vote on the pieces and the CAC must remember that the public has different criteria. Secretary Flanagan confirmed that the public would have access to the criteria. Chair Greer said the public would not use the CAC’s criteria. While the CAC will use the criteria to eliminate sculptures, the public survey is only indicative of what the public likes. Commissioners need to review the artist’s background and past work before the pieces go to the public survey, as sometimes the sculptures can be quite different in person than pictured. She provided an example of a piece that was photographed in light and noted that the Sculpture Garden is not lit. Commissioners must look acutely at what they eliminate to make sure that the CAC assists the public in its selection. Commissioner Simon explained that last year was his first year on the Commission. He inquired about the size of the pool selected. Chair Greer explained that there were 200 in Phase I. Commissioner Simon asked about how many met the four criteria. Chair Greer estimated that between 40 and 60 sculptures met the criteria. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 8 Commissioner Simon asked how many sculptures made it through the first cut based on the criteria. Library Services Director Hetherton stated that almost everything met the four criteria with a few exceptions. Commissioner Simon stated that there would be a big pool. Library Services Director Hetherton said that it could be, depending on the number of submissions. If there are a lot of good submissions it would be a good exhibition. They need at least 13 high quality pieces, and he was hopeful they would receive at least that. He spoke with Rick Stein with Arts OC who is ramping up the promotion of the event. Phase VI had the smallest number of submissions, around 50 or 60, but some good pieces were in the pool. Commissioner Simon said the CAC would review the submissions and rule out those that do not meet the four criteria and then the remaining pieces would be placed in the public survey. The public would then have an opportunity to vote. Library Services Director Hetherton confirmed that was the process. Commissioner Simon said that the final selection was made by the public with no weight coming from the CAC. Library Services Director Hetherton confirmed that was also correct. Commissioner Simon requested confirmation that the process could not be changed. Library Services Director Hetherton said that the suggestion for the change came from City Council and was approved by them. Chair Greer said that the City Council felt very strongly about the public input. In the past the public chose its favorite sculpture, but that may have been unrealistic. Perhaps the public should have been allowed to choose more. Commissioner Simon presented a hypothetical situation where 50 sculptures were acceptable under the four criteria. In the past the CAC then selected the 13. Now the 50 will go to the public survey and the public will pick the 13. He asked if it was within the rules for the CAC to suggest 13 pieces for the public’s information. Then the public survey would ask if the public agreed or had other thoughts. That provided for an informed vote with guidance. Library Services Director Hetherton saw no problem with that suggestion. Vice Chair Little said that she and Chair Greer had discussed that idea. Chair Greer stated she had not believed that was an option because then the CAC would be trying to influence the public vote. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 9 Library Services Director Hetherton asked if she viewed that as an influence and noted that sometimes people might vote to the contrary on purpose. He indicated he would think about the subject further. If the CAC wants to rank the pieces, it could take considerable time at the next meeting. Chair Greer said it would be difficult just to review all the pieces. She also explained that there was no number of entries required to be placed in the public survey. The CAC can eliminate pieces that do not match the criteria. The process is evolving and has evolved since Phase I. Commissioner Simon said that evaluating the sculptures was difficult and took a lot of time. Vice Chair Little said the public would not take a lot of time to take their votes. Commissioner Simon said he was trying to put himself in the public’s shoes. Some people will make conscious and methodical choices while others will simply choose a few. Advising the public of the CAC’s top 13 selections is simply providing an informed opinion. Chair Greer asked if the CAC would have any influence on how the public survey was framed. Library Services Director Hetherton said that they were straying from the original intention. The expectation was not for the public to have a specialized knowledge of quality art. Vice Chair Little said that the public was tasked with making the selections. Library Services Director Hetherton noted that the public also paid for the Sculpture Exhibition. Chair Greer thought the Corona del Mar Resident’s Association would want to weigh in on the survey. In the past the CAC had been sensitive about which pieces were placed. Library Services Director Hetherton noted that the Corona del Mar Resident’s Association generally wants short pieces selected. Secretary Flanagan asked how many people voted in the last phase. Chair Greer answered approximately 1,600. Commissioner Kaufman liked the philosophy of the new process but saw a potential issue. With the way the survey had been done in previous phases, a voter could only select a top 13 and would have had no way of telling how the pieces fit into the larger exhibition. With this new process, the public could select all stainless-steel pieces or all short pieces. If someone was investing time in the survey, they might feel they were not given a complete picture of the situation. Chair Greer thought it would be interesting to see what the public selected. She regretted that the public was not allowed to vote for more than just their favorite sculpture in the past, a point that Mr. Mosher had made several times in past meetings. Chair Greer stated Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 10 that the CAC did not decide to limit the public to just one vote, and she asked Library Services Director Hetherton to explain how it had happened. Library Services Director Hetherton explained that the decision was made by ArtsOC and that he would speak with them. Chair Greer noted that she loved public input. Library Services Director Hetherton said the CAC would be able to receive public input with the Phase VII public survey. Chair Greer then called for public comment. Jim Mosher, Newport Beach resident, commented on the timeline laid out by Library Services Director Hetherton. The CAC may need to provide further details about what it wants done at the December meeting and the public online survey, as none of that was specified by City Council. He agreed with Commissioner Simon that numerous choices would be unmanageable for the public and suggested the CAC only approve a reasonable number of choices for the public to vote on. He further suggested that the CAC could vote for their own favorites and provide that information to the public. Mr. Mosher questioned if the public would be asked to vote for their favorite piece, for 13 pieces altogether, or to rank their choices. If the choices could be randomized so that the public did not see them in the same order that would eliminate the bias in favor of the first 10 pieces shown. Based on the timeline the CAC must be able to provide Library Services Director Hetherton with direction at the November meeting. Chair Greer thanked Mr. Mosher. Commissioner Kaufman stated she was not sure that she was comfortable with Commissioner Simon’s suggestion to include the CAC’s ranking of pieces in the public survey. Instead, she suggested placing a star next to the CAC’s 13 choices. That would give the public the information to decide if they wanted to follow the CAC’s suggestions. Vice Chair Little stated that if the public knew how the CAC arrived at their selections then it would influence them, but people are influenced in other ways. The public would see that the CAC made its decisions based off different criteria. Many people will not be influenced by the CAC’s selections, they will simply vote as they wish. She appreciated Mr. Mosher’s suggestions. Chair Greer said it was too bad that the survey could not be set up to have people rank the work by categories, such as color or size. Commissioner Simon indicated that sounded difficult. Chair Greer said it was not possible. Commissioner Simon said that if the survey was presented in a random order with CAC selections starred, it was possible that people would not click through and view all the CAC selections. If people are told there were 13 CAC selections included, it might motivate people to review all the selections. What the CAC wants to achieve is to provide the public Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 11 with a good sample that they can spend time on and consider. Commissioner Simon stated that randomizing the entries and indicating CAC selections might do that. Commissioner Flanagan thought that was a great idea. Commissioner Kaufman thought it was important not to overwhelm the public with too many options. Commissioner Simon said that if they received 50 submissions and edited them down to 25 pieces—with 13 of those being indicated as CAC selections—he thought that was in the spirit of what the City Council requested they do. Vice Chair Little said that all Commissioners have received positive comments from people about the job the CAC has done thus far. There are many people who will be interested in the CAC’s selections. Chair Greer explained that with ArtsOC they could help write and frame the survey. Chair Greer said it was important for people to know that the sculptures will be in place for two years and how things have been done in the past. Library Services Director Hetherton was fairly certain that ArtsOC puts that information into the preamble of the survey and stated he would ensure that they did. Commissioner Simon remembered that, when he first went through the process, it took him a few sittings to understand what he needed to do. When the survey is sent to the public, there should be six bullet points explaining what they need to do. If the Arts Commission really want residents to review the information thoroughly, then the information provided needs to be easy to read and understand. Chair Greer said that in order for the program to continue and be successful, the public needed to be set up to succeed. Library Services Director Hetherton thought that the CAC could select high quality pieces and generate public interest. Commissioner Simon stated that, during the pandemic, many companies utilized surveys which were often too long and time consuming. The public survey for the Sculpture Exhibition is a different kind of survey they are asking the public to participate in. Chair Greer indicated she was aware that a lot of work goes into the selection for Phase VII. To engage the public, there needs to be publicity for the CAC selection of sculptures and then the public survey. This process may lead to more public involvement at the next CAC meeting than in previous years. She asked how they would evaluate the pieces without taking excessive amounts of time. Library Services Director Hetherton said that the public would be invited to comment before the selections were made, like in past phases. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 12 Library Services Director Hetherton thought that Vice Chair Little was correct when she told the CAC to do their homework. Rick Stein with Arts OC agreed to give the CAC access to the submissions in real time. Once they receive their login information, commissioners can begin their own review and keep their own scorecards. Chair Greer said they should be prepared to discuss each piece. In past phases, Rick Stein reviewed the pieces with foreign honorariums and removed those that were not feasible. She asked Library Services Director Hetherton for more clarity. Library Services Director Hetherton thought that in the last phase, Phase VI, they did not accept any submissions from outside the continental United States. Pieces were eliminated later in the process after they were selected. Rick Stein or Joe Lewis with Arts OC would reach out to the artists and, upon learning that the honorarium was not sufficient or some other factor that would make the installation not feasible, would then move to an alternate selection. The 13 pieces selected by the public might have similar circumstances that require them to be pulled from consideration. The December meeting will run with Rick Stein presenting a piece, the CAC discussing the four criteria, and then moving on. If there are inquiries about the selection process made by artists, Rick Stein would handle it. Commissioner Simon asked about presenting the public’s selections to the City Council—inquiring if the public would have input during the meeting or if public opinion was completed in the survey. Library Services Director Hetherton said there was always public comment at Council Meetings. Commissioner Simon clarified that the public comment would not be as lengthy as in the past because they changed the methodology. Library Services Director Hetherton said there generally was not a lot of public comment at the Council presentation. Rick Stein’s presentation includes a slideshow and a review of the selected pieces; Council is usually satisfied by this presentation. It could play out in a different manner, but that was not his experience in past phases. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 13 Chair Greer stated the best outcome is that the CAC loves the public choices. She asked the Commissioners to do their homework and noted that they would receive their link to SlideRoom, the website where artists would submit their applications, from ArtsOC shortly. Any questions regarding SlideRoom should be directed to ArtsOC. It is important that Commissioners review all entries with a grading scale 1 to 7. She called for further comment or questions, but there were none. 6. Selection of a New Date for the 56th Annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition - The Newport Beach Art Exhibition Ad Hoc Subcommittee will recommend a new date for the 56th Annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition. Chair Greer wished to confirm that the Sculpture Garden Phase VII Grand Opening, originally scheduled for June 12th, may be moved to June 18th or 25th. Library Services Director Hetherton stated that was correct. Chair Greer expressed concern that, if the Newport Beach Art Exhibition were to be held in May, that the Civic Center Community Room would only be available on the 7th and the 14th. She asked if it was possible to make the date closer to the end of the month so that there would be a full 5 months for the call for artists. Library Services Director Hetherton said that the Civic Center Community Room was booked for the 21st and 28th. He thought it was to the benefit of the staff because they have the Phase VII grand opening for the sculpture garden in June and a possible concert. Chair Greer asked if the Newport Beach Art Exhibition could be held in June. Library Services Director Hetherton preferred that the event not be held in June due to the Phase VII grand opening. He thought it would help staff to have some separation between the events. Chair Greer wished to confirm that the 14th was the last possible date. Library Services Director Hetherton confirmed that was correct. Chair Greer said the CAC should not sunset the Newport Beach Art Exhibition Ad Hoc Subcommittee. The old committee should meet since she had not appointed a new committee yet. Chair Greer requested that all Commissioners respond to her with their preferences for committee assignments. In order to successfully run the Newport Beach Art Exhibition, they need at least 5 months advance notice. Library Services Director Hetherton said that the call for artists would begin in January. Chair Greer asked if they could announce the call for artists on December 1st. Commissioner Simon said that May was seven months away. Chair Greer said that six months would be November. The call for artists must close before May 14th. Usually, the call closes three weeks before, which would be April. That means the call would have to be announced in mid-November. She asked for staff’s opinion. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 14 Library Services Director Hetherton indicated staff could do anything. He thought six months prior to the date for the call was sufficient. Chair Greer said that they would end the call around April 20th. Library Services Director Hetherton said it would end three weeks prior to the event. Opening the call only involves paying CaFE and promoting it. Chair Greer asked if they could utilize mailing lists to send invitations to artists to respond to the call for entries. Library Services Director Hetherton said his only concern with that idea is that many mailing lists do not share information with other organizations. The City could ask but might not receive an affirmative response. As the Library Services Director, he does not give out the Library or Cultural Arts mailing lists because participants did not sign up for their information to be shared. Chair Greer indicated that they may have to purchase the lists. Costa Mesa has an extensive list, and the work that is exhibited is of high quality. She has been to the Huntington Beach show many times and it’s a great show. Library Services Director Hetherton said that whether a list was for sale or not would depend on the entity. Many mailing lists agree not to give out or sell subscriber information. Chair Greer asked if it was alright for her to ask her Huntington Beach contact for their list. Library Services Director Hetherton thought so, but indicated he needed to check. Chair Greer said that a mailing list from Huntington Beach had shared before in 2015. Library Services Director Hetherton said he would investigate the matter. Chair Greer said they did not want to have to postpone the event again because they did not have enough artists. The program must occur by the end of the 2021-2022 Fiscal Year (FY) or the funding would be lost. Vice Chair Little asked if Rick Stein would have more artists to contact. Chair Greer said that Arts OC holds Zoom Meetings with people from other cities’ arts organizations. She requested that Library Services Director Hetherton contact Rick Stein and ask if they could be involved in their next Zoom meeting, as it would be helpful to share information. Commissioner Simon said when the NBAF put together an exhibit there were a lot of artists there. He was sure there was a list they could share with the CAC. He also knew from experience that the Newport Beach Public Corporation for the Arts would pass along their call for artists. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 15 Chair Greer asked Commissioner Simon to facilitate that. She called for the public comment. Jim Mosher, Newport Beach resident, stated that when people give their email addresses out, they do not want the organization sharing the information. However, that does not mean that the CAC could not ask other organizations to publicize items to their members. Chair Greer stated that was a very good idea and advised Library Services Director Hetherton that was what the CAC had done with Huntington Beach in 2015. Commissioner Simon said that most organizations do not share their lists, but if they share information with their members it accomplishes the same goal. Chair Greer stated that everything the CAC does should be under City policy. She called for questions prior to the Motion. The staff recommendation is for the latest possible date provided by the Newport Beach Art Exhibition Ad Hoc Subcommittee. She asked if the CAC agreed with the recommendation of May 14th, 2022. The call for artists will start as soon as possible. Motion made by Vice Chair Little, seconded by Commissioner Simon, and carried (6-0-0-1) to recommend May 14, 2022, as the new date for the 56th Annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition, with the call for artists to start as soon as possible. AYES: Greer, Little, Flanagan, Kaufman, Simon, George NOES: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: McNulty 7. Cultural Arts Grants, Fiscal Year 2021-2022 – Staff will present an overview of the 2021-2022 Cultural Arts Grants program and will recommend a timeline. The City Arts Commission will also be asked to approve the due date of the 2019-2020 Grant Completion Report. Chair Greer called for the staff report. Library Services Director Hetherton reported that the City did not have a completion due date for the 2019-2020 Cultural Arts Grants because of COVID-19 and cancelled programming. He suggested making the completion date for 2019-20 the same as the due date for the 2020-21 grants. Starting last year, the City moved the Cultural Art Grant process to the fall so that it could be done during the school year. The CAC did an excellent job in 2020 with a complete review. The ad hoc subcommittee will have three weeks to review the Grants and then staff will include it in the packet for the February 10th meeting. The item would then go to Council in February and the checks and award letters would then be sent. Chair Greer asked for the thoughts of the current ad hoc subcommittee, comprised of Commissioner Kaufman and Commissioner Simon. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 16 Commissioner Kaufman commented that in previous years, Grant recipients were invited to a check presentation. She suggested the CAC consider how to do that differently because it was a lot of staff time for a recipient to send someone to pick up the check. The CAC should consider what was best for the recipients and try to highlight the programs they are supporting in addition to highlighting the relationship between the City and the grantees. She suggested press releases and links on the City website to Grant programs. Commissioner Simon said Commissioner Kaufman’s suggestion made sense. The grantees need the publicity. Last year, all but one of the grantees attended the check presentation. Commissioner Kaufman did not know if recipients came out of obligation or because it was worthwhile for their organization. Commissioner Simon said that they also got publicity from their photograph in the paper. Additional publicity suggested by Commissioner Kaufman could be helpful. Chair Greer explained that in the past the City Council awarded the checks, but now City Council has given that responsibility back to the CAC. Library Services Director Hetherton stated that the CAC could change how they wanted to handle the checks. In the past, they have given the organizations the option to receive the check by mail. Additionally, organizations have showed up and filled in their tax paperwork. Commissioner Kaufman noted that it is an after-hours event and a relatively small amount of money for some organizations. Commissioner Simon said it made sense to give organizations the option to attend. Chair Greer called for the public comment, but there was none. Motion made by Commissioner Simon, seconded by Chair Greer, and carried (6-0-0-1) to approve the timeline of the 2019-2020 Grant Completion Report. AYES: Greer, Little, Flanagan, Kaufman, Simon, George NOES: None ABSTENTIONS: None ABSENT: McNulty B. Monthly Reports 8. Newport Beach Arts Foundation Liaison – Commissioner Maureen Flanagan Secretary Flanagan reported that she did not attend the meeting but had read the minutes. The September 25th event at Bistango was lovely, but not as well attended as hoped. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 17 Chair Greer said that Diane Ghoukassian created a beautiful atmosphere. She suggested that next time Commissioners should invite friends and anyone else who would be interested in attending NBAF events. Secretary Flanagan reported the following updates regarding NBAF activities: they are looking to join the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce and plan to award the Lila Crispin Scholarship. While they did not receive a grant from the California Arts Council, they have several fundraisers in the works. Chair Greer called for questions for Secretary Flanagan, but there were none. The next NBAF meeting was scheduled for October 19, 2021. 9. Performing Arts for Balboa Peninsula Ad Hoc Subcommittee – Commissioners Arlene Greer and Marie Little Vice Chair Little reported that the Shelley Rusk concert at Marina Park was scheduled for October 17th. The concert goes from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Parking is not abundant, so she asked people to arrive early. The setup will be the same as for the Concerts on the Green. Food trucks will be available. Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia said that one of the food trucks, The Coconut Truck, did not provide the necessary paperwork. Instead, Baby’s Badass Burgers and the Sugar and Spice food trucks would be there. Chair Greer encouraged attendance. She then stated she had a report on the Sculpture Garden opening day for Phases V and VI, held on September 18, 2021. Everyone who attended had a wonderful time and enjoyed honoring and meeting the artists. She listed the artists in attendance and the titles of their work. The event had a guest list of over 80 people and included the Mayor, members of City Council, and the CAC. She commended Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia and Library Services Director Hetherton’s work on the event. Press photos of the event are available online and via MBTV. Commissioner Simon mentioned that one of the sculptures from Phase VI, Birdman, was sold. Chair Greer asked if that was a result of the Sculpture Garden Exhibition. Commissioner Simon said he thought it was sold beforehand, but probably because it was installed in the sculpture garden. Chair Greer asked if they could do more publicity for the sculpture garden. She noted that they wanted to draw artists there and having art sold was a draw. She understood that one of the sculptures from a previous phase, Burnt Matchstick, was also sold. Huntington Beach liked it so much that they commissioned a sculpture from the artist. The CAC can raise the level of the art and the Sculpture Garden by publicizing the sale of art through the City exhibition. Commissioner Simon clarified that Chair Greer meant publicity to the art community and artists. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 18 Chair Greer said Birdman was by Steven Rieman and was beautiful. Rieman also donated Chairman of the Board to the City. She thanked Commissioner Simon for letting the CAC know of the sale. She concluded the report and indicated she wanted to report on the Santanaways concert held on the Civic Center Green on Sunday, September 26. She, Vice Chair Little, Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal-Garcia attended. Councilwoman Diane Dixon announced the band. It was a hugely successful concert with about 3,500 attendees. Everyone had a great evening with a lot of dancing. Library Services Director Hetherton noted that a neighbor had high praise for staff and the vendor’s responsiveness to sound. Chair Greer thanked Library Services Director Hetherton, Cultural Arts Assistant Escareal- Garcia, and Administrative Support Specialist Francine Jacome for their work. She asked for the public comment, but there were none. VII. CITY ARTS COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) • Announcements: None. • Future Agenda: ° Ad hoc subcommittee assignments. ° November or January meeting agenda will include forum with Newport Beach Arts Foundation (NBAF). Chair Greer reminded the CAC that all Commissioners are on the Sculpture Garden Phase VII and the Concerts on the Green ad hoc subcommittees. VIII. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Jim Mosher, Newport Beach resident, stated that he had a question regarding the funding of the Sculpture Garden exhibit. The past two phases were funded by a State Grant which is ending soon and that Phase VII will be funded by the General Fund. He asked if the City had applied for or was pursuing further grant opportunities for the project. Chair Greer asked Library Services Director Hetherton to explain any opportunities for grant funding. Library Services Director Hetherton said staff was always looking for grant funding. They tried to pursue a similar grant to what they received for Phases V and VII, but it is not available. That grant was special as the Governor gave the funds to the Assembly as a special budget for arts. The California Department of Parks & Recreation has a robust grant program; however, their grant program tends to target underserved communities. Newport Beach always looks for grant opportunities and will continue to do so for Phase VII. Newport Beach City Arts Commission Meeting Minutes October 14, 2021 Page 19 Chair Greer thanked Mr. Mosher and told him they are speaking with NBAF about grants. They are also looking into a plaque program for the Sculpture Garden, which would allow the CAC through the NBAF to partner locally with a business to sponsor sculptures. The price is yet to be determined. The CAC will need to fund the honorariums next year. There also could be increases in cost related to the Sculpture Garden. If they have notice of that before the budget is finalized, it would be good for the CAC to seek additional funding. Library Services Director Hetherton said the CAC could also change the number of pieces selected, the amount of the honorariums, and the frequency of the phases to better control the cost of the program. Until the NBAF can make regular gifts, the CAC will have to look for ways to fund the Sculpture Exhibition. He did not think 10 pieces on a two-year rotation was written in stone. The CAC may be able to make the Exhibition better with less pieces, larger honorariums, and longer display times. Chair Greer said they were considering three years for the display times for sculpture installations. Library Services Director Hetherton thought that would appeal to Council. Chair Greer thanked Library Services Director Hetherton and stated the item should go on a future agenda for November or January with the NBAF. ADJOURNMENT – 6:50 P.M. Chair Greer thanked the CAC and staff and adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m. Approved by: Arlene Greer