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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Arts Commission 10-10-2024 Approved Meeting MinutesCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY ARTS COMMISSION MINUTES Newport Beach Public Library 1000 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Thursday, October 10, 2024 – Regular Meeting City Arts Commission Members: Melissa Kandel, Chair John Blom, Vice Chair Heather Ignatin, Secretary Maureen Flanagan, Commissioner Barbara George, Commissioner Wayan Kaufman, Commissioner Vanessa Moore, Commissioner Staff Members: Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director Camille Escareal-Garcia, Cultural Arts Assistant I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chair Melissa Kandel called the City Arts Commission Regular Meeting to order at 5:00 P.M. II. ROLL CALL Commissioners Present: Chair Melissa Kandel Secretary Heather Ignatin Commissioner Maureen Flanagan Commissioner Barbara George Commissioner Wayan Kaufman Commissioner Vanessa Moore Commissioners Absent: Vice Chair John Blom (excused) Staff Present: Melissa Hartson, Library Services Director Camille Escareal-Garcia, Cultural Arts Assistant III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Secretary Heather Ignatin led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC - Waived V. PUBLIC COMMENTS Bernie Svalstad, a resident and president of the Newport Beach Historical Society, passed out brochures and expressed an interest in fostering a relationship with the Arts Commission to promote local history. City Arts Commission Meeting October 10, 2024 Page 2 VI. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Approval of Minutes of September 12, 2024, City Arts Commission Meeting 1. Draft of 9/12/24 Minutes Chair Melissa Kandel requested edits, changes, or deletions of the minutes. Chair Kandel made the following revisions to the minutes: • Handwritten p. 7, par. 3 – Revise “Chair Kandel responded that it is not required but that the CAC members could volunteer if they would like and would be great help managing the booth.” • Handwritten page 8, Monthly Reports opening sentence – Add “Chair Kandel also asked that Subcommittees please select a Chair by the October meeting if they had not done so already.” B. Consent Calendar Items 2. Financial Report Review of financial information. Commissioner Flanagan questioned if the line item for insurance covered all the Concerts on the Green in 2024. Library Services Director Melissa Hartson confirmed that it does. 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 Kandel reported that October 13th is the Fall Concert at Marina Park featuring the Gotham City Swingers from 4 to 5:30 p.m. The CAC will be hosting an activity booth 3 to 6 p.m. at the 7th annual Halloween Spooktacular event on October 26 and encouraging visitors to paint a pumpkin. Volunteers are welcome if commissioners were planning to attend and had a desire to help. Please inquire with Secretary Ignatin for more details. Chair Kandel opened the Consent Calendar for public comment. Jim Mosher, Newport Beach Resident, commented that the City’s budget shows larger than the budget reflected in the financial staff report and the two items missing were Maintenance Repair / Professional Service for $4,248.00 and Publications and Dues for $1,000. Those changes would bring the total CAC budget to $255,088. Motion made by Secretary Heather Ignatin, seconded by Commissioner Vanessa Moore, to accept the Consent Calendar and carried 6-0-0-1 (Vice Chair Blom was absent). City Arts Commission Meeting October 10, 2024 Page 3 VII. CURRENT BUSINESS A. Items for Review and Possible Action 4. Revisions to City Council Policy I-10, Financial Support for Culture and Arts Staff requests the City Arts Commission approve revisions to City Council Policy I-10, Financial Support for Culture and Arts and forward to City Council for review and approval. Library Services Director Hartson reported that City Council Policy I-10, Financial Support for Culture and Arts, directs the City Arts Commission to review all programs and requests for financial support from arts groups and make recommendations for funding to City Council for final approval. These grants are awarded to arts groups involved in visual, musical, theatre, dance, crafts, performing and literary activities. The following revisions were recommended to align with current practices of administering the policy, to eliminate outdated methods of execution, and delete or reduce language where applicable: • Change the title from “Financial Support for Culture and Arts” to “Culture and Arts Grants.” • Add language from City Council Policy A-12, Discretionary Grants, regarding how the City budget allows the City Council to direct revenue towards projects and programs. • Remove indications of utilizing the “Reserve Fund for Culture and Arts” for grants and add “General Fund”, as this is the source of funding for grants. • Eliminate “Any appropriation shall not exceed 50% of the Arts Commissions’ annual budget”, as $55,000 awarded in grants does not exceed 50% of the Cultural Arts Division annual budget. Commissioner Flanagan inquired if the CAC was ever funded the full $55,000 for cultural art grants. Library Services Director Hartson responded that she looked back over the past fifteen years, and they had not received $55,000. Chair Kandel opened the item to public comment. Jim Mosher, Newport Beach resident, commented on the history of Policy I-10 and how different policies merged over time. He noted a line in the revised policy that was unclear, “Pursuant to City Council Policy A-12, the City budget specifically allows the City Council to direct revenue towards worthy projects and programs including those in nature, which the City Council deems beneficial to Newport Beach’s resident’s quality of life.” The mention of “including those in nature” was confusing as the City Arts Commission responsibilities do not cover programs in natural settings. He also noted that the grant funds only go to $30,000 and stated that an increase in funds requested for CAC grants may be implied by the revisions as they were. The CAC and Library Services Director Hartson agreed with Mr. Mosher’s comment regarding “those in nature” and the correction was included in the list of revisions under approval. Motion made by Secretary Heather Ignatin, seconded by Chair Kandel, and carried 6-0- 0-1 (Vice Chair Blom was absent) to approve the revisions to City Council Policy I-10, City Arts Commission Meeting October 10, 2024 Page 4 Financial Support for Culture and Arts; and recommend the revisions to Policy I-10 to City Council for review and approval. B. Monthly Reports Chair Kandel explained, going forward she would like the Chair of each Subcommittee to provide the agendized reports at the monthly meetings and serve as the first point of contact. She also requested that the subcommittees who have not selected a chair to do so, if possible, by the November meeting. 5. Art in Public Places Ad Hoc Subcommittee Vice Chair Blom, Commissioner Flanagan, Commissioner Moore Commissioner Moore stated they would be meeting on October 24 to review the submissions for the Central Library Gallery. 6. Music and Live Entertainment Ad Hoc Subcommittee Chair Kandel, Secretary Ignatin, Commissioner Flanagan Secretary Ignatin stated the Subcommittee is scheduled to meet in November to discuss concerts. 7. Cultural Arts Grants Ad Hoc Subcommittee Vice Chair Blom, Commissioner Kaufman, Commissioner Moore In Vice Chair Blom’s absence, Commissioner Moore stated that the Subcommittee would bring a recommended timeline for the CAC grants to the November meeting for consideration by the full Commission. 8. Newport Beach Art Exhibition Ad Hoc Subcommittee Commissioner George, Commissioner Kaufman, Commissioner Moore Commissioner Moore reported that they had not yet met or selected a Chair for the Subcommittee. 9. Public Relations and Marketing Ad Hoc Subcommittee Chair Kandel, Vice Chair Blom, Secretary Ignatin Secretary Ignatin stated the Subcommittee had met and had no further updates at that time. 10. Sculpture Exhibition Ad Hoc Subcommittee Chair Kandel, Vice Chair Blom, Secretary Ignatin Secretary Ignatin stated the Subcommittee had met and had no further updates at that time. 11. Student Exhibition Art Ad Hoc Subcommittee Commissioner Kaufman Commissioner Kaufman reported no activity and said she would contact Chair Kandel offline regarding the Subcommittee soon. City Arts Commission Meeting October 10, 2024 Page 5 12. Newport Beach Arts Foundation (NBAF) Liaison Commissioner Moore Commissioner Moore reported she attended the meeting; the Art in the Park event held in September had 31 sponsors and will have the financial numbers available at their November meeting; the Foundation is looking to open the call to artists in February in 2025 with a tentative date of 9/20/2025 for the next Art in the Park. The Foundation also plans to increase the price for the booths by 5%. For this past event, there were 135 artists, with 15 on the waitlist. The Foundation is also in the process of updating their website and plan to give the CAC an opportunity to post their events on the updated site. Lastly, NBAF member Sunny Kim will hold a Korean Arts Festival at the Civic Center on the Green with the tentative dates for May 3 and 4. Chair Kandel stated she thought it was interesting that NBAF discussed doing a high school battle of the band type competition next year in lieu of hiring a professional band; this year they hired an event planner to help keep the planning more structured. 13. Historical Resources Liaison Vice Chair Blom Vice Chair Blom was not available for an update. Chair Kandel opened the item for Public Comment. Bernie Svalstad, Newport Beach Historical Society President stated he would like to coordinate with the CAC to promote local history at their events. IX. CITY ARTS COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENTS OR MATTERS WHICH MEMBERS WOULD LIKE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION, OR REPORT (NON-DISCUSSION ITEM) Chair Kandel provided a list of upcoming arts events in Newport Beach: Baroque Music Festival’s Moving Through the Garden on October 13 starting at 3:20, they will be doing a “Moving Through the Garden” from 4-6 PM. It is the same time as the Fall Concert in Marina Park. Commissioner Moore volunteered to represent the CAC at the event. October 17 is the kickoff for the 25th Anniversary of the Newport Beach Film Festival. On October 22 the Holocaust Museum OC is hosting a tour event and exhibition. X. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Jim Mosher, Newport Beach resident, commented on the General Plan and its current revision and they are moving into phase two - the final public outreach. The Arts and Cultural Element of the General Plan has a public workshop tentatively scheduled for 12/5/2025. He also mentioned that PB&R Commission recently discussed new signs for Parks and felt the design/aesthetics of the signs and the City’s new website would fall under CAC purview. XI. ADJOURNMENT – 5:37 P.M. Chair Kandel adjourned the meeting. City Arts Commission Meeting October 10, 2024 Page 6 Approved by: Melissa Kandel