HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/08/2015 - City Arts Commission - 03 Staff Report Cultural Arts ActivitiesTO: Newport Beach City Arts Commission
FROM: Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director
(949) 717-3810, thetherton@newportbeachca.gov
PREPARED BY: Tim Hetherton
TITLE: Cultural Arts Activities for September 2015
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Britain’s Finest: On Sunday, September 27,
Beatles tribute act Britain’s Finest presented
an evening of spot-on renditions of the Fab
Four’s greatest hits. The simulation – including
costumes, instrumentation, stage banter and
most importantly, the music – was uncanny.
The crowd was estimated at over 3,000
attendees. This concert concluded the City’s
2015 summer concert series.
Fine Art Exhibitions at Central Library:
Ting Ting Lee’s photography of the California
Missions is curently featured in the Central
Library gallery space. Her exhibition will run
through October.
The following artists are scheduled for
exhibitions in the Central Library gallery space:
November 2015: Joe Lewis
December 2015/January 2016: Charlotte
Lerner
February/March 2016: Joan Irving Brandt
April 2016 – To be determined.
May 2016: Bea Riley
A display of three dimensional items commemorating the Sister City relationship between Newport
Beach and Antibes, France is also scheduled for October.
Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park: The Grand Opening ceremony on September 12 included
docent tours, refreshments, and children’s activities for over 200 attendees. The Newport Beach Arts
Foundation hosted a luncheon for artists featured in both phases of the exhibition.
Ben Carlson Memorial Sculpture: The Ben Carlson Foundation is working with the City to unveil the
statue in late march/early April 2016. The statue’s infrastructure will be created by Valley Crest
Landscaping. On a related note, Ben Carlson’s heroism was a contributing factor to the passage of Bill
No. AB 489, “Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act”. This bill adds "ocean lifeguards" to the list of
public safety officers eligible to receive the Public Safety Medal of Valor (Medal of Valor) for
extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty and expands the membership of the Public Safety
Medal of Valor Review Board (Review Board) by adding a representative selected by the United States
Lifesaving Association. Proponents state that in July of 2014, Ben Carlson, a 32 year-old Newport Beach
lifeguard lost his life in the line of duty attempting to rescue a swimmer in distress in waves estimated to
be in excess of ten feet. Proponents note that, "Every day of the year, people go to the beach to enjoy
the amenities it provides. However, there are inherent risks involved with the ocean and many
municipalities and government agencies provide a service to protect and educate the public. California
ocean lifeguards rescue around 45,000 individuals annually and undertake millions of preventative
actions to reduce injury and prevent drowning. California lifeguards risk their lives and safety to
perform such duties in large surf, around rocks and piers, or other dynamic and unpredictable forces of
nature."