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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-07-20; Arts Commission; MinutesMEETING OF: OF MEETING: PLACE OF MEETING: CALL TO ORDER: MINUTES CARLSBAD ARTS COMMISSION DATE Thursday, July 20, 2017 Library Learning Center 3368 Eureka Place Carlsbad, CA Chair Aaron Alter called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Staff: Commissioners Alter, Barker, Breslaw, Jadhav, Schmidt & White {Markovits arrived at 9:10} None Library & Cultural Arts Director Heather Pizzuto; Cultural Arts Manager Richard Schultz; Communication Manager Kristina Ray; Community Relations Manager Susanne Bankhead; Programs & Venues Coordinator Karen McGuire; Senior Office Specialist Sandra Riggins APPROVAL OF MINUTES: By proper motion, the minutes of the Arts Commission meeting of June 1, 2017 were approved as amended {6-0-0-1). ELECTION OF ARTS COMMISSION CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR Aaron Alter was elected chair and Commissioner Breslaw as vice-chair. COMMITIEE ASSIGNMENTS Committee assignments were tabled until after next meeting. PRESENTATION: COMMUNICATION Communication Manager Tina Ray and Community Relations Manager Susanne Bankhead presented an overview of cultural arts communication. The formal program of communication began 10 years ago and is part of the Office of the City Manager. Communication acts as a resource for the other departments. The overall goal of communications to ensure mutually beneficial, two-way communication with internal and external audiences about city issues and services, leading to a more responsive government and a high level of public confidence. Objectives are to facilitate public involvement in city decision making, support transparency by providing timely, accurate and easy to understand information, promote awareness of and participation in city services, program and events, and encourage behaviors such as water conservation, crime prevention, etc. Communications works with each city department using a dedicated lead for each department who works closely with the director and staff, gets to know programs and services and understands the business of the department. While working with the department they identify needs, resources and priorities, discuss audiences and messages, agree on measures of success and offer their best professional recommendations. When speaking specifically about Library & Cultural Arts their priorities are to support goals of the department and division, give greater attention to programs that are new, need greater visibility or are underutilized or under attended and provide opportunities to cross promote. Communications then showed many examples of some of the information they design and produce to include, Arts News, the city website including specifically the cultural arts pages, the Community Services Guide, rack cards, individual flyers, Facebook, Twitter, lnstagram and Pinterest posts, the Carlsbad TV notification, YouTube channel video production, providing information and photos for the zip code magazines, school news and Carlsbad Magazine, communication in relation to the Arts & Culture Plan update including flyers, website, surveys and announcements, communication with local schools and staying on top of new trends. Opportunities for commission involvement in the communication process can include collaboration and partnerships. Current opportunities for involvement include spreading the word about the Arts & Culture Plan, supporting events and programs of the department and being ambassadors for the programs in the community at large. Commissioners expressed ideas to include requesting that the city help leverage other arts organizations in the city including grant recipients, a printed summary of upcoming events available in various city locations, and concern that all of the print material looks alike so it's hard to tell which programs are sponsored by cultural arts vs. other departments. They also would like to have information sooner to be able to plan in advance, have communications look at events on a regional basis, an easier to use calendar of events, additional signage for the gallery, cross promotion of events within departments, a calendar of events similar to what the library offers. Commissioners asked about the budget, marketing, public relations and advertising. Commissioners asked if the aim is primarily towards residents or if visitors are targeted as well. Bankhead reported that the primary focus is on residents but neighboring communities benefit from our programs as well. Commissioners asked about how people can sign up for thee-blast. Bankhead said that from any page on the website they can link to the sign up page. Also most events include a sign-up sheet where people can request more information and people can call or email the cultural arts office with a request to be added. PRESENTATION: STAFF CONFERENCES UPDATE Karen McGuire and Richard Schultz presented information about two conferences attended by staff. The first was the American Alliance for Museums held in St. Louis in May was attended by Karen McGuire and Tonya Rodzach and the second was the Americans for the Arts Conference held in San Francisco in June which was attended by Karen McGuire and Richard Schultz. The theme of the conference in St. Louis was Gateways to Understanding: Diversity, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion in Museums. The biggest take away was how difference people experience the world. One example is how social media can be both a block from experiencing the world or a way to include others in the experience along with the person at the museum by taking pictures and posting them to increase exposure to their friends on social media. Karen is working on an exhibition called beloved object where she plans on including collectors of the objects expressing their thoughts in their own words, accessible through an app on their cell phones. One of the keynote speakers, Haben Girma, inspired McGuire to work on ways of increasing accessibility to all people. The second keynote speaker, Bryan Stevenson, spoke of historical monuments which help people to remember atrocities. He spoke of the importance of creating museums and monuments which help people remember things that might not be easy to see and hear so that we do not repeat mistakes of the past. He also spoke about collaboration with other organizations in order to increase exposure and programming options. For the Americans for the Arts conference, Schultz and McGuire attend a pre-conference about public art. They showed examples of public art created around the country including interactive art, light, sounds, educational, social experiments and various uses of technology in public art. It inspired Schultz and McGuire to look at public art in a broader way. The Americans for the Arts Conference put an emphasis on the economic impact of the arts. ARTS & CULTURE PLAN UPDATE The Arts & Culture Plan continues with emphasis on getting more public feedback. The Cultural Arts Office has worked with the consultant to be out in the community to gather feedback. There has been a presence at the Carlsbad Farmer's Market and TGIF Concerts in the Parks and surveys will be gathered in the William D. Cannon Art Gallery and at events such as the upcoming Americana event. Melba Novoa continues to gather information from the Spanish speaking community. The survey will be open through Aug. 18. Two common topics emerging are an arts venue in the city and a focus on a regional mindset. The draft will be produced in Sept. and the Arts Commission will have an opportunity to offer feedback about the draft. CHAIR'S REPORT Chair Alter attended a concert by local flutist Lorie Bell and the Museum of Making Music which was sponsored by a Community Arts Grant from the City of Carlsbad. Alter thanked Arts Commission members who have volunteers for TGIF and expressed that it seems that there is more energy in the crowd this year. CULTURAL ARTS MANAGER REPORT There have been four TGIF Concerts to date this season with an attendance of 13,900. In Family Open Studios at TGIF we1ve had 1,390 participants. This week Feufollet, a Cajun band, will play at Poinsettia and then concerts move to Calavera Hills Park with Spazmatics playing August 11 where there will be a pre-show dance routine taught for anyone interested in participating. Friday, July 21 at 2 p.m. will be the Creative Arts Camp final presentation and art show. Campers have been studying Greek and Roman cultures and mythology. Saturday, July 29 will be the American Celebration from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lynn Osgood retuned in June for additional community workshops for the Arts & Culture Plan and we have expanded surveying efforts through mid-Aug. The surveys are available online and also at TGIF concerts and the Farmers Market. Melba Novoa will reach out to the Hispanic community with pop-up events at the Learning Center, Pine Avenue Park and Lola's Deli and market. FRIENDS OF THE ARTS REPORT The Friends are collecting a lot of money this year with the opportunity drawing and many new memberships because of an incentive of a gift or coupons with each new membership. The Friends of the Arts were also able to find a company who offers lawn chairs on consignment which is ideal due to storage limitations. COMMISSION COMMENTS Commissioners reported on their ongoing and new artistic involvement in the community. Multiple commissioners were involved in volunteering at TGIF selling opportunity drawing tickets. Three commissioners attended and recommended productions done by community arts grantee New Village Arts. PUBLIC COMMENTS None ANNOUNCEMENTS None ADJOURNMENT Chair Alter adjourned the meeting at 11:22 a.m. Respectfully submitted, £~ /Z.~'6 Sandra Riggins Sr. Office Specialist