Chambana Sun

The Urbana Public Arts Commission met May 10 to hear a presentation by Joe Madden, executive director of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra.

"The Public Arts Commission was created by the City Council to develop a public arts program for Urbana which will engage citizens in lifelong involvement in the arts in all their many forms. Additional duties include assisting in the selection of works of art to be permanently placed on municipal property and seeking donations and grants to expand the public arts program."

Here's the meeting's agenda, as provided by the city: 

May 10, 2016

MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING

URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION

DRAFT

DATE: May 10, 2016

TIME: 4:30 p.m.

PLACE: City Council Chambers, Urbana City Building, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois

MEMBERS PRESENT: Barbara Hedlund, Eric Jakobsson, Sara Jones, Ilona Matkovszki,

John Morrison, Jason Patterson, Pat Sammann, Ginny Waaler

STAFF PRESENT: Brandon Boys, Economic Development Manager; Pauline

Tannos, Public Arts Coordinator; Sukiya J. Reid, Recording

Secretary

OTHERS PRESENT: Joe Madden, Rachel Lauren Storm

1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM

The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:32 p.m. by Ms. Sammann.

Ms. Reid took roll and a quorum was declared present.

2. CHANGES TO AGENDA

There were none.

.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the April 12, 2016 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. With no

changes proposed, Ms. Hedlund made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Waaler

seconded the motion. All Commission members present were in favor of approval and the

minutes were unanimously approved as presented.

4. PUBLIC INPUT

There was none.

5. COMMUNICATIONS

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• Presentation by 2015 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Joe Madden from CUSO

Ms. Sammann introduced Joe Madden, Executive Director of Champaign-Urbana Symphony

Orchestra. He gave a brief background on the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and

presented a slideshow on the 2015 Youth Concerts. There were four performances on April 1st

and 2nd, 2015 with a theme of, “The Orchestra’s Rainbow of Color”, where approximately 3,250

area students were able to hear a full symphony orchestra in the Foellinger Great Hall at the

Krannert Center in Urbana. The program was designed, conducted, and narrated by CUSO

Music Director & Conductor, Stephen Alltop. Mr. Madden thanked the Commission for the

grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission

were heard.

• Presentation by 2015 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Rachel Storm from Girl Radio

Ms. Sammann introduced Rachel Storm, Director of the Outta the Mouths of Babes Radio

Project. Ms. Storm gave a slide-show presentation on her new project, Girl Radio, which

stemmed from the fact that many of the girls in the Outta the Mouths of Babes Radio Project

were aging out of that program. The girls wanted to continue on and make their own radio

show, so Girl Radio was formed to focus more on middle-school aged participants. On this

show, 17 Urbana-area girls ages 8-12, connected with local community issues and shared their

insights on girlhood and the neighborhood. This project consisted of a two day long camp, with

workshops designed to introduce participants to indie radio making and media production. The

camp took place on April 2nd & 3rd from 10am-4pm at the Women Resources Center on

campus, and the UCIMC. Ms. Storm stated that the episodes would go live in the summer.

She thanked the Commission for the grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions

and comments from the Commission were heard.

• Presentation by Staff: Monthly Progress Report

Ms. Tannos presented a new visually enhanced version of the City staff’s monthly

progress report to the Commission, outlining projects in process, recent requests and

recommendations from the public, staff activities, and upcoming events.

For an update on current projects, she reported the following:

• With regard to Artist of the Corridor, Ms. Tannos reported that Peggy Flavin’s

exhibition, “A Long Way Down” is currently featured in the lobby of the City Building

and The Urbana Free Library until early June.

• With regard to Art at the Market, Ms. Tannos reported that on Saturday, May 14th, local

band Mackville will perform at Art at the Market from 9:30am to 11:30am. The art

workshop, from 8:00am to noon, will be led by local artist Maxx Gogski, who will teach

visitors how to make a mini monster by assembling materials and sewing. A simpler

option with no sewing will be available for younger children.

• With regard to Urbana Celebrates the Boneyard, Ms. Tannos reported that Urbana

Celebrates the Boneyard 2016, took place on Saturday, April 9th, from 1:00pm to

4:00pm, at the Boneyard Creek Improvements Project (corner of Race and Griggs

Streets). The festivities included performances by Hobnob String Band and Capoeira

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Angola, food trucks, a bubble demo by Joyful Bubbles, a banner exhibit by USD #116

students, and a scavenger hunt designed by Urbana artist Judiee. Visitors who

completed the scavenger hunt received a small prize.

• With regard to Fundraising, Ms. Tannos reported that Staff was notified by the National

Endowment of the Arts that its proposed project, titled Open Scene, which was

submitted in collaboration with UCIMC, has been recommended for funding through

the Our Town grant program. The NEA will make an official announcement about the

award on May 9th.

The City of Urbana and UCIMC will hold a joint announcement event on Tuesday, May

10th at the IMC (202 S. Broadway). Doors will open at 6:30 pm, and the official

announcement will be at 7:30pm. The press event will also have performances by local

artists.

• With regard to Art Now!, Ms. Tannos reported that in the March episode, John Morrison

interviewed Dennis Rowan. This month, the 67th episode of Art Now! highlighted

Urbana-based, mixed-media artist Travis Hocutt. All Art Now episodes can be found

online on the Art Now! YouTube channel or http://www.urbanaillinois.us/artnow.

• With regard to the Urbana Sculpture Project, Ms. Tannos reported that on April 29th,

staff led a sculpture van tour for residents of Clark-Lindsey Retirement Village. Twelve

residents participated.

• With regard to Urbana Art Expo, Ms. Tannos reported that staff and commissioners are

working with Kelly White from 40 North to plan the next Urbana Art Expo, which will

be on Sunday, September 18th from 10am to 5pm, at the Urbana Civic Center.

• With regard to Marketing, Ms. Tannos reported that City staff had been regularly

updating the Public Arts Program’s Facebook page, which as of this meeting had 1,159

fans. She also stated that the Urbana Public Arts Twitter account, which could be

followed @urbanapublicart, as of this meeting had 1,702 followers. She stated that the

Program’s Instagram account, which was created last month with the username

@urbanapublicarts, has 188 followers. There are two Urbana Public Arts Program ads

featured on SmilePolitely.com, which promote Artist of the Corridor and Art Now!.

• For upcoming events, Ms. Tannos stated that the date for the next Public Arts

Commission meeting was set for Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. in the City

Council Chambers.

• Presentation by Staff: Local Arts Network Workshop

Ms. Tannos reported that she attended the Local Arts Network Workshop that took place in

Chicago, a couple weeks prior. This workshop was for local arts agencies in other cities and

towns within the state of Illinois. She shared a few of the things that she learned at this

workshop led by Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research and Policy at Americans for the

Arts.

• Discussion: Urbana Art Expo 2016

Ms. Tannos stated that staff had been working with 40 North to plan the Urbana Art Expo 2016.

She stated that there were a few things that may change this year. Last year, walls and additional

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lighting were provided to the artists for free. However, the walls that were provided were very

heavy, so Ms. Tannos stated that she was considering making walls for this year that would be

more expensive, but could be used again for future years. She also stated that staff was looking

at better ways to do the lighting for this year. A brief discussion of the matter by members of

the Staff and Commission ensued.

6. OLD BUSINESS

There was none.

7. NEW BUSINESS

There was none.

8. ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ms. Tannos announced that fellow Commission member, Ginny Waaler and her husband Jack

Waaler, had offered to make a contribution towards the purchase of the Stranger Reduction Zone

sculpture. Ms. Tannos and members of the Commission expressed their appreciation. Ms. Tannos

also announced that staff had received an application for the Commission from Jenelle Orcherton,

and that it had been approved. She stated that Ms. Orcherton would be appointed by City Council

on May 16th. Ms. Hedlund announced that the Unitarian Universalist Church in Urbana, which is a

Joseph Royer building, had been designated as a Historic Landmark and that a plaque would be

mounted on it soon. Ms. Tannos announced that the next Public Arts Meeting on June 14, 2016

would be the last meeting for Commissioners, Ginny Waaler and John Morrison.

8. ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Jakobsson made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Ms. Sammann seconded the motion.

With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:27 p.m.

Submitted,

Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary