Chambana Sun

Urbana Public Arts Commission met Tuesday, Jan. 10.

Here are the minutes as provided by Urbana:

January 10, 2017

MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING

URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION

DATE: January 10, 2017

TIME: 4:30 p.m.

DRAFT

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

MEMBERS PRESENT: Barbara Hedlund, Eric Jakobsson, Jenelle Orcherton, Sara Jones, Jason Patterson, Pat Sammann, Jessica Snyder

STAFF PRESENT: Brandon Boys, Economic Development Manager; Pauline Tannos, Public Arts Coordinator; Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary; Morgan White, Public Arts Intern

OTHERS PRESENT: Daniel Edwards, Jason Finkelman

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

The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:31 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 December 13, 2016 meeting were reviewed by the Commission.

With no changes proposed, Mr. Jakobsson made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Sammann 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.

January 10, 2017

5. COMMUNICATIONS

• Presentation by 2016 Urbana Arts Grants Recipient: Jason Finkelman from Center for World Music

Ms. Sammann introduced Jason Finkelman, representing the Robert E. Brown Center for World Music as the Director of Global Arts Performance Initiatives. He gave a slide-show presentation on their project titled, Balinese Gamelan for Elementary Students that took place at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary from October 3-November 2, 2016. The Robert E. Brown Center for World Music is a program of the School of Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that promotes understanding and appreciation of music and performance traditions of the world. The project was an interactive, hands-on residency for 4th graders at King Elementary School. There were 8 classes in which 23 students were introduced to the names of the instruments, basic playing techniques, and the singing style that developed from Gamelan music. On the final day, the students gave 2 presentations for 57 3rd grade students, along with 10 teachers and parents. He thanked the Commission for the grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission were heard.

• Presentation by 2016 Urbana Arts Grants Recipient: Daniel Edwards

Ms. Sammann introduced Daniel Edwards, music student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He gave a presentation on his project, Music for Solo Steel Pan. The project consisted of three concerts that took place at the UIUC School of Music (about 15 attendees), The Sipyard (about 20 attendees), and the Urbana Free Library (about 25 attendees). Each concert was one hour, with music written for a solo steel pan. The goal was to show people that there is a classical side to steel pan music. He 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 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 the current show features landscape paintings and drawings by Lori Fuller. The opening reception was on December 14th from 5:00-6:30pm and was attended by approximately 25 people.

• With regard to Art Now, Ms. Tannos reported that in January, Art Now will highlight Public Art League (PAL), including interviews with PAL board member Eric Robeson, PAL supporter Ginny Waaler, and local sculptor Michael Collins. Episodes are aired every Monday at 6:30pm, with reruns every Tuesday at 11:00 pm, and are available on YouTube. The February episode will feature visual artist Lara Jobe. 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 staff was working to promote these sculptures by creating a web-based guide. Postcard-sized flyers will be produced to promote the webpage.

• With regard to Open Scene, Ms. Tannos reported that four artists had been selected to lead weekend intensives at the IMC with youth and adult participants. These weekend intensives will include art workshops, dialogues, and public showcases, to explore a theme of social justice and/or community development through an artistic discipline. They will take place between late February and April 2017.

• With regard to the Boneyard Celebration, Ms. Tannos reported that Citispace can no longer perform the proposed “Unity Project” at the Boneyard Creek Crossing in April 2017. Staff will arrange a different event at this location as part of the annual Boneyard Arts Festival.

• With regard to Marketing, Ms. Tannos reported that the program’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts now have 1,306 page likes (an increase of 14 likes), 1,846 followers (an increase of 6 followers), and 383 followers (an increase of 18 followers), respectively. There are two Urbana Public Arts Program ads featured on SmilePolitely.com, which promote Art Now and the Urbana Arts Grants Program.

• With regard to Urbana Arts Grants Program, Ms. Tannos reported that the application guidelines and form were published on November 3, 2016, and the deadline to apply is February 6, 2017. With the support of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS), the total amount available for funding this cycle is $48,000. The Urbana Arts Grants Program has been promoted through social media, the e-newsletter, a SmilePolitely ad, and print materials. Staff held two separate information sessions at the University of Illinois and the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center. A total of about 20 people attended.

• The date for the next Public Arts Commission meeting is set for Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

• Discussion: Open Scene

Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. Tannos reported that Derek Linzy, Callier Hill Fay Waters, Mother Nature, and Andrea Perkins were the 4 artists selected to work with the youth in the spring semester. She summarized the whole selection process carried out to choose the 4 artists. Mr. Patterson and Ms. Cooper-Peyton shared some of their experiences working on the selection panel. Ms. Tannos stated that each artist would have a weekend between February and April in which they will come to the IMC and lead weekend-long workshops and activities. At the end of Sunday, there will be a culminating event that will be open to the public where the youth can showcase what they’ve been working on. 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 shared some words with the Commission regarding the conclusion of her tenure with the City of Urbana. She re-introduced Morgan White, Public Arts Intern and shared that he and Brandon Boys, Economic Development Manager, would take over her responsibilities until a new Public Arts Coordinator is hired. She thanked the Commission for all their hard work during her time at the City of Urbana.

Ms. Tannos also announced that the sculpture award from PAL and the postcard was being passed around for the Commission members to view.

9. ADJOURNMENT

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

With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:17 p.m.

Submitted,

Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary