Chambana Sun

Urbana Public Arts Commission met Dec. 8.

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 are the minutes as provided by Urbana:

November 8, 2016

MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING

URBANA PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION

DATE: November 8, 2016

TIME: 4:30 p.m.

DRAFT

PLACE: Executive Conference Room, Urbana City Building 2nd Floor, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, Illinois

MEMBERS PRESENT: Erica Cooper-Peyton, Barbara Hedlund, Eric Jakobsson, Jenelle Orcherton, Jason Patterson, Pat Sammann, Jessica Snyder

MEMBER EXCUSED: Sara Jones

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

OTHERS PRESENT: Annie Adams, Emily Knox, Blair Smith, Kristin Walters

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

The Urbana Public Arts Commission was called to order at 4:30 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 September 13, 2016 meeting were reviewed by the Commission. With no changes proposed, Ms. Hedlund made a motion to approve the minutes. Ms. Snyder 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

• Presentation: Urbana First Fridays by Imbibe Urbana

Ms. Sammann introduced Annie Adams and Kristin Walters, artists and founders of Imbibe Urbana. They gave a background and presentation on their event, Urbana First Fridays. The purpose of the event, which started in September, is to promote the vibrancy of downtown Urbana’s arts, businesses etc. Numerous local organizations have participated in this effort to increase activity in Downtown Urbana. At the conclusion of the presentation, 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 Rachel Storm’s exhibition, Urbana drawings reception Free on by “Carichina December Lori Library Fuller. until Women,” 14th The December from exhibition is 5:00pm on view 8th. to will 6:30pm.

The in start the next lobby on show December of the will City feature 9th 2 Building and The paintings and , with an opening

• With regard to Art at the Market, Ms. Tannos reported that the last Art at the Market this season was on October 8th. The music featured was The Music Boxers, an ensemble that consisted of Community Center for the Arts faculty members. Carol Farnum was scheduled to lead a workshop of freestyle painting, but had to drop out at the last minute. Judy Lee took her place with another button-making workshop.

• With regard to Art Now, Ms. Tannos reported that the September episode highlighted abstract expressionist, Judith Adanma Johnson. For the October episode, Commissioner Sara Jones interviewed mixed-media artist Nathan Westerman. Stacey Gross, photographer and art educator, is featured in the November episode. 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 five sculptures will be installed in Urbana in fall 2016. Three of them are sponsored by the City, while two are sponsored by members of the community.

• With regard to Marketing, Ms. Tannos reported that the program’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts now have 1,274 page likes (an increase of 26 likes), 1,821 followers (an increase of 31 followers), and 336 followers (an increase of 46 followers), respectively. There are two Urbana Public Arts Program ads featured on SmilePolitely.com, which promote Art Now and Artist of the Corridor.

• With regard to Arts in the Schools, Ms. Tannos reported that the selection committee will select the recipient(s) of this art education grant in mid-November.

• With regard to Urbana Arts Grants Program, Ms. Tannos reported that the application guidelines and form became available on November 3, 2016. The deadline to apply is February 6, 2017. The Urbana Arts Grants Program will be promoted through social media, the e-newsletter, a SmilePolitely ad, and print materials. Staff will hold an information session at the University of Illinois on November 4th, and at the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center on December 1st.

• The date for the next Public Arts Commission meeting is set for Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

• Discussion: Open Scene

Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. Tannos invited Blair Smith, Program Coordinator at the IMC and particularly for Open Scene, to join her. Ms. Smith gave a brief background on herself, and her involvement with the IMC. She then presented information on the Open Scene project in which the City of Urbana is partnering with the IMC to create a plan for reclaiming the city’s center through arts-based dialogues that directly incorporate the experiences of youth ages 16-24, especially those who feel disconnected from the downtown scene. Ms. Smith stated that they had chosen twelve community stakeholders to work with 10 youth leaders. She reported that twenty-five applications for youth leaders were received by November 1st, and 10 youth leaders would be selected before Thanksgiving. Ms. Smith stated that a call for artists where 4 artists would be selected to lead 4 weekend intensive workshops for youth and adult participants in spring 2017, would be announced later that month. A brief discussion of the matter by members of the Staff and Commission ensued.

• Discussion: Arts in the Schools 2017

Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. Tannos reported that three proposals were received for the 2017 call for applications. She stated that up to $3,000 would be awarded to one or two projects involving schools in Urbana School District #116. Two of the proposals were selected as finalists, and will move onto the second round of the application process with applications due by November 14th. The selection committee will meet the same week to make the final decision. A brief discussion of the matter by members of the Staff and Commission ensued.

• Discussion: Urbana Sculpture Project 2016-2018

Ms. Sammann introduced this agenda item. Ms. Tannos provided an update on the 2016- 2018 sculpture cycle. She stated that the five selected sculptures: The Three Red Houses, A New Leaf, Monolith, Horse and the Hound, and Keep It Together, had been installed in Downtown Urbana. She stated that she would start promoting the sculptures now that they were all installed. A brief discussion of the matter by members of the Staff and Commission ensued.

• Presentation by 2016 Urbana Arts Grant Recipient: Emily Knox from Makerspace

Ms. Sammann introduced Emily Knox, of Makerspace Urbana. Ms. Knox gave a slide-show presentation on their 3rd annual, family-friendly event called the Heartland Maker Fest, formerly known as the Mini-Maker Faire that took place on October 1st at Lincoln Square. This event featured 30 makers from all over Central Illinois, and encouraged a do-it-yourself spirit in the community. It included a variety of projects such as building rockets, creating screen prints, designing board games, and constructing a quad-copter course. Ms. Knox stated that at least 1700 people attended the event. She stated that the next maker fest would be scheduled for October 14, 2017. Ms. Knox thanked the Commission for the grant received. At the conclusion of the report, questions and comments from the Commission were heard.

OLD BUSINESS

There was none.

7. NEW BUSINESS

There was none.

8. ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ms. Tannos announced that she had posted 2017 Grant Cycle posters at various venues around town. She asked if anyone had ideas of additional places to post, or would like to take some to post on their own, to let her know. Ms. Hedlund announced that the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra would be having its annual fun holiday pops concert at Krannert on December 8th. She also announced that a Michael W. Smith/Amy Grant show would be taking place at the State Farm Center on December 9th, with a 56-piece orchestra (all members of the orchestra are from Champaign-Urbana).

9. ADJOURNMENT

Ms. Sammann made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. Jakobsson seconded the motion. With no further business, Ms. Sammann declared the meeting adjourned at 5:47 p.m.

Submitted, Sukiya J. Reid, Recording Secretary