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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/14/2013 - City Arts Commission - Minutes City of Newport Beach Newport Beach City Arts Commission Thursday, February 14, 2013 – 5:00pm Central Library Conference Room Convened at 5:02pm 1) Call Meeting to Order: Commissioner Smith called the meeting to order. 2) Roll Call: Commissioners Present: Chairperson Robert Smith, Secretary Carole Boller, Arlene Greer, Gilbert Lasky, Caroline Logan, Vice Chair Rita Goldberg, Commissioner Trela arrived at 5:45pm. Commissioners Absent: Gil Lasky Staff Present: Mayor Nancy Gardner; Library Director Cynthia Cowell; Cultural Arts Coordinator Jana Barbier Public Present: Jim Mosher, Sarah Wilkinson 3) Public Comments: Councilwoman Gardner asked Commissioners if they’d been watching City Council meetings and said that Mayor Curry had announced that he would like for the City to seek development fees for public art installations. Councilwoman Gardner also noted that she’d made a comment during a budget meeting to look into the Arts Commission being dinged and not recovering revenue for museum tours. She also noted that the new Council Chambers’ walls were very bare and would need some art. Chair Smith asked how the Arts Commission could be involved in finding art for Council Chambers; and Councilwoman Gardner suggested taking the lead. Chair Smith thanked Councilwoman Gardner for her efforts. Mr. Mosher stated that he would like to speak to the Agenda and Minutes. He noted that the wrong date was listed in “Approval of Minutes,” that it should have been December 13, 2012 instead of January 10, 2013. Mr. Mosher stated that he would like for Commissioner’s titles to be used in the minutes and also made note the Agenda not being clear as to when the public would have the opportunity to speak on an issue. He also said that he would like to comment on the Items for Review and Possible Action (1. Clarification on Committee Structure; Setting Sunset Dates for Ad Hoc Committees) that these were not standing committees, but acted purely in an advisory role. Chair Smith asked Mr. Mosher to comment on items as they come up on the Agenda. Sarah Wilkinson announced that she was attending the Arts Commission meeting for informative purposes and stated that she would like to be involved in a public art master plan. 4) Approval of Minutes: It was MSP (Greer/Boller) to approve the January 10, 2013 Minutes with the following changes: (One) Insert correct date under 4) Approval of Minutes - from January 10, 2013 to December 13, 2012; (Two) Insert Commissioner’s titles before each proper name is used; (Three) under C) Monthly Reports, #5 Arts Foundation Liaison Committee: “Commissioner Greer reported that the Art in the Park Committee (instead of Foundation members) would be meeting next Tuesday.” 2 5) Current Business: A. Consent Calendar 1. Cultural Arts Activities – Staff provided updated report for Cultural Arts Activities in February, 2013. 2. Correspondence and Press – Staff passed around current correspondence to the Commission. B. Items for Review and Possible Action – 1. Clarification on Committee Structure; Setting Sunset Dates for Ad-Hoc Committees Library Director Cowell noted that Mr. Mosher had made a point, that all committees are ad hoc, and that the City Attorney had asked that it be indicated in the minutes that all committees must “sunset” by June 30 of each year. Director Cowell noted that this was really a housekeeping issue, and that committee meetings would not need to be publicly noticed. Director Cowell noted that the Chairperson would bring forth new committees each new fiscal year. Discussion ensued and Director Cowell suggested that since the committees are already listed on the Agenda, that they be listed as ad hoc. Additionally, it was noted that there could never be more than three commissioners meeting on a committee. Chair Smith indicated that the committees do traditionally disband at the end of June, and are resurrected in July. At this time, Mr. Mosher stated that he respectfully disagreed and stated that committees should have a definite goal. Mr. Mosher noted that committees go on, but members change. Mr. Mosher explained the requirements of The Brown Act. Councilwoman Gardner stated that she thought the term Ad Hoc Committee was a good idea, and that reporting subcommittee decisions at the full Arts Commission meeting would give the public an opportunity to weigh in on arts-related topics. It was MSP (Logan/Greer) that “all Arts Commission subcommittees are ‘ad hoc’, and that each subcommittee should be reviewed each July 1 to evaluate its continued necessity.” C. Monthly Reports – 1. Art in Public Spaces/Historical Preservation Ad Hoc Committee – Chairperson Smith reviewed the Deutsche Bank offer of two sculptures for loan to the City. Chairperson Smith reminded Commissioners that at the last Arts Commission meeting it was decided that he should let Deutsche Bank know that it could be another 6 months before the offer could be considered. Chairperson Smith had contacted Deutsche Bank to let them know and they understood. Chairperson Smith also reported that the City Manager had requested finding out more information on a bronze “Lone Sailor” sculpture being offered by a local donor; Smith had asked Commissioner Logan and Secretary Boller to discuss this offer with the donor and noted that the piece would not conform to Policy I-11 “Donation of Art to the City of Newport Beach” if it was a replica. Chair Smith asked that this topic be discussed at the March Arts Commission meeting. 3 Chairperson Smith noted that Sarah Wilkinson would like for the Commission to discuss her “Uprooted II” sculpture (a representation of seaweed) and Commissioner Boller and Logan would discuss this with Sarah Wilkinson further. Chairperson Smith reported that he was continuing his discussions with the Orange County Museum of Art, and that he was still hoping OCMA would provide a sculpture for the opening of the Civic Center. Chairperson Smith has a meeting planned with Sara Bancroft of OCMA to continue to look for pieces that would be suitable for the site. Chairperson Smith announced that he had taken the initiative on learning more about artist Albert Paley’s public art, and passed some visual materials to the Arts Commission. He had spoken with Paley’s studio and found out that his work could be leased at 5% of the purchase price for a year. Commissioner Logan and Secretary Boller would study this more to decide whether to bring this forth to the Commission next month. Vice Chair Goldberg commented that she likes Paley’s work, that it is contemporary, strong and makes a statement. 2. Fine Arts Ad Hoc Committee – Secretary Boller handed out flyers for the Newport Beach Fine Art Exhibition, and thanked coordinator Barbier. She noted that this was an annual art exhibition that would take place on April 13. Secretary Boller stated that arrangements have been made for this event, and that she would contact Commissioners regarding jobs that would be available for the day. Secretary Boller asked staff if banners had been requested for this event, and staff replied yes. Boller asked about press coverage and staff explained that a virtual “banner” had been created to advertise the event on the Library website. Staff noted that National Charity League had been contacted for assistance during the morning of the event. Commissioner Greer explained that she had met with staff and Mark Hilbert recently regarding showing his collection at the library for the next year, that Mr. Hilbert was committed, and that the year-long exhibition would begin in May. The exhibition would be announced in the Spring Newport Navigator. Councilwoman Gardner asked if a reception was being planned for Mr. Hilbert; discussion ensued, and Commissioners decided to announce the Hilbert collection being on display at the library after the opening of the Civic Center, to ensure that the announcement wasn’t overshadowed by the Civic Center opening. 3. Performing Arts Ad Hoc Committee – Vice Chair Goldberg reported that the performing arts committee had met with staff and selected three performers for Concerts in the Parks this summer. Additionally, Shakespeare by the Sea would be returning on July 20 and 21. Staff provided a schedule for summer events, with bands’ selected, dates and parks; and also information on 2013 Shakespeare in the Park. 4. Museum Tour Ad Hoc Committee – Vice Chair Goldberg asked staff how many people had signed up for the Norton Simon tour and staff responded 25. Vice Chair Goldberg asked staff to include Secretary Boller as part of the Museum Tour Ad Hoc Committee. Discussion ensued and Commissioner Greer suggested that a follow-up article on museum tours might generate future interest. 5. Arts Foundation Liaison Ad Hoc Committee – Commissioner Greer reported that the Arts Commission had received an invitation from Foundation members to attend a ‘night at the gallery’ on March 19 from 5:30-6:30 at The Irvine Museum in an effort to increase their membership. James Swinden would be the host and Commissioner Greer would attend; she suggested contacting Carmen Smith to make a reservation for this event. 4 Greer noted that no additional meeting had taken place, but that the Foundation would be meeting on the 3rd Thursday of each month. 6. Publicity Ad Hoc Committee – Commissioner Trela has increased coverage on several arts-related events and would look forward to receiving a press release on the Newport Beach Art Exhibition and Sale from the City’s Marketing Specialist. Discussion regarding using Commissioner Trela’s email address for press releases at the Newport Beach Independent Newspaper. Commissioner Trela noted that Lila Crespin would be writing a monthly column in the NB Independent on the arts in the community. Cultural Arts Coordinator Barbier noted that the City is still selling tiles at McFadden Square, and that Lila Crespin had not included that information in the article. 7. Budget Ad Hoc Committee – Commissioner Lasky was absent and staff provided an update on additional costs incurred since the previous month. Chairperson Smith requested that staff send a budget report each month with the board packets. Councilwoman Gardner noted that sometimes councilpersons have discretionary funds available for specific projects and that additional funding could be available for Arts Commission events from that source. 8. Cultural Arts Grant Ad Hoc Committee – Commissioner Greer noted that she and Vice Chair Goldberg had received invitations to a Newport/Mesa YMCA appreciation event. Commissioner Greer was unable to attend, but Vice Chair Goldberg did. She reported that the group does wonderful work, and that she was glad that the City was able to assist with the Newport/Mesa YMCA’s arts programming. Commissioner Greer noted that the Newport/Mesa YMCA programming culminates at an open house on June 11, and that it would be nice for Arts Commissioners to attend. 9. Master Plan Ad Hoc Committee for Visual & Public Art Installations – Commissioner Logan thanked Director Cowell for her incredible advice and information on the formation of the Master Plan Committee for Visual & Public Art Installations; adding that this group would act as an Ad Hoc Committee and would sunset. Commissioner Logan noted that she would be reviewing the goals and objectives of this committee next week and would provide a copy of the results to the Arts Commission. 6) City Arts Commission Announcements or Matters Which Members Would Like Placed on a Future Agenda for Discussion, Action or Report (Non-Discussion Item) – Commissioner Greer thanked Mark and Janet Hilbert for their support of the City. She noted Mr. Hilbert would be speaking about California Scene Paintings on March 9 at the Pasadena Museum of California Art. There would be a private reception at 5:30 and the museum would be open to the public after that. Chairperson Smith requested adding the Sarah Wilkinson sculpture, Lone Sailor sculpture and Albert Paley sculpture to “Items for Review and Possible Action” on the March 14 Agenda. 7) Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items – Mr. Mosher noted that with this latest initiative to promote art and culture in Newport Beach, he assumed the Arts Commission would be consulted. Mr. Mosher suggested meeting in a less claustrophobic location, such as the Civic Center, where the meeting could be easily attended by the public, videotaped, etc. 8) Meeting Adjourned 6:05pm - It was MSP (Greer/Logan) to adjourn the meeting.