Arts_Task_Force
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ARTS TASK FORCE
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
4:00 p.m.
Thick House, 1695 Eighteenth Street
Minutes
- Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 4:13 p.m.
- Roll Call
Voting Members Present
Jeffrey Ferns
Rick Galbreath
Ron Gallman
Tim Gaskin
David Gluck
Krissy Keefer
Tony Kelly
Pamela Wu Kochiyama
Maria X. Martinez
Vinay Patel
Alma Robinson
Laird Rodet
Virginia (Ginny) Carollo Rubin
Marc Vogl
Debra Walker
Voting Members Excused
Elaine Katzenberger
Pamela Peniston
Richard (Rick) Putz
Voting Members Absent
Ken Foster
Darryl Smith
Nonvoting Members Present
Renee Hayes
John R. Killacky
Richard Newirth
Geraldine O’Brien
Gloria Woo
Nonvoting Members Excused
Bob Davis
Nonvoting Members Absent
Rich Hillis
Daniel Homsey
P.J. Johnston
Elizabeth Murray
Charles Roppel
- Approval of Minutes
Motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of June 15, 2005, was made by Jeff Ferns, seconded by Rick Galbreath and passed without objection.
There was no public comment on this item.
NOTE: ALL VOTES ARE UNANIMOUS UNLESS OTHERWISE RECORDED.
- Announcements by the Chair
The Chair expressed thanks to Gloria Woo for mailing the notice of the Town Hall Meeting to various distribution lists, thereby expanding the outreach efforts of the Task Force. The Chair also announced that Anjali Nath is expected to be appointed by the Board of Supervisors to the seat vacated by Deborah Cullinan.
There was no public comment on this item.
- Discussion on Hotel Tax
Harry Parker, Director of Museums, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, shared his concern regarding the diversion of Hotel Tax revenues to the City’s General Fund and the continued erosion of the arts’ share of Charter-mandated allocations. Mr. Parker noted that the Museums’ apparent disproportionate share of Hotel Tax funds is attributable to the fact that the Museums are not independent, nonprofit entities, but are in fact agencies of the City. Historically, a compact (of the 1920’s) between the M.H. de Young, the Legion of Honor and the City gifted the collections to the City thereby creating a Trust Department. The City agreed to pay operating costs of the Museums and maintain the collections—the Asian Arts Museum was added later but is treated in the same manner. As a City department, the Museums are funded the same way as any other department such as the Library, Parks, etc. but does not receive a cash allocation. Instead, the City provides personnel and pays for the insurance. With the passage of Proposition 13, the City was limited in its ability to adequately fund the Museums and thus they were advised to start charging admission and undertake other fundraising ventures.
The City’s share now comprises about 22% of the operating expenses of the Asian, de Young, and Fine Arts Museums and neither receive nor compete for Grants for the Arts funding. Mr. Parker further noted that, as a City department, the Museums may enjoy the funding, but also bear the burdens of open meeting laws, civil service rules and the other constraints borne by governmental entities. The Fine Arts Museums are governed by their official Commission and have two auxiliaries: a foundation and a 501(c)(3) (whose board is a combination of the Fine Arts Commissioners and Foundation Boardmembers), which provide funding for acquisition, conservation and maintenance of the collections. The Commission is self-perpetuating and required by Charter to be representative of the diversity of the City.
Tim Hallman, Director of Communications, and Christopher Hest, Deputy Director, both recently retained for the Asian Arts Museum were recognized and asserted that they will be attending the Task Force meetings more regularly. Mr. Hallman supplemented Mr. Parker’s comments, indicating that private collector and philanthropist Avery Brundage gifted his collection of Asian artworks to the City with the understanding that the City would house, secure, and maintain the collection.
Mr. Hallman related that the Asian Arts Commission consists of 27 members appointed by the Mayor, and the Foundation Board, with 70 members, undertakes fundraising for benefit of the Asian. Support from the City for the Asian took the form of bond measures which provided funds for the conversion and expansion of the old library building into the new Asian Art Museum.
When Mr. Parker was asked what changes in the governance of the Museums he would like to see made, he commented that the Hotel Tax Fund’s support of the arts is central to tourism and the consequent economic activity. Mr. Parker reiterated his support of the mandate of the Task Force’s charge to protect arts funding and expand support for the arts and would rather not have to compete politically for funds, as is likely if the trend to deposit Hotel Tax funds into the General Fund continues. Mr. Parker also voiced his preference to have cash for operations in lieu of City employee positions.
Mr. Hallman, in support of Hotel Tax funding of the Museums, noted that 80% of visitors to the Asian Arts Museum are visiting from out of town. Mr. Hallman further noted that the Asian in the last year has worked with 40 arts organizations to bring additional complementary programming to the Museum, which has begun to be seen as a community resource rather than just a static attraction.
Public Comment:
Karen Ames, of the San Francisco Opera, stated that the Opera is a GFTA-funded entity which has taken hits over the last year; its allocation is currently frozen, but they have taken a $1.7 million hit in the last two years.
Jeff Jones asked about the 1974 ordinance: did 40% go to the General Fund? He said that the amount of money going to the General Fund is the real problem, not just GFTA.
Andrew Wood, of the San Francisco International Arts Festival, asked what the tax rate of the 1974 Code was. He was told it was about 6%. He seconded the view for a coordinated organizational solution to generate synergy amongst arts.
There was no further public comment on this item.
- Outline Report of Recommendations to the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor
This item was continued by the Chair to the next meeting.
There was no public comment on this item.
- Continued Discussion about San Francisco Arts Infrastructure
This item was continued by the Chair to the next meeting.
There was no public comment on this item.
- Outreach Update
This item was taken out of order because of the upcoming Town Hall meeting.
Ginny Rubin asked for clarification on the process of designing outreach strategy. Jeff Ferns suggested that members look back at prior minutes to get a view of the prior process. Maria X. Martinez urged patience in setting up outreach. Ms. Kuchiyama suggested a strategy of allowing public input to the Task Force to pontificate on what the Task Force should be doing, hearing from those who would not necessarily have the opportunity to participate. She suggested that the idea was to have district-appointed members stage meetings within their districts for input and bring those comments back to the Task Force.
Mark Vogl suggested the following format for the July 30 Town Hall Meeting:
1. Introduction to the Arts Task Force
2. Moderator to ask “set up” questions (Arts Forum Survey questions posited)
3. Working groups use responses as starting point for discussion
4. Reports back
Jeffrey Ferns suggested that he would like to expand the Town Hall panel to include the Arts Commission or GFTA. Maria X. Martinez suggested that one question be posed to panelists to elicit further conversation—Town Hall must have an objective of listening more than talking.
Vinay Patel requested greater representation from the Asian-American community on the panel and suggested Frances Wong. Ginny Rubin observed that a way must be found not to get embroiled into a General Fund vs. arts funding fight; and not to fight amongst ourselves at panel discussions vis-à-vis allocation of available funding.
Krissy Keefer offered that a focus on the ultimate purpose or outcome of the meeting should drive the format and suggested an emphasis on conversations articulating the importance of the Hotel Tax funding of the arts-in essence, enunciating the raison d’etre of the Hotel Tax Funding of the arts.
Ms. Martinez said that a further organizational meeting this weekend would decide on details and forward them to the committee. Pamela Wu Kuchiyama suggested breakouts on specific subjects and to be able to move from one discussion to the next. Renee Hayes suggested using the three Arts Task Forces charges as the topics for breakouts. A voluntary Sunday workgroup will be held at Jeffrey Ferns’ house at 1:00 p.m. to flesh out the panel details and timing.
Public Comment:
Karen Ames of the San Francisco Opera said that the panel needs to be as representative as possible, and that larger organizations need to be represented. She urged discretion of the Chair to set public comment time, and was concerned about assumptions made by the Task Force.
William Moreno, Executive Director of the Mexican Museum, has heard that the Hotel Tax Fund was going to be cut and was unclear about the charge of the Task Force. Mr. Moreno commented that Harry Parker was the only museum official to have reached out to the Mexican Museum and wanted to publicly acknowledge and appreciate that fact. Mr. Moreno further commented that better outreach to the arts community was needed because has not heard of the Task Force until now.
- New Business
Ginny Rubin asked about the $100,000 earmarked for the Task Force, requesting that discussion be calendared.
Harry Parker announced that Carolyn McMillan has been designated as the Fine Arts Museums’ representative to the Task Force.
Public Comment:
Karen Ames asked how the money was appropriated: Did the Task Force lobby for the money? What is the process by which the Task Force received jurisdiction over City funds?
Jeff Jones said that City money is routinely doled out to certain group without an application process-it is “closed-door patronage.”
There was no further public comment on this item.
- Public Comment
There was no additional public comment.
- Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
8/15/05 DW/RG/spr
