April 4, 2011 | San Francisco Arts Commission

Full Commission - April 4, 2011

MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, April 4, 2011
3:00 p.m.
City Hall Room 416

Minutes

President Johnston called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m.

Roll Call
Commissioners Present
P.J. Johnston, President
JD Beltran, Vice President
Mark Breitenberg
John Calloway
Gregory Chew
Amy Chuang
Lorraine García-Nakata
Jessica Silverman
Barbara Sklar
Kimberlee Stryker
Sherri Young

Commissioners Absent
Leo Chow
Dorka Keehn
Sherene Melania
Cass Calder Smith
Christina Olague, ex officio
Approval of Minutes
This item was withdrawn.
President’s Report
President Johnston thanked Commissioners for attending. He reminded them that if anyone had not filed a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) and Sunshine Declaration, they were now three days late, and should file immediately. He thanked Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie for helping Commissioners to file, and for returning stamped copies to them.

President Johnston reported that he had been part of a tour of the new San Francisco Airport Terminal Two with Mr. Cancel and Public Art Program Manager Kate Patterson, and reminded everyone of the public open house on Saturday, April 9. He described the artwork, and the entire space, as spectacular, and congratulated Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious, Public Art Program Manager Mary Chou, Director of Programs Jill Manton, and all the staff who worked on Terminal Two for years. He reported that the San Francisco Chronicle’s special supplement on the terminal focused on the art, and congratulated Ms. Patterson for her great success with the press coverage. He added that the terminal would be the normal concourse for Virgin America and American Airlines. He urged those who had not seen the terminal to attend the open house, and again congratulated staff on their great work.

Turning to the Gallery, President Johnston noted that it is always busy. He reported that Gallery Director Meg Shiffler had distributed copies of the Arts Monthly, an insert in the Sunday New York Times, which is also distributed separately in various locations. He noted that Grants for the Arts (“GFTA”) is the principal backer of the publication. Some years ago, he explained, the New York Times decided that it was too expensive to print Arts Monthly, but GFTA director Kary Schulman and he, along with others, were able to persuade them to continue publication. This month, he announced, the Gallery’s Afghanistan show is the cover story. He congratulated Ms. Shiffler, and encouraged everyone to see this phenomenal photography show on the ground floor of City Hall.

President Johnston announced that the Gallery will open an innovative Sister City Biennial show, in collaboration with artists from Sydney, Australia, with events on April 28 and May 12.

Turning to a less spectacular topic, he reported that the press has recently discussed proposed revisions to Planning Code Section 429, previously Section 149, commonly known as the “one percent for art” ordinance. The law mandates that for construction in the downtown area C-3 district, developers must spend one percent of their project’s budget on publicly accessible artwork. He noted that San Francisco was in the lead among American cities when this provision was enacted some 25 years ago, so the financial district has not only several interesting tall buildings, but lots of interesting and publicly accessible art. He explained that for many years, Ms. Manton and other Arts Commission staff have worked with staff from Planning and other departments to make the statute, and the process, better serve its principal purpose: creating the art in public spaces that is part of the fabric of a great city. The goal of revising the ordinance is to bring it into the 21st century. He noted that the Planning Department supports the revision, agreeing that they are not well-suited to manage the public art process and the Arts Commission is.

President Johnston argued that the recent newspaper article suffered from serious misconceptions, and got some of the facts and the historical background wrong. Instead, he said, the idea is to expand the options for developers to do what they already do today, moving the approval from Planning, which would rather not do it, to the Arts Commission, which already has the expertise. Developers would also have the option to give the percent-for-art money to a fund, under the direction of the Arts Commission, to commission new public art. They could also choose to devote part of the money to a fund for the maintenance of existing public art; President Johnston pointed out that the City has a collection worth $80 million, and very limited resources to address graffiti and vandalism, as well as normal maintenance.

President Johnston explained that revising the ordinance is the decision of the Board of Supervisors, and that the Executive Committee will probably bring a resolution to the full Arts Commission supporting the proposed changes to the ordinance. He said that Commissioners should understand the issue, since it was in the news. He didn’t know when the Board of Supervisors would consider the ordinance, but pointed out that Ms. Manton and other staff have been working on it for several years, and he thought the legislation would soon be introduced. He reiterated that the idea is to improve on what is already a success for the City.

President Johnston said that the recent article incorrectly suggests that Mr. Cancel seeks greater aesthetic control over public art downtown, and that developers are hiding artwork on their roofs. President Johnston said that instead the real reason to amend the legislation is because of changes in security and accessibility since September 11. He reiterated that the proposal to revise the legislation to move managing the arts component to the Arts Commission is supported by the Planning Commission and the Planning Department, and by members of the Board of Supervisors, and he was unaware of any significant opposition.

Mr. Cancel added that the boundary of the C-3 district is tightly drawn, of course. He explained that the proposal does not change the boundary of the zone, but expands the benefit district, the area where improvements can take place and where public art can be placed, by a half mile in all directions. The benefit district would reach Central Market and the Tenderloin, reinforcing the idea that downtown doesn’t exist in isolation.

Commissioner Chew noted that the artwork recently completed at Tutubi Plaza, near his office, is a great success story that has transformed the area.

President Johnston concluded that no one could argue that the arts component has not been successful, even in economic terms. Despite the tone of the article, he said that the development community does not oppose the process, but very much embraces the enhanced flexibility the revision offers.
Director’s Report
Mr. Cancel began his report by discussing the San Francisco Symphony item included in the Consent Calendar. He explained that the City provides an annual grant allocation to the Symphony, funded by a tax dating back to 1934. This is a dedicated revenue stream set aside by the City to support the Symphony through the Arts Commission. He reminded the Commission that eighteen months ago, the Commission modified its agreement with the Symphony. Before that, the Arts Commission funded the Symphony’s summer pops series. Now, the Commission funds twelve concerts throughout the year, aimed at reaching the Commission’s wider audience. In the process of changing this cycle, the funding and delivery of services fell out of synch, and the Commission got behind in its transfer of funds to the Symphony. Ms. Manton has worked with the City Attorney’s office and Symphony staff to draft multi-year agreements to allow the Arts Commission to “catch up” so that appropriations and expenditures will once again be on schedule. He explained that annual appropriations are always under $2 million, and this four-year agreement simply multiplies that, with a total not to exceed $8 million.

President Johnston explained that when the Executive Committee discussed this motion, Commissioners asked good questions. They were satisfied that this four-year contract amounts to essentially the same costs as four one-year contracts, and also saves some funds in administration and processing a single contract.

Mr. Cancel reported that with its ARTery Project, the Arts Commission has been working to create and promote an arts district in the Central Market Street area, which was historically a theater and entertainment district. He hoped that the Board of Supervisors would authorize a payroll tax credit which would allow several high-tech companies to relocate in the Central Market area. He reported that the Arts Commission has been promoting arts groups in the area, as well as greater pedestrian traffic. He added that the Board is expected to vote this week, and mentioned Twitter as an example of a company which will plan to stay in San Francisco and expand its operations if the payroll tax credit is approved. President Johnston noted that the building Twitter is looking at has suffered for a long time, being only partially occupied for ten years, and completely empty for the last three years.

Mr. Cancel added that the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on the Central Market arts district, listing a variety of organizations currently located in the area, or planning to move there. These include the Bay Area Video Coalition, the Museum of Craft and Design, the Pop Art Museum, and the Gray Area Foundation. Mr. Cancel announced that the Arts Commission’s ARTery Project will open the next round of Art in Storefronts in the Central Market area, featuring five murals and six storefront installations. He said that this initiative has generated a lot of really positive energy. While a National Endowment for the Arts grant supported The ARTery Project in the current year, they unfortunately declined a second year of funding, so the agency is redoubling its efforts to secure local support to continue The ARTery Project next year, he explained.

Mr. Cancel reported that the ArtCare program is having its second high-visibility event. The program began on a high note last year with the San Francisco Fine Art Fair, and this year’s Fine Art Fair will host an evening honoring Richard L. Greene, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (“SFMOMA”), and benefiting ArtCare. He requested suggestions for people who should be invited to the event, noting that the Arts Commission’s goal for this event is to cultivate potential donors, and get people excited about ArtCare. He reported that former Arts Commissioner Dede Wilsey has graciously offered to host a more exclusive fundraising event for ArtCare at her home in June.

Turning to the Public Art Program, Mr. Cancel reported that there has been a great deal of activity in recent weeks. He reported on the really exciting opening of Terminal Two, which has received a lot of wonderful press coverage, as President Johnston mentioned. He also wanted to thank all the Public Art Program staff involved in the project. He reported that in addition to the five large new artworks, about twenty pieces that had been in storage are now beautifully reinstalled throughout the terminal. Mr. Cancel explained that the agency has created an audio tour by cell phone for the art, which he called a harbinger of things to come; he hopes to see cell tours for artwork throughout the city. He thanked Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious, Program Managers Mary Chou and Kate Patterson, Collections Senior Registrar Allison Cummings and Collections Registrar Marcus Davies. He asked Ms. Pontious to present a visual tour of the artwork.

Ms. Pontious discussed the project, and showed images of many of the artworks. She began by noting that many of the Commissioners recalled that Terminal Two was the international terminal until about ten years ago. She explained that all of the artwork (except one piece) was moved out of the terminal when it was closed. The reconstruction project generated $3.5 million, and a wonderful opportunity to commission five new artworks as well as a beautiful reinstallation of twenty existing artworks. She explained that the terminal has two wings off either side of the main entrance, and artist Norie Sato created a large glass artwork for them, Air Over Under, visible from both the exterior and the interior of the terminal. Ms. Pontious explained that the two sections of the artwork, each 16' x 150,' consist of a grid of 4' x 10' laminated glass panels: an exterior layer of fritted glass, and an interior layer of hand-painted glass. She described how the piece seems to change with the light throughout the day.

Ms. Pontious described Kendall Buster’s work, Topograph, constructed of powder-coated steel and white shade cloth, suspended from the ceiling above the departure lobby. She explained how the artist worked with the ceiling as sky, creating cloudlike forms. Mr. Cancel added that the scale of the piece only increased its impact.

Ms. Pontious showed images of Seiji Kunishima’s Stacking Stones and Marc Katano’s companion paintings, which were reinstalled in their original location flanking the sculpture. Ms. Pontious noted that the fifteen-ton Stacking Stones was the only artwork left in place during the terminal’s renovation.

She showed images of several other artworks that have been cleaned or reframed, if needed, and now reinstalled to maximum effect. She was particularly excited to have the large and beautiful wool tapestries by Mark Adams back on display after twenty years in storage.

Ms. Pontious showed images of another of the newly commissioned works, Janet Echelman’s Every Beating Second, with three colored nets suspended through skylights over the recompose area. Ms. Pontious noted that the terrazzo pattern in the floor echoes the shadow that would be cast by the nets on the summer solstice.

Continuing into the gateroom areas, she showed new interactive artworks in the children’s play areas, created by artists from the Exploratorium, Charles Sowers and Walter Kitundu. Sowers’s Butterfly Wall has hand-cranks that allow the viewer to raise fluttering mechanical butterflies on transparent floor-to-ceiling belts, or let them flutter downward. When no one is cranking, Ms. Pontious explained, the butterflies move according to a program set by the artist. Kitundu, a MacArthur Fellow, is a musician and creator of innovative musical instruments. For the airport, he created Bay Area Bird Encounters, two wooden benches shaped like bird wings that can be played as musical instruments, set before wooden mural featuring San Francisco’s birds. Ms. Pontious noted that Kitundu, an avid birder, took all the photographs himself, and that the notes of the benches replicate the birdsongs.

Ms. Pontious showed several other artworks that were reinstalled, including paintings by Joan Brown, Dan Snyder and Willard Dixon, and she thanked Rowan Geiger, conservator for the San Francisco Airport Museum, for her painstaking research and restoration. She ended by announcing that there would be another tour on Friday, April 8.

President Johnston and the Commission thanked her for her presentation. In addition, he praised staff and Commissioners for their thoroughness and attention to detail throughout this project. Commissioner García-Nakata congratulated staff, acknowledging their hard work.

Mr. Cancel thanked Ms. Pontious, and turned to the Community Arts and Education Program. He reported that the SFJAM initiative had just launched, in a six-week pilot program with 140 students. In the absence of Arts Education Program Manager Tyra Fennell because of a family emergency, Mr. Cancel asked Community Arts and Education Program Director Judy Nemzoff to report on the program’s activities.

Ms. Nemzoff introduced Arts Education Assistant Daryl Wells, who is working on the Daraja Means Bridge project. Ms. Nemzoff reported that StreetSmARTS, designed with the leadership of Ms. Manton, Arts Education staff and partners at the Department of Public Works (“DPW”), turns vacant and graffiti-vandalized buildings into public art opportunities. Ms. Nemzoff explained that the program is heavily supported by DPW. Another part of this program is Where Art Lives, the anti-graffiti curriculum in use in San Francisco middle schools.

Ms. Nemzoff explained that this year, StreetSmARTS is commissioning twenty new murals. The property owner chooses the artist with whom they wish to work from a pool selected by staff, intentionally excluding artists who participated in the last round of murals. She reported that there are projects in every supervisorial district, and there is a waiting list of ten property owners ready to participate when the Arts Commission has more funds for the program. She explained that the artists are paid through the Arts Commission; property owners match the funds and pay for materials. Ms. Nemzoff showed images of several of the murals. She added that the property owner works with the artist to choose work appropriate for the building and for the area. Ms. Nemzoff announced a tour of all of the murals scheduled for June 30, and added that the Arts Commission’s website includes maps of all of the murals.

Mr. Cancel noted that the bookstore at the corner of Larkin and Cedar Streets has been there for decades, and the property owner kept getting citations because she simply couldn’t keep up with covering the graffiti. He reported that she is overjoyed to have Jet Martinez’s beautiful mural.

Turning to arts education, Ms. Nemzoff reported that Deborah Santana works with a Kenyan girls’ school, Daraja Academy. She approached Mr. Cancel about a potential partnership, which led to a collaboration with San Francisco’s Center for Young Women’s Development (“CYWD”). Ms. Nemzoff explained that the young women in both schools are working through a jointly developed curriculum, and they hope to have an exhibition of their work in the fall.

Ms. Wells reported that she has been working with the students for three sessions, introducing topics like migration, home and community, personal image and identity, through creative writing, both poetry and prose. Students in Kenya and San Francisco work separately for two or three sessions, then hold a joint conversation via Skype. Ms. Nemzoff reported that because of the time difference, the Daraja students began the Skype session just before dawn, using a generator to run the computer and saving power by keeping the lights off. She described the thrill of the moment when the sun rose, revealing the faces of the Daraja students. She would love to see if there is a way to get the San Francisco students to Kenya, and she added that Ms. Santana has committed to another year of the program.

Ms. Wells emphasized that it was important to be sensitive to the privacy of the students, and noted that many of the young women at CYWD have been involved with the juvenile justice system, and some became mothers at a young age. The Daraja students have some different challenges, including the question of circumcision. In discussing migration, for example, the Kenyan students described water wars, while the San Franciscans talked about gentrification.

The location for the final exhibition has yet to be decided; the Museum of the African Diaspora and the African American Art and Culture Complex are possibilities. Ms. Wells explained that the idea was to have exhibitions in both countries, showing the work of both groups.

Commissioner Breitenberg thought this was a fantastic project, and said that he would be traveling to Kenya in the next month and wondered if he could be of help with the project. Ms. Nemzoff offered to set up a meeting with the founders.

Mr. Cancel added that Ms. Santana cared deeply about this project, and approached him about doing an exhibition. He explained that there would have to be a local connection. Ms. Fennell got involved in shaping the collaboration, and he was happy to see that it was growing into something wonderful.

Next, Mr. Cancel reminded Commissioners that Ms. Shiffler had sent out an e-mail about Lynsey Addario, one of the four New York Times photojournalists captured in Libya; her work is featured in the current Afghanistan photo show in City Hall. After her capture on March 16 with her three colleagues, Mr. Cancel was very happy to announce that Ms. Addario has been released and is now at home in New Delhi. He wished the best to her and to her family. He encouraged everyone to look at the photos in the show, and said that this incident drives home the risks that photographers like Ms. Addario take.

Finally, Mr. Cancel reported that he had attended a concert featuring Commissioner John Calloway performing with John Santos, part of the San Francisco Jazz Festival. He praised the performance as phenomenal.
Consent Calendar
Item 16 was withdrawn from the Consent Calendar, having been tabled in committee. The remaining items were approved as follows.

RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-069:
Approval: RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby adopt the following items on the Consent Calendar and their related Resolutions:

Approval of Committee Minutes
1. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-070: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of February 14, 2011.
2. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-071: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of March 8, 2011.
3. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-072: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of March 16, 2011.
4. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-073: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of March 21, 2011.
  
  Community Arts, Education, and Grants Committee Recommendations (March 8, 2011)
5. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-074: Motion to enter into a grant agreement with Black Rock Arts Foundation for a grant not to exceed $35,000 for the installation of two sculptures along the central Market corridor as part of The ARTery Project, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, Mayors’ Institute on City Design award.
6. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-075: Motion to approve recommendations to award fifty-five grants totaling $557,448 in the Organization Project Grants to the following organizations, and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreements with each for the amounts listed:
  African & African American Performing Arts Coalition, $11,250
  Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, $11,250
  Aunt Lute Books, $10,125
  Bay Area National Dance Week, $7,500
  Bernal Heights Outdoor Cinema, $3,414
  borderOUT, $3,750
  Campo Santo, $11,250
  Center for the Art of Translation, $9,000
  Central Market Arts, $9,000
  Chrysalis Studio, $9,225
  Circo Zero/Zero Performances, $8,378
  Circuit Network, $11,250
  CounterPulse, $11,250
  Croatian American Cultural Center, $11,250
  Crowded Fire Theatre Company, $6,000
  Cutting Ball Theatre Company, $11,250
  DanceArt, Inc., $11,250
  Dancers’ Group, $11,250
  Del Sol Performing Arts Organization, $11,250
  Eldergivers, $10,688
  Epiphany Productions, $11,250
  EXIT Theater, $11,250
  foolsFury Theater Company, $11,250
  Golden Thread Productions, $$11,250
  Instant City: A Literary Exploration of San Francisco, $1,080
  Instituto Pro Musica de California, $11,250
  Kulintang Arts, Inc., $11,250
  Litquake, $11,250
  Manilatown Heritage Foundation, $8,044
  Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, $11,250
  Other Minds, $11,250
  Photo Alliance, $11,250
  Playwrights Foundation, $11,250
  Project Bandaloop, $11,250
  Queer Cultural Center, $11,250
  Queer Rebel Productions, $7,125
  SAFEhouse, $8,550
  San Francisco Cinematheque, $11,250
  San Francisco Friends of Chamber of Music, $11,250
  San Francisco Hip Hop Dance Festival, $11,250
  San Francisco Independent Film Festival, $9,975
  San Francisco Live Arts, $11,250
  San Francisco Mime Troupe, $11,250
  San Francisco Silent Film Festival, $11,250
  San Francisco Transgender Film Festival, $3,206
  Scott Wells and Dancers, $11,250
  Sixth Street Photography Workshop, $10,125
  Small Press Traffic Literary Arts Center, $11,250
  Southern Exposure, $10,688
  Stepology, $11,250
  Switchboard Music Festival, $6,450
  Voice of Witness, $11,250
  Volti, $11,250
  Yerba Buena Arts and Events, $11,250
  Z Space Studio, $11,250
  Zambaleta, $10,125
  
  Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (March 16, 2011)
7. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-076: Motion to approve the final designs for Once Upon a Time poster series by artist Elisheva Biernoff for the Art on Market Street Program 2010-2011, to be installed in 36 kiosks on Market Street from May 1 to July 31, 2011.
8. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-077: Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to approve an extensive modification of an existing mural by the original artist Max Allbee on the guard rail along the sidewalk on either side of Mission Street on the bridge over Alemany Boulevard and Highway 280, between Trumbull and Bosworth streets. The modification to the mural is the result of extensive community outreach and efforts to better depict the diversity of the community.
9. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-078: Motion to approve Design Development Phase deliverables for the artwork, with text pending future approval, by artist Shan Shan Sheng for the interior of the Chinese Recreation Center and authorization to proceed with fabrication of the artwork.
10. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-079: Motion to approve the temporary six-month installation of two Karen Cusolito sculptures, Dandelion and Valiant Flower to be located at 1125 Market Street and the sidewalk of UN Plaza, respectively. The installations are part of The ARTery Project, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts Mayors’ Institute on City Design grant and Burning Man.
11. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-080: Motion to approve a public performance to be presented by Southern Exposure, a nonprofit San Francisco arts organization, on Market Street between 5th Street and the Embarcadero, as part of The Cries of San Francisco, a multimedia project by artist Allison Smith, on June 4, 2011 between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
12. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-081: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to provide a $5,000 honorarium to Anthony Torres to curate the exhibition Shared Histories: Latino Artists in San Francisco, 1932-2012, part of the special programming associated with the 80th Anniversary year of the San Francisco Arts Commission in 2012.
13. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-082: Motion to approve the revised Public Safety Building Public Art Program Outline.
14. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-083: Motion to approve the selected finalists as recommended by the Public Safety Building Artist Selection Panel for the public art projects associated with the Public Safety Building: Police Memorial Site finalists Shimon Attie, Larry Kirkland, Paul Kos and Catherine Wagner; Fire Station Site finalists Franka Diehnelt/Claudia Reisenberger, Donald Lipski, and Matthew Passmore (Rebar Group); and South Plaza Site finalists Lawrence Argent, Douglas Hollis, Paul Kos, Matthew Passmore (Rebar Group) and Roxy Paine.
15. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-084: Motion to approve the payment of an honorarium in the amount of $1,500 per finalist plus travel expense reimbursement for out-of-town artists for the Public Safety Building Art Project orientation and panel interviews: Police Memorial Site finalists Shimon Attie, Larry Kirkland, Paul Kos and Catherine Wagner; Fire Station Site finalists Franka Diehnelt/Claudia Reisenberger, Donald Lipski, and Matthew Passmore (Rebar Group); and South Plaza Site finalists Lawrence Argent, Douglas Hollis, Paul Kos, Matthew Passmore (Rebar Group) and Roxy Paine.
16. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-085: Motion to approve conceptual design of the Art on Market Street kiosk poster proposal by artist Ian Huebert.
  
  Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (March 21, 2011)
17. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-086: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Central Subway Moscone Station on the contingency that the design team meet with a Commissioner prior to Phase 3 review.
18. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-087: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Firehouse no. 1 project with the contingency of reevaluating the massing of the window and screens.
19. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-088: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Tesla Portal Protection.
  
  Executive Committee Recommendations (March 28, 2011)
20. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-089: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the San Francisco Symphony to produce ten concerts during each year of the 2011-2014 seasons for a total of 40 concerts, in an amount not to exceed $8,000,000, in annual increments not to exceed $2,000,000.
Committee Reports and Committee Matters
1. Executive Committee—P.J. Johnston, Chair
  1. President Johnston reported that the Committee had a lengthy and substantive meeting, discussing proposed revisions to the Planning Code and San Francisco Symphony funding. Also, he reported, there was a report (but no action item) from Ms. Nemzoff, Mr. Cancel and other staff regarding significant problems and concerns with the City’s capital budget, and the Cultural Centers, which suffered badly in the recent rainstorms. He said that the Centers have lots of problems which have been building up over many, many years. He reported that there is woefully insufficient capital funding for the Arts Commission’s needs, and almost all of it goes to the Cultural Centers. He explained that the City’s Capital Project Committee, a relatively new body, is understandably dominated by the Department of Public Works, but unfortunately gives almost no relief to the Arts Commission and the Cultural Centers.
    
    He explained that the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee has heard full reports, and that there is no solution yet, although the problems become more extreme and more urgent. President Johnston said that it is a priority to keep the Centers open, for both their tenants and their own programming, and the Commission has pushed and demanded that they have full and active schedules. However, it’s hard to keep the programs and activities going if the doors are closed because the roof caves in! Unfortunately, he thought it was getting close to that. President Johnston assured the Commission that the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee will continue to grapple with this issue, and he wanted to let the full Commission know that this is one of the most urgent concerns.
2. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
  1. In the absence of Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Stryker reported that the Committee had a short meeting, reviewing only a few projects. The Committee was very happy with the Central Subway Moscone station; there were some small changes in the architecture. The Committee discussed the planters, and they appreciated the streamlined design.
    
    Commissioner Stryker reported that the Committee also reviewed the firehouse project on Fulton Street, and a member of the community expressed some concerns about crime.
    
    She reported that because of the water system, the City owns some property far outside its borders. She explained that some of these require a lot of attention to security, and the Committee reviewed an unusual project incorporating a crane and a gate to help keep the water system secure.
    
    President Johston thanked her, and noted that the Committee has had some interesting project in recent months. Commissioner Breitenberg asked about an idea that was presented for a homeless memorial. Mr. Cancel explained that staff had explained to the proponents of this project that they needed to follow a more thorough and formal design process, and gave them examples to illustrate the standard they are expected to meet.
3. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—Sherri Young, Chair
  1. Commissioner Young reported that the Committee had a very productive meeting, beginning with a review of Organization Project Grants, which support the creation and presentation of performances and other projects. She reported that although the program doesn’t normally fund projects below 80% of their requested amount, in this round the funding minimum was reduced to 75% to allow funding for more organizations. She reported that some supervisorial districts have few or no applications, and that Director of Grants San San Wong is investigating these differences.
    
    Commissioner Young reported that several grantees made presentations to the Committee, including representatives of the Litquake festival, Queer Rebel Productions, Patrick Makuakane of Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu.
    
    She reported that Community Arts and Education staff reported on new work on Market Street in The ARTery Project, set to open on May 13. She reported that Community Arts and Education Program Manager Robynn Takayama reported on the water damage and failing roofs at the Cultural Centers; the Committee will continue to monitor this at future meetings. Ms. Takayama is working with the Cultural Center staff on best practices in human resources and accounting, with the goal of strengthening the nonprofits to the point that they can have 40-year leases, which will make them eligible to raise funds to help with facility management.
    
    Commissioner Young announced that Bayview Opera House has just been officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places; it is the only one in the southeast sector of San Francisco. She announced the next Sunday Streets event, including a “free wall” on the Great Highway hosted by artist Chor Boogie [note: artist Francisco “Twick” Aquino ultimately hosted the event, not Chor Boogie].
    
    Finally, Commissioner Young announced the Open House at SOMArts, featuring a TED-styled conference on education, a Mobile Arts Platform program in Japantown, performances and pop-up shops.
4. Street Artists Committee—Gregory Chew, Chair
  1. Commissioner Chew reported that the March meeting of the Committee was cancelled for lack of a quorum, and that the Committee would instead meet on April 13. He presented the following motions, after briefly describing the work of some of the artists (metal butterflies, plush toys, paintings, and drawings).
  2. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-090: Motion to approve requests by former certificate-holders for priority issuance of certificate with waiver of re-screening of wares: Simone Guimaraes, Byron Hay, Andrew Machulski, Jennifer Giles, Shawn Harris.
  3. RESOLUTION NO. 0404-11-091: Motion to approve request by applicant for waiver of 15-day requirement for obtaining a certificate: Kenneth Kahn, Harry Pruyne.
5. Visual Arts Committee—Lorraine García-Nakata, Chair
  1. Commissioner García-Nakata reported that the Committee discussed several projects at the Airport’s Terminal Two. She said that Ms. Echelman’s artwork is more stunning than the photographs show, and she thought that the outstanding quality of all the artwork was worth the sometimes challenging back-and-forth of the process. She enjoyed the chance to talk with the artists at the opening reception. She was also impressed with how “green” the building really is, including its water recycling, and that it came in ahead of schedule and under budget. She said this was a great demonstration that “green” can be doable and affordable.
    
    Commissioner García-Nakata explained that the item severed from the Consent Calendar, for the Chinese Recreation Center, would be presented later when the project is ready to proceed.
    
    She reviewed the items approved by the Committee, including Art on Market Street posters; the modification of a Mission Street mural after public process with the community and the artist; The Cries of San Francisco, a multimedia performance to be presented on Market Street by Southern Exposure; and an exhibition on Latino artists in San Francisco as part of the Arts Commission’s 80th anniversary celebration.
    
    Mr. Cancel added that he would like Commissioners to give some thought to potential “cornerstone” events for the 80th annniversary, whose actual date is January 21, 2012. He hopes to hold events over the full twelve months of 2012, to commemorate how the Arts Commission has contributed to the life of the city. He said it was important to have ideas from many directions, and that the celebration will involve the Cultural Centers and the Gallery, with a variety of activities in a variety of locations, particularly focused in late October and November. He thought this was a great opportunity to look at the Latino presence in the arts over the 80-year period, which includes Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, among other illustrious artists. He noted that Ms. Shiffler has already begun planning for a show of contemporary Latino artists. Commissioner García-Nakata concluded that this historical exhibition would be the first of several 80th anniversary projects.
    
    She reported that the Committee also reviewed the revised program of public art for the Public Safety Building. She said that a lot of thought has already gone into the project, and predicted that the Commission will be hearing more about it as time goes on. The Committee also approved the conceptual design for a future Market Street poster series. She explained that the Committee ran out of time and will hear Ms. Manton’s report on the Transbay Terminal, and an update on the Planning Code, at another time.
Public Comment
There was no other public comment.
New Business
There was no new business.
Reports and Announcements
There were no other reports or announcements.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:36 p.m.

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