City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

June 3, 2013

Full Commission - June 3, 2013

MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, June 3, 2013
3:00 p.m.
City Hall Room 416
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Minutes
 

Commission President JD Beltran called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m.
 

  1. Roll Call
    Commissioners Present
    JD Beltran, President
    Sherene Melania, Vice President
    Gregory Chew
    Leo Chow
    Amy Chuang
    Simon Frankel
    Dorka Keehn
    Roberto Ordeñana
    Marcus Shelby
    Barbara Sklar
    Kimberlee Stryker

    Commissioners Absent
    John Calloway
    Charles Collins
    Jessica Silverman
    Cass Calder Smith
    Gwyneth Borden, ex officio
     

  2. Approval of Minutes
    This item was withdrawn.
     
  3. President’s Report
    President Beltran said she was sorry to miss the May 5 meeting, explaining that she was away at an artist residency. She reported that the May 20 visioning retreat was very successful. She also reported that Fine Arts Museums Board President Dede Wilsey was very gratified to be honored by ArtCare, in recognition of her generous philanthropic support for the arts.
     
  4. Director’s Report
    Mr. DeCaigny reported on the May 20 visioning meeting held at Treasure Island, with twelve Commissioners and thirty-four staff discussing core values, mission and vision statements for the Commission.

    He reported that a steering committee of three Commissioners and five staff members will work on finalizing those statements, with input from other staff and Commissioners on specific areas. He reported that when the community engagement strategy has been developed, to hear from a wide variety of San Francisco communities, it will be presented to the full Commission for review.

    Turning to the budget, Mr. DeCaigny reported that the Mayor has presented his citywide two-year budget to the Board of Supervisors, and noted that the Mayor has worked closely with the Board’s leadership. Mr. DeCaigny reported that Budget Analyst Harvey Rose reviews the budget over two weeks. The Arts Commission’s budget hearing by the Board’s Budget and Finance Committee will be Thursday, June 20. Mr. DeCaigny reported on Capital Planning allocations, including $750,000 on behalf of the Arts Commission toward the seismic retrofit of the War Memorial, where the agency will be moving its offices in 2015. Other capital expenditures approved include $1,050,000 for the restoration at Bayview Opera House, replacing lost funds from State Redevelopment, as well as additional funds to assess the conservation and maintenance needs of the Civic Art Collection. Mr. DeCaigny explained that a structural budget change has created a special fund for Cultural Equity Grants and the Cultural Centers, which provides strong protection for arts funding. He reported that the Mayor was recommending an increase of $190,000 to Cultural Equity Grants, welcome news after years with no increases. He was gratified to see the continuing support from the Mayor and the Board for the Cultural Centers, for Cultural Equity Grants, and for the nonprofit arts and culture sector generally.

    In response to questions from Commissioners, Mr. DeCaigny reviewed the schedule and process for the budget hearings and votes by the Board of Supervisors, with final approval in July. Commissioners agreed that this budget was a welcome change from past years, where the agency had to consider layoffs. President Beltran reminded Commissioners of the months of work that had gone into the final budget submission.

    Turning to other matters, Mr. DeCaigny reported that staff was working to develop the terms of an agreement with the Recreation and Parks Department for a joint steering commmittee to manage shared responsibilities between the two departments, such as the murals at Coit Tower. He explained that it would be modeled on the San Francisco Airport Art Steering Committee, which has worked successfully for some twenty years. He explained that the agreement would be reviewed by the Visual Arts Committee, and ultimately by the full Commission, with the Recreation and Parks Commission conducting a similar review and approval process. He thought this committee could be helpful in aligning the two departments’ budget requests early in the year. He thanked Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious, as well as the agency’s partners at Recreation and Parks, for their efforts on this initiative. Commissioner Chew pointed to the beautifully restored Cayuga Park as an example of partnership between the two agencies.

    Mr. DeCaigny reported that he has been involved in discussions with the successor to the Redevelopment Agency, Real Estate, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and other agencies on the Mexican Museum, with the aim of seeing it become a thriving cultural institution.

    He invited Galleries Director Meg Shiffler to discuss the Sister Cities partnerships, and the current exhibition celebrating the tenth anniversary of the sister city relationship with Zurich. He explained that San Francisco has eighteen sister cities, in a program administered through the Mayor’s Office of Protocol, and that in 2011, Galleries staff worked with sister city Sydney, Australia, on a joint exhibition. He added that these partnerships were wonderful opportunities for San Francisco artists to show their work internationally, and for San Francisco to see outstanding work from cities around the world. He reported that Zurich officials were in San Francisco and were meeting with the Mayor, and that he and Ms. Shiffler were going to Zurich for the July 4 opening of the exhibit, Twisted Sisters: Reimaging Urban Portraiture, and to meet with Zurich cultural leaders and Mayor Mauch. The exhibit will open in San Francisco’s City Hall on October 16. Mr. DeCaigny added that the Mayor’s office would help choose the next sister city to highlight in 2016; other sister cities are Paris, Shanghai and Bangalore. He also thanked the Mayor’s Office of Protocol for their help in raising private funds to support the exhibition and events.

    Ms. Shiffler said that the artists outdid themselves, and all created new work for this exhibit. She said that the works were conceptual portraits of the two cities, subverting the idea of the souvenir postcard, and going to a place seen only in glossy photos. She also announced the opening of The Bridge Builders in City Hall. Photographer Joe Blum has been shooting the Bay Bridge from the perspective of the people who’ve been working on it, and was a longtime resident artist with the Municipal Transportation Agency. Ms. Shiffler encouraged everyone to see the show, a celebration of the labor that built the bridge.

    President Beltran noted that Deputy City Attorney Adine Varah recently told her how much she and her colleagues enjoy and appreciate the Galleries shows in City Hall. Mr. DeCaigny announced the receptions for the two shows, on July 11 and October 16.

     

  5. Consent Calendar
    President Beltran withdrew item 5, regarding an increase in the Street Artist application fee, noting that it was under review.

    Commissioner Chow withdrew item 11, regarding Civic Design Review of the Twin Peaks Reservoir project, because the design was being revised.

    There was no public comment and the remainder of the Consent Calendar was approved as follows.

    RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-134:
    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. 0603-13-135: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of April 15, 2013.
       
    2. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-136: Motion to approve the Street Artists Committee Meeting Minutes of March 13, 2013.
       
    3. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-137: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of May 14, 2013.
       
    4. This item was withdrawn.
       
    5. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-138: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of May 23, 2013.

      Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Recommendations (May 14, 2013)

    6. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-139: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the following teaching artists to work in the WritersCorps program for FY2013-2014 in an amount not to exceed the following:

      Sandra Garcia, $40,000
      Rose Tully, $40,000
      Roseli Ilano, $42,000
      Harold Terezon, $42,000
      Judith Tannenbaum, 56,000
       

    7. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-140: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the following teaching artist to work in the WritersCorps program for FY2013-2014 in an amount not to exceed the following:

      Carrie Leiser Williams, $42,000
       

    8. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-141: Motion to extend Deborah Frieden’s contract through FY2013-2014 and increase it by $50,000, for a grand total of $150,000, for renovation and restoration project management consultation of the Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theatre and plaza.

      Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (May 20, 2013)

    9. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-142: Motion to approve Mission Bay Park #26, Phase 1.
       
    10. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-143: Motion to approve Mission Bay Playground #6, Phases 2 and 3.
       
    11. This item was withdrawn.

      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (May 23, 2013)

    12. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-144: Motion to approve the following arts professionals as potential panelists for San Francisco General Hospital Emergency Room Entry Wall Public Art Project and Two-Dimensional Artwork Program artist selection panels: Janet Bishop, Curator SFMOMA; Timothy Anglin Burgard, Curator-in-Charge of American Art, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; René de Guzman, Chief Curator, Oakland Museum of California; Jennifer A. Easton, Senior Project Manager, Public Art, City of San Jose; Lex Leifheit, Executive Director, SOMArts Cultural Center; Connie Lewallen, Adjunct Curator, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive; Ceci Moss; Assistant Curator, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts; Ellen Oh, Program Administrator, Institute for Diversity in the Arts at Stanford University; Renny Pritikin, California College of the Arts faculty; and Karen Tsujimoto, Curator, Contemporary Jewish Museum.
       
    13. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-145: Motion to approve the following panelists for the 2014-15 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series Artist Selection Panel: Elisheva Biernoff, artist; Dana Hemenway, artist; Brooke Kellaway, independent curator; Lex Leifheit, Executive Director, SOMArts Cultural Center; Rebeka Rodriguez, Program Director: Education and Community Engagement, Intersection for the Arts; and Jenifer Wofford, artist.
       
    14. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-146: Motion to approve the five final poster designs for Sanaz Mazinani’s Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series, July–October, 2013.
       
    15. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-147: Motion to approve Eric Powell’s final design for the entry gate at Cayuga Playground.
       
    16. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-148: Motion to approve public art program outline for Vermont Street Stairs.
       
    17. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-149: Motion to approve the following artists for the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Public Art Projects, as recommended by the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Selection Panel: Kota Ezawa for Chinatown Station, and Randy Colosky for Yerba Buena/Moscone Station.
       
    18. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-150: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Kota Ezawa for an amount not to exceed $25,000 to design artwork imagery and create production files for the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Public Art Project for Chinatown Station, which will be on display for one year from approximately mid-2013 through mid-2014.
       
    19. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-151: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Randy Colosky for an amount not to exceed $25,000 to design artwork imagery and create production files for the Central Subway: Construction Barricade Temporary Art Public Art Project for Yerba Buena/Moscone Station, which will be on display for one year from approximately mid-2013 through mid-2014.
       
    20. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-152: Motion to approve the sixth mock-up poster design and final design (assuming no change between these phases) for Sanaz Mazinani’s Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series, July–October, 2013.
       
    21. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-153: Motion to approve the proposal by Hughen/Starkweather for an artwork for the Glass Deck and Elevators of the Central Subway Union Square/Market Street Station as recommended by the Central Subway: Union Square/Market Street Station Public Art Selection Panel.
       
    22. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-154: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Hughen/Starkweather for an amount not to exceed $60,000 to design an artwork for the glass deck and elevators of the Central Subway: Union Square/Market Street Station.
       
    23. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-155: Motion to approve the Civic Art Collection Guidelines revised May 2013.
       
  6. Committee Reports and Committee Matters
    1. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
      1. In the absence of Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Chow pointed out the images posted with this agenda, which the Committee hopes to give an idea of the projects.

        He reported that the Committee had reviewed five very interesting projects. The first, a pilot proposal by the United States Postal Service, drew a great deal of conversation. The GoPost is a series of exchange boxes allowing people to drop off or receive packages twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, without a trip to the Post Office. He reported that the Committee liked the idea, and praised the effort to change with the times. The Committee objected, however, to the scale of the units, nine feet tall, eight feet wide, and twenty-four feet long, as inappropriate for placement on the sidewalk. The Committee asked them to find alternate locations.

        Commissioner Chow reported that the Committee reviewed and approved two playgrounds in Mission Bay with very nice designs. He reported that they also reviewed a Public Utilities Commission project at 1550 Evans, requesting further design work. They noted that it is a challenging and urgent project, replacing a seismically unsafe building currently in use.

        Commissioner Chow presented the following project, noting that this was the final stage of a project in Chinatown, replacing an old facility. He praised the design team’s work in responding to both the community and the Committee’s comments. He explained that the change before the Commission was a roof vent, highly visible on this small structure.

        The motion was approved unanimously.
         

      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0603-13-156: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Portsmouth Square Restrooms Project.

        President Beltran took the Street Artists Committee report out of order.
         

    2. Street Artists Committee—Gregory Chew, Chair
      1. Commissioner Chew reported that the Committee met on May 8, and reported that there was a request by the Smart Car company to feature a street artist, Sanford Geuss, on one of their cars at a weekend event at Justin Herman Plaza.
         
    3. Visual Arts Committee—Barbara Sklar, Chair
      1. In the absence of Commissioner Sklar, Commissioner Keehn reported that the Committee had discussed two items. The first was a site-specific project by artist team Hughen/Starkweather for the Central Subway Union Square/Market Street station. The second was a review of revised public art guidelines. Ms. Pontious explained to the Committee that the City Attorney’s office advised that federal law prohibited geographic restrictions on artists’ eligibility for these projects. Commissioner Keehn reported that the Committee thought this might deter international artists from applying for very small commissions. She reported that another change in the guidelines had to do with the percentage of the artist’s fee in relation to fabrication or installation costs.
         
    4. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—Sherene Melania, Chair
      1. In the absence of Vice President Melania, Commissioner Stryker repoted that the Committee had a very comprehensive meeting, discussing both the Cultural Centers and grants. She explained that the Committee had a report from the Queer Cultural Center, one of the “virtual” centers, noting that they tend to bring in more young people than some of the other Centers. She said that the Committee discussed the WritersCorps teachers’ contracts, and praised the profound effect of the program on a broad constituency of students who might not have been interested in literature. She reported that the Committee also discussed the contract for Bayview Opera House renovations, expected to begin construction in the fall; the Committee is thrilled to have the support of the Mayor’s office for this project. She added that the Committee approved a stipend for Deborah Frieden for project management.

        President Beltran praised the long-term efforts of Community Arts and Education Program Director Judy Nemzoff, as reflected in the Mayor’s support.

        Finally, Commissioner Stryker reported that the Committee received a report on the activities and events of 3rd on Third at Bayview.
         

  7. Public Comment
    There was no public comment.
     
  8. New Business and Announcements
    Mr. DeCaigny thanked Civic Design Review intern Matthew Contos from California College of the Arts as his school year was ending.

    Mr. DeCaigny announced 3rd on Third in the Bayview on June 20, with food carts, restaurants, pop-up galleries, children's activities and performances. The event celebrates a number of StreetSmARTS murals on the Third Street corridor, and he added that art enrichment funding from the Public Utilities Commission ("PUC") had enabled WritersCorps to expand their Bayview sites as well. Bayview Opera House is one of the participating sites. He thanked participating partners, including Stern Grove, the PUC, Department of Public Works, Supervisor Malia Cohen, and others. And he praised Arts Education Project Manager Tyra Fennell and Ms. Nemzoff for their work on the event.

    Mr. DeCaigny announced that on June 7, the Changemakers Social, the annual fundraising event at Intersection for the Arts, would be a farewell to Deborah Cullinan, who is leaving to head Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. On the same evening, he announced, the San Francisco Writers' Grotto Youth Fund was holding an event in partnership with 826 Valencia.

    He also announced a performance on June 27 by the San Francisco Symphony of the entire score of West Side Story, with live singers, in a first-of-a-kind performance for the Symphony.

    Commmissioner Chew noted that he had just walked by Third and Howard and that the Keith Haring dancing figures sculpture looked great after the recent conservation work; he thanked Ms. Pontious and the Public Art and Collections staff. President Beltran added that the project was supported by the Keith Haring Foundation.

    There was no further new business or announcements.
     

  9. Adjournment
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:10 p.m.
     

    9/6/13 spr

    Language Accessibility

    Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2591, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.

    我們將為閣下提供免費的書面翻譯資料和口譯服務。如需協助，Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2591, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.

    Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2591, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.