City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

Full Commission - April 7, 2014 - Meeting Minutes

Full Commission - April 7, 2014

MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, April 7, 2014
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 3:04 p.m.

  1. Roll Call

    Commissioners Present
    JD Beltran, President
    Abby Sadin Schnair, Vice President
    Gregory Chew
    Charles Collins
    Simon Frankel
    Dorka Keehn
    Roberto Ordeñana
    Marcus Shelby
    Jessica Silverman
    Barbara Sklar
    Kimberlee Stryker

    Commissioners Absent
    Leo Chow
    Sherene Melania
    Janine Shiota
    Cass Calder Smith
    Gwyneth Borden, ex officio
     

  2. Approval of Minutes
    President Beltran explained that she would take the Consent Calendar out of order, immediately following this motion, and would sever some items from the Consent Calendar. She called for public comment on the minutes.

    Public Comment:
    Paula Datesh said that the minutes were posted late and this was a violation of the Sunshine Ordinance.

    There was no further public comment, and the minutes were unanimously approved as follows.

    RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-088: Motion to approve March 3, 2014 Minutes.
     

  3. Consent Calendar
    President Beltran severed items 2, 3 and 5, Civic Design Review Committee minutes. She severed items 7 and 8, Organization Project Grants and Arts & Communities: Innovative Partnerships grants, for separate consideration to allow two Commissioners to recuse themselves because of possible conflicts. Commissioner Ordeñana’s employer rents space to the Queer Cultural Center, and a colleague of Commissioner Frankel sits on the board of another grantee organization.

    President Beltran invited Conor Johnston, of Supervisor London Breed’s office, to speak about item 28, supporting anti-graffiti legislation introduced by the Supervisor.

    In the absence of Commissioner Melania and other members of the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee, President Beltran agreed to table the Committee’s report until the next meeting.

    Mr. Johnston thanked the Commission and explained the rationale for the proposed anti-graffiti legislation, noting that the entire $75,000 allocated to the Arts Commission for maintenance goes to graffiti abatement. He explained the remedies the legislation would offer, and noted the support of the Police Department and the City Attorney, along with the Municipal Transportation Agency and other City departments.

    Commissioners asked about the possibility of misidentifying offenders; Mr. Johnston dismissed it as extremely unlikely, since the tags are like a signature. He added that the City Attorney would not prosecute a case without convincing evidence, and he mentioned how a similar program was being implemented in other jurisdictions. In response to another question, he explained that the program called for reallocation of existing resources already devoted to graffiti abatement rather than seeking new resources.

    In response to President Beltran’s question, Public Art Program Director explained that staff strongly favored the legislation, and she reiterated that virtually all of the funds allotted for maintenance of the Civic Art Collection go to removing graffiti tags at the expense of everything else. Commissioners noted that property owners are now bearing the burden of graffiti removal and this legislation attempts to transfer that burden to the taggers, or their families if they are minors.

    Mr. DeCaigny thanked the Supervisor for drawing a clear distinction between graffiti art and vandalism, and he noted that the proposed legislation was aligned with the Commission’s strategic plan goal to protect the Collection assets.

    President Beltran called for public comment on the Consent Calendar, excluding items 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8, as described above.

    Public Comment:
    Ms. Datesh said that the graffiti abatement proposal mentioned parks and Muni, not houses, and she urged the Commission to consider it carefully.

    There was no further public comment, and the Consent Calendar was unanimously approved as follows.

    RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-089:
    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. 0407-14-090: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of December 16, 2013.
       
    2. This item was withdrawn.
       
    3. This item was withdrawn.
       
    4. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-091: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of March 11, 2014.
       
    5. This item was withdrawn.
       
    6. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-092: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of March 19, 2014.
       
      Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Recommendations (March 11, 2014)
    7. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-095: Motion to approve the grants appeals process for Cultural Equity and Community Arts and Education grants.
       
      Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (March 17, 2014)
    8. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-096: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the DuPont Courts Restroom Project, contingent upon (1) extending the overhangs out in two directions by a couple of inches to clear the corner angle; (2) recessing flashing and concrete; (3) painting the doors, metal grill and flashing a dark charcoal; (4) extending the tile along the full length of the wall, with administrative review of the final design of the corner treatment; (5) moving the door to the end of the wall to eliminate the return; (6) integrating the stainless steel signage into the tile surface by replacing the appropriate tiles with the stainless signage; (7) using stainless steel for all hardware; (8) clumping plants rather than spacing them out, and using low-growing plants such as phormium at the entry of the ramp and taller plants such as ceanothus toward the higher part of the ramp to disguise it.
       
      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (March 19, 2014)
    9. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-097: Motion to approve poster design featuring illustrations by artist Rhonel Roberts for a Third Street Poster and Light Pole Banner series for the T-Line. The posters will be displayed in 15 transit stops facing the street on the T-Line from April through September, 2014.
       
    10. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-098: Motion to pay an honorarium of $2,000 to artist David Best for the development of a sculpture proposal for Patricia’s Green to be presented to the Arts Commission, the Recreation and Park Commission and the community for FY 2015-2016 in collaboration with the Black Rock Arts Foundation, with the balance of funding to come from the Black Rock Arts Foundation.
       
    11. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-099: Motion to approve the gift proposal from the Pirkle Jones Foundation to the City of 148 selenium toned gelatin silver photographic prints by Pirkle Jones, and two selenium toned gelatin silver prints by F. W. Quand, printed by Pirkle Jones.
       
    12. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-100: Motion to approve the Broadway Chinatown Streetscape Improvement Public Art Project Outline.
       
    13. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-101: Motion to approve the Moscone Expansion Public Art Project Outline calling for a light sculpture for the enclosed pedestrian bridge and additional exterior artworks.
       
    14. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-102: Motion to approve the Public Art Project Outline for the Masonic Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project.
       
    15. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-103: Motion to approve the Final Design Phase deliverables by artist Jovi Schnell for the SOMA West Skatepark.
       
    16. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-104: Motion to approve the selected finalists; Mark Brest van Kempen, Jackie Brookner and Stacy Levy, and Dan Corson, with Adam Kuby as an alternate, as recommended by the Alameda Creek Watershed Public Art Project Selection Panel to develop conceptual proposals for the Alameda Creek Watershed Public Art Project.
       
    17. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-105: Motion to approve the Public Art Project Outline for the 2015-2016 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series.
       
    18. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-106: Motion to approve the Conceptual Design Phase deliverables (artwork rendering) by Kelly Ording for the paving design of Ocean Avenue Public Plaza (project formerly referred to as Phelan Loop Plaza in Resolution No. 0909-13-203).
       
    19. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-107: Motion to approve the selected artists, Ursula von Rydingsvard and alternate Rachel Feinstein, for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 3, Sculpture Opportunity as recommended by the San Francisco International Airport Three-Dimensional Selection Panel, pending approval by the Airport Commission.
       
    20. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-108: Motion to approve the selected artist Yayoi Kusama for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Sculpture Opportunity, as recommended by the San Francisco International Airport Three-Dimensional Selection Panel, pending approval by the Airport Commission.
       
    21. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-109: Motion to approve the purchase of the artwork, High Heels for Going to Heaven, 2013 by Yayoi Kusama in the amount of $360,000 plus applicable sales tax from David Zwirner Gallery, New York, for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Sculpture Opportunity, as recommended by the San Francisco International Airport Three-Dimensional Selection Panel, pending approval by the Airport Commission.
       
    22. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-110: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with James Melchert for an amount not to exceed $95,000 for an artwork at San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Secure Connector, pending approval by the Airport Commission.
       
    23. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-111: Motion to approve the selection of Ben Trautman for the Randall Museum Public Art Project as recommended by the Randall Museum Public Art Selection Panel.
       
    24. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-112: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Ben Trautman for an amount not to exceed $63,000 for the Randall Museum Public Art Project.
       
      Executive Committee Recommendations (March 24, 2014)
    25. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-113: Motion to approve poster designs developed by graphic designer Joy Liu, featuring portraits by photographer Damien Maloney and poetry excerpts by youth from the San Francisco Arts Commission’s WritersCorps program, contingent upon final design approval by President Beltran. The posters will be displayed in fifteen transit stops facing the platform on the T-Line from April through September, 2014.
       
    26. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-114: Motion to endorse proposed anti-graffiti legislation before the Board of Supervisors, introduced by Supervisor London Breed and cosponsored by Supervisors Mark Farrell, Scott Wiener and Katy Tang, as follows:
      File No. 140261. “Ordinance amending the Park and Police Codes to ban convicted graffiti offenders from bringing graffiti and etching tools, etching cream, and slap tags into parks or on Municipal Transportation Agency vehicles; amending the Public Works Code to extend the administrative process and potential administrative remedies to graffiti offenses committed on public property; amending the Public Works Code to permit the City to pursue civil remedies, including injunctive relief, civil penalties, attorney’s fees, and repayment of abatement costs, against graffiti offenders; and making uncodified findings.”
       

      Commissioners Ordeñana and Frankel left the room for consideration of the remaining Consent Calendar items below. There was no public comment, and the items were unanimously approved as follows, with the recusal of Commissioners Ordeñana and Frankel.
       

    27. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-093: Motion to approve recommendations to award 48 grants totaling $650,000 in the 2013-2014 cycle of Organization Project Grants (“OPG”) to the following organizations, and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreements with each organization for the amounts listed:

      3rd i South Asian Independent Film Festival, $15,000
      Adobe Books Backroom Gallery, $5,000
      African & African American Performing Arts Coalition, $10,500
      AfroSolo Theatre Company, $15,000
      Bindlestiff Studio, $15,000
      Capacitor Performance, $15,000
      Chinese Historical Society of America, $15,000
      Chrysalis Studio, $13,000
      Circuit Network, $15,000
      Clerestory, $11,130
      CounterPULSE, $15,000
      Crowded Fire Theatre Company, $6,000
      CubaCaribe, $15,000
      Cultural Oddyssey, $15,000
      Cutting Ball Theatre Company, $15,000
      Dandelion Dance, $15,000
      Epiphany Productions, $15,000
      EXIT Theater, $15,000
      Fresh Meat Productions, $15,000
      Girl Talk, $12,250
      Jess Curtis/Gravity, $15,000
      Kulintang Arts Inc., $15,000
      Left Coast Chamber Ensemble/Chamber Music Partnership Inc., $15,000
      Melody of China, Inc., $15,000
      Mugwumpin, $15,000
      Mural Music & Arts Project, $15,000
      Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, $15,000
      Playwrights Foundation, $15,000
      Queer Rebel Productions, $15,000
      Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project, $15,000
      Radar Productions, $15,000
      RAWdance, $12,000
      Root Division, $15,000
      SAFEhouse for the Performing Arts, $12,480
      San Francisco Camerawork, $15,000
      San Francisco Cinematheque, $8,000
      San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music, $15,000
      San Francisco Hip Hop DanceFest, $15,000
      San Francisco Independent Film Festival, $14,000
      San Francisco Mime Troupe, $15,000
      San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, $15,000
      San Francisco Silent Film Festival, $15,000
      Scott Wells and Dancers, $15,000
      Shadowlight Productions, $15,000
      Southern Exposure, $15,000
      Still Here, $1,865
      Theater Flamenco, $15,000
      Writers Among Artists, $3,775
       

    28. RESOLUTION NO. 0407-14-094: Motion to approve recommendations to award 16 grants totaling $250,000 in the 2013-2014 cycle of Arts & Communities: Innovative Partnerships (“ACIP”) grants to the following individuals and organizations, and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreements with each individual and organization for the amounts listed:

      ABD Productions, $15,000
      Asian American Women Artists Assoc., $25,000
      Au Co Vietnamese Cultural Center, $10,000
      Chinese Culture Foundation, $10,000
      Chinese Progressive Association, $10,000
      CounterPULSE, $10,000
      Elizabeth Gjelten, $10,000
      Emelle Sonh, $10,000
      Hospitality House, $25,000
      Jerome Reyes, $10,000
      Kulintang Arts, $25,000
      Navarette x Kajiyama, $10,000
      Out of Site: Center for Arts Education, $25,000
      Queer Cultural Center, $25,000
      Root Division, $20,000
      Small Press Traffic Literary Arts Center, $10,000

      Commissioners Ordeñana and Frankel returned to the meeting room after the vote.
       

  4. President’s Report
    President Beltran noted that she would have to leave the meeting early because of a teaching commitment, and that Vice President Schnair would chair the meeting upon her departure. She reported that a small event was held to initiate the Friends of the San Francisco Arts Commission, which had a lot of support. She made no further report and there was no public comment.
     
  5. Director’s Report
    Mr. DeCaigny announced the installation of Central Market posters featuring murals by Rigo, Chor Boogie and other artists, with a June 13 event. He announced the Galleries’ photo exhibit, Now That You’re Gone, on the ground floor of City Hall, and an event held with SPUR, as well as a walking tour through the Haight.

    Mr. DeCaigny reported on the progress of restoration of the Coit Tower murals, and the press coverage.

    He reported that Deputy Director Rebekah Krell is continuing to work with the Mayor’s Budget Office on the budget request, and that the budget is scheduled for hearing by the Board of Supervisors in June.

    He reported that the nonprofit displacement working group is finishing its work, circulating a draft report with Brian Cheu of the Mayor’s Office. The group’s recommendations span short-term, intermediate and long-term strategies to mitigate the impact of commercial rent increases. Mr. DeCaigny explained that he and Mr. Cheu would present the report to the Board of Supervisors, which expected to release $2 million for the arts and $2.5 million for social service nonprofits once their questions were satisfactorily answered. Mr. DeCaigny added that the plan for administering that $2 million for the arts would be presented to the Arts Commission for its approval, probably in May. This will likely include a memorandum of understanding with a subgranting nonprofit, and the determination of supplemental criteria for funding.

    There was no public comment.

    President Beltran left the meeting at 3:35 p.m., and Vice President Schnair chaired the remainder of the meeting.
     

  6. Committee Reports and Committee Matters
    1. Executive Committee—JD Beltran, Chair
      1. In the absence of President Beltran, Vice President Schnair reported that the Committee met, and discussed the anti-graffiti legislation before the Board of Supervisors. The Committee also reviewed the agency’s emergency preparedness plan. Mr. DeCaigny noted that this was one of the goals set for him by the Commission. The plan addresses the possibility of a localized emergency, like a fire at 25 Van Ness, or a citywide emergency, like an earthquake. He reported that there is an updated communication plan in place, as well as replenished supplies. He reported that staff is developing a comprehensive plan for the top ten assets in the Collection, as well as working with the Cultural Centers to ensure that they are prepared for emergencies.

        Vice President Schnair reported that the Committee discussed revisions of the WritersCorps posters, in light of feedback at the Visual Arts Committee meeting. The revisions were brought to the Executive Committee to ensure timely production of the posters. The Committee designated President Beltran to review the final design to confirm that the requested changes were made.

        There was no public comment.
         

    2. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
      1. In the absence of Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Stryker reported that the Committee had reviewed only a single project, the Dupont Courts restrooms, and approved it with only a few small contingencies.

        She reported that Commissioners are meeting informally with designers at the Department of Public Works, and she mentioned an upcoming project in Chinatown, a rooftop plaza.

        There was no public comment.
         

    3. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—Sherene Melania, Chair
      1. There was no report.
         
    4. Street Artists Committee—Barbara Sklar, Chair
      1. Commissioner Sklar made no report; Commissioner Chew added that the Committee would meet on May 14.

        Public Comment:
        Ms. Datesh said that the Committee’s agenda should be posted more than 72 hours in advance of the meeting. She said that she continued to file immediate disclosure requests about maps for downtown construction, and did not receive satisfactory responses. She also asked about monitoring of the street artist spaces on the street.

        There was no further public comment.
         

    5. Visual Arts Committee—Dorka Keehn, Chair
      1. Commissioner Keehn reported that 2015 will be the tenth anniversary of Patricia’s Green, and the Committee discussed the idea of another sculpture by David Best to commemorate the anniversary. She reported on a gift of 148 photos by Pirkle Jones to the City. She reported that the Committee discussed the expansion of the Moscone Center campus, and potential public art sites.

        There was no public comment.
         

  7. Public Art Trust
    Ms. Manton reviewed the legislative history of the Public Art Trust, established in April 2012 in Section 429 of the Planning Code. The Code calls for 1% of construction budgets for private developments to be used for public art; this applied previously only to the downtown C3 district, and now extends into various districts, helping to bring more art to San Francisco.

    She explained that the legislation allows developers to contribute part of the funds to the Public Art Trust instead of requiring all of it to be spent on the site of the project. Noting that in the wake of 9/11, security is much more important to developers, it is much more difficult for them to create publicly accessible spaces for artwork.

    She explained that the Trust can use funds for temporary artworks, performances and events, and for conservation of artworks already in the Civic Art Collection. The Trust can also use funds to assist high-capacity nonprofit arts organizations in making capital improvements. All of these help to make the development a destination, increasing foot traffic and bringing life to the area after dark. She cited models in other areas, with very robust programs, which make the buildings centers for cultural activity.

    She discussed the public granting process, and noted that Arts Commission staff would exercise curatorial discretion in acquiring any permanent or temporary artworks. She said that a big challenge is that most developers aren’t aware of the Public Art Trust, and she hoped that Commissioners would join her in educating them about its benefits. When the fact sheet is final, she explained, it will be posted on both the Arts Commission’s and the Planning Department’s websites, and distributed by both agencies.

    Mr. DeCaigny added that public meetings will be held to get input on the process and to discuss how the funds can be used.

    In response to questions from Commissioners, Ms. Manton and Mr. DeCaigny explained that the Trust now covers perhaps a dozen districts beyond downtown, including the Transbay Terminal area, Rincon Hill, Bayview Hunters Point and other areas. They are working on a comprehensive map.

    Vice President Schnair added that she had worked a bit with Ms. Manton on the Trust, and thought it a tremendous opportunity to work with developers in public-private partnerships. She asked Commissioners to be ambassadors for the Trust, and urged them to bring their ideas on how to implement it.

    Mr. DeCaigny added that “high-capacity” organizations as described in the Trust must have a demonstrated history of artistic excellence as well as the administrative and fiscal ability to complete projects with budgets between $100,000 and $1,000,000. Ms. Manton added that capital grants would go only to these high-capacity organizations, but that other grants, for performance series and other smaller projects, would be open to smaller organizations that did not necessarily have the capacity to do a half-million-dollar construction project.

    There was no public comment.
     

  8. Public Comment
    Ms. Datesh said she has come to the Commission’s meetings for almost a year, except for one that was cancelled at the last minute, and doesn’t see much change in the Street Artists Program. She said that Commissioner Sklar has the respect of the street artists, and that if the Committee’s meetings were well-run, there would be no need for a police officer to attend.

    There was no further public comment.
     

  9. New Business and Announcements
    Commissioner Keehn expressed her appreciation of former Arts Commissioner Dede Wilsey for hosting an initial event to help launch the Friends of the Arts Commission as an independent 501(c)(3) organization. She added that there was a great deal of interest, and that she and Commissioner Shiota were participating as representatives of the Commission. She reported that the initial focus will be on four areas: arts education in the schools, the Civic Art Collection, the Sister City program and the Mayor’s Art Award. She thanked Commissioner Frankel for helping with the process of applying for 501(c)(3) status, and she added that the Friends were looking for all kinds of diversity in membership.

    In response to a question about arts education outside of school, Commissioner Keehn noted that the organization was just starting and wanted to focus on just a few areas to begin with.

    Mr. DeCaigny reiterated thanks to Ms. Wilsey, and to Commissioners Frankel, Keehn and Shiota for their efforts to ensure that the organization is well-aligned with the Arts Commission’s priorities and goals.

    Public Comment:
    Thomas Simpson said that he hoped the performing arts would be included in the work of Friends of the Arts Commission.

    There was no further public comment.

    Commissioner Keehn said that the Friends’ program was not yet defined, but would relate to the Commission’s strategic plan, and she thought the performing arts was a potential area for them.
     

  10. Adjournment
    Mr. DeCaigny noted with sadness the passing on March 26artist Anna Valentina Murch, who had worked closely with the Arts Commission. She and her husband, Doug Hollis, were working on a large project for San Francisco General Hospital, based on the river as a metaphor for life. Mr. DeCaigny gave a brief biography of Ms. Murch, and added that donations to the Mills College Art Department are requested in lieu of flowers.

    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m. in memory of Anna Valentina Murch.

     

4/23/14 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.