SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION
COMMUNITY ARTS, EDUCATION, AND GRANTS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
1:00 p.m.
401 Van Ness Ave, Suite 125

Minutes

 

The meeting was called to order at 1:12 p.m.

 

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present:
   Sherene Melania, Chair
   Roberto Ordeñana, Vice President
   Marcus Shelby
   Janine Shiota
   
   Commissioners Absent:
   Charles Collins
   
   Staff Present: Tom DeCaigny, Barbara Mumby, Liz Ozol, Cristal Fiel, Claudia Leung, Molly Barrons

 

2. General Public Comment
   Commissioner Melania called for public comment. There was none made.
    
3. Director of Cultural Affairs Report
   Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny noted that in light of current staffing vacancies, he would offer some updates, but deferred to Senior Program Officer Barbara Mumby, acting as Director of Community Investments, and Program Officer Liz Ozol to give programmatic updates.
   
   Ms. Mumby reported that it was a busy time for the Community Investments team as the current grant round was open and there would be weekly deadlines through October. Although the Community Investments team was short staffed they were working together to answer all the application inquiries.
   
   Ms. Mumby noted that staff was interviewing candidates for the vacant program officer position. Mr. DeCaigny added that the first round of screening for the vacant position of Director of Community Investments would be taking place in the coming weeks.
   
   Commissioner Melania asked when the targeted start date would be for the Director of Community Investments hire. Mr. DeCaigny replied that the ideal date would be the first week of December 2017. Commissioner Shelby asked if the position was still open and Mr. DeCaigny confirmed that the position was still open and information on the current available positions was publicized in the most recent e-newsletter.
   
   Ms. Mumby reported that staff from the Arts Commission and San Francisco Grants for the Arts created an altar honoring the late Program Officer Ebony McKinney as part of SOMArts Cultural Center’s annual Day of the Dead exhibition. Additionally, the Arts Commission would be partnering with Emerging Arts Professionals-San Francisco Bay Area to provide two annual scholarships to memorialize Ms. McKinney’s contributions nurturing and empowering emerging arts professionals.
   
   Ms. Ozol gave an update on the fourth annual Everyday, Everyway Arts conference focused on  after school programming for youth (see explanatory document “Overview of 2017 Everyday Everyway Conference”). The conference started four years ago when the San Francisco Arts Commission hosted one of the authors of a report by the Wallace Foundation about the importance of arts in afterschool programs, citing that afterschool programs have a role to play in ensuring that high-quality arts education is available to all young people. Ms. Ozol noted plans for next year to engage the Department of Children, Youth and their Families (“DCYF”) and First 5 to increase attendance.
   
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on annual grants convening in September. There was a great turn out to support the Artistic Legacy Grant award given to Alleluia Panis of Kularts. In addition to Mr. DeCaigny’s presentation of recent Arts Commission developments and Ms. Mumby’s presentation of fiscal year (“FY”) 2016-2017 grant cycle outcomes, Director of the Civic Art Collection and Public Art Program Susan Pontius gave a public art overview and Galleries Director Meg Shiffler, gave an overview of recent galleries programming and the new artist in residence initiative that would introduce visual artists into departments of the City and County of San Francisco.
   
   Mr. DeCaigny gave updates on upcoming conference activity. The National Guild for Community Arts Education annual conference would be held in San Francisco this year and the Arts Commission would be hosting their trustees reception on November 17. Additionally, the Arts Commission was providing support for scholarship opportunities to local cultural workers who plan to attend the conference. Lastly, the National Performance Network annual conference would be held in San Francisco at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts on December 15 and 16. The Arts Commission would be providing support for scholarship opportunities to local cultural workers for this conference as well.
   
   Commissioner Melania called for public comment. There was none made.
   
   Explanatory Document: Overview of 2017 Everyday Everyway Conference (pdf)

 

4. Arts for Neighborhood Vitality Grant to The Village Project
   Mr. DeCaigny said these motions would allow the grantee to switch the fiscal sponsor from the one listed in the original motion. Ms. Ozol added that The Village Project felt their new fiscal sponsor better aligned with the organizations goals and programming.
   
   Commissioner Melania gave the following motion:
   Motion to rescind the FY2016-2017 Arts for Neighborhood Vitality grant to The Village Project (Fiscal Sponsor: Booker T Washington Community Service Center) for an amount not to exceed $3000, authorized by Resolution No. 0501-17-107.
   
   Moved: Shiota/ Ordeñana
   Public Comment: None.
   
   The motion was unanimously approved.
   
   Commissioner Melania gave the following motion:
   Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a FY2016-2017 Arts for Neighborhood Vitality grant with The Village Project (Fiscal Sponsor: Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco) for an amount not to exceed $3,000.
   
   Moved: Shelby/Shiota
   Public Comment: None.
   The motion was unanimously approved.

 

5. Organization Project Grant and Artists and Communities in Partnership Grants to Asian Improv aRts
   Mr. DeCaigny said that these were follow up motions to the ones passed at Full Commission regarding rescinding these grants due to the grantee’s noncompliant 501c3 nonprofit status. Ms. Mumby said that the grantee was working on submitting necessary paperwork to renew their 501c3, but they would be using a fiscal sponsor in the meantime.
   
   Commissioner Melania gave the following motion:
   Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a FY2016-2017 Organization Project Grant with Asian Improv aRts (Fiscal Sponsor: SOMArts Cultural Center) for an amount not to exceed $20,000.
   
   Moved: Shelby/Shiota
   Public Comment: None.
   
   The motion was unanimously approved.
   
   Commissioner Melania gave the following motion:
   Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a FY2016-2017 Artists and Communities in Partnership grant with Asian Improv aRts (Fiscal Sponsor: SOMArts Cultural Center) for an amount not to exceed $20,000.
   
   Moved: Shiota/ Ordeñana
   Public Comment: None.
   
   The motion was unanimously approved.

 

6. New Business and Announcements
   Commissioner Shelby announced that San Francisco Jazz had been awarded three years of funding to provide music programming in every middle school in San Francisco and Oakland and these programs would begin in November.
   
   Commissioner Shelby requested more information regarding the new leadership at the African American Arts & Culture Complex (“AAACC”). Additionally, he wanted to understand the issues that were raised at the October Full Commission meeting regarding the Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theater facilities and tenant organization, Bayview Opera House, Inc (“BVOH, Inc.”).
   
   Mr. DeCaigny said that staff would prepare a follow up presentation about the Cultural Center’s progress on their annual management and programming plans for the Committee meeting in November, and provide the Committee with the opportunity to meet the new leadership at AAACC. He assured the Commissioners that Ms. Mumby and Program Officer Robynn Takayama were working closely with the staff and subtenants at AAACC to onboard and support the new leadership.
   
   In regard to issues with BVOH, Inc., Mr. DeCaigny and Capital Analyst Kate Faust met with their staff to review capital campaign and facility needs. Mr. DeCaigny elaborated that after considerable community engagement conducted by designer Walter Hood, as well as extensive feedback and process with the Civic Design Review Committee, there was a fence at the Bayview Opera House to keep the children there safe during the youth programs. He added that the gate could be opened during public events and that the new renovation provided greater public access. Mr. DeCaigny closed by saying that like in all public places safety measures must be intact and the gates protect youth from heavy traffic on Third Street.
   
   Commissioner Melania noted that there were many discussions about the placement of the fence and there were a lot of people who were happy to have the fence in place to increase their programing so that people felt comfortable having their children participate.
   
   The Committee discussed the recent Commission approval of funding to BVOH, Inc. for capital projects, as allocated by the Board of Supervisors’ annual add back process. Mr. DeCaigny clarified that all add backs and participatory budget funds that the Commission was work ordered from the Board of Supervisors are restricted to the scope of the projects, including the capital funds for BVOH, Inc.
    
7. Adjournment
   There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:01 p.m.
    

Posted 10/17/2017 2:30 p.m. CF

12/4/17 minutes adopted

Language Accessibility

 

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Program Associate Cristal Fiel, 415-252-2218, cristal.fiel@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，Program Associate Cristal Fiel, 415-252-2218, cristal.fiel@sfgov.org.

 

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Program Associate Cristal Fiel, 415-252-2218, cristal.fiel@sfgov.org.

 

Ang mga materyales na nakasalin sa ibang wika at ang mga serbisyong tagapagsalin sa wika ay walang bayad. Para sa tulong, maaring i-contact si Program Associate Cristal Fiel, 415-252-2218, cristal.fiel@sfgov.org.