City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

November 13, 2013

Street Artists Committee - November 13, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION
STREET ARTISTS COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 13, 2013
2:30 p.m.

25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
San Francisco, CA 94102

Minutes

 

Commissioner Chew, Chair, called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.

1. Roll Call
Commissioners Present:

Greg Chew, Chair
Abby Schnair
Janine Shiota

Commissioners Absent: Simon Frankel, Marcus Shelby

Staff present: Arts Commission Deputy Director Rebekah Krell, Street Artists Program Director Howard Lazar, Street Artists Program Assistant Alyssa Licouris

2. Discussion. Street Artists Program Director’s Report.

Program Director Lazar reported on the following:

Holiday Spaces Booklet: Program Director Lazar explained that the additional temporary holiday spaces Downtown and at Harvey Milk Plaza start November 15 and run through January 15. He noted that some spaces such as those on the east side of Stockton Street may not be available due to the Central Subway Project. However, he relocated those 3 spaces down the block where there was sufficient room on the sidewalk. This is the 33rd year of extra holiday spaces obtained by the Arts Commission for the artists.

Arts Commission Newsletter Spotlight: Katie Herron, who sells her paintings and prints at Justin Herman Plaza, and Vivenya Cuyugan, who sells her hats and accessories at the Plaza, were spotlighted in the last newsletters.

Heather Ussery Book Signing: Green Apple Books had a book signing for Heather’s book The Noise Beneath the Apple about New York musicians.

Studio Visit Update: Program Director Lazar reported that 6 studio visits of the licenseholders who sell crochet animal hats were conducted by the Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners, and about 3-4 more studio visits need to be scheduled. He noted that, besides the one case which led to a certificate suspension, the crochet artists proved they can make hats exactly like the hats displayed on their tables.

The Commissioners continued discussing the crochet hat studio visits.

Program Director Lazar explained the different peddling permits given by the City in answer to a question by Commissioner Shiota.

The Commissioners discussed the presence of illegal vendors selling downtown.

Criteria Meeting: The Advisory Committee has completed 5 arts and crafts criteria meetings. Program Director Lazar listed the craft categories that the Advisory Committee has completed so far. He added that the next Advisory Committee meeting will be scheduled in January.

Commissioner Chew commented about the Arts Commission’s strategic plan in the works and how that will affect the street artists.

Deputy Director Krell clarified that the strategic plan is currently only described at a high level and is not detailed regarding specific programs.

There was no public comment.

3. Action. Hearing and possible motion to approve the following Lottery Committee recommendation of October 7, 2013 Lottery Committee meeting:

1) Amending Arts Commission Resolution No.0503-04-102, adopted May 3, 2004, which allows a street artist who becomes a helper through the lottery procedure for assigning spaces to be a helper for the same lottery period of the following week, by providing that a street artist helper may become a helper the following week only in the event that no other street artist requests to be a helper. Amendment as follows (amending language in bold; deletions in italics):

Motion to approve the following   fourth provision   of a proposal   to amend the lottery procedure for assigning selling spaces : (provision 4) by allowing   a street artist who has received a   helpership  s received   through the lottery to   receive helpership    be   for the same lottery period of the following week   only in the absence of requests by other artists for helpership.

To read as follows:
Motion to approve the following provision to amend the lottery procedure for assigning selling spaces by allowing a street artist who has received a helpership through the lottery to receive helpership for the same lottery period of the following week only in the absence of requests by other artists for helperships.

2) A Lottery Committee member who is not able to run his/her lottery has the responsibility to obtain the service of another member to run the lottery.

Program Director Lazar requested to take subsection 2 first. He explained the Lottery Committee process. He explained that usually only one of the Lottery Committee members, Kathy Hallinan, volunteers to call everyone to find replacements for members who are unable to run their scheduled lotteries, and sometimes she’ll show up to run a member’s lottery when she herself doesn’t sell. The Lottery Committee decided to come up with this rule to allow for personal responsibility.

Commissioner Shiota asked what would happen if none of the Lottery Committee members are available. Program Director Lazar said that, in that case, any street artist could run the lottery. Commissioner Shiota recommended adding a clause about the lack of availability of Lottery members to run a given lottery. Program Director Lazar said he’d mention it at the next Lottery Committee meeting.

Discussion continued about the Lottery Committee procedures.

Motion: Motion to approve Lottery Committee recommendation that a Lottery Committee member who is not able to run his/her lottery has the responsibility to obtain the service of another member to run the lottery.
Moved: Schnair, Shiota

There was no public comment.

The motion was unanimously approved.

Program Director Lazar explained subsection 1, and an in-depth discussion about the Lottery procedures, the types of helpers, and the helpers’ role in the lottery ensued.

Program Director Lazar reminded the Commissioners that the Arts Commission has authority to establish, supervise and enact rules of the lottery system.

In answer to Commissioner Chew’s question, Program Director Lazar explained that the motion would be effective once the full Arts Commission approves it.

Motion: Motion to approve Lottery Committee recommendation to amend the lottery procedure for assigning selling spaces by allowing a street artist who has received a helpership through the lottery to receive helpership for the same lottery period of the following week only in the absence of requests by other artists for helperships.
Moved: Schnair, Shiota

There was no public comment.

The motion was unanimously approved.

The Commissioners continued their discussion regarding the Ordinance, peddlers, illegal vendors as well as former certificate holders.

4. Discussion. Public Comment.

There was no public comment.

5. Discussion. New Business and Announcements.

Commissioner Chew commented that he encouraged attendees at the full Arts Commission to do holiday shopping with the street artists.

Program Director Lazar noted that the holiday spaces handbook as well as the Street Artist Program’s “Bluebook” of rules and procedures are both on the Program’s website.

Commissioner Chew asked how the street artists feel about marketing and outreach for the holiday shopping. Program Director Lazar said that he hasn’t heard from the street artists about this topic lately.

The Commissioners discussed the bustling downtown area. They said they’ve witnessed heavy traffic as well as new stores moving in.

There was no public comment.

6. Action. Adjournment.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:18 p.m.

ADL 11/21/13

Respectfully submitted by:
Alyssa Licouris, Street Artists Program Assistant

Minutes approved by:

 

Howard Lazar, Street Artists Program Director

An audio recording of this meeting is available online at the following address: http://www.sfgov3.org/index.aspx?page=4151

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Howard Lazar, 415-252-2583, howard.lazar@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,Howard Lazar, 415-252-2583, howard.lazar@sfgov.org.

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Howard Lazar, 415-252-2583, howard.lazar@sfgov.org.