Meeting Information

Full_Commission

MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, January 8, 2007
3:00 p.m.
City Hall Room 416

Minutes

President Johnston called the meeting to order at 3:25 p.m.

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   P.J. Johnston
   Andrea Cochran
   Maya Draisin
   John Kriken
   Alexander Lloyd
   Beverly Prior
   Jeannene Przyblyski
   Dede Wilsey
   Pop Zhao
   
   Commissioners Absent
   José Cuellar
   Leonard Hunter
   Janice Mirikitani
   Lawrence Rinder
   M. Sue Lee
   
   
2. Approval of Minutes
   Commissioner Przyblyski requested that the draft minutes be changed to more accurately reflect her report from the Visual Arts Committee regarding the Civic Art Collection. The revised fourth paragraph of her report shall read as follows:
   
   She gave a brief overview of the status of the Civic Art Collection, observing that several years of budget cuts and the loss of a full-time collections manager have resulted in a number of pressing issues related to collections management, conservation and maintenance. Most recently, the Collection has come under renewed public scrutiny with regards to the deteriorating condition of popular works such as the Art Ribbon and the inadequate conditions for display and storage of the collection of two-dimensional works located at San Francisco General Hospital. The Visual Arts Committee has moved to require monthly reports on the collection on the Committee’s agenda. They will be looking closely at the mission statement and collection guidelines, as well as monitoring the status of outstanding issues. Last month brought some good news: the jewelry collection that resulted from the Arts Commissions support of the historic city art fairs has been catalogued and will be displayed in an exhibition at the Airport as a result of efforts by staff and a volunteer registrar. The Committee supports efforts to make the Civic Art Collection more broadly accessible to the public, and sees this as a promising step.
   
   The following Resolution was moved, seconded, and unanimously adopted:
   RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-001: APPROVAL OF AMENDED MINUTES ADOPTED
   RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby approve the Minutes of the Meeting of December 4, 2006, as amended above.
   
   NOTE: ALL ADOPTIONS ARE UNANIMOUS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
   
   
3. President’s Report
   President Johnston gave a brief overview of the budget process, explaining that the Arts Commission must approve its budget by mid-February for submission to the Mayor’s Office. He explained that the one-million-dollar add-back has been annualized, and that the 2007-2008 budget would be discussed at the Executive Committee meeting on January 16, 2007. Drawing the attention of Commissioners to the notice of Special Meeting of the Executive Committee and of the Full Arts Commission sent to them, he invited all to attend the meeting, to discuss the budget and forge a consensus.
   
   He announced the appointment to the Executive Committee of Commissioners Przyblyski (from the Visual Arts Committee) and Prior (from the Civic Design Review Committee).
   
   President Johnston named a Nominating Committee to nominate the President and Vice President of the Commission for the next term: Commissioners Cochran, Lloyd and Mirikitani.
   
   Finally, President Johnston announced the upcoming exhibition in City Hall of models by the three finalists for the Harvey Milk Memorial. He explained that there would be a press conference and an appearance by the Mayor on Wednesday, January 10. He also noted that Commissioner Przyblyski and former Cultural Equity Grants Program Director Jewelle Gomez sat on the review committee.
   
   
4. Director’s Report
   Director of Cultural Affairs Richard Newirth began his report by announcing the appointment of E. San San Wong as Cultural Equity Grants Program Director. He introduced her, and she spoke briefly about her background, noting that she looked forward to working with the Commission. Mr. Newirth expressed extreme gratitude to Prudy Kohler, who had expertly filled the position on an interim basis.
   
   Mr. Newirth announced that Rachelle Axel will be leaving her position as Arts Education Officer to become Development Director for the Arts Commission, and that the department is currently recruiting for her replacement. He also announced that Public Art Program Associate Jennifer Lovvorn has accepted a position in Texas and will be leaving the Arts Commission. He described her as a wonderful asset, and said that she will be missed.
   
   Mr. Newirth reported that proposed guidelines for the new grant pairing artists with community organizations will be distributed to Commissioners, and discussed at the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 9. He thanked Ms. Kohler, Deputy Director Nancy Gonchar and Community Arts and Education Program Director Judy Nemzoff for their great work on creating and developing the guidelines and application. He opined that the impact of the program could be revolutionary in serving individual artists. He and Ms. Nemzoff have planned to meet with Dwayne Jones of the Mayor’s Office to discuss the Communities of Opportunity.
   
   Mr. Newirth reported that the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development has put out a Request for Interest to do a plan or study for the Grove Street complex, incorporating the old Gallery building at 155 Grove St., the empty lot next door, and other parcels between the Health Department and Van Ness Avenue. They have received eleven responses and are proceeding toward the next step, a Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposals.
   
   He reported that Ms. Nemzoff now has more detailed cost estimates for the capital improvements needed at the Cultural Centers, and is continuing to pursue funding for them.
   
   Mr. Newirth reported that the Collections team is inventorying the collections. He noted that maintenance is budgeted at $15,000 yearly. For comparison, Seattle’s collections maintenance budget is $120,000, and Portland’s is $60,000.
   
   He also reported on the recent hearing on performance measures, at which he explained that with the arts, many of the measures are qualitative and not quantitative, and he requested help from the Controller’s Office in developing meaningful performance measures for the department.
   
   Mr. Newirth distributed the meeting schedule for 2007; an article from Public Art Review written by Commissioner Przyblyski and including her Public Art Manifesto; and an invitation to the reception on Wednesday, January 10, for the Harvey Milk Memorial event in City Hall.
   
   Commissioner Wilsey commented that she had heard that Mr. Newirth had done quite a good job at the performance measures hearing.
   
   President Johnston suspended the Director’s Report to allow the Commission to take its votes out of order, in anticipation of the early departure of a Commissioner, which would bring the meeting to less than a quorum until the arrival of another Commissioner delayed by traffic. The Commission then took up its Consent Calendar.
   
   
5. Consent Calendar
   Agenda item 4 was severed from the Consent Calendar because the Executive Committee Meeting Minutes of December 19, 2006, had not been distributed; the remaining items were approved as follows.
   
   RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-002:
   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. 0108-07-003: Motion to approve the Street Artists Committee Meeting Minutes of November 8, 2006.
      
      
   2. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-004: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of December 12, 2006.
      
      
   3. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-005: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of December 18, 2006.
      
      Street Artists Committee Recommendations (November 8, 2006)
      
   4. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-006: Motion to approve proposal for Arts Commission to request chairperson of Street Artist Lottery Committee to attend all Street Artists Committee meetings.
      
      
   5. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-007: Motion to approve proposal to amend street artist lottery procedure to allow any street artist who misses a main lottery to be given a last number at the following day’s sign-in of the same lottery period.
      
      Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Recommendations (December 12, 2006)
      
   6. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-008: Motion to approve recommendations to award eight grants totaling $118,500 in the 2006-2007 cycle of Creative Space Grants to the following organizations, and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreement with each for the amounts listed:
      
      CounterPulse, $20,000
      Women’s Audio Mission, $5,000
      Dance Brigade, $20,000
      BATS Improv/Bay Area Theatresports, $20,000
      826 Valencia, $20,000
      Intersection for the Arts, $15,000
      San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, $8,500
      Eth-Noh-Tec, $10,000
      
      
   7. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-009: Motion to approve a $5,000 grant to the San Francisco School Alliance from PAR056 to help support the San Francisco Unified School District Spring Arts Festival, an annual citywide event.
      
      Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (December 18, 2006)
      
   8. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-010: Motion to approve Pipeline Repair and Readiness Improvements—Phase B at Sunol Yard, Phase 2.
      
      
   9. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-011: Motion to approve Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library, Phase 1.
      
      
   10. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-012: Motion to approve Bernal Heights Branch Library, Phase 1.
       
       
   11. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-013: Motion to approve Portrero Hill Health Center Addition, Phase 1.
       
       Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (December 20, 2006)
       
   12. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-014: Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection Untitled (2004-2006), a set of six 6' x 6' waterjet-cut stainless steel panels by Irene Pijoan, installed at Victoria Manalo Draves Park (formerly known as SOMA Park).
       
       
   13. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-015: Motion to authorize the expenditure of up to $75,000 from the Board of Supervisors’ supplemental funding for Civic Art Collection maintenance and graffiti removal.
       
       
   14. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-016: Motion to approve the budget of $105,000 for cleaning and stabilization of the Dewey Crumpler mural, Fire Next Time II, and commemorative plaque for Fire Next Time I, at Joseph Lee Recreation Center, and for the use of $44,679 of MTA grant funds pending approval of the Bayview Hunters Point Project Area Committee and $60,321 of Board of Supervisors supplemental funding to fund the project.
       
       
   15. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-017: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Architectural Conservation, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $33,000 for the restoration of Dewey Crumpler’s Fire Next Time II, the exterior mural on the gymnasium of the Joseph P. Lee Recreation Center.
       
       
   16. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-018: Motion to approve an honorarium payment of $5,000 to Dewey Crumpler for his consultation services on the restoration of Fire Next Time II, the exterior mural on the gymnasium of the Joseph P. Lee Recreation Center.
       
       
   17. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-019: Motion to approve the designs for the utility box mural project coordinated by Precita Eyes Muralists Association for the following five locations: southeast corner of 24th and Harrison Streets designed by Laura Joya, Brenda Miller and Patricia Rose; northeast corner of 24th and Capp Streets designed by participants in the Precita Eyes Urban Youth Arts Program directed by Fred Alvarado and Joshua Stevenson; southwest corner of 24th and Capp Streets designed by Cecilia Baeza and Celestino Illustrisimo; southwest corner of 24th and Folsom Streets designed by participants in the Precita Eyes Muralists Kids Mural Art Workshop directed by Brenda Miller; and northwest corner of 24th and Mission Streets designed by Peter Cordova and Vincent Jackson of Creativity Explored.
       
       
   18. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-020: Motion to approve the design revision of terra cotta wall tiles by Takenobu Igarashi (V1 Living, Dining Rooms) to allow for surface mounting of tiles to the wall.
       
       
   19. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-021: Motion to approve the proposal for an artwork by Diane Andrews Hall for Laguna Honda Hospital.
       
       
   20. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-022: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Diane Andrews Hall for up to $80,000 to design, fabricate, transport and install seven artworks in tapestry and/or glass mosaic on the L1 level of the East Residence Building of Laguna Honda Hospital.
       
       
   21. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-023: Motion to authorize the purchase of Martha H, by Richard Shaw (porcelain with decal overglaze, 63" x 21" x 16"), for $28,000, for installation at San Francisco International Airport (Boarding Area C), pending approval by the Airport Commission.
       
       
   22. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-024:Motion to approve the final designs of twenty windscreen display case panels, to include ten designs by the artist team of Bill and Mary Buchen, six designs by the artist team of Horace Washington, Frederick Hayes and JoeSam, and four designs by the artist team of Anita Margrill and Nobuho Nagasawa, for long-term installation on ten of the Third Street Light Rail transit platforms.
       
       
   23. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-025: Motion to accept a gift of restricted funds in the total amount of $30,000 to supplement the Broadway Streetscape Project art enrichment allocation with the funds to be set up in an interest-bearing account that will be used exclusively for the art project by Brian Goggin.
       
       
   24. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-026: Motion to approve Maya Lin’s proposal of a suspended wire landscape sculpture to be based upon the Bay Area ocean floor topography and surrounding terrain, for installation on the west terrace of the Academy of Sciences.
       
       
   25. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-027: Motion to authorize Maya Lin to further develop her proposal for a video table which would be one piece in a series of works from her Missing project which deals with species loss and extinction, to be installed on the east terrace of the Academy of Sciences.
       
       
   26. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-028: Motion to authorize artist Ned Kahn to resume work on the 525 Golden Gate Avenue project for the Public Utilities Commission in collaboration with project architects and engineers to develop designs for a sculptural work that will assist in the energy efficiency of the building.
       
       
   27. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-029: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Ned Kahn for up to $10,000 for design development of an artwork or series of artworks for the 525 Golden Gate Avenue project with the Public Utilities Commission.
       
       
   28. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-030: Motion to approve the selection of Bean Finneran to create an artwork for Junipero Serra Clubhouse.
       
       
   29. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-031: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Bean Finneran for an amount not to exceed $25,000 to design, fabricate, transport and install an artwork for the exterior façade of the Junipero Serra Clubhouse.
       
       
   30. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-032: Motion to approve the artwork entitled Incomplete Metamorphosis, by Joyce Hsu, as installed at Argonne Playground.
       
       
   31. RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-033: Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection Incomplete Metamorphosis, two aluminum sculptures by Joyce Hsu, located at Argonne Playground.
       
       
   The following motions were taken out of order, from Committee Reports.
   
   
6. Committee Reports—Motions
   
   1. Street Artists Committee
      RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-034: Motion to approve former certificate-holders for priority issuance of certificate with waiver of re-screening of wares: Michael Jamison, John Tunui.
      
      
   2. Visual Arts Committee
      RESOLUTION NO. 0108-07-035: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into an agreement with Wowhaus in an amount not to exceed $20,000 for the development and implementation of the temporary public art project Hayes Green Miniature Golf Extravaganza.
      
      
7. Director’s Report, continued
   The Director’s Report resumed with a report on the budget, presented by Deputy Director Nancy Gonchar, who gave a brief overview of the budget process. She explained that the Mayor’s office was seeking a $53,000 reduction from the Arts Commission, and that the $1,000,000 supplemental allocation has been annualized.
   
   Ms. Gonchar also noted that the capital budget process is a completely separate process, and that staff is requesting a much larger amount for capital expenditures than in past years. This includes work on the African American Arts and Culture Complex and on Mission Cultural Center, Collections maintenance and much-needed repair of the Francis Scott Key monument.
   
   Mr. Newirth added that the annualized supplemental allocation will be incorporated into the overall budget in future years, and will not appear as a separate sum. It will fund the Public Art Program Director’s position, the new Development Director’s position and a portion of the Cultural Center facilities and grounds position. The Mayor’s Office has asked departments not to request new positions, and there is ongoing discussion and creative thinking about whether initiatives such as the Collections projects should be contracted out or staffed by City employees.
   
   Mr. Newirth discussed the new neighborhood arts residency project being developed by staff. He explained that because the grants will not be awarded until late in the current fiscal year, it will be impossible to evaluate the program before the budget for 2007-2008. He noted that he considers this an initiative of the full Commission, not of any one of the programs. It involves all of what the Commission does, working with communities and neighborhoods, individual artists and public art. He welcomed any thoughts the Commissioners have about the program.
   
   Finally, he said that he intends to present the budgets as simple spreadsheets that will be easy for Commissioners to review and discuss. President Johnston thanked him, adding that it’s good to have the increased funding.
   
   
8. Committee Reports
   
   1. Executive Committee—P.J. Johnston, Chair
      
      1. President Johnston reported that the Committee discussed the budget, the budget process and the schedule. They developed the plan to specifically invite all of the Commission to the January 16 meeting to discuss the budget. He reported that the Committee also briefly discussed the idea of a retreat, which will be taken up again in February.
         
         
   2. Civic Design Committee—Andrea Cochran, Chair
      1. Commissioner Kriken reported that the Committee had conducted its normal project review. He observed that they are often trying to make the projects more compatible and more smoothly integrated into their neighborhoods, and that branch libraries, for example, need to have a very welcoming character. The Committee is continuing to develop project guidelines.
         
         
   3. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—José Cuellar, Chair
      1. President Johnston reported that the Committee discussed the Cultural Center buildings and facilities, and is encouraged by the changes being made there.
         
         
   4. Street Artists Committee—Alexander Lloyd, Chair
      1. Commissioner Lloyd made no report, and President Johnston noted that the pending action will be taken up at the Committee’s March meeting.
         
         
   5. Visual Arts Committee—Jeannene Przyblyski, Chair
      
      1. Commissioner Przyblyski reported that the Committee reviewed twenty items in two and a half hours at their last meeting. They approved $75,000 for maintenance of the Collections, and money for the Dewey Crumpler mural. She commented that it is easier to figure out maintenance costs, but more difficult to define collections management costs. She reported that there was good news on the collaboration with the Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”). As part of Ned Kahn’s work on 525 Golden Gate, the PUC is requesting that he work at the department as an artist in residence. She described the work as very environmentally sensitive, and a part of the building’s LEED certification. She noted that the motion approved today was for part of what the Committee hopes will be an ongoing program at Patricia’s Green (formerly known as Hayes Green).
         
         
   6. New Business
      There was no new business.
      
      
   7. Reports and Announcements
      There were no other reports or announcements.
      
      
   8. Public Comment
      Eliot Lessing, Executive Director of the Center for Outdoor Contemporary Art, addressed the Commission to inquire when there would be formal application guidelines, a Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications for the supplemental allocation funds.
      
      Mr. Newirth and President Johnston explained that normally public comment did not involve a back-and-forth conversation. President Johnston explained that the residency program is a new one, that its guidelines would be published shortly, and that the Executive Committee would discuss ongoing funding for the program at its January 16 meeting. He further explained that anything formalized by this Commission becomes a public document, available to the public.
      
      Andrew Wood of the San Francisco International Arts Festival congratulated Ms. Wong and Ms. Axel. He explained that he had not been on the Arts Task Force, but that he attended many of its meetings. He said that the sentiment among the Arts Task Force members was to put money towards programming rather than staff positions. He described the new program as an encouraging first step.
      
      Finally, Commissioner Przyblyski commented that she had recently spent several hours at the de Young Museum, and that it was full of people, inside and out, enjoying the galleries, the sculpture garden, the café, Wilsey Court. She again congratulated and thanked Commissioner Wilsey for her work in bringing the museum to the people of the city.
      
      
   9. Adjournment
      There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
      

      1/31/07 spr