Meeting Information

Full_Commission

MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION 
Monday, November 2, 2009
3:00 p.m.
City Hall Room 416

Minutes

President Johnston called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m.

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   P.J. Johnston, President
   JD Beltran
   Nínive Calegari
   Gregory Chew
   Lorraine García-Nakata
   Astrid Haryati
   Sherene Melania
   Barbara Sklar
   Cass Calder Smith
   
   Commissioners Absent
   Maya Draisin, Vice President
   John Calloway
   Leo Chow
   Amy Chuang
   Topher Delaney
   Sherri Young
   Ron Miguel, ex officio
   
   
2. Approval of Minutes
   The following Resolution was moved, seconded, and unanimously adopted:
   
   RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-278: Motion to approve July 6, 2009 Minutes.
   
   NOTE: ALL ADOPTIONS ARE UNANIMOUS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
   
   
3. President’s Report
   President Johnston welcomed JD Beltran as a new Commissioner, praising her as an accomplished artist, well-known to staff and some of the Commissioners. He appreciated her expertise, noting that only three days after her appointment, she participated in a lively Visual Arts Committee meeting with great aplomb. Commissioner Beltran thanked him, and said she was honored and delighted to serve on the Commission.
   
   
4. Director’s Report
   Mr. Cancel reported that a number of initiatives had launched successfully in October, beginning with Art in Storefronts on Market Street and in the Tenderloin on October 23, attended by Mayor Newsom and other elected officials. This was followed on October 30 by the launch in the Bayview, which Supervisor Sophie Maxwell and State Senator Mark Leno attended. Mr. Cancel reported that the program has had a fantastic response from the media, including coverage by the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Times, the San Francisco Examiner, and the broadcast media. He described the program as a wonderful team effort with Arts Commission staff Judy Nemzoff, Robynn Takayama, Jill Manton, Kate Patterson, Genevieve Massé, and staff from other City departments, including Lisa Pagan, Amy Cohen, Jennifer Matz and Crezia Tano, as well as consultant (and former Gallery staffer) Joyce Grimm of Triple Base.
   
   Community Arts and Education Program Director Judy Nemzoff gave a brief overview of the Art in Storefronts program. Building on the fortieth anniversary of the Neighborhood Arts program, she explained that Mayor Gavin Newsom had expressed an interest in placing art in vacant neighborhood storefronts. Arts Commission staff are working closely with Amy Cohen of the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (“MOEWD”) in this interagency project with a uniquely San Francisco character. The Mayor hoped to see something positive come out of the current economic challenges. Ms. Nemzoff listed the project’s goals, including responding to the artist community, offering support and free temporary venues for artwork, and a sense of pride and expanded opportunity in the neighborhoods.
   
   Ms. Nemzoff showed images of some of the artworks, including The Color Therapy of Perception, a mural by Chor Boogie, and Don’t Give Up the Ship, a slyly humorous installation by Alexis Amann and Jonathan Burstein, both on Market Street; and Fight for the Neighborhood, an installation by Chris Treggiari and Billy Mitchell on Taylor Street in the Tenderloin. Ms. Nemzoff also showed images taken at the launch event on Market Street, a great street party for hundreds of people, with dancing, an artwalk with a map, a raffle featuring tickets for Wicked and past Mayor’s Art Award recipient Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet; the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition did valet bike parking.
   
   Ms. Nemzoff also showed images from the Bayview launch event, including Senator Leno and Supervisor Maxwell, as well as artworks by Elisheva Biernoff (Living Room) and Malik Seneferu (Marking Birds). Ms. Nemzoff mentioned some of the extensive local and national media coverage of the project, including an ABC 7 News interview with Mr. Cancel. She added that the project is set to launch in the Mission on November 20, and described the whole initiative as an extraordinary partnership, truly collaborative. Finally, she noted that the project is slated to run through the end of January.
   
   President Johnston thanked her and staff for a great job.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported that large posters featuring Art in Storefronts will go into kiosks on Market Street. He thanked the participating artists, who brought their high-quality work to turn blight into brilliance. Commissioner Haryati reported that the Union Square merchants are working on a similar project for vacant storefronts in that area.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported that the Mexican Museum leadership has entered into negotiations with Fort Mason to extend their lease into December. Depending on how that goes, Fort Mason may be willing to extend the lease. He said that a temporary exhibition is planned. Mr. Cancel reported that interviews with four accounting firms have been completed; one of them will be selected to conduct an audit of the Mexican Museum’s books from 2002 through 2009.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported that the Gallery’s Passport fundraiser was a phenomenal success, promoting a lot of foot traffic to some twenty locations in the Mission district. Commissioner Beltran reported that she had purchased a passport and saw lots of people crisscrossing the Mission with them. She thought the idea was brilliant, a win-win, and she congratulated Gallery Director Meg Shiffler. President Johnston agreed. Mr. Cancel thanked Commissioner Calegari for offering 826 Valencia as one of the Passport sites.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported on Where Art Lives, a proactive response to graffiti. This program is a joint effort with the Department of Public Works (“DPW”), a curriculum for fourth through sixth grades, to teach about the difference between art created with the permission of the property owner and graffiti vandalism. The curriculum is being taught as a pilot project in six schools in areas identified by DPW as graffiti hotspots.
   
   Mr. Cancel announced that on Monday, November 9, the next phase of the strategic planning process, a meeting of stakeholders in the larger San Francisco arts community, would be held. Department of Human Resources consultant Teri Jourgenson, would be facilitating a conversation with them about the Arts Commission’s next three years. He added that the Arts Commission will be conducting an online survey as another way to gather input from the larger arts community, using some of the same questions used in the online survey conducted two years ago as a baseline for comparison. He explained that other questions will be updated in response to the current situation, and that the survey will be up for about a month.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported that the Street Artists program will now have an advisory committee of five artist representatives elected by the 400-plus artists themselves. He thanked Street Artists Program Director Howard Lazar for his effort in setting up this procedure.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported that hiring for the Arts Education Manager and Cultural Equity Grants Program Associate is nearing completion; staff was checking references. He thought the candidates are very strong, and he expected to be able to announce the decisions shortly.
   
   Finally, Mr. Cancel announced that the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art was conferring a prestigious Bay Area Treasure award on artist Bill Fontana for his lifelong body of work, highlighted by his sound installation in the City Hall Rotunda, Spiraling Echoes, commissioned by the Arts Commission Gallery. He and Gallery Director Meg Shiffler had been asked to speak at the ceremony.
   
   
5. Consent Calendar
   President Johnston pointed out that he had withdrawn item 19 (regarding the Bernal Heights Branch Library murals) from the Consent Calendar, and continued it indefinitely, at the request of the City Librarian. He read a letter from Supervisor Campos, who represents the district where the library is located, similarly requesting the removal of this item from the Consent Calendar and its continuance.
   
   President Johnston severed item 29 (regarding an allocation of funds) because it was incorrectly worded, and was corrected under Executive Committee Reports below.
   
   There was no further public comment on the Consent Calendar.
   
   The Commission approved the remaining Consent Calendar as follows.
   
   RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-279:
   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. 1102-09-280: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education, and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of October 13, 2009.
      
      
   2. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-281: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of October 21, 2009.
      
      
   3. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-282: Motion to approve the Nominating Committee Meeting Minutes of October 22, 2009.
      
      Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Recommendations (October 13, 2009)
   4. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-283: Motion to approve the following individuals as grants application review panelists for Cultural Equity Grants:
      Sally Al-Daher, Executive Director, Arab Cultural and Community Center
      Roy Chan, Co-Executive Director, Oakland Asian Cultural Center
      Rosa Gonzalez, Education Coordinator, Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action, writer, visual and performing artist
      Shefali Shah, environmental justice educator and instructor of traditional dance
      
      
   5. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-284: Motion to approve the proposed 2009-2010 Management and Program Plan and budget for the Bayview Opera House, for a grant not to exceed $312,705, contingent upon completion of revisions and submissions.
      
      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (October 21, 2009)
      
   6. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-285: Motion to approve an honorarium payment of $400 to Ms. Justine Topfer to coordinate the opening reception/speaker event for the SFAC Gallery’s exhibition LUX at City Hall in mid-November, 2009.
      
      
   7. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-286: Motion to approve Music of Change, a 14' x 70' tiled mosaic mural on the Fell Street retaining wall between Pierce and Steiner Streets, at the rear of Ida B. Wells High School. The mural will be created by Kid Serve Youth Mural founder Josef Norris and 50 students from Ida B. Wells High School, in collaboration with the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association and the North of Panhandle Merchants Association. Work will commence in April 2010 and will be completed in December 2010.
      
      
   8. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-287: Motion to approve and accept into the Civic Art Collection NEVERODDOREVEN, 2009, a carved redwood sculpture by Living Lenses (Louise Bertelsen and Po Shu Wang), located in Courtyard J at Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center.
      
      
   9. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-288: Motion to approve the artwork proposal by Primitivo Suarez-Wolfe as recommended by the Church and Duboce Artist Selection Panel for the Church and Duboce Streetscape Improvement Project.
      
      
   10. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-289: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with Primitivo Suarez-Wolfe as selected by the Church and Duboce Artist Selection Panel for design, fabrication, transportation and installation consultation for artwork for the Church and Duboce Streetscape Improvement Public Art Project in an amount not to exceed $120,000.
       
       
   11. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-290: Motion to approve the artwork proposal by Matthew Passmore/REBAR, as recommended by the Leland Avenue Streetscape Artist Selection Panel, for the Leland Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project.
       
       
   12. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-291: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Matthew Passmore/REBAR for the final design of artwork for the Leland Avenue Streetscape in an amount not to exceed $7,000.
       
       
   13. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-292: Motion to approve revised Clare Rojas proposal for Boarding Area G at SFO, which adds a 4" frame around the image.
       
       
   14. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-293: Motion to approve a $25,000 grant from Public Utilities Commission art enrichment funds to Jennifer Alexander to create a temporary sculpture garden using recycled materials on a Public Utilities Commission parcel of land at 970 Hudson Ave.
       
       
   15. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-294: Motion to approve the artwork proposal by Michael Arcega as recommended by the Valencia Streetscape Artist Selection Panel, for the Valencia Streetscape Improvement Project.
       
       
   16. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-295: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Michael Arcega for the final design, fabrication, transportation and installation consultation of an artwork for the Valencia Streetscape Improvement Project in an amount not to exceed $52,000.
       
       
   17. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-296: Motion to de-accession from the Civic Art Collection Jacques Overhoff’s sculpture, Untitled, 1969, located at the Anna E. Waden Branch Library, as requested by the Library Commission.
       
       
   18. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-297: Motion to approve, at the Library Commission’s request, the demolition of Jacques Overhoff’s sculpture, Untitled, 1969, following the expiration of a 90-day notice period in which the artist or a party authorized by the artist is given opportunity to remove and relocate the artwork.
       
       Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (October 19, 2009)
   19. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-298: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Bayview Branch Library.
       
       
   20. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-299: Motion to approve Phases 1 and 2 of the Park Merced Monument Sign.
       
       
   21. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-300: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Mission Pool Renovation Project.
       
       
   22. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-301: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Groundwater Supply Well Station: Lake Merced.
       
       
   23. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-302: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Groundwater Supply Well Station: South Sunset.
       
       
   24. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-303: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Groundwater Supply Well Station: West Sunset.
       
       
   25. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-304: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Cayuga Playground with the contingency that the design team hold a design workshop prior to Phase 2 review.
       
       
   26. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-305: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Parkside Branch Library.
       
       Executive Committee Recommendations (October 26, 2009)
   27. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-306: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the San Francisco Symphony to produce twelve concerts during the 2009-2010 season, in an amount not to exceed $1,899,510.
       
       
6. New Fair Political Practices Commission’s Regulation on Gifts: Tickets or Passes to Events
   President Johnston introduced Deputy City Attorney Adine Varah, who represents the Arts Commission, and Deputy City Attorney Andrew Shen, who represents the Ethics Commission. Ms. Varah reviewed the regulation recently adopted by the California Fair Political Practices Commission (“FPPC”) regarding tickets to events distributed to public officials and employees. The new policy document presented to the Commission was very similar to those recently adopted by the War Memorial Board, the Asian Art Museum and other departments, and Ms. Varah and Mr. Shen recommended that the Arts Commission adopt it.
   
   Ms. Varah explained that if the Arts Commission gives tickets to an event to a public official or employee in furtherance of a public purpose in accord with the mission of the Arts Commission, the Arts Commission must report the names of those officials or employees who received the tickets. The recipients, if they are required to file a Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700), are not required to report such tickets as a gift. Under this policy, the recipients may not transfer the tickets to anyone other than their immediate family members.
   
   Mr. Shen explained that this represented not a dramatic change in state law or policy, but a change in reporting.
   
   In response to President Johnston’s question, Ms. Varah confirmed that this policy addresses tickets distributed by the Arts Commission, and not tickets given by other organizations to Arts Commissioners or staff. Ms. Varah and Mr. Shen answered questions from Commissioners to clarify the policy, and encouraged them to contact the City Attorney’s office with any questions that might arise later. They added that they expect further guidance from the FPPC in the coming months.
   
   There was no public comment. President Johnston presented the following resolution, which was unanimously approved.
   
   RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-307: Motion to adopt ticket distribution policy as required by the FPPC.
   
   
7. Nomination and Election of Arts Commission Officers—Nínive Calegari, Chair, Nominating Committee
   Commissioner Calegari gave the report of the Nominating Committee, nominating P.J. Johnston as Commission President and Maya Draisin as Commission Vice President. She reported that the Committee had great faith in the leadership of President Johnston and Vice President Draisin, and that they were deeply impressed and moved by how much time and heart they put into the Commission.
   
   She called for a vote, and the Commission unanimously elected P.J. Johnston as Commission President and Maya Draisin as Commission Vice President. Commissioner Calegari presented the following resolution, which was unanimously approved.
   
   RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-308:Motion to approve nomination and election of P.J. Johnston as Commission President and Maya Draisin as Vice President.
   
   President Johnston thanked the Commission. He acknowledged that the Commission Presidency is an intense time commitment, but said that it is a great honor to serve the City and the Commission in this capacity.
   
   
8. Committee Reports and Committee Matters
   1. Executive Committee—P.J. Johnston, Chair
      1. President Johnston reported that the Executive Committee discussed the allocation of funds from the Pops Concerts Fund, and commended Mr. Cancel and staff for stretching the dollars in a very difficult budget. Mr. Cancel explained that this represented an annual appropriation; in the previous year, this source had been tapped for the Mayor’s Art Award and the database project. President Johnston presented the following motion.
         
         
      2. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-309: Motion to approve the allocation of $100,000 from the POPs Concerts Fund to support several activities including the Mayor’s Art Award, the Arts Commission Gallery, Culture Wire, the Arts Commission Strategic Planning expenses, and other administrative functions.
         
         President Johnston noted that Mr. Cancel had earlier reported on the Mexican Museum. After some misgivings about taking on this challenge, President Johnston now wanted to thank him for his efforts, and he acknowledged the help provided by consultant Denise Bradley, present at this meeting. President acknowledged that there was still more to be done.
         
         
   2. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
      1. Commissioner Smith reported that the Committee reviewed several groundwater well stations whose revised designs they found much improved after a design charette with Public Utilities Commission and Bureau of Architecture staff and some of the Commissioners. The Committee is hopeful that this will set a good precedent for other big projects.
         
         The Committee sent the design for Cayuga Playground back to the design team, asking them to be more sensitive to the importance of this park. While the Committee thought the revisions were good, they thought one aspect needed further work
         
         
   3. Street Artists Committee—Maya Draisin, Chair
      1. President Johnston took this item out of order because Commissioner Calegari had to leave the meeting early, and the quorum would be lost. In the absence of Commissioner Draisin, Commissioner Melania reported that the Committee did not meet in October, and was looking forward to meeting the new advisory board. She invited everyone to come to the Committee’s next meeting.
         
         Commissioner Melania presented the following motions.
         
         
      2. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-310: Motion to approve requests by former certificate-holders for priority issuance of certificate with waiver of re-screening of wares: Felicia Renaud, Una King, Michael Johnson, Kenneth Negran, Chris Letsche, Fred Grandy, Owan Stenzel.
         
         
      3. RESOLUTION NO. 1102-09-311: Motion to approve honorarium payment of $300 plus cost of paint to Mario Hernandez for assisting Program Director in painting permanent spaces and temporary winter holiday spaces in the Downtown area.
         
         
   4. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—Maya Draisin, Chair
      1. In the absence of Vice President Draisin, and noting that Commissioner Calegari would have to leave early, President Johnston referred Commissioners to the minutes of the Committee’s last meeting.
         
         Ms. Nemzoff reported that Bayview Opera House had submitted its Management and Programming Plan (“MPP”), which the Committee approved. She noted that the Committee was very impressed with the community support evident at the meeting. Just before leaving this meeting at 4:05 p.m., Commissioner Calegari noted her appreciation of their beautiful annual report.
         
         President Johnston observed that the Opera House has come a long way, completing its long-overdue and much-needed audits, as well as a current MPP, thanks to Arts Commission staff. He noted that the Opera House will soon be temporarily shuttered for renovations.
         
         Opera House Board President Vernon Grigg said that the Opera House was very pleased to make its presentation to the Committee, and with its plans for the coming year. He agreed that it had been a long and difficult journey to restore the Opera House to health, and he wanted to thank the many people without whom it would not have happened, including the Commissioners, Mr. Cancel, Ms. Nemzoff, Ms. Bradley, Gerald Joseph, the Opera House board members, and acting director Barbara Ockel. He sees the Opera House now as proud and strong, and looked forward to working with the Commission.
         
         
   5. Visual Arts Committee—Lorraine García-Nakata, Chair
      1. Commissioner García-Nakata reported that the Committee discussed the element of partnerships with other City departments in getting projects done. They discussed the importance of respecting the limits—and not overextending—resources, budgets and staff time. They discussed the importance of sustainability, including the capture or reuse of materials and other resources, which also arises as a discourse within the artworks before the Committee.
         
         Commissioner García-Nakata reported that staff is working on honing and standardizing the panel review process, which she described as very strong. She thanked staff for their leadership.
         
         She also reported that the Committee discussed the importance of compromise, in the sense of meeting halfway in partnership, with other departments and parties involved in complex projects.
         
         Commissioner García-Nakata reported that the Committee reviewed a Public Utilities Commission enrichment proposal, as well as projects at the San Francisco Airport and branch libraries. She thanked staff for their tenacious work.
         
         President Johnston added that the Committee continues to grapple with the need to live within constrained budgets and resources, including long-term maintenance. Commissioner Chew reported that Time Magazine had recently covered Art in Storefronts as a dynamic San Francisco program.
         
         
9. New Business
   There was no new business.
   
   
10. Reports and Announcements
    Commissioner García-Nakata sadly reported the recent death of Norton Buffalo, a world-famous harmonica player who had performed with many San Francisco musicians. She explained that she had known him and had invited him to perform at San Quentin. She said that he was 58 years old, and that he had made a mark that would not be forgotten.
    
    Mr. Cancel reported that Commissioner García-Nakata and he had been appointed to the federal National Museum of the American Latino Commission (“NMALC”), which was created by the President to determine whether there should be such a museum and, if so, where. Mr. Cancel is Vice Chair of the site selection committee, and Commissioner García-Nakata is working on the vision committee. He reported that the NMALC would hold a meeting in San Francisco in 2010. Commissioner García-Nakata added that the NMALC is expected to report to the Congress at the end of two years. Their charge includes a full report on whether there should be a national museum, including feasibility. She is very excited to be undertaking this immense and historic project, awaiting it since the Smithsonian’s “Willful Neglect” report was published in the 1980s. She added that Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar is very interested in the NMALC’s work.
    
    Mr. Cancel added that the federal government was covering all of their expenses, and that no City funds were being used to support the project.
    
    Commissioner Haryati wanted to acknowledge the recent passing of landscape architect Lawrence Halprin at the age of 93. She said that his art and design intersect with the public life of the City, and that he created some of San Francisco’s signature open spaces, including the Embarcadero Center, Levi’s Plaza and Stern Grove. President Johnston added that former Commissioner Przyblyski had been a great proponent of his.
    
    President Johnston also noted that Commissioner Smith’s design for Oakland’s Lake Chalet restaurant received a great review in the San Francisco Chronicle.
    
    There were no other reports or announcements.
    
    
11. Public Comment
    There was no further public comment.
    
    
12. Adjournment
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned in memory of Norton Buffalo and Lawrence Halprin at 4:23 p.m.
    
    

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