Community_Arts_and_Education_Committee
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 COMMUNITY ARTS, EDUCATION, and GRANTS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
4:30 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
San Francisco
Minutes
The meeting was called to order at 4:37 p.m.
Commissioners Present: José Cuellar, Maya Draisin, Sherri Young
Staff Present: Nancy Gonchar, Judy Nemzoff, San San Wong, Catherine Direen, Robynn Takayama, Lucy Lin, Ebony McKinney
- Cultural Equity Grants Program Director Report
Cultural Equity Grants Program Director San San Wong asked the Committee to approve the recommendations for twenty-one grants in the Individual Artist Commissions grant category. The panel reviews were held in November 2007. Individual Artist Commissions rounds rotate between visual, literary, and media arts in one year, and the performing arts: dance, music, and theater the next. This year's grants are for the performing arts. Ms. Wong distributed a document containing a quick overview of the number of Individual Artist Commissions applications. Cultural Equity Grants Program was able to fund 66% of the applications. The deliberation process was centered on the level of quality in the applications and the capacity to meet the criteria for review. While the percentage for funding is high, the applications recommended are of high quality and the panel felt confident they will take place without any question.
Commissioner Draisin asked what the consideration was for the different amounts granted. Ms. Wong responded that for three applicants, the panel thought they had promise and wanted to take a risk but was hesitant, since the artists are younger and emerging. Commissioner Draisin inquired about Devorah Major, as she does not fit into that category. Ms. Wong replied that Ms. Major's application came in with questions around it.
Commissioner Draisin continued to say she was happy about the high percentage of applicants that are funded and inquired about the policy for partial funding.
Ms. Wong responded that Cultural Equity Grants will begin evaluation of the grant programs, but the current policy is that Cultural Equity Grants does not recommend funding anything below 75% of the request. She said that to award a grant that is less than 75% of the request would require a change in the scope of the project. Staff will be sitting down with applicants and reviewing their projects during the contracting process. The strength of the peer panel review process is to improve projects and allow applicants to receive feedback.
Commission Cuellar asked if the panel was confident that the applicants funded at $7,500 would be able to complete the proposed projects. Ms. Wong confirmed that this was one of the panel's priorities.
Commissioner Draisin made the following motion:
Motion to approve recommendations to award twenty-one grants totaling $202,500 in the 2007-2008 cycle of Individual Artist Commissions grants to the following individuals, and to authorize the Interim Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreements with each for the amounts listed:
Florante Aguilar, $10,000
Sia Amma, $7,500
Brenda Aoki, $10,000
Sean Dorsey, $10,000
Kim Epifano, $10,000
Cris Forster, $10,000
Guillermo Gomez-Peña, $10,000
Frederick Harris, $10,000
Mark Izu, $10,000
Rocco Kayiatos, $10,000
Jenny Jo Kristan, $10,000
Carla Lucero, $10,000
Devorah Major, $7,500
Sara Shelton Mann, $10,000
Maxine Moerman, $10,000
Alleluia Panis, $10,000
Kirk Read, $7,500
Gang Situ, $10,000
Matthew Graham Smith, $10,000
Melody Takata, $10,000
Erling Wold, $10,000
Motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Wong continued to the second motion to approve panelists for the grants review process. She explained that the individuals made up a combination of artists, presenters, producers, and educators, some based in San Francisco and others from outside the city to guard against conflicts of interest.
Commissioner Young made the following motion:
Motion to approve the following individuals as grants application review panelists for Cultural Equity Grants:
Idris Ackamoor, Executive Director/Co-Artistic Director, Cultural Odyssey
Eloise Burrell, Vocalist, Percussionist, Event Producer, Cultural Heritage Choir
Gina Gemello, Projects Director, Aunt Lute Books
Anjee Helstrup-Alvarez, Associate Director, Curator, Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana
Dr. Anne Huang, former Executive Director, Oakland Asian Cultural Center
Connie Hwong, Grants Manager Bay Area Video Coalition, former Managing Director, Kearny Street Workshop
Jo Kreiter, Artistic Director, Flyaway Productions
Yesenia Sanchez, Fiscal Sponsorship Coordinator, Intersection for the Arts
Melanie Smith, Executive Director, San Francisco Girls Chorus
Charles Wilmoth, Associate Director of Development, California Institute of Integral Studies
Motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Wong announced that on Monday, December 10, 2007, Cultural Equity Grants held the first panel meeting for this round of Cultural Equity Initiatives - Level 1 grants for organizations with budget sizes under $150,000. Cultural Equity Initiatives - Level 1 grants go toward capacity-building and infrastructure for arts organizations. On Thursday, December 13 and Friday, December 14, 2007, the panel will be reviewing applications from organizations with budgets from $150,000 to $1 million. On Friday, December 14, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., after the panel review, the panelists will be participating in a policy discussion on topics such as macro-policy in the field and what we have seen historically. The discussion will also cover arts organizations rooted in underserved communities and the prevalent issues such as diversified income streams and generational leadership changing.
On Thursday, December 13, the panel will also be reviewing the International Arts Festival Request for Proposals. There are two respondents for that grant category. The next time Cultural Equity Grants will be holding grants reviews will be for the Organization Project Grants in February and March of 2008.
- Community Arts and Education Program Director Report
Ms. Nemzoff reported that staff is ramping up for a busy season including WritersCorps' partnership with Intersection for the Arts and the Arts Education program's forums and workshops. She also reminded the Committee that the Arts Education program is working with the San Francisco School Alliance to translate the Arts Education Master Plan into Cantonese and Spanish.
The Arts Education Funders Collaborative (“AEFC”) ends this fiscal year. Staff will determine what role the Arts Commission will play in continuing some of services AEFC provided. For example, the Arts Education staff will likely take the lead on publishing future editions of Inside Out: A Guide to Arts and Arts Education Resources for Children and Teens in San Francisco.
Ms. Nemzoff reported that staff continues to try to raise funds to maintain the Cultural Center facilities. The SFAC development director created a packet to help raise funds for Bayview Opera House's (“BVOH”) renovations.
Also, the pilot consultancy for the Cultural Centers to work with CompassPoint on board development, personal coaching, and technical workshops is underway. Staff will ask for feedback in the spring.
Ms. Nemzoff summarized the progress made on the Neighborhood Arts Program (“NAP”) 40th anniversary celebration. The celebration will include a series of conversations with elders in San Francisco community arts with their counterparts from the next generation, marketing of current programming by community arts organizations that have a history with NAP, and a reunion party on Saturday afternoon, April 26, 2008. Sam Chanse from Kearny Street Workshop will be the project director. The advisory committee will be chaired by Roberto Vargas. Staff will commission a commemorative poster for the event that will be posted throughout the city.
Commissioner Cuellar suggested that staff write an NAP executive summary so that our audience understands the history and impact of the program. Jennie Rodriguez from the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (“MCCLA”) suggested an online timeline where individuals could post their relationship to the program.
- Cultural Center Report
Ms. Nemzoff provided historical information to prepare the Commissioners for a discussion on funding to the American Indian community from Cultural Center funds. The legislation's goal was to support the organizations' infrastructure and insure that the centers with buildings served their communities, neighborhoods, and beyond by supporting these three additional centers. Originally, each “virtual” center was housed at the three largest buildings. Over the past three years, they become sub-grantees of SomArts and are required to adhere to all of the guidelines and reporting requirements of the Cultural Centers.
The Native American Cultural Center (“NACC”) did not serve its constituency very well nor meet SFAC requirements. Last year, the Controller's Office ordered NACC funds to be withheld. That order continued into this fiscal year.
Commissioner Cuellar continued the discussion with plans to make this funding available to the American Indian and Native American community of San Francisco and address the cultural needs that have not been served by NACC. Commissioner Cuellar read the proposed motion.
Commissioner Draisin asked for clarification that the sub grantees grant go to SomArts and that AIM-West is a different entity serving the American Indian community than NACC.
Tony Gonzalez, director of AIM-West, made a presentation.
Commissioner Young asked about staffing and noted her concerns with the budget in Mr. Gonzalez's proposal. She would like to see money earmarked for artists, exhibits, and marketing. She asked what other funding sources Mr. Gonzalez anticipated.
Ms. Wong asked how the organization would be evaluated. Ms. Wong added that it will be important to include input from artists and arts organizations in the evaluation.
Mr. Cuellar called for public comment.
Kim Shuck, former interim director of NACC, said the contemporary Native American arts scene in the city is alive right now and she encouraged Mr. Gonzalez to find a way to distribute the funding to the community, if the proposal is funded.
Ms. Rodriguez, MCCLA, asked whether AIM-West would become the replacement for NACC. Commissioner Cuellar responded that the success of the organization would be reviewed, and the Commission would continue to discuss the relationship between the Commission and the centers, those with buildings and those without. He added that this motion would distribute funds to the American Indian community without making a permanent commitment.
Mr. Rivera said that SomArts would work to welcome the Native American community into SomArts and supports the proposal.
Ms. Rodriguez offered advice to Mr. Gonzalez: the grant is a serious commitment and the requirements call for solid management and operations. She said that the success of an individual is a success for the Cultural Center consortium, but failings of a center reflect poorly on the consortium. She offered Mr. Gonzalez support from her organization.
Commissioner Cuellar said Mr. Gonzalez should consider programming in the Cultural Centers, focusing on both native and immigrant Indians.
Commissioner Young made the following motion:
Motion to increase the 2007-2008 grant agreement to South of Market Cultural Center and sub-grantees for a total grant not to exceed $871,789, (including $583,012 to SomArts, $96,259 to sub-grantee Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center, $96,259 to sub-grantee Queer Cultural Center, and $96,259 to sub-grantee AIM-West) pending completion of required paperwork from AIM-West.
The motion passed unanimously.
Ms. Nemzoff said AIM-West should present a complete Management and Programming Plan and Budget to the full Commission.
Ms. Nemzoff reported that BVOH will make a presentation on their accomplishments in January, and she summarized some of their organizational and programmatic progress. She said she will ask for the report in advance of the presentation so that the Commissioners can read it ahead of the meeting.
- New Business
Commissioner Cuellar suggested that the CAEG Committee explore what role the agency can play in preparing our artists for potential natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina. Ms. Wong said that the Haas Fund is interested in this topic. Ms. Nemzoff said that Mr. Petersen is preparing the Cultural Centers to become emergency response centers. Commissioner Draisin added that we should think about how artists contribute to the re-building.
- Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
12/27/07 RT
