August 10, 2010

COMMUNITY ARTS, EDUCATION, AND GRANTS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
3:30 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70

The meeting was called to order at 3:37 p.m.

Commissioners Present: Sherri Young, John Calloway, Sherene Melania, Maya Draisin, Jessica Silverman

Staff Present: Director of Grants San San Wong, Cultural Equity Grants Program Associate Lucy K. Lin, Cultural Equity Grants Program Associate Beatrice Thomas, Community Arts and Education Program Director Judy Nemzoff, Arts Education Program Manager Tyra Fennell, and Community Arts and Education Program Manager Robynn Takayama.

1. Cultural Equity Grants Program Director Report
Commissioner Melania made the following motion:
Motion to approve the following individuals as grants application review panelists for Cultural Equity Grants:
Anushka Fernandopulle, nonprofit, public, and corporate sector consultant, leadership coach and facilitator
Nadine Ghammache, Director of Individual and Community Giving, La Peña Cultural Center
Karen Kwan, Institutional Gifts Officer, Community School of Music and Arts Mountain View
Jeremy Liu, Executive Director, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC)
Byron Johnson, Senior Project Director, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services
Sharon Maidenberg, Executive Director, Headlands Center for the Arts
Lourdes Portillo, filmmaker
The motion was approved unanimously.

Director Wong welcomed Commissioner Silverman to the Community Arts, Education, and Grants Committee (“CAEG”).

Ms. Wong stated that as it was the beginning of a new fiscal year, her report would focus on providing Commissioners with an overview of the history, purpose, structure, and priorities of the Cultural Equity Grants program (“CEG”). She spoke about the circumstances leading to the founding of the Cultural Equity Endowment legislation, and that currently CEG administers seven core grant programs that support individual artists and art organizations with budgets under one million dollars, with emphasis on supporting artists and arts organizations rooted in historically underserved communities.

When Ms. Wong took on the role of CEG Program Director, four years ago, she retooled the existing grants program by creating a more complex program delivery system which expanded from solely grants, adding knowledge building, partnership and visibility and education, as well as implementing new programs to address the changing demographics and cross-sector collaborations, such as the Arts and Communities: Innovative Partnerships grant program (“ACIP”).

Commissioner Draisin asked how CEG identified “historically underserved.” Ms. Wong responded that the definition is in the Cultural Equity Endowment legislation. Ms. Wong further explained that the staff has been working on building more comprehensive data collection tools.

Commissioner Young expressed concern about the low number of Latino grantees. Ms. Wong stated that the statistics were only for individual artists and that the numbers increase when Latino arts organizations were included. Commissioner Draisin questioned whether the underserved communities are the same now, as in 1993 when CEG was founded. Ms. Wong replied that such an assessment would require more information than is currently available. She reminded Commissioners that CEG is planning to undertake a series of ecology scans, of which one will specifically focus on the Latino community.

Commissioner Melania felt that the number of individual artist applicants was low. She wondered if the numbers indicated a lack of awareness about the grants program. Ms. Wong informed the Commissioners that due to the increased outreach efforts of Program Associates Lucy Lin and Weston Teruya, over 100 new people attended the Individual Artist Commission (“IAC”) application workshops and the number of applicants increased from 64 last year to 94 this year. She further explained that the IAC grant program alternates between performing arts and visual, literary and media arts each year. It is usual to see a large difference between disciplines because generally performing arts are collaborative or ensemble forms, and require a company structure to support the production of work. Those companies and ensembles are also eligible to apply in the Organization Project Grants category. This year, IAC serves visual, literary and media arts. These disciplines tend to be more solitary forms so the number of applications from individual artists in these disciplines is historically higher.

This past year, CEG focused on having more return panelists in order to give panelists more experience. Ms. Wong noted that more first-time panelists require more staff time spent on training and orientation. Commissioner Draisin asked about the strategy behind selecting panelists. Ms. Wong explained that panelists are selected based on expertise and experience, and to reflect San Francisco’s demographics and characteristics of an applicant pool including discipline, proposed projects/initiatives, etc.

Ms. Wong reported that through her efforts, CEG has developed strong partnerships with in the grantmaking community. Through these collaborations, CEG is able to offer quick turnaround loans through Northern California Grantmakers’ Art Loan Fund and quick turnaround professional development grants for organizations and individuals through the Creative Capacity Fund.

The Native American Arts and Cultural Traditions grant program (“NAACT”) was developed to support arts and culture within the American Indian, Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Indigenous South American communities. In order to increase technical assistance to grant applicants, CEG brought onto staff Jaime Cortez. This strategy allows CEG to take a more active role in building capacity within the Native arts communities, and help artists and organizations become more competitive with other funders.

The California Cultural Data Project (“CCDP”) is a data collection, management and analysis system developed by The Pew Charitable Trusts as an attempt to standardize data. A number of funders across California are currently requiring it as part of their application process. In the end, funders are hoping to glean information about arts and cultural organizations in order to better formulate policy.

Commissioner Calloway asked if nominal progress has been made, after 17 years of working towards cultural equity. Ms. Wong stated that in terms of financing, cultural equity had not been reached; distribution of funding resources is still not equitable. Over the years, many organizations rooted in historically underserved communities have found it difficult to adapt. Government funding which was meant to redress disparate funding was discontinued, such as the Expansion Arts Program of the National Endowment for the Arts and the California Arts Council that made up a large percentage of organizations’ budgets. Then, many organizations also lost a source of earned revenue after 9-11 with a significant decrease in touring especially for culturally specific companies.

Commissioner Melania asked if the rise in immigrant populations would require structural changes. Ms. Wong responded that changing demographics have helped to bring on more discussions in the arts field about broadening the definition of art and cultural practice, the relationship between “concert” art and cultural participation, and artistic production, organizational models and community engagement in the informal art sectors.

Commissioner Draisin said she liked CEG’s approach because it is designed to put money into sustainable organizations. She also asked if the demographics of the underrepresented have changed with in San Francisco, since the program began. This led to a further discussion about the rapidly changing demographics of San Francisco’s neighborhoods, and the necessity to value a symbolic cultural legacy of a community whose population number may be decreasing. Director of Community Arts and Education Judy Nemzoff noted that the cultural centers are facing the same issue—how does one continue to support one’s community, as the community shifts and changes? Commissioner Draisin closed by posing a question for consideration of CEG’s responsibility to preserve the history and tradition of a geographic location even if the demographic profile of its current residents has dramatically changed.

2. Community Arts and Education Program Director Report
Ms. Nemzoff said the CAE budget had not yet been finalized, as staff was waiting to hear about a grant to bring another round of Art in Storefronts into four neighborhoods. She also announced that SFAC has received a prestigious grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to turn Central Market into an arts destination. With this expansion, she had been looking at organizational capacity and staff capacity, and was promoting Program Associate Robynn Takayama to program manager. Ms. Takayama will oversee the Art in Storefronts and Cultural Centers programs. With that good news, Ms. Nemzoff handed the Cultural Center reporting on to Ms. Takayama.

3. Cultural Center Report
Ms. Takayama distributed a timeline for Cultural Center reporting. She noted a change requested by Director of Cultural Affairs Luis R. Cancel: next year the final reports will be reviewed before the Management and Programming Plans (“MPP”) for the following fiscal year.

Ms. Takayama said that the Bayview Opera House (“BVOH”) had made remarkable improvements to their internal structures. They are also focusing on developing a three-year strategic plan to guide the staff and board. Partnerships have been leveraged for their current success. They partnered with youth arts groups with strong curriculum to teach in their summer youth program, Dare to Dream. Groups include BAYCAT, Blue Bear School of Music, Art Institute, and CameraWork. They are also participating with the city’s community and cultural events like Open Studios and Sunday Streets, and are making themselves available for rentals by the community. Ms. Takayama noted the facilities work at the Center that makes the building more attractive for rentals, such as refinishing the auditorium floor and restoring the proscenium arch on the indoor stage, covered by the Save America’s Treasure grant; converting the lower yard into a garden landscape with chickens and a vegetable garden; stabilizing the balcony; making the main floor accessible to people with disabilities; and improving the plaza. The BVOH budget looks healthy with board donations, as well as an ambitious individual donor campaign.

Commissioner Silverman said the partnerships with high-profile organizations look interesting and asked how successful the Friday Night Jive had been. Ms. Ockel said the evening was packed and people had been excited to see the restored floor. Ms. Ockel added that Dare to Dream would continue year-round as an afterschool program, and she hoped to expand it into the holiday break and during school furlough days.

Commissioner Calloway said he was happy to see stability at BVOH and added that the building felt more accessible and welcoming. He applauded Ms. Ockel for her efforts to position BVOH as the cornerstone of the community.

Commissioner Young added that under Ms. Ockel’s leadership, remarkable transformations had occurred. She asked for Ms. Ockel to clarify on the MPP which programs were produced by BVOH and which were rentals. Ms. Takayama said that this detail had been left out on both BVOH’s and SOMArts’ reports and will be corrected before submission to the full Commission. Ms. Ockel responded that even rentals by groups like SFMOMA require BVOH resources. Nonprofit organizations receive a discounted rate, and staff are present to assist the renting organization, greet guests, and build relationships with new audiences.

Commissioner Young asked about the California Data Project (“CDP”) report, since many funding opportunities require participation in the project. Ms. Takayama said that the CDP was not required for the MPP, but the budget follows the CDP’s expense lines. She added that the CDP for FY 09-10 would be presented in February 2011.

Commissioner Young recalled her concern about a new board member taking on the duties of both secretary and treasurer. Ms. Ockel said that a different board member took on the responsibility of co-treasurer.

Ms. Nemzoff noted that the BVOH staff had almost fully transitioned under Ms. Ockel’s leadership. She completed all of BVOH’s financial audits and initiated facilities work before the Save America’s Treasures grant expired. At a meeting earlier in the day, Ms. Nemzoff said, BVOH was awarded a grant from the Preservation Committee to move the building onto the historic register.

Commissioner Draisin and Commissioner Melania commended Ms. Ockel’s tremendous leadership.

Commissioner Melania made the following motion:
Motion to approve the Bayview Opera House 2010-2011 Management and Program Plan and grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $312,705, pending any required changes.
The motion passed unanimously.

Ms. Takayama said SOMArts’ primary goals for FY 10-11 would be to activate the classrooms and studio spaces, tighten the organization’s technological infrastructure, and assess their programs with attention to mission and financial-related growth. As mentioned before, SOMArts will need to revise their programming report to include details on which events were rentals, but Ms. Takayama added that providing affordable space to the community is part of the Cultural Center program’s mission and should not be undervalued. In addition to programming events and providing an affordable rental space, SOMArts also offers fiscal sponsorship to over ten cultural organizations and provides technical support to organizations and events throughout the city. Staff will re-submit the budget to make the formatting consistent, but Ms. Takayama noted an increase in concessions, ticket sales (due to more SOMArts-produced events), and board contributions (board members are now required to make a meaningful contribution).

Commissioner Melania reiterated the value of low-cost rentals and mentioned that she talked with Director Lex Leifheit, who said the board and staff are wrestling with the question of who makes up the SOMArts community. Commissioner Melania said she learned that SOMArts is experimenting with different workshops to test out what the community wants. Commissioner Melania also reported that filling two full-time positions helped with the sustainability and growth of the Cultural Center. Ms. Nemzoff said staff reorganization can be painful, but is often part of a transition. Commissioner Draisin said that Ms. Leifheit helped the organization through a huge transition and that she did a great job.

Ms. Leifheit appreciated the thorough review of the MPP. She said that with the Cultural Center funding preserved, she would be more proactive about broadening the organization’s reach in the community and serving its mission.

Ms. Nemzoff said that CAE staff continued to develop professional development workshops for the Cultural Center board and staff. Last year the workshop focused on individual giving, and the lessons learned were reflected in SOMArts’ and BVOH’s budgets.

Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (“APICC”) Director Vinay Patel said the improvements to the theater and appearance of the building have made a huge impact on the space. When his staff prepared for their annual United States of Asian America Festival, they thought they would need four hours to clean and prepare the space, but that wasn’t necessary. The artists whom APICC worked with agreed that the space had been radically improved.

Commissioner Melania made the following motion:
Motion to approve SOMArts Cultural Center 2010-2011 Management and Program Plan and grant agreement in an amount not to exceed $587,343, pending any required changes.
The motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Draisin said she appreciated that Commissioners Silverman and Melania called to talk with the Cultural Center directors prior to this meeting.

4. WritersCorps Report
Ms. Nemzoff said that the motion below does not include the full roster of teaching artists, but responds to the budget approved by the Board of Supervisor and the Mayor. This year’s cohort of teachers includes three returning teachers and one new teacher, Minna Dubin, who has experience working with incarcerated young women. She’ll be working with youth at Juvenile Hall. Ms. Nemzoff said that she hoped a motion to hire two more new teachers could be taken to the full Commission for approval.

Commissioner Young made the following motion:
Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the following teaching artists to work in the WritersCorps program for 2010-2011:
Martha Aracely Gonzalez, $36,700
Carrie Leiser-Williams, $37,410
Richard D’Elia, $36,120
Judith Tannenbaum, $59,000
Minna Dubin, $32,400
The motion was passed unanimously.

5. Arts Education Report
Ms. Fennell gave a quick overview of the programs she is currently managing. She said that the Where Art Lives program would grow at the request of the Department of Public Works. She said she had been meeting with administrators at the lowest performing schools to encourage them to participate in this vandalism prevention program. As she passed around graphic proofs, she announced that Where Art Lives posters would be installed along Market Street on September 2 for three months.

The Wall Street Journal printed an article and an online photo slide show and video on StreetSmARTS. In a partnership with Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (“MCCLA”), MCCLA would host a panel discussion on Saturday, August 14 with StreetSmARTS artists talking about how their work ties in to the mural movement.

The Art Impact discussions will continue with a panel planned at San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association on the intersection of business development and the arts.

The Vernon Davis Scholarship will launch in September with a citywide recruitment campaign encouraging high school youth to apply.

Arts Education staff will help organize the annual Arts Education Resource Fair at the African American Art and Culture Complex on September 15, and San Francisco Unified School District Liaison Kevin Truitt will present a professional development training to the Arts Providers Alliance on September 23.

Commissioner Draisin asked if the San Francisco Jamboree software would fall under the Arts Education program. Ms. Fennell said she would help determine what some of the program’s “missions” would be and make them specific to San Francisco and art and culture.

5. New Business
Commissioner Melania announced that she would be leaving the Commission to attend graduate school at Harvard. Everyone sent her warm wishes for her upcoming year.

6. Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m.