May 26, 2010
COMMUNITY ARTS, EDUCATION, AND GRANTS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
3:30 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
The meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m.
Commissioners Present: Sherri Young, John Calloway, Sherene Melania, Maya Draisin
Staff Present: Director of Grants San San Wong, Cultural Equity Grants Program Associate Lucy K. Lin, Cultural Equity Grants Program Associate Weston Teruya, Cultural Equity Grants Program Assistant Corinne Matesich, Community Arts and Education Program Director Judy Nemzoff, and Community Arts and Education Program Associate Robynn Takayama.
1. Cultural Equity Grants Program (CEG) Director Report
Director of Grants San San Wong gave a brief introduction to CEG’s last grants round for the year, Organization Project Grants (“OPG”). With 100 to 150 grant applicants annually, OPG is CEG’s largest and most competitive grants category. Applications are separated into three categories: Visual/Literary/Media, Performing Arts/New Work, and Performing Arts/Presenting. This allows applications to be reviewed by panelists with specific expertise and experience. While all applicant organizations have budgets under $1 million, to ensure equity, applications are further reviewed in groupings based on budget sizes.
This year CEG received 105 applications, of which 44 were reviewed in Performing Arts/New Works, 34 in Performing Arts/Presenting and 27 in Visual/Literary/Media. Fifty-six are being recommended for funding, which is 54 percent of the applicant pool. The total amount in grant awards is $629,978. Staff estimates that our grant funds will leverage approximately $5.9 million in project activity throughout San Francisco.
Additionally, the staff’s efforts to encourage and support folk and traditional arts as well as first-time applicants yielded nine applications in folk and traditional arts, of which six were recommended for funding, and twelve applications from first-time applicants, of which two are recommended for funding.
Commissioner Young asked how the grant funds were allocated. Director Wong informed the Commissioners that funds are initially allocated based on the number of applications received in each grouping. Because there are many multi-disciplinary projects, funds are not solely allocated based on discipline.
Commissioner Calloway noted that there seemed to be fewer music applications funded and posited there may be an issue in the quality of the music applications received. Director Wong confirmed that there are definitely weaker applications and the panel review process is geared towards recommending applications of the highest quality.
Director Wong discussed an analysis of OPG grants by district, and said that CEG is continuing to refine the data analysis, as well as potentially increase technical assistance and outreach to under-funded districts. While the program may fund few organizations located in certain districts, it is funding activities that occur in those districts.
Ms. Lin introduced representatives from three organizations recommended for funding. Sean San Jose, founding member of the multicultural ensemble theater Campo Santo, spoke about the organization’s history of community engagement and their proposed project, “First Element,” which explores the history of street art in San Francisco’s Mission District through public events, an exhibition, and a full-length performance piece. Commissioner Calloway asked, in terms of accessibility, whether Campo Santo has thought about expanding the reach of their activities beyond the Valencia Street corridor. Mr. San Jose said that the organization was constantly engaged in such a conversation. Director of Cultural Affairs Cancel inquired as to how many people constitute Campo Santo. Mr. San Jose explained that Campo Santo has a large roster of participating artists, and at any given time, there could be 30 people working on a given project. Development & Communications Associate Juliana Sloane spoke on behalf of first-time CEG grantee, Voice of Witness, a nonprofit literary organization that focuses on contemporary human rights injustices. Ms. Sloane read an excerpt from their current project that is collecting and will publish the stories of incarcerated women. Joti Singh, Bhangra and West African dancer, choreographer, artistic director of Duniya Dance and Drum Company, will be collaborating with Ensambles Ballet Folklorico to create a dance performance that explores the little-known history of the Mexican Punjabi community in California. Ms. Singh shared photographs and documents from her preliminary research. Following the presentations, Ms. Lin shared a selection of images and details from the recommended grantees.
Community Arts and Education Program Director Nemzoff remarked on the beautiful list of diverse organizations were being recommended this year. Commissioner Melania was also enthusiastic about the grantee diversity and gave kudos to Director Wong for her leadership, which resulted in a funding rate of 53 percent.
Commissioner Young made the following motion:
Motion to approve recommendations to award fifty-six grants totaling $629,978 in the 2009-2010 cycle of Organization Project Grants to the following organizations and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreements with each for the amounts listed:
3rd i South Asian Independent Film Festival, $12,000
African & African American Performing Arts Coalition, $12,000
Arab Cultural and Community Center, $12,000
Arab Film Festival, $12,000
ArtSpan, $12,000
Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC), $12,000
Bayview Hunters Point Center for Arts & Technology (BAYCAT), $12,000
Bindlestiff Studio, $12,000
Campo Santo, $12,000
Charming Hostess, $9,563
Chhandam Chitresh Das Dance Company, $12,000
Circuit Network, $12,000
Contraband/Mixed Bag Productions, $12,000
CounterPulse, $12,000
Crowded Fire Theatre Company, $4,250
Cutting Ball Theatre Company, $12,000
DanceArt, Inc., $12,000
Deborah Slater Dance Theater / Art of the Matter, $12,000
Door Dog Music Productions, $12,000
Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco, $12,000
Epiphany Productions, $12,000
Flyaway Productions, $12,000
Galeria de la Raza, $12,000
Golden Thread Productions, $12,000
inkBoat, $12,000
Joe Goode Performance Group, $12,000
Kid Serve Youth Murals, $12,000
La Pocha Nostra, $12,000
Margaret Jenkins Dance Company, $12,000
Mary Sano and her Duncan Dancers, $2,990
ME’DI.ATE, $4,400
Museum of Craft and Folk Art, $12,000
Museum of Performance and Design, $12,000
Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, $12,000
OngDance Company, $12,000
Other Minds, $12,000
Out of Site: Center for Arts Education, $12,000
PhotoAlliance, $12,000
Push Dance Company, $6,375
Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project, $12,000
Radar Productions, $12,000
Root Division, $12,000
SAFEhouse, $12,000
San Francisco Camerawork, $12,000
San Francisco Hip Hop Dance Festival, $12,000
San Francisco Independent Film Festival, $8,000
San Francisco Mime Troupe, $12,000
San Francisco Silent Film Festival, $12,000
Shadowlight Productions, $12,000
Sixth Street Photography Workshop, $12,000
Southern Exposure, $12,000
Stephen Pelton Dance Theater, $12,000
The Bay Bridged, $6,400
Voice of Witness, $12,000
Z Space Studio, $12,000
ZACCHO Dance Theatre, $12,000
The motion was approved unanimously.
Director Wong informed the Commissioners that the grants cycle would start earlier next fiscal year in order to better accommodate the City’s budgeting process. She explained that over the past three years, the Grants Program had been cut over $1 million dollars to address the City’s deficit. Scheduling the CEG grants cycle earlier will allow the Program to encumber the majority of the funds by the third quarter. The order in which funding notifications and deadlines take place will be maintained in order to allow applicants to apply to various categories. Usually the CEG staff has a planning break during the summer, however, this year, the staff will have to work straight through. The staff is working extremely hard to simultaneously revise grant guidelines, prepare for rapidly approaching deadlines, and provide technical assistance.
In closing, Director Wong announced that Arts Forum is organizing a forum with the City’s upcoming electoral candidates and the arts community on the state of the arts. It will take place on August 17, 2010 at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
2. Community Arts and Education Program Director Report
Ms. Nemzoff gave a brief summary of the 2009-2010 year including the launch of Where Art Lives, StreetSmARTS, Art in Storefronts and Art Impact, all within six months. The results of all the programs exceeded staff expectations.
Art in Storefronts will launch in Chinatown on June 11, 2010. Lessons learned from the previous round were applied for a smoother implementation in Chinatown. Hard work on Art in Storefronts has been honored with 7x7 Magazine naming the program “Best Window Dressings.”
3. Cultural Center Report
Staff organized a two-part professional development workshop on individual fundraising for the Cultural Center directors and their boards of directors. The workshop leader, Rona Fernandez, will also provide one hour of consulting time for each of the Centers. This is workshop is an effort for SFAC to offer technical support to strengthen the Cultural Centers’ infrastructure.
Ms. Nemzoff informed the Commissioners that the Department of Real Estate ("DRE") promoted Tom Petersen, the building and grounds superintendent, in April. Mr. Petersen is assigned to SFAC as an on-call staff person in the case of an emergency, but he will no longer be available for policy development or project oversight. Ms. Nemzoff said this change in staff is extremely disappointing as she worked hard to create a staff position that would execute SFAC’s responsibility as landlords to the center. Lease agreements had been written with the building and grounds superintendant handling particular responsibilities. At the same time, funds for facilities improvements have significantly been cut. Ms. Nemzoff will continue to talk with DRE to develop a new model to support the Cultural Center buildings.
To introduce the following motions, Ms. Nemzoff explained that the Cultural Center grant amounts would be allocated after the City’s budget closed. Below are motions for twenty percent of the anticipated grant amount. The management and programming plans will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Commissioner Melania made the following motion:
Motion to approve a grant to the African American Art and Culture Complex for 2010-2011, not to exceed $78,666, with remaining grant allocation approved upon review of Management and Programming Plan and Budget.
Commissioner Young recused herself. The motion was passed by Commissioners Melania, Calloway, and Draisin.
Commissioner Calloway made the following motion:
Motion to approve a grant to Bayview Opera House, Inc. for 2010-2011, not to exceed $51,481, with remaining grant allocation approved upon review of Management and Programming Plan and Budget.
The motion was passed unanimously.
Commissioner Melania made the following motion:
Motion to approve a grant to the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts for 2010-2011, not to exceed $86,606, with remaining grant allocation approved upon review of Management and Programming Plan and Budget.
The motion was passed unanimously.
Commissioner Melania made the following motion:
Motion to approve a grant to SOMArts Cultural Center and sub-grantees for 2010-2011, not to exceed $128,626 (including $96,696 to SOMArts, $15,965 to sub-grantee Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center and $15,965 to sub-grantee Queer Cultural Center).
The motion was passed unanimously.
Ms. Nemzoff said Interim Director Barbara Ockel at the Bayview Opera House worked around the clock on Save America’s Treasures. An easement is being created with Architectural Heritage and the building will be listed on the National Registry.
4. WritersCorps Report
Ms. Nemzoff said WritersCorps served 700 youth in nine locations. She announced upcoming readings including an event at a Giants game on June 1, 2010.
5. Arts Education Report
Ms. Nemzoff said the Art Impact event with Vernon Davis was a huge success with 175 people attending the panel discussion filled with sport and art analogies. The fundraiser raised $5,000 for the Vernon Davis Scholarship. Staff made a three-year commitment to the scholarship. In the future, Art Impact and the Vernon Davis Scholarship fundraiser will be two separate events.
The anti-graffiti curriculum, Where Art Lives, was held at six schools, was taught by two teachers, and served 120 youth. The Department of Public Works is doubling their investment next year.
StreetSmARTS placed ten murals all over the city and a closing celebration will be held at the African American Art and Culture Complex on June 17, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
In the coming year, staff will be involved with evaluation of the Arts Education Master Plan, co-chaired by Frances Phillips with the Walter and Elise Haas Fund.
6. New Business
There was no new business.
7. Adjournment
As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:25 p.m.
