March 8, 2011
COMMUNITY ARTS, EDUCATION, AND GRANTSCOMMITTEE
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70
The meeting was called to orderat 3:11 p.m.
CommissionersPresent: Kimberlee Stryker, Jessica Silverman, and Sherri Young
Staff Present: Directorof Grants E. San San Wong, Community Arts and Education Program Director JudyNemzoff, Community Arts and Education Program Manager Robynn Takayama, CulturalEquity Grants Program Associate Beatrice Thomas, Cultural Equity Grants ProgramAssistant Corinne Matesich, and Community Arts and Education Program AssociateCristal Fiel
1. Cultural Equity Grants Program Director Report
Director of GrantsSan San Wong introduced the motion to approve the applicants recommendedthrough the panel process for the Organization Project Grants (“OPG”). OPG’spurpose is to support the creation and presentation of professional artsactivities in San Francisco; and the grant award amount is up to $15,000.Normally, Cultural Equity Grants (“CEG”) does not fund below 80% of therequest, however because arts funding continues to be hit hard by therecession, grants were awarded at 75% to stretch the dollars to as manyorganizations as possible. Of CEG’s grant programs, OPG has largest number ofapplications. This year OPG received 86 proposals, of which the program wasable to fund 65%. This strategy allows CEG to support more arts activitiesthroughout San Francisco in the economic downturn.
Ms. Wong gave abrief presentation on the characteristics of the applicant pool and announcedthe three recommended applicants that would be presenting to the Commissioners.She also introduced two CEG staff members that were present. Ms. Wong explainedthat while one staff member is usually assigned to manage a specific grant category,due to the high volume, three staff members are assigned to manage the OPGcategory. She mentioned that as program assistant, Ms. Matesich helps staffacross all categories, but has begun to take on more of the data analysis forthe CAEG presentations.
OPG applications arereviewed in three clusters based on discipline and creation or presentation:Visual, Literary, Media; Performing Arts—Presenting; and Performing Arts—NewWork. Within each cluster, applications are further reviewed by budget size inan attempt to group organizations by capacity. Panelists are selected for theirexperience and expertise for each cluster.
In this year’sapplicant pool, more projects in the disciplines of theater and dance werefunded. These two disciplines tend to be more practiced in the grant processand strong in the Bay Area, because there are strong service organizations,which provide advocacy and opportunities for professional development for bothindividuals and organizations. Ms. Wong also highlighted an increase intraditional and folk art proposals due to targeted outreach by CEG staff. CEG’s goal is toequitably distribute funds across a spectrum of organizations: new to moreestablished; larger to smaller budgets. Activity is fairly represented acrossthe districts with the least in the District 4 and the most in District 6.
Recommendedapplicant Litquake’s co-director, Jane Ganahl, spoke about the organization’seleven-year history as an annual citywide literary festival showcasing Bay Areaartists. Originally named Lit Stock, the festival started in 1999 with twentyauthors doing short readings in Golden Gate Park. The festival has experienceda steady increase in audience since it began: the first year brought anaudience of 400 people to a one-day event; the following year, Litquake hosted65 authors over three days with 700 attendees; and this year, the festival wasover a week long with 550 authors and over 13,000 participants. It has grown tobe one of the largest literary festivals in the nation. As the festival hasmatured, the programming has expanded to include readings, discussions andpanel events geared towards adults, teens and kids and presents nationally andinternationally. In the coming year, they will be launching Kidquake, a programdesigned to bring children’s authors into schools. Through cross-disciplinarycollaborations and programs like Lit Crawl, Litquake has served seasoned andemerging writers and has become an umbrella organization for a number of localliterary groups. They are recognized world-wide for their contribution to thediscipline and their awards are considered very prestigious. Commissioner Youngasked if there were similar organizations operating within the discipline. Ms.Ganahl responded that the existing organizations are more book oriented andsales driven. Ms. Nemzoff mentioned that Litquake has always been supportive ofthe Art Commission’s literary program, WritersCorps.
Next to present wereco-founders Kali Boyce and Celeste Chan of Queer Rebel Productions, whichpresents new interdisciplinary work that artistically explores the lives andhistories of LGBT people of color. The organization sprang from Boyce’sperformance work as King TuffNStuff; the last delta blues drag king, and aninterest in preserving the delta blues, an African American art form.
Planning for QueerRebel Productions began in 2009 with the intention of filling a void in SanFrancisco’s creative landscape through showcasing work by queer AfricanAmerican artists. Ms. Boyce described her belief in the importance ofre-imagining the past and allowing that to inform the present. The organizationdraws on the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance as inspiration because many queerartists were at the forefront of defining that trailblazing artistic movement,a movement which paved the way for the sexual freedoms of today. Theorganization presents high caliber intergenerational performances and fosterscommunity-building through panels and after-show events where artists mix withthe audience. Commissioner Silverman asked what kind of programming they hadcoming up. Ms. Boyce explained that they plan to present Queer Rebels of the Harlem Renaissance with new and returningartists and host an artist panel discussion at the African America CultureComplex. Commissioner Young offered congratulations on their success as a neworganization, which started in a recession, noting that the sold-out showsattest to the community need and service. Ms. Wong added that manyorganizations deeply rooted in specific communities are experiencing anincrease in ticket sales because their audiences are seeking communityconnection in response to the economic recession.
Patrick Makuakane,Director/Kumu Hula of Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, was the last recommendedapplicant to present. Mr. Makuakane began by expressing his amazement at howsuccessful they have been over the past 25 years. This year, the organizationwill be presenting Glorious San Francisco,a work that will celebrate the strong historic connection between SanFrancisco and Hawaii. Mr. Makuakane explained to the Committee that the BayArea is home to the largest population of Hawaiians living outside of Hawaii. Theorganization will be working collaboratively with a famous Hawaiian writer,whom they have commissioned to create some original pieces. In Hawaiianculture, hula is more than just a dance; it is synonymous with the culture. NaLei Hulu I Ka Wekiu began as a company with six dancers. It has now grown to 40company members and includes a dance school of over 300 students. CommissionerYoung asked where the organization was located and was curious about the originof banners she had seen in Hayes Valley. Mr. Makuakane explained that they werehoused in Potrero Hill and after 25 years he invested in street banners and busadvertisements, which resulted in increased attendance. He was delighted by theoutcome. The past year has been very fruitful for the Company: their hulasummit is going to be picked up by the Wall Street Journal; they are booked forperformance tours in Hawaii and in Washington D.C.; and recently, the Companyperformed a signature work with Roberta Flack. Ms. Wong added that theorganization has been funded through other CEG grant programs and that Mr. Makuakane’schoreography has been instrumental in the development of modern hula.Commissioner Stryker inquired about their outreach methods. Mr. Makuakanediscussed the following strategies: performances specifically for families; theimplementation of children’s classes; and language, dance and culture workshopsheld for San Francisco’s Hawaiian community.
CommissionerSilverman made the following motion:
Motion to approve recommendations to award fifty-five grants totaling$557,448 in the Organization Project Grants to the following organizations, andto authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreementswith each for the amounts listed:
African andAfrican American Performing Arts Coalition, $11,250
Asian PacificIslander Cultural Center, $11,250
Aunt Lute Books,$10,125
Bay Area NationalDance Week, $7,500
Bernal HeightsOutdoor Cinema, $3,414
borderOUT, $3,750
Campo Santo,$11,250
Center for the Artof Translation, $9,000
Central MarketArts, $9,000
Chrysalis Studio,$9,225
Circo Zero/ZeroPerformances, $8,378
Circuit Network,$11,250
CounterPulse,$11,250
Croatian AmericanCultural Center, $11,250
Crowded FireTheatre Company, $6,000
Cutting BallTheatre Company, $11,250
DanceArt, Inc.,$11,250
Dancers’ Group,$11,250
Del Sol PerformingArts Organization, $11,250
Eldergivers,$10,688
EpiphanyProductions, $11,250
EXIT Theater,$11,250
foolsFury TheaterCompany, $11,250
Golden ThreadProductions, $$11,250
Instant City: ALiterary Exploration of San Francisco, $1,080
Instituto ProMusica de California, $11,250
Kulintang Arts,Inc., $11,250
Litquake, $11,250
ManilatownHeritage Foundation, $8,044
Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu, $11,250
Other Minds,$11,250
Photo Alliance,$11,250
PlaywrightsFoundation, $11,250
Project Bandaloop,$11,250
Queer CulturalCenter, $11,250
Queer RebelProductions, $7,125
SAFEhouse, $8,550
San FranciscoCinematheque, $11,250
San FranciscoFriends of Chamber of Music, $11,250
San Francisco HipHop Dance Festival, $11,250
San FranciscoIndependent Film Festival, $9,975
San Francisco LiveArts, $11,250
San Francisco MimeTroupe, $11,250
San FranciscoSilent Film Festival, $11,250
San FranciscoTransgender Film Festival, $3,206
Scott Wells andDancers, $11,250
Sixth StreetPhotography Workshop, $10,125
Small PressTraffic Literary Arts Center, $11,250
Southern Exposure,$10,688
Stepology, $11,250
Switchboard MusicFestival, $6,450
Voice of Witness,$11,250
Volti, $11,250
Yerba Buena Artsand Events, $11,250
Z Space Studio,$11,250
Zambaleta, $10,125
Motion approvedunanimously.
2. Community Arts and Education Program DirectorReport
Community Arts and Education (“CAE”) Program DirectorJudy Nemzoff gave an overview and provided photographs of the sculptures tosupport the motion to enter into a grant agreement with Black Rock ArtsFoundation through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. The grantwould support Black Rock Arts Foundation to project manage the installation oftwo sculptures at U.N. Plaza and directly across the street at 1125 MarketStreet in front of the vacant lot next to the Strand Theater. The sculptures Valiant Flowerand Dandelion,by artist Karen Cusolito, will be unveiled on May 13, 2011, the same day as theArt in Storefronts launch. Ms. Nemzoff stated that these sculptures, inaddition to the light installations and Art in Storefronts, show the density ofactivity along Central Market Street that The ARTery Project strives for. SFAChas received cooperation and support from all the City approval processes,including Department of Public Works (“DPW”), Mayor’s Office on Disability, andthe Department of Real Estate.
Commissioner Stryker made the following motion:
Motion to enter into a grant agreement with Black Rock Arts Foundation for agrant not to exceed $35,000 for the installation of two sculptures along theCentral Market corridor as part of The ARTery Project, funded by the NationalEndowment for the Arts, Mayors’ Institute on City Design award.
The motion passed unanimously.
3. Arts Education Report
Arts Education Program Manager Tyra Fennell presented a report regardingthe recent expansion of the Arts Education program. Ms. Fennell stated that thedepartment includes herself; Arts Education Program Assistant Daryl Wells; CAEProgram Associate Cristal Fiel; consultant Jeffrey Kitrosser, who is evaluatingthe effectiveness of the Where Art Lives (“WAL”) program; and Cameron Moberg,teaching artist and coordinator of WAL.
WAL is a graffiti prevention program created by DPW and SFACthat teaches students in grades four through six the value of caring for publicspace and creating public art for the community. The program places graffitiartists in the classroom setting to teach the students graffiti art and the lawssurrounding vandalism. First launched in the fall of 2009, the program is inits second year and is currently at thirteen different school sites in SanFrancisco. Ms. Fennell stated that the original goal of the program was toteach at twelve different school sites, and she was happy to report that theyhave exceeded their goal. Mr. Kitrosser, a graduate student at U.C. BerkeleyGoldman School of Public Policy, is conducting surveys with the thirteen sitesto investigate the effectiveness of WAL. He will present his findings in May2011.
In conjunction with WAL, DPW and SFAC also launched StreetSmARTS in 2009, which connects private property owners with mural artiststo paint a mural on the property owner’s wall, thus preventing futurevandalism. The mural artists are selected by a panel of judges and added to theroster of artists on the CAE website. Property owners are then prompted tovisit the website to choose the top three artists they would like to work with.Ms. Fennell coordinates the matching of artists with property owners.
Ms. Fennell stated that the program focuses on properties inthe Chinatown, South of Market, and Mission districts—areas where vandalismmost frequently occurs. Currently, there are approximately fourteen completed StreetSmARTS sites, approximatelysixteen sites in negotiation, and 39 artists the property owners can choosefrom. All the artists from the 2009-2010 pool have completed at least one muralpainting.
Ms. Fennell reported on Daraja Means Bridge, a ten-weekliterary arts and photography program that connects technology, new media,social science, and the arts, providing an opportunity for young women tocommunicate with and learn from different cultures around the world. Ten tofifteen high school girls from San Francisco and ten to fifteen high schoolgirls from Daraja Academy of Kenya connect with one another via Skype fourtimes out of the ten weeks to stay updated on the progress of one another’sworkshops. Ms. Fennell reported that the Daraja coordinators are inconversation about creating an exhibit for the close of the program.
Ms. Fennell then moved on to speak about the Vernon Davisscholarship, which awards a graduating high school senior $5,000 to pursue anart degree in college. The first scholarship will be awarded by San Francisco49ers Tight End Vernon Davis during the Young at Art Gala at the de YoungMuseum on May 20. Ms. Fennell is also currently organizing a public art projectwith Vernon Davis and the Tenderloin Boys & Girls Club.
Ms. Fennell reported on another program, set to launch onMarch 21: the San Francisco Jamboree for Arts & Music (“SFJAM”). SFJAM is asix-week pilot program that harnesses technology to engage young people withthe arts in San Francisco. It is a mission-based online game that allowsparticipating students to connect with partnering organizations such as the deYoung Museum, complete missions, and collect points for prizes. There arecurrently four high schools that will be participating in the pilot program. Ifsuccessful, the program will expand next year.
The Arts Education program also provides support to the ArtsProviders Alliance of San Francisco (“APASF”), a consortium of over 80 artsproviders and organizations. SFAC acts as a hub of information for APASF,providing administrative support and professional development. APASF recentlyhosted a forum with San Francisco Unified School District Board of EducationPresident Hydra Mendoza. During the forum, APASF members discussed strategiesfor effectively engaging the school community in the arts. APASF expects tocontinue the discussion soon.
Ms. Fennell announced that the next Inside/Out arts education resource guide is set to be distributedin May 2011. Inside/Out is a resourceguide for parents and children who are looking for arts education programmingin San Francisco.
Upcoming events in Arts Education include the Mobile FreeWall painting activity, which allows the public to paint on a wall duringSunday Streets. The next Free Wall will be on Sunday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to3 p.m. Mural artist Chor Boogie will host the Free Wall activity.
4. Cultural Center Report
CAE Program Manager Robynn Takayama told the Committee thatshe would be holding a bookkeepers’ meeting in March for the Cultural Centersto share best practices and tighten internal procedures. Due to recent issuesthat have arisen with Cultural Center personnel, Ms. Nemzoff and Ms. Takayamawould review the Centers’ personnel and policy procedures, making sure thatbest practices are in place and being exercised.
Ms. Takayama stated that Director of Cultural Affairs LuisR. Cancel has been a strong advocate and supporter for the Centers’ ongoingneed for board development. Ms. Takayama has been working with a consultant todevelop a plan for professional development for the Centers’ board and staff.The consultant just accepted a full-time position, so she and Ms. Takayama arein conversation about transitioning to a new consultant.
Ms. Takayama gave an overview of Asian PacificIslander Cultural Center’s (“APICC”) midyear report, stating that theorganization shows an increase in events, attendance, and artists served due tothe increase in year-round programming. There is a good amount of individualdonor support, although earned income could be better. APICC has not held anycommunity support board meetings yet this year and will need to convene thefour required community support board meetings in the second half of the year.
Executive Director Vinay Patel invited Jen Banta,program coordinator of APICC, to the meeting. Mr. Patel explained that Ms.Banta, whose previous title was festival coordinator, shifted to programcoordinator this year, and he commended Ms. Banta for doing a great job so farby coming up with creative, year-round programming.
The midyear report showed that APICC has organizedmore collaborative events, during which APICC provided these organizations withfundraising, marketing, and technical support, thus fashioning themselves as aneconomic engine for artists and arts organizations.
This past half-year, APICC has been working onboard development, training, and recruiting new board members. Mr. Patelexplained that because of this, they hadn’t been able to hold community supportboard meetings.
One of APICC’s goals for the board is 100 percentgiving; right now, two out of six board members have donated. Ms. Takayamaexplained to the Commissioners that development consultant Kim Klein has statedit takes a year for a board to become a fundraising board, and another year tobecome a giving board. In this sense, APICC is on the right track. Mr. Patelsaid that the board president had really taken to transitioning to afundraising board.
In terms of revenue, APICC’s support includes theSan Francisco Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Patelexplained that they have new individual donors, but still need to ramp up theorganization’s individual donor campaign.
Since the beginning of the fiscal year, APICC hasbeen working on transitioning their programming from festival-specific toyear-round. The organization has a developed formal technical and professionalservice program for their artists, which includes social media training. InDecember, APICC collaborated with Kearny Street Workshop to present “LadiesWho’ve Launched: An Evening with Shailja Patel and Barbara Jane Reyes,” wherethe writers read excerpts from their recently published books. Otherprogramming thus far includes Lenora Lee’s Passage, adance and visual media event presented in conjunction with the Angel Islandimmigration anniversary, and Third Fridays, a program that curates artistexhibitions and hosts receptions in City Supervisors’ offices.
Commissioner Silverman commented that the movetoward year-round programming is great, but APICC should move toward moreevents and programming as sole presenters to develop a unique APICC community.Mr. Patel clarified that individuals within the APICC community come to bothsole presenter events as well as collaborative events. Ms. Banta said that assponsors, APICC helps market the events to pull in the organization’saudiences. This is different from co-presenting, where APICC and the partneringorganization work together on production. According to Mr. Patel, thedifference between event co-sponsorship and event co-presentation is a part oftheir strategy to transition to year-round programming.
Ms. Takayama gave an overview of Bayview OperaHouse’s (“BVOH”) midyear report, explaining that although the number ofself-produced events had gone down, the quality of events had improved, andrentals and audience attendance numbers had increased. A majority of thecontributed support to BVOH comes from Save America’s Treasures, with a smallamount of corporate and individual donations. BVOH recently hired a manager ofpublic relations, marketing, grants, and fundraising. The organizationis finding that it will take time to build relationships again after atumultuous history. Thusfar, BVOH has held two public board meetingsand will have the remaining two in the second half of the year to meet theircommunity support board requirements.
Barbara Ockel, interim managing director of BVOH,reviewed the organization’s programming to date, with their most successfulbeing the Dream Summer Arts program. The attendance for the 2010 program wentup by 50 percent from the previous year, with an increase in partners providinghigh-quality arts education, including the San Francisco Art Institute, BlueBear School of Music, Bayview Hunters Point Center for Arts and Technology(“BAYCAT”), and SF Cameraworks. Another successful program of BVOH is the FoodAwareness Project, which teaches children healthy eating habits by providingcooking and gardening classes. These classes, as well as the media-based andtraditional arts classes normally offered in the summer, were so successfulthat they increased programming into the fall.
Ms. Ockel stated that the Center offersafter-school classes including yoga, music, modeling, and gardening. Theseclasses boast 150 to 170 kids per week, with a majority of the studentsparticipating in the after-school program year-round. She stated that thestudents in the after-school programs show amazing dedication. The Center alsooffers daycare services and recently added a preschool program that offers atoddler/parent music class and classes for special needs students.
Ms. Ockel stated that BVOH had increased the quality of their events, which hasled to an increase in earned income revenues. Events include the holidaymerchant fair and tree lighting. At this year’s tree lighting event, currentDistrict 10 Supervisor Malia Cohen and former supervisor Sophie Maxwell were inattendance.
In terms of facilities improvements, the Center hascompleted historic preservation of the floor and proscenium. BVOH is pendingregistration on the National Register of Historic Places. Ms. Ockel stated thatnational registration would make BVOH eligible for historic preservation fundsavailable only to those on the National Register. Improvements to the southwall would cost an estimated $400,000. Ms. Ockel stated that the Center wascurrently researching grants to fund the historic restoration master plan.Improvements to the building have attracted partnerships with San FranciscoBallet, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, and San Francisco Museum of ModernArt.
Upcoming events at BVOH include a retrospectiveshow with the founder of the Hunters Point Shipyard artists’ colony, Jacques Terzian.There will be a celebration to honor him, with the date to be announced.
Commissioner Silverman noted that the report andthe Center’s efforts are great, but there was some confusion about theattendance numbers recorded for a meeting. Ms. Takayama stated that BVOH needsto work more on its administrative rigor. Community events like Open Studiosand the holiday events bring in large numbers of audiences that may not havebeen properly tracked.
Commissioner Silverman asked about board giving.Ms. Ockel stated that the board is in the process of revising the bylaws sothat it is mandatory for the board members to contribute financially to theorganization.
Commissioner Silverman commented that when shevisited the space, it was great to see so much activity going on that day,including all the different classes with the kids.
Ms. Nemzoff commented that due to the tumultuoushistory of the Center, BVOH is still working on stabilizing its board andrelationships. Ms. Ockel has been focusing on program development and Ms.Nemzoff was optimistic that over the course of the next year, the general attentionand attitude toward BVOH would start to shift.
Ms. Takayama also commented that it is difficultfor BVOH to move forward with fund development and relationship-building whenthe Center still has an interim director. The board is still in the process ofhiring a permanent director.
Ms. Ockel stated that Rebecca Gallegos, theCenter’s new public relations, marketing, grants and fundraising manger, hadsubmitted many grant applications, but due to BVOH’s history, funders doubt theCenter’s ability to execute the work.
Commissioner Young asked why the board had nothired a permanent managing director. Ms. Ockel stated that hiring was takinglonger than anticipated because the board wants it to be a public process. Ms.Ockel announced that she would be one of the applicants.
Ms. Nemzoff stated that Director Cancel spoke tothe BVOH board president and offered that SFAC be a part of the search committee.Director Cancel is concerned with the need for new board members. SFAC and BVOHhave set up a meeting with new District 10 Supervisor Malia Cohen to show howBVOH plays a critical role in the district. Ms. Nemzoff stated that she wasoptimistic that the board will be revived with new energy.
With regard to the recent personnel issue, Ms.Nemzoff stated Commission Vice President JD Beltran wrote a letter in responseto an individual who called several SFAC staff expressing concerns about thedirection of BVOH. The board supported the decision to let go one of BVOH’semployees, as the employee was not productive. Ms. Nemzoff and Ms. Takayamawill review the Center’s personnel manual to be sure it includes guidelinesabout familial ties and conflicts of interest, as the former employee was thedaughter of a board member.
Commissioner Young commended Ms. Ockel for the workthat she has done for BVOH thus far.
5. WritersCorps Report
There was no report presented.
6. New Business
Ms. Takayama told the Commissioners that Frozen San Francisco would occur in The ARTery Project zone at U.N.Plaza on Wednesday, March 9 from 5:30 to 5:35 p.m.
Ms. Takayama announced that CAE had received over 50 applications for Artin Storefronts. Art in Storefronts on Central Market will launch on May 13.
Ms. Nemzoff announced that WritersCorps will hold the Poetry ProjectionProject film event in April. Peter Bratt, writer and director of La Mission, will judge the filmsubmissions.
7. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:09 p.m.
