July 26, 2010

MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OF THE ARTS COMMISSION

Monday, July 26, 2010
3:00 p.m.
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70

Minutes

President Johnston called the meeting to order at 3:04 p.m.
 

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   P.J. Johnston, President
   Maya Draisin, Vice President
   JD Beltran
   Sherri Young
   
   Commissioners Absent
   Cass Calder Smith
   
   Staff Present
   Director of Cultural Affairs Luis R. Cancel
   Cultural Equity Grants Program Director San San Wong
   Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie
   
    
2. President’s Report
   President Johnston made no report, but said that the Committee should be sure to have the first quarterly report on the strategic plan in October.
   
    
3. Director’s Report
   Mr. Cancel reported that staff was still working on the Citywide performance review process, and that he had asked Director of Programs Jill Manton to bring the goals and measures for that process in line with what the agency is trying to accomplish with the strategic plan. For each staff position, it should be clear what they are doing, how it ties in with the strategic plan, and how their success will be measured. In response to Commissioner Beltran’s question, Mr. Cancel explained that these goals and measures are based partly on what staff have been doing, and will incorporate the strategic plan’s goals and measures. He added that he expected to finalize the review document later in the week, and to be able to present the first quarterly review of the strategic plan at the October meeting of the Executive Committee.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported that the final reading of the budget by the Board of Supervisors was scheduled for July 27, and that so far, everything propsed by the Mayor for the agency was still in place, including the funding for staff positions and existing programs. While he did not expect any last-minute changes, he warned that the process was not over till the final vote was tallied. President Johnston added that with the final agreements reached by the Board in the previous week, any one change would affect the entire budget agreement. Ms. Manton thanked Mr. Cancel and Director of Finance Kan Htun for their work on the budget. Mr. Cancel added his thanks to Commissioners, friends and family, and to the Mayor.
   
   Ms. Manton proposed nominating Mayor Newsom for the United States Conference of Mayors’ annual award to recognize his support in an extremely devastating year. President Johnston concurred, adding that the Conference meets in January and in July.
   
   Mr. Cancel raised the question of the Mayor’s Art Award, noting that it was first scheduled in October to coincide with National Arts and Humanities Month. In order to present the next award in October, 2010, planning would need to begin immediately and move very quickly. Mr. Cancel wondered whether to try to hold the next award soon or wait until there is a new mayor. The Committee expressed some support for scheduling the award before the end of Mayor Newsom’s term, and President Johnston volunteered to contact the Mayor’s office and discuss it with them. He noted that the most recent recipient of the award, Carlos Santana, had such a full calendar that the event was not able to be held in, or near, October, 2009.
   
   Mr. Cancel reported that he had attended a summer celebration luncheon at Bayview Opera House, and found it gratifying to see the many young people participating in the programs there. He noted that the summer program was held in big classroom-sized tents outside the building while the floor was being replaced. He reported that the floor was almost finished, and that the second or third coat of varnish was being applied. He said that the floor was beautiful, quite a transformation from the linoleum, worn wood and asbestos that was there before the restoration. He reported that there is also a problem with an exterior retaining wall, and that the Opera House is working with the Bureau of Architecture (“BOA”) to assess the extent of the damage. Ms. Nemzoff added that they are awaiting a final report, and will need to hire a structural engineer. She explained that BOA will provide a comprehensive estimate and schematic drawings. Mr. Cancel said that he is working with staff, the Mayor’s office, Supervisor Maxwell’s office and the Opera House leadership to cobble together funds to make the needed repairs.
   
    
4. Historical Preservation Easement for Bayview Opera House
   President Johnston presented the motion below regarding the historical preservation easement for the Opera House, and the Committee reviewed a draft of the easement agreement. Ms. Nemzoff explained that the easement was a condition for the award of grant funds being used to restore the Opera House, that the fee for San Francisco Architectural Heritage will be paid out of the grant funds, and that the Arts Commission will not have to pay anything. She added that because the building is already designated as a City landmark, there are rules that have to be followed about any work done. She explained that the final easement will have to be signed by Mr. Cancel on behalf of the agency.
   
   President Johnston requested an update from Development Director Rachelle Axel at the next meeting of the full Commission on grants received, and on successes and challenges in fundraising. Ms. Manton said that it has been a terrific year.
   
   The motion was approved as follows.
   
   Motion to direct Arts Commission staff to continue meeting with San Francisco Architectural Heritage, a California nonprofit corporation, to discuss the terms of a proposed 50-year preservation easement to protect the historical features of the Bayview Opera House.
   
    
5. San Francisco Symphony Agreement
   Ms. Manton explained that the agreement with the San Francisco Symphony would continue the model established in 2009, sponsoring twelve concerts throughout the year rather than concentrating on the summer pops series. The agreement calls for the Arts Commission to be recognized as an institutional donor in all programs and printed materials, as well as on the website and in any announcements made at the concerts. Ms. Manton added that Arts Commission staff referred Futuro Picante to the Symphony, and they may be part of a Day of the Dead concert. Staff is thinking of other ways to expand the partnership, which she said is working well.
   
   In response to a question by Commissioner Beltran, President Johnston explained that the Arts Commission is one of the oldest chartered municipal arts agencies in the country, and part of its original mandate was the support of a symphony orchestra. Over the years, he said, the San Francisco Symphony has developed as an independent nonprofit with its own significant economic resources, while the relationship persists in the City Charter. He explained that some years ago, the Arts Commission and the Symphony came to an agreement whereby the Commission serves as an instrument to provide funding for the Symphony and 40% of that funding comes back to the Commission. The Commission has to some extent collaborated with the Symphony, but the Symphony has basically done programming on its own. Ms. Manton explained that the Arts Commission does not have authority to determine programming.
   
   President Johnston agreed that the Commission should not dictate Symphony programming. He did consider it appropriate for the Commission to promote community access and diversity, and to encourage the Symphony to incorporate new faces in both performers and audiences. Mr. Cancel added that the new agreement, in shifting away from the Summer in the City series, presents opportunities throughout the year. Ms. Manton added that the agreement gives the Commission the opportunity to have a presence and display its projects at all of these concerts.
   
   The motion was approved as follows.
   
   Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the San Francisco Symphony to produce twelve concerts during the 2010-2011 season, in an amount not to exceed $1,910,283.
   
    
6. POPS Fund Expenditure
   Mr. Cancel explained that tthe POPS fund has in past years been used to fund several projects, such as the Mayor’s Art Award, the Gallery, and development of the agency’s combined database. This year, he intends to use it to fund the administrative costs for the San Francisco JAM (“SFJAM”) project previously presented to this Committee.
   
   President Johnston noted that the Communications and New Media Committee made a phenomenal presentation at the recent meeting of the full Commission, and he was very impressed with how effectively the database and other IT resources have been used.
   
   Vice President Draisin wondered whether SFJAM would use the $10,000 allocated to do a report that would tell the agency that it needed to spend $200,000 to build the project it wants. Mr. Cancel explained that they have private donations, and that this allocation will fund a pilot project for five high schools for six weeks. The hope is that it will scale to cover more of the school district, and eventually reach all of San Francisco’s students, and they hope that it will spread virally to students outside San Francisco. SFJAM will use the current allocation, along with private donations, to provide proof of concept.
   
   Vice President Draisin said that SFJAM already had the project in a form that excited this Committee, and had discussed private fundraising for $10,000 eight months earlier. She wondered what the next step was.
   
   Mr. Cancel answered that the prototype presented to this Committee was related, but not exactly what the agency would like to do. The funds in this current allocation were to pay for the Arts Commission’s project. President Johnston added that it was not enough money for SFJAM to squander on anything else.
   
   Ms. Manton asked about the relationship of the Arts Commission and the San Francisco Unified School District, and whether it was too much of a one-way relationship. She cited the Arts Education Master Plan, StreetSmARTS, Where Art Lives and Art Impact, where she felt that much of the legwork was done by the Arts Commission without enough support from the District. She wondered whether the Arts Commission should seek more of a partnership with the District.
   
   Commissioner Young said that she thought the Commission was linking the District with arts resources, and reaching a younger audience, and she saw the SFJAM project as part of that. President Johnston thought the Commission could decide if these are things it wants to do, and shouldn’t look to the District for more. He added that when the Arts Commission undertakes an arts education project, the Commission has decisionmaking power, and can decide if it is in the Commission’s interest or mission, without having to go through the state’s curriculum committee, for example. He sometimes wished that the Commission had more control regarding the Arts Education Master Plan, while noting that voters did decide to pay for arts in the schools.
   
   Commissioner Beltran said that while a more vigorous partnership would be good, she thought that if the Commission didn’t do some of these things, they wouldn’t get done. She added sympathetically that the District is already subject to pressure from all directions.
   
   The motion was approved as follows.
   
   Motion to approve the allocation of $100,000 from the POPS Fund to support several activities including the Mayor’s Art Award, the Arts Commission Gallery, San Francisco JAM and other administrative functions.
   
    
7. Old Business
   Mr. Cancel reminded the Committee that the Arts Commission’s strategic plan included the creation of a “friends of the arts” organization. He reported that he had been invited to a dinner where former Commissioner Dede Wilsey was also in attendance, and she sent best wishes, and said that she missed everyone. He added that she will be sponsoring an event for the National Museum of the American Latino Commission at the de Young Museum on August 19. He thought that if the Arts Commission were indeed to start a friends of the arts organization, she would be an ideal chair or co-chair. He added that staff and current Commissioners couldn’t serve in that organization.
   
   In response to a comment by Vice President Draisin, Mr. Cancel explained that the Arts Commission has submitted an application for fiscal sponsorship to Intersection for the Arts. The Committee discussed possible next steps, including possible members, and how funds might be used. Mr. Cancel added that the Commission’s 80th anniversary was coming soon, and he hoped to have support for that commemoration. President Johnston asked Commissioners to submit names to Mr. Cancel.
   
    
8. New Business
   Mr. Cancel announced that he would be on vacation in Brazil from September 17 through October 10, immediately following his trip to Washington, DC for the National Museum of the American Latino Commission’s final report on September 15.
   
   Ms. Manton announced that she had been invited to a conference in Sweden on diversity in the arts. She explained that the Osher Foundation was paying for her airfare and hotel. She expected to speak about the Cultural Centers and about a number of Arts Commission projects. The conference is scheduled for September 21, and she planned to take a vacation afterwards. She welcomed ideas from the Commissioners about topics she should discuss.
   
    
9. Public Comment
   There was no further public comment.
    
10. Adjournment
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:01 p.m.

11/1/10 spr