City and County of San FranciscoSan Francisco Arts Commission

 

 

 

 

Meeting of the Full Arts Commission

 

 

Monday, May 5, 2003

3:00 p.m.

25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 70

San Francisco, CA 94102


 

 

Minutes

Vice President Roth called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m.
  1. ROLL CALL

    Commissioners Present
    Kirk Anderson
    Blanche Brown
    Andrea Cochran
    Rod Freebairn-Smith
    Ralph Guggenheim
    Eddie Marshall
    William Meyer
    Janice Mirikitani
    Denise Roth
    Barbara Stauffacher Solomon
    Dugald Stermer

    Commissioners Absent
    Stanlee Gatti
    Dede Wilsey
    Ethel Pitts Walker

  2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

    The following Resolution was Moved by Commissioner Roth, Seconded, and unanimously Adopted:

    RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-097: APPROVAL OF MINUTES ADOPTED
    RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby approve the Minutes of the Regular Monthly Meeting of April 14, 2003.

    NOTE: ALL ADOPTIONS ARE UNANIMOUS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

  3. PRESIDENT'S REPORT
    Vice President Roth stated that the day's meeting is dedicated to the memory of Ella King Torrey. She added that a memorial service is planned for Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.

  4. DIRECTOR'S REPORT
    Director of Cultural Affairs Richard Newirth stated that he is quite unhappy to report that the City's budget is being cut drastically. Currently every source of revenue for the City is down, including Property Taxes and the Hotel Tax Fund. The Arts Commission is being dramatically affected and will have three layoffs effective July 1, 2003. Those staff layoffs are: Michele Liapes, Public Information Officer; Juan Martinez, Accountant; and Thien Lam, Arts Education Program Assistant. Mr. Newirth explained that two of the positions are being cut due to an additional shortfall of $100,000 in the General Fund allocation to the Arts Commission. These two layoffs are in keeping with City Hall's emphasis on reducing administrative positions rather than program positions. Mr. Newirth added that both Michele Liapes and Juan Martinez have seniority and it is hoped that they will retain employment with the City. The third layoff of the Arts Education Program Assistant is the result of loss of funds from the California Arts Council which had previously funded that position. Until there is some stability with the State budget, which should be finalized in the fall, it is uncertain whether there will be more layoffs. The Arts Commission has been receiving grants from the California Arts Council for WritersCorps and the Arts Education Funders Collaborative. Because the Governor has proposed a 50% cut to the California Arts Council, it is uncertain how these programs will be affected.

    Commissioner Mirikitani stated that with regard to the diversity of programs run by the Arts Commission, she wondered how such a drastic change in the staff infrastructure would affect the organization. Because the staff members carry out the vision of the Commission, she inquired how the Commissioners can be of support to the staff. She also asked what the vision is for the agency and the staff and wondered how the cuts will affect programming.

    Mr. Newirth stated that the Arts Commission is first attempting to manage these layoffs and will then engage in a strategic plan. He added that he would appreciate the Commissioners' involvement with staff on the strategic plan.

    Commissioner Mirikitani stated that this issue should be addressed in the Executive Committee and that it should be added to next month's agenda.

    Mr. Newirth continued his report by stating that in this past month he met with Pat Johnson who was previously at the Department of Cultural Affairs in Chicago and is now the Director of the Museum of the African Diaspora. Mr. Newirth explained that this new museum is modeled after the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. and will present traveling exhibitions as well as permanent exhibitions.

    Mr. Newirth reported that he also met with Moy Eng of the Hewlett Foundation to discuss the possibility of convening a meeting of arts funders in the Bay Area to develop a unified message to give to arts organizations. Funding for the arts in the Bay Area had been around $70 million two years ago and is now down to $30 million. Mr. Newirth emphasized the importance for funders to have a single message to give to arts organizations that addresses this issue.

    Mr. Newirth announced that the next event as part of "Sculpture in the City" will be on May 8th at the San Francisco Zoo from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. This event will include a dedication of two art projects: "Cougar III" and "Tiger 2" by Gwynn Murrill and "Split Mound" by Barbara McCarren and Jud Fine. Mr. Newirth encouraged the Commissioners to attend.

    Mr. Newirth stated that Isis Rodriguez, one of the artists working with the Public Art Program, will be having a reception on May 23 as part of her residency at Sunset Scavenger Sanitary Fill Company.

    Mr. Newirth announced that WritersCorps will be having a reading and reception at the San Francisco Main Library on May 28. Mr. Newirth stated that this event is always one of the Arts Commission's best events.

    Mr. Newirth reported that there has been a proposal to remove the fountain at U.N. Plaza which has been sent to the Board of Supervisors Land Use Committee and will soon be sent to the Full Board of Supervisors. Because the fountain is a commissioned work of art, Mr. Newirth added that if this proposal passes, it may trigger protection rights from the Visual Artists Rights Act and the California Art Protection Act in addition to Civic Design Review approval.

    Mr. Newirth announced that Natasha Garcia-Lomas, Arts Commission Gallery Manager, has opened her own gallery called Manolo Garcia Gallery located in the Lower Haight. The first exhibition features work by Libby Black who has recreated out of paper the downtown Louis Vuitton store. Mr. Newirth stated that Ms. Garcia-Lomas would be happy to give Commissioners a tour of the exhibition.

    Mr. Newirth concluded his report by presenting two Public Service Announcements produced by the Ad Council that credit the San Francisco Arts Commission. He stated that local stations have donated time to air these announcements which are part of an important and timely campaign for art and education.

  5. CONSENT CALENDAR

    RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-098: ADOPTED UNANIMOUS
    Approval: RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby adopt the following items on the amended Consent Calendar and their related Resolutions:

    Approval of Committee Minutes

    1. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-099: Motion to approve the Community Arts & Education Committee Meeting April 8, 2003.
      Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes

    2. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-100: Motion to approve the Civic Design Committee Meeting Minutes of April 21, 2003.
      Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes

    3. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-101: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of April 16, 2003.
      Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes

    4. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-102: Motion to approve the Street Artists Committee Meeting Minutes of April 9, 2003.
      Explanatory Document: Draft Committee Minutes

      Community Arts & Education Committee Recommendations (04/08/03)

    5. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-103: Motion to approve the Programs in the Community (PIC) grant to the following PIC grantee organizations, recommended by the PIC review panel, from the 2003-04 Grants for the Arts Fund, pending written confirmation from Grants for the Arts:

      Central City Hospitality House $15,000
      Chinatown Beacon Center $15,000
      Eldergivers $15,000
      Larkin Street Youth Center $15,000
      Richmond District Neighborhood Center $15,000
      Rose Resnick Lighthouse for the Blind & Visually Impaired $8,250
      San Francisco Women Against Rape $ 8,661
      St. John’s Educational Thresholds Center $16,800
      Western Neighborhoods Project $15,120
      Youth Outlook! (Pacific News Service) $15,000

      TOTAL $138,831

    6. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-104: Motion to approve payment from Grants for the Arts funds for honoraria and transportation reimbursement for Programs in the Community panelists:
      Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley (Dana Powell) $167.06
      Amy Taub $125
      Sherri Young $125
      Charles Wilmoth $134
      Miko Lee $143.08

      Civic Design Committee Recommendations (04/21/03)

    7. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-105: Motion to approve Helen Wills Park and Clubhouse Renovation Phase 3.

    8. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-106: Motion to approve Octavia Boulevard Improvement Project Phase 3.

    9. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-107: Motion to approve Hayes Green Phase 3 contingent upon deletion of Palm trees at the center of the park and addition of palm trees at the northern end of the park.

      Street Artists Committee Recommendations (04/09/03)

    10. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-108: Motion to approve rescission of the amendment to Lottery Rule V which prohibits any Lottery Committee member who has served for twelve (12) months consecutively from being considered at the next time of the Committee's selection of members; rescission of amendment for the duration of one year subject to the rescission's continuation unless a complaint warrants a new hearing on the issue.

      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (04/16/03)

    11.  RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-109: Motion to enter into contract with Genevieve Baird of Baird/Reif Art Conservation for maintenance of the Monuments on Market Street for an amount not to exceed $25,000.

    12. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-110: Motion to enter into contract with Architectural Resources Group for the restoration of the Portals of the Past monument in Golden Gate Park for an amount not to exceed $191,000.

    13. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-111: Motion to approve the design of a bronze plaque to mark the Russian Hill Cemetery to be given by the United Humanitarian Mission with support from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

    14. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-112: Motion to approve the following pool of arts professionals to serve on upcoming panels for new Public Art Projects commencing in 2003, including, but not limited to: Ocean Avenue Streetscape Project, Recreation and Parks 2003 Pre-Qualified Artist Pool, Hamilton Pool and Rec. Center, SOMA Rec. Center: Regina Almaguer, Public Art Curator/BART Consultant; Roger Baird, Chair of the Art Department at City College; Mike Blockstein, Ex-ED, Southern Exposure/Artist; Don Douglass, GSA Fine Arts Program; Courtney Fink, ED Southern Exposure; Donna Graves, Public Art Curator; Leslie Holzman, Public Art Coordinator, City of Oakland; Steve Huss, Public Art Program, Alameda County; Mark Johnson, Artist/Faculty, SFSU; Chris Johnson, California College of Arts & Crafts (CCAC); Leonard Hunter, Artist/Faculty, SFSU; Clara Kim, SFMOMA Associate Curator, New Langton Board Member; Marina McDougal, CCAC; Tara McDowell, Assoc. Curator, SFMOMA; Karen Moss, SFAI Walter McBean Gallery; Anna Nabokov, SFAI; Rachel Osajima, Artist/Curator, SF Craft and Folk Art Museum; Sabina Ott, SFAI Graduate Program Director; Mary Rubin, San Jose Public Art Program; Joe Sam, Artist; Saudi Sanchez, San Jose Public Art Program; Donna Schumacher, Artist/Architect; Moriah Ulinskas, Artist/Artists & Education Program Director, Southern Exposure; John Weber, SFMOMA; Lewis Watts, Artist/Faculty UC Berkeley.

    15. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-113: Motion to accept the recommendation of the staff committee to decline the gift of Peace Angel.

    16. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-114: Motion to accept the recommendation of the staff committee to decline the gift of a memorial to David Brower titled Spaceship Earth.

    17. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-115: Motion to approve Victor Zaballa's final designs for the Visitacion Valley Clubhouse.

    18. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-116: Motion to accept into the Civic Art Collection four light sculptures by R.M. Fischer titled Union Square Colonnade, 1999-2002, aluminum, stainless steel, granite, commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission for the Union Square Improvement Project.

    19. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-117: Motion to approve the Selection Panel's recommendation of the proposal by Wang Po Shu for the Octavia Blvd. public art project.

    20. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-118: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Wang Po Shu for the design development of his proposal for the Octavia Blvd. public art project for a total amount not to exceed $7,500.

    21. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-119: Motion to approve the guidelines for Selection of Artwork for the Recreation and Park Department Bond Projects.

    22. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-120: Motion to approve the proposed change to the Art Enrichment Guideline.

  6. Committee Reports

    1. Civic Design Committee--Stanlee Gatti, Chair

      1. Report from Chair of Civic Design Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.

    2. Visual Arts Committee -- Ralph Guggenheim, Chair
       
      1. Report from Chair of Visual Arts Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.

    3. Street Artists Committee - Dugald Stermer, Chair

      1. Report from Chair of Street Artists Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.

      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-121: Motion to approve requests by former certificate-holders for priority issuance of certificate with waiver of re-screening of wares: Michelle Hanson, Vicky Carp, Gary Lam, James Brady.

      3. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-122: Motion to approve requests by applicants for waiver of 15-day obtaining certificate: Chris Pendergast and Cindy Louie.

    4. Executive Committee -- Stanlee Gatti, Chair

      1. Report from Chair of Executive Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.

    5. Community Arts & Education --Denise Roth, Chair

      1. Report from Chair of Community Arts & Education Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.

      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0505-03-123: Motion to modify the approval to authorize Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Courtney Utt not to exceed $6,500 for the design of the WritersCorps 2003 anthology project from Youth Arts Fund (Resolution No. 0414-03-070 ) to not exceed $9,200 from Youth Arts Fund.

  7. Reports and Announcements

  8. Public Comment

  9. Adjournment

    There being no further business, the Meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

    Approved by Richard Newirth, Director of Cultural affairs

    RN/sw/05/05/03




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