MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, June 4, 2018
9:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m.
Port Commission Hearing Room, Second Floor
San Francisco Ferry Building
 

Minutes

President Beltran called the meeting to order at 9:13 a.m.

1. Roll Call
    
   Commissioners Present
   JD Beltran, President
   Roberto Ordeñana, Vice President
   Charles Collins
   Simon Frankel
   Mary Jung
   Abby Sadin Schnair (left after 1:00 p.m.)
   Marcus Shelby
   Janine Shiota
   Jessica Silverman
   Barbara Sklar
   Lydia So
   Paul Woolford (arrived at 2:00 p.m.)
    
   Commissioners Absent
   Dorka Keehn
   Sherene Melania
   Kimberlee Stryker
   Rich Hillis, ex officio
    
    
2. General Public Comment
   There was no public comment.
    
3. Consent Calendar
   There was no public comment, and the Consent Calendar was approved unanimously as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-166:
   Approval: RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby adopt the following items on the Consent Calendar and their related Resolutions:
    
   1. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-167: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of May 16, 2018.
       
      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (May 16, 2018)
       
   2. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-168: Motion to approve Helene Fried, independent curator, as a Public Art Program Panelist for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 Fiscal Years.
       
   3. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-169: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to approve honoraria payments of up to $10,000 for San Francisco Arts Commission public program services including, but not limited to, workshops, lectures, panel discussions, performances, brown bag lunch discussions, literary readings, film screenings, community forums, and off-site projects.
       
   4. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-170: Motion to approve the mural designs of Ocean Bloom by artists Hye Yoon Song, Paul Mullowney, Autumn Swisher and Youth Art Exchange Printmaking and Photography Students. The vinyl wrapped murals will be on ten utility boxes along Ocean Avenue, at the corners of Howth Street, Dorado Terrace, Geneva and Phelan, Lee, Brighton, Plymouth, Miramar, Faxon, Ashton, and Victoria Avenues. The vinyl wrapped murals will be installed on ten utility boxes that measure approximately 60 in. by 36 in. by 17 in. The project is funded by the San Francisco Arts Commission Special Project Grant by the D7 Participatory Budget Process, and is sponsored by the Youth Art Exchange; the vinyl wrapped murals will not become part of the Civic Art Collection. The approval is pending a signed memorandum of understanding from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
       
   5. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-171: Motion to approve the addition of a gobo light projection of new sister city, Kiel, Germany, to Shining Paths: San Francisco’s Sister Cities, by Lewis deSoto, and the removal of the gobo light gel for Osaka, Japan at San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Boarding Area G.
       
   6. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-172: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with the selected artist Antony Gormley for conceptual design, final design and engineering of an artwork for the Treasure Island Waterfront Plaza Public Art Project in an amount not to exceed $157,350 pending approval of the Treasure Island Development Authority.
       
   7. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-173: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with the selected artist Pae White (DBA Pae White Studio, Inc.) for conceptual design, final design and engineering of an artwork for the Treasure Island Building One Public Art Project in an amount not to exceed $99,350 pending approval of the Treasure Island Development Authority.
       
   8. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-174: Motion to approve a) the completed sculptural bust by Bruce Wolfe of former mayor Gavin Newsom and the design of the sculpture pedestal and proposed text and b) approval to issue a Conditional Letter of Acceptance upon receipt of executed donor and artist agreement and completion of all outstanding contract requirements. The sculpture is a gift of ArtCare, a nonprofit organization.
       
   9. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-175: Motion to approve the selected artist Favianna Rodriguez and conceptual proposal for artwork(s) for the Animal Care Facility Public Art Project as recommended by the artist selection panel.
       
   10. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-176: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Favianna Rodriguez for an amount not to exceed $310,000 for design, fabrication, transportation, and installation consultation of artworks for the Animal Care Facility Project.
        
   11. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-177: Motion to approve the installed artwork Everywhere a Color by Leah Rosenberg at the San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Boarding Area G, Gate Room 96.
        
   12. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-178: Motion to approve the final design development documents and construction document phase deliverables for Johanna Grawunder’s artwork, Coding, for the San Francisco International Airport: Long Term Parking Garage 2 Public Art Project.
        
   13. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-179: Motion to approve the final design development documents and construction document phase deliverables for Sarah Cain’s artwork, Untitled, for the San Francisco International Airport: AirTrain Public Art Project.
        
   14. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-180: Motion to approve the conceptual design documents phase deliverables for Dana Hemenway’s artwork, The Color of Horizons, for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1 Center Public Art Project.
        
   15. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-181: Motion to approve the selected finalists Spencer Finch (DBA Spencer Finch Studio and represented by Lisson Gallery), Jorge Pardo (DBA Jorge Pardo Sculpture LLC) and Eva Schlegel (represented by Gallery Wendi Norris) as recommended by the selection panel for the San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 1, Boarding Area B, End of Pier Project.
        
   16. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-182: Motion to approve the final design development documents and construction document phase deliverables for Woody De Othello’s sculptures, Timekeeper, Light, and Turn, for the San Francisco International Airport: International Terminal, Boarding Area G Terrace.
        
   17. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-183: Motion to approve Kaiser/von Roenn Studio as the selected fabricator for artist Tomie Arai’s Central Subway: Chinatown Station Public Art Project, as recommended by the Artwork Fabricator Selection Panel.
        
   18. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-184: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Kaiser/von Roenn Studio for an amount not to exceed $294,400 for final development of artwork design specification, fabrication, transportation and installation consultation of an artwork by Tomie Arai for the exterior and platform level of Central Subway: Chinatown Station.
        
   19. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-185: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a contract with the selected artist Hiroshi Sugimoto (DBA Door Four LLC) for design, fabrication, transportation and consultation during installation of an artwork for the Treasure Island Yerba Buena Hilltop Park Public Art Project in an amount not to exceed $1,750,000 pending approval of the Treasure Island Development Authority.
        
       Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (May 21, 2018)
        
   20. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-186: Motion to approve Phase 3 Changes of the AirTrain Extension and Improvements Lot DD Station Project.
        
   21. RESOLUTION NO. 0604-18-187: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Margaret Hayward Playground Renovation Project contingent upon: 1) extending the restroom benches back to 18” or removing them; 2) updating the front addition Golden Gate Avenue façade with concrete wall extension and raising the heights to match the building’s datum line; 3) sending an updated landscape plan; and 4) sharing these contingency updates for administrative review with Civic Design Review staff and Committee Chair.
        
4. Advancing Racial Equity: The Role of Government
   There was no public comment on this item.
    
   Commissioner Silverman entered the room at approximately 9:15 a.m. Vice President Ordeñana entered the room at approximately 9:18 a.m.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny explained that staff had had prior training focusing on the core value of racial equity, but that this was the first time for the combined Commission and staff. The training was led by Dwayne Marsh and Leslie Zeitler of Race Forward and the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (“GARE”), with Zoe Polk of the Human Rights Commission, who leads the City’s participation in GARE, encompassing some thirty departments.
    
   Commissioners moved from the dais at the front of the room, dispersing to tables around the room, with no more than two Commissioners at any table, and several staff members at each table. The facilitators introduced an exercise conducted simultaneously at each table, where participants introduced themselves by name and role, briefly described experiences and resources they brought to the conversation, and said what they hoped to leave with to advance the Arts Commission's efforts to promote racial equity.
    
   The facilitators described GARE and Race Forward, and discussed the reasons for “leading with race.” They described three pillars in addressing racial equity: normalizing conversations about race, organizing internal structures and partnerships, and operationalizing racial equity tools.
    
   Commissioner Collins left the room at approximately 9:45 a.m., and Commissioner Jung entered the room at approximately 9:45.
    
   Facilitators led a group exercise called “Laying it on the Line,” asking participants to move to one or area or another of the room to indicate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with each of a series of statements, and asking for a few comments in response to each statement.
    
   Commissioner Collins returned at approximately 10:45.
    
   Participants returned to their tables, and the facilitators led a writing exercise on early experiences with race. At each table, participants discussed their responses to the exercise in pairs. A few people from each table commented to the whole group on their discussions.
    
   The meeting went into a brief recess at 11:11 a.m., and the meeting resumed at 11:24 a.m.
    
   The facilitators showed an excerpt of Race: the Power of an Illusion, a three-part documentary on race by California Newsreel.
    
   Facilitators led a discussion on how inequity affects everyone, arguing that everyone pays for systems that don't work equitably; racial equity means closing gaps so that race does not predict success, while improving outcomes for all. They discussed the idea that diversity and inclusion are not the same as equity.
    
   They led a discussion on how bias works, noting that bias is a normal part of human thinking. They explained the difference between implicit and explicit bias, and institutional and individual bias. They explained that institutional explicit bias is now largely illegal, as is much individual explicit bias; for governmental agencies, it is important to focus on institutional implicit bias, where policies and practices have disparate effects, regardless of the presence or absence of individual bias.
    
   Facilitators led discussion of a “racial equity tool,” a process in which the organization states desired results, collects and analyzes data, engages the community, develops strategies for racial equity and an implementation plan, and addresses communications and accountability.
    
    
   The meeting was in recess between 1:00 p.m. and 2:05 p.m. for lunch.
    
    
5. Strategic Planning and Visioning
   The meeting reconvened at 2:05 p.m., and roll call was taken.
    
   Second Roll Call
    
   Commissioners Present
   JD Beltran, President
   Roberto Ordeñana, Vice President
   Charles Collins
   Simon Frankel
   Mary Jung
   Marcus Shelby
   Janine Shiota
   Jessica Silverman
   Barbara Sklar
   Lydia So
   Paul Woolford
    
   Commissioners Absent
   Abby Sadin Schnair
   Dorka Keehn
   Sherene Melania
   Kimberlee Stryker
   Rich Hillis, ex officio
    
    
   Participants returned to their seats at the tables as assigned in the morning. There was no public comment on this item.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny introduced a review of the strategic plan adopted in 2014, explaining that this was the final year of that five-year plan. He explained that staff was proposing moving to a two-year rolling plan to align with the City’s two-year planning budget process. He distributed a summary of the mission, vision and values statements excerpted from that plan and asked participants to discuss at their tables what they felt was working and what could be changed or improved, looking through a racial equity lens informed by the morning’s session.
    
   Returning to the full group, staff and Commissioners made several suggestions, including explicitly stating the value of racial equity, focusing on artists, addressing affordability, recognizing how data can support the Commission’s work, and clarifying and specifying a number of terms and ideas.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny asked participants to discuss at their tables goals that could be addressed within the next two years. Returning to the full group, staff and Commissioners proposed a number of ideas. These included increased investments to build a vibrant, diverse and equitable arts community; deeply investigating the meaning of “enlivening the urban environment;” pursuing innovative collaborations and partnerships across agencies and sectors, and investigating how the arts can impact health, employment and other issues; continuing to address affordability, displacement and professional development for the arts sector, including the pipeline for youth; improving data collection and analysis and establishing baselines; examining internal procedures and “choice points” through a racial equity lens; within the agency, strengthening professional development opportunities for staff and sharing best practices between programs; and ensuring that people of color are not the only staff holding the work of racial equity.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny and President Beltran congratulated everyone on their hard work, with the expectation that the issues raised here would inform the regular work of the Committees, where decisions and choices are made, to advance racial equity, and that this would be an ongoing conversation. Finally, they noted how the San Francisco Arts Commission shapes innovative cultural policy and affects practices across the nation.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
6. Adjournment
   There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:06 p.m.
    

posted 6/18/18, 4:30 p.m. spr
revised 7/5/18
approved 7/9/18

 

Language Accessibility

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2256, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.

我們將為閣下提供免費的書面翻譯資料和口譯服務。如需協助，Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2256, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.

Materiales traducidos y servicios de interpretación están disponibles para usted de manera gratuita. Para asistencia, notifique a Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2256, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.

Ang mga materyales na nakasalin sa ibang wika at ang mga serbisyong tagapagsalin sa wika ay walang bayad. Para sa tulong, maaring i-contact si Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2256,sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.