MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, May 4, 2015
2:00 p.m.
City Hall Room 416
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place

Minutes

Commission President JD Beltran called the meeting to order at 2:06 p.m.

1. Roll Call
    
   Commissioners Present
   JD Beltran, President
   Abby Sadin Schnair, Vice President
   Gregory Chew
   Charles Collins
   Dorka Keehn
   Roberto Ordeñana
   Marcus Shelby
   Janine Shiota
   Jessica Silverman
   Kimberlee Stryker
   Paul Woolford
    
   Commissioners Absent
   Simon Frankel
   Sherene Melania
   Barbara Sklar
   Cass Calder Smith
   Kathrin Moore, ex officio
    
2. Public Comment
   Alma Robinson of California Lawyers for the Arts submitted the following written statement:
    
   “On behalf of the thousands of San Francisco artists and arts organizations that we annually serve, we are requesting sustainable funding from the San Francisco Arts Commission for arts service organizations in order to provide technical assistance and capacity building services for our community. Service organizations are not currently supported by either the San Francisco Arts Commission or Grants for the Arts for the core services we provide, programs that play an essential role in strengthening our city’s arts infrastructure.
    
   “As organizations that serve individual artists and arts organizations with their fundamental business and legal needs, we provide a wide range of information services, educational programs and other resources that help artists become more self-sufficient in a rapidly changing economy.
    
   “Organizations that serve artists and arts organizations also provide significant infrastructure support for the arts community as a whole. We serve as conveners, provide alternative dispute resolution services, leverage private support, protect intellectual property, celebrate and preserve cultural assets, stimulate economic and community development, engage our youth in “pro-social” activities, and represent the interests of the arts sector before local, state and federal policy making bodies.
    
   “Classes, workshops, seminars, training programs and other services help strengthen artists and arts organizations by building their practical skills and technical knowledge. Networking opportunities, conferences and symposia facilitate connections between groups and organizations, as well as individuals, while building linkages to non-arts sectors and developing a web of services, a safety net, if you will, that protects the fragile arts ecology of our city.
    
   “As we know from past experience, the arts economy reflects the same boom and bust cycles of the city’s economy as a whole, only amplified because of extreme sensitivity to the price of space and artists’ need for unusual spaces, now in dwindling supply. Many artists and arts organizations are being forced out of their studios, offices and venues--a drain of creative assets that concerns us all.
    
   “Through a funded program of arts services, we can provide one set of solutions to this problem by helping artists become more self-sustaining through their work as artists. In fact, many other local government agencies, as well as the State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, fund the work that service organizations provide behind the scenes.
    
   “For example:
   The California Arts Council allocates $7,740,000 for grants in the 2014-15 budget. The amount budgeted for statewide (and regional) network organizations is $375,000. In leaner years, the Arts Council has continued to provide consistent funding for arts services. In 2010-11, when the CAC granted just $3,387,698 to organizations, $242,000 of that total amount was allocated to arts service organizations.
    
   “The Los Angeles Arts Commission gives out $4.5 million a year in two-year grants, serving a total of close to 400 organizations at any given time. This includes $319,200 in two-year grants to the arts service sector. The Commission staff reported that 7% of total current grantees are service organizations.
    
   “The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs reports that in its current budget for FY14-15, DCA is investing $2,356,307 in grants ($2,065,307 to organizations and $291,000 to independent artists). Of the grand total, $170,120 (or 8.2%) is competitively awarded to 11 arts service organizations.
    
   “Finally, please note that the Arts Budget Coalition has recommended a budget allocation of $400,000 for arts service organizations. This recommendation resulted from discussions with more than 25 San Francisco arts organizations and 500 San Francisco individuals who have been meeting since January, 2015.
    
   “Based on San Francisco’s total arts grants in 2014-15 of $4,575,923 from the San Francisco Arts Commission and $10,870,206 from Grants for the Arts, a line item of $400,000 for arts organizations that provide technical assistance and capacity building services seems like a feasible allocation as well as a worthy investment.
    
   “We appreciate your attention to this request. Please feel free to contact any of us for more information about our services and programs:
    
   “Alma Robinson, Executive Director, California Lawyers for the Arts, alma.robinson@calawyersforthearts.org
   Brad Erickson, Executive Director, Theatre Bay Area, brad@theatrebayarea.org
   Carol Varney, Executive Director, Bay Area Video Coalition, carol@bavc.org
   Joen Madonna, Executive Director, ArtSpan, jmadonna@artspan.org
   Wayne Hazzard, Executive Director, Dancers Group, wayne@dancersgroup.org”
    
   Ms. Robinson described some of her organization’s activities and discussed the importance of two-year grants and funding for arts services.
    
   Brad Erickson of Theatre Bay Area, a co-signer of the statement, described the work his organization does and advocated for ongoing funding support for their core programs to help artists be successful, and to keep their programs in San Francisco.
    
   Joen Madonna of ArtSpan, another co-signer of the statement, announced that the organization was celebrating its 40th anniversary with open studios. She discussed the value of the arts to San Francisco, and how the organization’s work helps artists. She added that some 200 artists are losing their studios this year, and she said it would mean a great deal for ArtSpan to receive funding for their services to artists.
    
   Wayne Hazzard of Dancers Group, another co-signer of the statement, discussed National Dance Week activities. He described the organization’s further work serving some 1200 members, 60% in San Francisco, and added that organizations serving other disciplines were unable to attend this meeting. He urged additional support for these organizations.
    
   Idris Ackamoor of Cultural Odyssey discussed how his organization had benefited from the services of California Lawyers for the Arts, including mediation and classes on business, copyright and intellectual property. He echoed the comments about the importance of the other arts service organizations represented. He encouraged additional support for them from the Arts Commission.
    
   Mark Harris spoke on behalf of ArtSpan. He explained how the organization helped him reinvent himself as a fulltime working artist after his arrival in San Francisco fifteen years ago with a background in project management and financial printing. He was appalled that the arts service organizations don’t have funding and strongly urged funding for their core services.
    
   Weston Dombroski of California Lawyers for the Arts explained that he had recently moved to San Francisco from Chicago and was a musician as well as a lawyer and mediator. He also spoke of the need for funding and of the important work done by the organization. He described an upcoming conference on arts in corrections and thanked Mr. DeCaigny for his help.
    
   There was no further public comment.
    
    
   The Commission thanked the speakers and discussed the importance of the work done by the arts service providers, and the legislative limits on how the Arts Commission can use funds, including the Cultural Equity Endowment.
    
    
   President Beltran took the Director’s Report out of order.
    
3. Director’s Report
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on the budget submitted to the Mayor’s office, including proposals for budget policy enhancements which could address capacity-building, housing and workspace, capital investments in the Cultural Centers and the Civic Art Collection and an increase to the Cultural Equity Endowment. He added that staff was researching the possibility of making multi-year grants, as other City departments do, while taking into account that the City’s budget is annualized. He reviewed the budget schedule, and announced that the Board of Supervisors would consider the Arts Commission’s budget, along with those of other City arts and culture departments, on June 18, and would take public comment on the full City budget on June 19 at 10:00 a.m.
    
   He thanked representatives of the arts service organizations for their comments, and acknowledged the good work they do to make San Francisco a leader in the arts, helping to build capacity in a radically shifting environment.
    
   Turning to activities of the Arts Commission, Mr. DeCaigny reported on posters by Robert Minervini, highlighting the Civic Art Collection, for the Art on Market Street series, recently covered by the San Francisco Chronicle. He was pleased to announce a partnership with the Recreation and Park Department for an exhibition of Minervini’s work at McLaren Lodge, opening June 18. President Beltran was proud to say he had been her student.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on the ribbon-cutting ceremony April 16 at the new Public Safety Building, attended by Mayor Lee and former mayors, along with many other City leaders, including President Beltran and Commissioners Stryker and Woolford. Mr. DeCaigny thanked Commissioner Woolford for his participation as an architect in the project. Mr. DeCaigny showed images of the building’s public art by Shimon Attie and Paul Kos, and added that the moving ceremony ended with the ringing of Kos’s All Is Well Bell. Mr. DeCaigny also reported on the April 21 opening of the temporary installation of Hung Yi’s Fancy Animal Carnival at the Civic Center.
    
   He reported on the first annual community grants meeting and discussed highlights from the survey conducted at the meeting. He added that new grant guidelines would be reviewed at a future meeting of the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee, and were due to be published in August.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on the displacement mitigation grants being administered by the Northern California Community Loan Fund and CAST, listing those organizations receiving technical assistance and those receiving grants. The Commission discussed the program, including plans for future rounds of funding and requests for technical assistance. Mr. DeCaigny explained that any organization experiencing potential displacement is eligible for immediate technical assistance, and can contact Communications Director Kate Patterson-Murphy directly. He added that the Request for Proposals for the next round of funding will be in August, and explained that the funds were intended to generate long-term solutions.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on some studio displacements, noting that Ms. Patterson-Murphy has also been tracking individual studio displacements, including those at 2150 Folsom, 689 Bryant and the Redlick Building at 17th and Mission. He added that he is working with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and CAST to create an inventory of space in San Francisco, and he called for members of the community to contact the Arts Commission regarding studio displacements. The Commission discussed studio displacements, some imminent, and how the Arts Commission might help individual artists in this regard. They also discussed the distinction between housing and workspace for artists, and the importance of parity for artists with veterans, families, seniors and others facing displacement. Mr. DeCaigny invited Commissioner Ordeñana to describe a program undertaken by the LGBT Center to help inform community members about existing affordable housing resources, and help them access these resources; this could be a model for helping to connect artists to existing housing resources in the same way.
    
   The Commission discussed the survey and how the agency, with City partners, might best address the challenges; Mr. DeCaigny cautioned that responsible use of public resources pointed to a longer-term focus. He added that the Arts Commission was working to make its website a hub for information and resources, and working with service providers to help match artists with spaces.
    
   The Commission also discussed the specific legislative mandate for Cultural Equity Endowment funds, and the current federal and state disputes over whether artists or other professional classifications should qualify for prioritized access to federally-funded housing.
    
   Finally, Mr. DeCaigny announced the May 14 ribbon-cutting for the Strand Theater in the Central Market arts district, as a new facility for American Conservatory Theater. He reported that this was the San Francisco Chronicle’s cover story over the weekend, highlighting a number of new arts venues in the area, some having relocated from other locations. Commissioner Woolford pointed out that the architectural work of renovating the theater was done pro bono by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Vice President Schnair pointed out that the building’s color was vermilion, not just red, and she described some of its exciting features, including a lobby café, a “third space” (not work, not home) and the place to go to see what’s going on in the arts in Central Market.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
4. Approval of Minutes
   There was no public comment, and the minutes were unanimously approved as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-132: Motion to approve April 6, 2015 Minutes.
    
5. Committee Reports and Committee Matters
   1. Executive CommitteeCommittee—JD Beltran, Chair
      1. President Beltran reported that the Committee had held a brief meeting and reviewed the grants on today’s Consent Calendar.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
   2. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
      1. In the absence of Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Stryker reported that the Committee had reviewed eight projects, ranging from the interim terminal at San Francisco Airport, to a new fire station, to temporary Muni operator restrooms. She reported that the Committee found the Central Subway Chinatown station plaza a very nice addition to the neighborhood.
          
         The Committee also favorably reviewed two developer-funded public plazas being designed by the same teams, one in Dogpatch, and the other next to the Eagle Tavern. In response to Commissioners’ questions, Committee members briefly described the multi-stage review process, incorporating community outreach and input from other City departments.
          
         Commissioners Keehn and Woolford added that they were impressed by the forward-thinking of the plaza developers putting private money into public spaces.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
   3. Visual Arts Committee—Dorka Keehn, Chair
      1. Commissioner Keehn reported that the Committee reviewed artwork for the Chinatown station of the Central Subway by Claire Rojas and Tomie Arai, and for the Fourth and Brannan station by Moto Ohtake.
          
         Commissioner Chew added that the Committee also discussed artwork for the interior lobby of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Commissioner Keehn explained that while the selection panel had chosen a beautiful artwork, the Medical Examiner’s staff were concerned that visitors coming to view their deceased loved ones would find the broken glass mosaic material too unsettling.
          
         The Commission briefly reviewed how new site-specific artwork is commissioned and coordinated with the schedule of the building project, and discussed storage for existing artworks in the Collection; Mr. DeCaigny added that the agency’s new offices in the War Memorial will have high-quality storage space for the Collection.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
6. Consent Calendar
   President Beltran called for a vote on the Consent Calendar. There was no public comment, and the Consent Calendar was approved unanimously as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-134:
   Approval: RESOLVED, that this Commission does hereby adopt the following items on the Consent Calendar and their related Resolutions:
    
   Approval of Committee Minutes
   1. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-135: Motion to approve the Executive Committee Meeting Minutes of March 30, 2015.
       
   2. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-136: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of April 15, 2015.
       
   3. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-137: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of April 20, 2015.
       
      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (April 15, 2015)
   4. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-138: Motion to approve the mural design, Obamas, by Mel Waters to be painted on a mural site located at 4744 Third Street, San Francisco. The mural is a project of the Arts Commission’s StreetSmARTS Program, funded by the Department of Public Works.
       
   5. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-139: Motion to approve the mural design, FLIGHT, by Ian Ross to be painted on a mural site located at 860 Innes Avenue, San Francisco. The mural is a project of the Arts Commission’s StreetSmARTS Program, funded by the Department of Public Works.
       
   6. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-140: Motion to approve the Construction Document Phase deliverables by Clare Rojas for Central Subway: Chinatown Station Crosscut Cavern Wall.
       
   7. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-141: Motion to approve final design of Moto Ohtake’s artwork for Central Subway: Fourth and Brannan.
       
   8. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-142: Motion to approve the selected artist Merle Axelrad and her conceptual proposal for an interior artwork at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, as recommended by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Selection Panel.
       
   9. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-143: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with artist Merle Axelrad for an amount not to exceed $75,000 for design, fabrication, transportation and consultation during installation of an interior artwork for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
       
   10. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-144: Motion to approve the public art project outline for Balboa Pool.
        
   11. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-145: Motion to approve the partial alteration and removal to storage of Map No. 33, 1992, by Hung Liu, a room-sized installation consisting of a large-scale painted recreation of a 1939 map of San Francisco in acrylic directly on the wall, with oil on canvas panels, glazed ceramic tiles, and cased artifacts (SFAC Accession Number 1992.1), currently located in Moscone Center South.
        
   12. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-146: Motion to approve the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission request to remove to storage Calypso, 1984, by Joseph Slusky, a 123-in. x 104-in. x 144-in. acrylic lacquer paint on steel sculpture (SFAC Accession Number 1985.15), currently located at the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant in San Bruno.
        
   13. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-147: Motion to approve the removal to storage of Dancing on the Brink of the World, 1987, by Tony Berlant, a 14-ft. by 42-ft. found metal collage on wood panel wall installation (SFAC Accession Number 1987.15) currently located at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 1, Boarding Area B.
        
       Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (April 20, 2015)
   14. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-148: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Central Subway Chinatown Station Plaza project, contingent upon: (1) setting the couplet panels to float slightly in front of the wall rather than sitting flush with the wall surface; (2) shortening the utility door close to the minimum specification to align the top with the grid of the GFRC wall; (3) using a smooth finish on the concrete south wall; (4) configuring the south wall with the stepped-down design rather than following the slope of the stairs; (5) moving the lighting on the south wall down to floor level; (6) moving the trellis support posts out to the edge of the structure.
        
   15. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-149: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Fire Station #5 project, contingent upon: (1) using a very durable and high-quality red tile or brick for the lower level; (2) simplifying the design by eliminating the light gray material on the north, south and west elevations; (3) using yellow rather than dark gray brick; (4) considering the use of natural and glazed tile in the same color; (5) revising the proportions of the red base and curtainwall sections; (6) refining the design of the curtainwall, including the location of windows; (7) making the ladder rail more invisible; (8) studying the graphic design of the signage and adding the station number; (9) considering additional lighting and studying opportunities for night lighting; (10) providing a rendering of nighttime lighting at the next review.
        
   16. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-150: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Dogpatch Arts Plaza project contingent upon: (1) considering a darker concrete to reduce glare; (2) considering the use of trees to help maintain the privacy of nearby residents.
        
   17. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-151: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Operator Restrooms at 19th and Buckingham Way and Sunnydale near McLaren School project.
        
       Executive Committee Recommendations (April 27, 2015)
   18. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-152: Motion to approve recommendations to award grants totaling $26,000 in the 2014-2015 cycle of Organization Project Grants (“OPG”) to the following organizations, and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreements with each organization for the amounts listed:
       EXIT Theatre, $13,000
       Southern Exposure, $13,000
        
   19. RESOLUTION NO. 0504-15-153: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into grant agreement with the San Francisco Transgender Film Festival for an amount not to exceed $9,000 to produce, curate and promote a film festival that focuses on the films by, for and about the transgender and gender variant communities.
        
7. New Business and Announcements
   President Beltran was pleased to report that several Commissioners had attended the recent Art Market fair at Fort Mason Center, and praised the presentation by Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious at one of the panel discussions.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny announced the Excelsior Arts Walk on May 8, funded by an Arts Commission grant.
    
   Vice President Schnair announced the Strand ribbon-cutting on May 14, and the public opening on June 18; she encouraged everyone to sign up for a free tour of the facility.
    
   Commissioner Shelby announced the opening of Isfahan Blues, a new play at the African American Arts and Culture Complex, a collaboration between Golden Thread and the African American Shakespeare Company, for which he composed the music.
    
   Commissioner Chew announced the Asian American Heritage celebration in the City Hall Rotunda later in the evening.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
8. Adjournment
   There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:40 p.m.

posted 5/18/15, 1:30 p.m. spr
approved 6/1/15
 

Language Accessibility

Translated written materials and interpretation services are available to you at no cost. For assistance, please notify Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie, 415-252-2591, 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, 415-252-2591, 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, 415-252-2591, 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, 415-252-2591, sharon.page_ritchie@sfgov.org.