MEETING OF THE FULL ARTS COMMISSION
Monday, February 2, 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 2:01 p.m.

1. Roll Call
    
   Commissioners Present
   JD Beltran, President
   Gregory Chew
   Charles Collins
   Simon Frankel
   Sherene Melania
   Roberto Ordeñana
   Marcus Shelby
   Janine Shiota
   Barbara Sklar
   Kimberlee Stryker
   Paul Woolford
    
   Commissioners Absent
   Abby Sadin Schnair, Vice President
   Dorka Keehn
   Jessica Silverman
   Cass Calder Smith
   Kathrin Moore, ex officio
    
2. Public Comment
   Paula Datesh submitted the following written statement:
    
   “PUBIC COMMENT
    
   “February 2015 SFAC meeting
    
   “I received a letter dated Jan. 5 asking me to respond in writing. I sent a PDF attachment of my response to Page-Ritchie on Jan. 10. I asked that she acknowledge that she received it; foreword it to all Commissioners and email me when she did it. I left 2 phone messages with no response. I sent a few follow up emails to her which were not answered. On Jan. 29-1 wen to your office with a taped copy addressed to ALL COMMISSIONERS. Lazar would not let me in and laughed. I explained that I wanted to drop this off and get a receipt. He refused. I was let in and went to a desk about 30 feet from the door. Trickey was ranting that, "I AM BANNED FROM THE OFFICE AND BUILDING. SHE WAS GOING TO CALL POLICE". I sand nothing, left the letter without a receipt and left. When I got down to the guards desk in the lobby. Trickey was already there. She was ranting "I WAS BANNED, CALL THE MANAGEMENT AND POLICE". She accosted a total stranger and said the same thing. I said nothing and taped her.
    
   “I went the management office and spoke with May. I left my contact info and was told they were not contacted by anyone at the SFAC. I then went to Pat Paterson of the Ethics Commission. She was the person Trickey accosted in the lobby. She said she was frightened and I apologized for Trickey. I waited the the hallway of the basement the same day. I tried to speak about this under PUBLIC COMMENT of the Advisory Meeting. Lazar refused to put the recorder on the table. During the 3 minutes- both Lazar and Tibbon were talking so loudly about nothing-that I was not able to give public comment. I filed a police report.
    
   “Jan. 29-1 went to the management office of the buiding to speak with Geroge Sui. She said he did not receive a call from anyone at the SFAC and called Trickey to advise her about making false claims.
    
   “Note: I spoke at the December 2014 full Commission meeting. My general public comment did not appear in the minutes. It was Ann Trickey who posted them.”
    
    
   There was no further public comment.
    
3. Approval of Minutes
    
   There was no public comment, and the minutes were unanimously approved as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-067: Motion to approve January 5, 2015 Minutes.
    
4. Director’s Report
   Mr. DeCaigny reminded Commissioners that they were required to file the Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) every year on April 1.
    
   He reported on grant proposals submitted to the Bloomberg Public Art Challenge, the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
    
   He reported on the recent site visit of leaders from several national funders and nonprofits, including National Endowment for the Arts Director Jane Chu, concurrent with the publication of the San Francisco Federal Reserve’s special journal issue on creative placemaking.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
5. Consent Calendar
   Public Comment:
    
   Ms. Datesh contested the draft Street Artists Committee minutes, and said that her remarks were not correctly recorded. She added that Commissioner Sklar’s late husband was held in high regard for his service on the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force.
    
   There was no further public comment and the Consent Calendar was unanimously approved as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-068:
   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. 0202-15-069: Motion to approve the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2015.
       
   2. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-070: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2015.
       
   3. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-071: Motion to approve the Street Artists Committee Meeting Minutes of January 14, 2015.
       
   4. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-072: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2015.
       
      Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee Recommendations (January 12, 2015)
   5. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-073: Motion to approve the following panelists to serve, as selected by staff, on SFAC review panels for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 Fiscal Years:
      Kali Boyce, Artistic Director, Queer Rebels
      Celeste Chan, Co-Director, Queer Rebels
      Erin Dunning, musician
      Sarah Guerra, Operations Manager, Brava! For Women in the Arts
      Michelle Mulholland, Managing Director, Golden Thread Productions
      Virgie Tovar, author
      Manish Vaidya, Community Engagement Coordinator, Queer Cultural Center
       
   6. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-074: Motion to approve the Management and Programming Plan and Budget (“MPP”) for Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (“APICC”) and to increase the grant to SOMArts Cultural Center (“SOMArts”) for an amount not to exceed $716,377.64: $614,690 to SOMArts, and $101,688 to sub-grantee Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center.
       
      Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (January 12, 2015)
   7. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-075: Motion to approve the Conceptual Design of the Treasure Island Streetscape Master Plan.
       
      Street Artists Committee Recommendations (January 14, 2015)
   8. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-076: Motion to recommend to the Mayor three (3) candidates to fill one (1) vacant position on the Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners: (A) Alexis Arnold, (B) Rhonda Weppler, (C) Lisah Horner.
       
   9. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-077: Motion to approve arts and crafts criteria changes recommended by the Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners.
       
      Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (January 21, 2015)
   10. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-078: Motion to approve the WritersCorps 20th anniversary poster design to be installed in the Decaux kiosks.
        
   11. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-079: Motion to approve the artwork titled Sky, 2014, by Merge Conceptual Design as installed at San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 3, Boarding Area E.
        
   12. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-080: Motion to approve the artwork titled Spirogyrate, 2014, by Eric Staller as installed at San Francisco International Airport: Terminal 3, Boarding Area E.
        
   13. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-081: Motion to approve the Final Design Phase deliverables (rendering) by Maria Park for the Central Subway: Chinatown Station Construction Barricades along Stockton Street to be on display for one year beginning February 2015.
        
   14. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-082: Motion to approve the selected artist Leo Villareal and his conceptual proposal for the Moscone Expansion Project as recommended by the Moscone Expansion Project Selection Panel.
        
   15. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-083: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Leo Villareal for an amount not to exceed $1,500,000 for design, fabrication, transportation and installation of an artwork for the Moscone Expansion Project’s Sky Bridge.
        
   16. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-084: Motion to approve the final poster designs for Robert Minervini’s Art on Market Kiosk Poster Series, Invisible Reflections: A Narrative of Six Monuments, March 9–May 29, 2015.
        
   17. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-085: Motion to approve the selected finalist Charles Sowers for the Glen Canyon Park Recreation Center Public Art Project as recommended by the Glen Canyon Public Art Selection Panel.
        
   18. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-086: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with Charles Sowers for an amount not to exceed $92,000 for design, fabrication, transportation and installation of an artwork for the Glen Canyon Public Art Project.
        
   19. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-087: Motion to approve the selected finalists Flaming Lotus Girls, Cliff Garten, Seyed Alavi and alternate Steven Siegel for the Bayview Gateway Public Art Project.
        
   20. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-088: Motion to approve the revised design of glass panels for Tomie Arai’s artwork for Central Subway: Chinatown Station.
        
   21. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-089: Motion to enter into an agreement with David Best through Burning Man Arts for the final design, engineering, fabrication, insurance, transportation, installation and regular maintenance of an original temporary artwork to be installed at Patricia’s Green for a period beginning June 1, 2015 and concluding June 1, 2016, subject to extension of agreement by the parties, for a total contract amount of $34,000 to be provided by the Arts Commission with the balance of $72,000 in project costs to be provided by Burning Man Arts, pending approval by the Recreation and Parks Department.
        
6. New Business and Announcements
   President Beltran took this item out of order, and introduced the newly-sworn Commissioner Paul Woolford. She briefly described his resumé and architecture credentials, and she welcomed him to the Commission. He thanked her and said that it was an honor and a pleasure to serve the City and he looked forward to working with the Commission.
    
   There was no further new business or announcements, and no public comment.
    
7. Arts Commission FY 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 Draft Budget
   At the invitation of Mr. DeCaigny, Deputy Director Rebekah Krell explained the budget timeline and process, and reviewed the draft budget and budget memo, including the capital budget requests for the Cultural Centers and the Civic Art Collection.
    
   The Commission discussed the proposed budget in detail. In response to a question, Mr. DeCaigny described the capital planning process, and explained that the capital budget proposal encompasses the full scope of capital needs currently assessed for the Collection. Commissioner Woolford proposed reviewing the planned HVAC work at the Cultural Centers to assure the healthiest options for both the buildings’ occupants and the City’s budget.
    
   In response to a question, Mr. DeCaigny discussed how the goals of the strategic plan, and the community priorities expressed, were reflected in the budget proposal. He reported on performance measures, on focus groups of both grantees and unfunded applicants being conducted by Community Investments, and he described how staff was working closely with Grants for the Arts on an online grants application for both agencies. He gave a brief update on the status of the nonprofit affordability initiative and described plans for more formal reporting to both the Board of Supervisors and this Commission.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny also described four “enhancements” in the budget proposal, including a “legacy artist” grant program, one-time funding to address affordability of arts spaces, one-time funding to address artists’ housing, and one-time funding for capacity-building work in public-private partnerships. The Commission discussed these proposals in detail, with particular interest in the legacy artist idea, and they had several suggestions addressing space needs and artist housing. At Mr. DeCaigny’s request, Commissioner Ordeñana described how the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (“LGBT”) Center used addback funds to help underserved LGBT people access affordable housing, and navigate the City’s resources. This is a possible model to help artists do the same.
    
   There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-090: Motion to approve proposed Fiscal Year 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 Arts Commission budget.
    
8. Treasure Island Memorandum of Agreement
   Mr. DeCaigny invited Public Art Trust and Special Projects Director Jill Manton to discuss the agreement between the Treasure Island Development Authority (“TIDA”) and the Arts Commission to develop the public art program for Treasure Island. She gave an overview of the project, explaining that the artwork would be the property of TIDA and not part of the Civic Art Collection. She invited TIDA Director Bob Beck to discuss the scope of the agreement, approved in January by the TIDA Board of Directors.
    
   Mr. Beck said that TIDA was excited to work with the Arts Commission and had great confidence in its expertise. He briefly discussed the developer’s timeline and some of the important locations for public art. Commissioners were excited about the partnership of the two agencies and about this largest development in the City for a generation.
    
   Claire Isaacs Warhaftig, former Director of Cultural Affairs, explained that she is a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Treasure Island Museum, and she talked about the Museum’s goals. She offered the help of the Museum’s board. She added that she has watched from a distance and was very impressed with what the Arts Commission has been doing. Mr. DeCaigny pointed out that Ms. Isaacs Warhaftig had been Director of Cultural Affairs at the time the agency moved into 25 Van Ness, and thought it was fitting that she was present at this meeting when the Commission approved the budget covering the agency’s move out of that building into the Veterans War Memorial Building.
    
   Museum Association President Walt Bilofsky made a brief presentation about artists working on Treasure Island, and affirmed that the Association supported the motion and looked forward to working with the Arts Commission.
    
   In response to a question from the Commission, Mr. DeCaigny confirmed that the agreement was reviewed separately by Deputy City Attorneys representing the Arts Commission and TIDA.
    
   There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-091: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to execute a Memorandum of Agreement with the Treasure Island Development Authority for Development and Management of a Public Art Program for Treasure Island.
    
9. Committee Reports and Committee Matters
   1. Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee—Sherene Melania, Chair
      1. Commissioner Melania reported that the Committee had received a report from Community Investments Fellow Anh Thang Dao-Shah on her ongoing research and focus groups aimed at streamlining the grants process, and an update on next steps.
          
         Commissioner Melania presented the following motion. There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
          
      2. RESOLUTION NO. 0202-15-092: Motion to approve the following panelists to serve, as selected by staff, on SFAC review panels for the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 Fiscal Years:
         Hervé Ernest, Executive Director, sf|noir
         Stephen Gong, Executive Director, Center for Asian American Media
         Kevin Killian, Co-Founder, Poets Theater, playwright
         Michelle Mulholland, Managing Director, Golden Thread Productions
         Ranu Mukherjee, Associate Professor of Graduate Fine Art, California College of the Arts
         Denise Pate, Cultural Funding Coordinator, City of Oakland, independent arts management consultant
         Catherine Wagner, visual artist
         Terri Winston, Executive Director, Women’s Audio Mission
          
   2. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
      1. In the absence of Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Stryker reported that the Committee reviewed the Treasure Island Streetscape Master Plan, and explained that it is one of the City’s largest projects in many decades; except for some historic structures, they are starting from scratch to build a town. She discussed some of the unique challenges of the site, including intense winds, difficult soils and sea-level rise, and praised the designers on the project. She described how they are incorporating unique features, setting the street grid on a diagonal so that trees can help buffer winds to make pedestrian spaces more comfortable. She reported that the Committee was excited, and predicted that the City will be proud of the project when it is complete.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
   3. Street Artists Committee—Barbara Sklar, Chair
      1. Commissioner Sklar reported that the Committee met in January, and discussed Union Square spaces lost to construction. She reported that Union Square Business Improvement District Director Karin Flood attended the meeting and they discussed a possible annual “Winter Walk” integrating the street artists for the holiday selling season, though nothing has been definitely decided.
          
         Commissioner Sklar reported that the Committee also discussed revised criteria and forwarded names of potential screening panelists to the Mayor’s office for his appointment.
          
         President Beltran added that she has spoken with Commissioner Sklar and Mr. DeCaigny about strategies for the program.
          
         Public Comment:
          
         Ms. Datesh criticized the Program Director’s management of the program and complained that the maps of the selling spaces were inaccurate. She mentioned a lawsuit versus John Tunui, and claimed Arts Commission staff made false accusations against her.
          
         There was no further public comment.
          
   4. Visual Arts Committee—Dorka Keehn, Chair
      1. In the absence of Commissioner Keehn, Commissioner Chew reported that the Committee discussed insurance and contracting requirements. He invited Public Art Program Director Susan Pontious to speak; she explained that the Committee had asked for a discussion of contracts, why they are so complex, and what certain clauses mean, etc. The City’s Risk Manager was present as well, and they thoroughly discussed contracts, artists’ protections, rights and responsibilities, the impact of state law, and how the contracts address other parties such as architects or general contractors. President Beltran praised the knowledgeable and willing Public Art staff who review these formidable contracts with the artists.
          
         Commissioner Chew also reported that the Committee reviewed an LED artwork by Leo Villareal for the sky bridge at Moscone Center.
          
         In response to a question, Mr. DeCaigny reported that Bay Lights had reached its funding goal and would become a permanent feature on the Bay Bridge.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
10. New Business and Announcements, continued
    President Beltran announced that she had four new short art films debut as part of her Cinema Snow Globe project.
     
    Commissioner Sklar announced that she would miss the next meeting because she was visiting Cuba for an emerging art tour.
     
    Commissioner Chew announced that someone who works at the Asian Art Museum taking tickets has been nominated for an Oscar for best animated short; gifted artists were everywhere in San Francisco.
     
    There was no further public comment.
     
11. Adjournment
    There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m.

posted 2/13/15, 2:45 p.m. spr
approved 3/2/15

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.