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

Minutes

Commission Vice President Abby Sadin Schnair called the meeting to order at 2:10 p.m.

1. Roll Call
    
   Commissioners Present
   Abby Sadin Schnair, Vice President
   Gregory Chew
   Charles Collins
   Simon Frankel
   Dorka Keehn
   Sherene Melania
   Roberto Ordeñana
   Marcus Shelby
   Janine Shiota
   Jessica Silverman
   Barbara Sklar
   Kimberlee Stryker
   Paul Woolford
    
   Commissioners Absent
   JD Beltran, President
   Cass Calder Smith
   Kathrin Moore, ex officio
    
2. Public Comment
   There was no public comment.
    
3. Approval of Minutes
   There was no public comment, and the minutes were unanimously approved as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-154: Motion to approve May 4, 2015 Minutes.
    
4. Director’s Report
   Mr. DeCaigny announced the opening of OUTspoken: Portraits of LGBTQ Luminaries by Roger Erickson in City Hall, with a tour and reception on June 9. Galleries Director Meg Shiffler named some of the San Francisco LGBT luminaries photographed for the show, including Supervisors Campos and Wiener, and invited everyone to the opening.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on the Living Innovation Zone temporary installations, presented in partnership with the Planning Department and the Mayor’s Office of Civic Innovation. He also reported on public art projects around the City, including a show at McLaren Lodge of Robert Minervini’s original paintings commissioned for the Market Street posters, presented in partnership with the Recreation and Parks Department; and the reprise of David Best’s 2005 temple at Patricia’s Green.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on news from the Cultural Centers, including the acquisition of the Mission Grafica archive of some 2,000 silkscreened posters by the University of California Santa Barbara Library. He also reported the departure of SOMArts Executive Director Lex Leifheit for a newly created position in the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development to address nonprofit displacement and business development; Jess Young will serve as the Interim Director for SOMArts. Mr. DeCaigny also announced SOMArts’ 35^th anniversary event on June 20, the June 19 Sights and Sounds of Bayview event, and the award of a competitive National Endowment for the Arts Grant to the African American Art and Culture Complex to support playwrights and performers.
    
   Turning to the question of artist evictions raised in the previous month, Mr. DeCaigny reported that the Arts Commission, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Artspan and other organizations, is conducting a survey of artists facing displacement from their homes, studios or both. The survey is intended to help develop a more holistic picture of the situation and guide the City’s response to displacement; he encouraged everyone to help by forwarding the survey, which is posted on the Arts Commission’s website.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reported that the Mayor had just submitted his budget for the City to the Board of Supervisors earlier in the day, and Mr. DeCaigny referred Commissioners to the Mayor’s press release, describing his proposal of $7.1 million over two years, sharing prosperity for the arts in San Francisco. He asked Deputy Director Rebekah Krell to review the budget for the Commission; she was pleased to note the Mayor’s use of the phrase “arts ecosystem” a few times in his budget presentation to the Board of Supervisors.
    
   Ms. Krell explained the next steps in the budget process, including review by the Board’s Budget Analyst, voting by the budget subcommittee and then by the full Board, and the final signing by the Mayor in July or August. She reviewed the budget in detail, noting the Mayor’s proposed enhancements to the base budget. Commissioners asked about some items. In response to questions, Ms. Krell and Mr. DeCaigny discussed the process of review by the Budget Analyst and the Board in greater detail, as well as describing how Supervisors may propose addbacks for projects in their districts.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny highlighted the funding for the Arts Education Program Officer position, and the $1 million increase in funding for Cultural Equity grants, an historic and ongoing increase of 50%. He added that the Community Arts, Education and Grants Committee would shortly review staff proposals for how to allocate the increased funding, and he noted the strong interest from constituents in seeing increases go to individual artists.
    
   The Commission congratulated staff, and Mr. DeCaigny in turn thanked community advocates for their effectiveness in coming together.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny also discussed the Mayor’s directive to the Arts Commission, the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure to develop a plan addressing affordable housing for artists. He reported that Arts Commission staff are already working with these departments, and other departments on this issue, and will report back to the Commission in the coming months.
    
   Commissioners emphasized the importance of addressing affordability and displacement, noting that artists have begun leaving the Bay area altogether for Portland and other cities.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
5. Review of Statement of Incompatible Activities
   Deputy City Attorney Susan Dawson discussed the Arts Commission’s Statement of Incompatible Activities (“SIA”) and how it relates to those of other City departments, including arts-related departments. She explained that it applies to both Commissioners and City staff.
    
   She described its rationale and reviewed the document section by section, discussing general and specific prohibitions. She also explained the Advance Written Determination, and encouraged Commissioners to contact her or Deputy City Attorney Andrew Shen with any questions, and suggested that staff contact their supervisor or Mr. DeCaigny if they have questions.
    
   Finally, she noted that she was working on reviewing the Commission’s bylaws, which will soon have to be amended with its new address, and reported that she expected to come back to the Commission later in the year to discuss the bylaws.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reiterated the encouragement for Commissioners to contact the City Attorney’s office with any questions they might have. He added that the terms of the Arts Commission’s SIA are very similar to those of other City arts and culture departments.
   
   Commissioners Chew and Sklar arrived at 2:46 p.m.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
6. Committee Reports and Committee Matters
   1. Executive Committee—JD Beltran, Chair
      1. In the absence of President Beltran, Vice President Schnair reported that the Committee did not meet, but presented the following motion for approval of the contract with the San Francisco Symphony.
          
         Mr. DeCaigny explained the standard four-year memorandum of understanding with the Symphony, and briefly reviewed the historical connection between the Symphony and the Arts Commission going back to 1935, when voters allocated a percentage of property tax to a municipal symphony orchestra.
          
         He discussed the community concerts that are part of the agreement, including the Lunar New Year and Dia de los Muertos programs, and the free concert traditionally held in Dolores Park. He expressed gratitude to the Symphony for their gift returning 40% of the City funds, approximately $850,000, to support general operations of the Arts Commission. Finally, he introduced Katie Nicely, Director of Community and External Relations for the Symphony, to answer any questions; there were none.
          
         There was no public comment, and the motion was unanimously approved as follows.
          
         RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-155: Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into contract with the San Francisco Symphony to produce four annual series of twelve concerts during each year beginning in 2015 for a total of 48 concerts, for an amount based on the appropriation to the Arts Commission under the formula specified in Charter Section 16.106(1), estimated at approximately $2,260,000 per year and approximately $9,040,000 in total over the four-year term of the contract, subject to adjustment by the Controller’s Office based on actual property tax allocated.
          
   2. Street Artists Committee—Barbara Sklar, Chair
      1. Commissioner Sklar reported that Kate Faust, University of California at Berkeley Public Policy graduate student, completed a comprehensive evaluation of the program, and presented several recommendations to the Committee to make the program more effective and more successful. Both Commissioner Sklar and Commissioner Chew praised Ms. Faust’s work, noting that the report was well-received at the Committee meeting.
          
         Mr. DeCaigny briefly described Ms. Faust’s background, noting that this evaluation was conducted in response to the Strategic Plan, and that a summary of her report would be presented to the full Commission along with other programs for Strategic Plan alignment, including the Galleries and WritersCorps, later in the year. Ms. Krell added that after this first phase of Ms. Faust’s work, the next phase would be a feasibility study addressing timeline and costs, and any proposed changes would be brought to the full Commission.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
   3. Civic Design Review Committee—Cass Calder Smith, Chair
      1. In the absence of Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Stryker reported that the Committee had reviewed several projects, including the first phase of the handsome and contemporary Treasure Island Ferry Terminal and a small industrial building in part of the Hetch Hetchy water system. She reported that the Committee also had further discussions about the Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit (“BRT”) plan, a large and complex project. She commended the Department of Public Works for their very careful design work through many redesigns. She reported that the Committee has requested a full-scale mockup of the simple and beautiful railing, which will help protect pedestrians in the middle of the street where the stations will be.
          
         Vice President Schnair commented that the San Francisco Chronicle’s critic John King had deservedly praised the Committee’s work reviewing the new restrooms in Washington Square Park.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
   4. Visual Arts Committee—Dorka Keehn, Chair
      1. Commissioner Keehn reported that the Committee reviewed a number of projects, including the artwork by David Best for Patricia's Green, and discussed the Strategic Plan alignment of the Galleries. She commended Public Art staff for their work on the 2015-2016 artist pool, noting that the workshops were well-attended, and that staff did a great job explaining the process and making artists feel welcome. Commissioner Chew added that the installation of the photo show on the ground floor of City Hall was looking great.
          
         There was no public comment.
          
7. Consent Calendar
   Commissioner Ordeñana recused himself from voting on agenda item 9, regarding the Treasure Island Ferry Shelter, because the developer, Lennar, is a funder to his employer, the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center. He left the room at 3:05 p.m.
    
   Vice President Schnair called for a vote on the following item; there was no comment, and the motion was unanimously approved with the recusal of Commissioner Ordeñana.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-165: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Treasure Island Ferry Shelter and Bus Shelters project.
    
   Commissioner Ordeñana returned to the room, and Vice President Schnair called for a vote on the remainder of the Consent Calendar.
    
   There was no public comment, and the Consent Calendar was approved unanimously as follows.
    
   RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-156:
   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. 0601-15-157: Motion to approve the Executive Committee Meeting Minutes of April 27, 2015.
       
   2. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-158: Motion to approve the Street Artists Committee Meeting Minutes of May 13, 2015.
       
   3. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-159: Motion to approve the Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes of May 18, 2015.
       
   4. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-160: Motion to approve the Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes of May 20, 2015.
       
      Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (May 18, 2015)
   5. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-161: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Alameda Creek Diversion Dam Passage—Electrical Control Building Project.
       
   6. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-162: Motion to approve Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department Kimbell Playground Clubhouse Security Gate Project.
       
   7. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-163: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Southeast Plant Building 522 (521A) Electrical/HPU Building Project.
       
   8. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-164: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Oceanside 930 Awning Replacement Project.
       
   9. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-166: Motion to approve Phase 3 of the Alamo Square Restroom Replacement project.
       
   10. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-167: Motion to approve Phase 1 of the Alameda Creek Recapture project contingent upon (1) simplifying the end of the building by centering the doorway and eliminating the canopy over the door, maintaining the recess and eliminating the horizontal line on the truss frame; (2) reducing the amount of paving around the building and increasing the number of shade trees on the south and west sides near the building, including both oaks and some fast-growing trees; (3) working with engineers to replace air conditioning with passive cooling, eliminating unnecessary skylights; (4) using wide Galvalume panels rather than corrugated for both the walls and the roof, and bringing material samples to the Committee for Phase 2 review.
        
   11. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-168: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Moccasin Corporation Yard Improvement Project, Building 76, Shops/Office Building project, contingent upon: (1) modifying the roof so that rafters are flush with the columns, decreasing the overhang; (2) revising the landscape design at the west end of the building (outside the breakrooms) to add more mass, and presenting a drawing of the revised landscape.
        
   12. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-169: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Balboa Pool Renovation project, contingent upon: (1) further developing the articulation of the roof and wall, with informal review before Phase 3 review.
        
   13. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-170: Motion to approve Phase 2 of the Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit (Van Ness BRT) project, contingent upon: (1) presenting a full-size twelve-foot mockup of the railing with the proposed color and lighting; (2) reviewing the existing planters and fencing on the sidewalk; (3) submission of renderings of the special paving on the sidewalk.
        
       Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (May 20, 2015)
   14. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-171: Motion to retroactively approve and accept into the Civic Art Collection the artwork Passage, 2010, by Kent Roberts. The sculpture measures 60 inches high by 696 inches long by 120 inches wide and consists of stainless steel and concrete. The artwork was commissioned (Resolution No. 0202-09-038) for and is on permanent display at the Moscone Recreation Center. The artwork was dedicated on October 23, 2010.
        
   15. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-172: Motion to retroactively approve and accept into the Civic Art Collection the artwork Abundance, 2011, by Wowhaus. The silver fish sculpture measures 168 inches high by 72 inches long by 42 inches wide, and the vermilion rockfish sculpture measures 36 inches high by 60 inches long by 30 inches wide. Both sculptures consist of glass mosaic tile, concrete and steel. The artwork was commissioned (Resolution No. 0504-09-114) for and is on permanent display at the Ortega Branch Public Library. The artwork was dedicated on September 10, 2011.
        
   16. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-173: Motion to retroactively approve and accept into the Civic Art Collection the artwork Bird II, 1995, by Rupert Garcia. The work measures 35-1/2 inches high by 46-1/2 inches long, and consists of chalk pastel on paper. The artwork is an original but unrealized proposal for the ceramic tile mural titled Bird Technology that was commissioned for the San Francisco International Airport and accepted into the Civic Art Collection in 2000 (SFAC Accession No. 2000.16).
        
   17. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-174: Motion to retroactively approve and accept into the Civic Art Collection the artwork Roots and Veins, 2006, by Johanna Poethig and Julio Cesar Morales. The installation consists of twelve sandblasted glass panels in the building entry featuring a branch design and text from Juvenile Hall Youth; eight painted soffits and low-relief sculpted plaster composed of poetry and delicate plant forms surrounding the doorways in each of the eight dayrooms; and seven Plexiglas light boxes with silkscreened illustrations in the multipurpose room. The artwork was commissioned (Resolution No.0305-01-094) for and is on permanent display at the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center.
        
   18. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-175: Motion to approve the artwork titled Spiral of Gratitude, 2014 by Shimon Attie (aka Scott Attie, Attie Art Projects) with Vale Bruck, as installed in the lobby of the Public Safety Building at Third and Mission Rock streets. The artwork consists of a 16-1/2 ft. long by 10 ft. diameter glass cylinder suspended from a skylight, and the cylinder is inscribed with a ceramic fritted poem by Vale Bruck. Other elements of the artwork include: metal, custom lighting and paint, and bas-relief text on cast concrete blocks on the entry lobby’s rear wall. The artwork was dedicated on April 16, 2015.
        
   19. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-176: Motion to approve the artwork titled First Responder Plaza, 2014 by Paul Kos, as installed in the south plaza of the Public Safety Building at Third and Mission Rock streets. The artist-designed plaza features three icons: a spruce tree, a bell and a star. Suspended from a painted metal arch at the center is a 21,060-lb. cast bronze bell that rings three times daily at noon. The installation also includes a carved seven-pointed black granite star, with surrounding granite pavers and landscaping, including a Serbian spruce tree. The artwork was dedicated on April 16, 2015.
        
   20. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-177: Motion to approve the mural design, Patterns, by Bryana Fleming to be painted on a mural site located at 1596 Hudson Street, San Francisco. The mural is a project of the Arts Commission’s StreetSmARTS Program, funded by the Department of Public Works.
        
   21. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-178: Motion to approve the final design by David Best for the Tenth Anniversary Commemorative Sculpture Project at Patricia’s Green sponsored by the Arts Commission and Burning Man Project, and to authorize its installation from June 7, 2015 until July 1, 2016.
        
   22. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-179: Motion to approve the temporary installation of a sculpture by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel to be placed at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park from September 16, 2015 until January 14, 2016 at no cost to the City.
        
   23. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-180: Motion to approve the design and installation of the temporary art project, Studio 1, a programmed mobile art studio, to be installed from June 8, 2015 until August 8, 2015 at two locations on Market Street: 1401 Market Street (NEMA) and Mechanics Plaza. The project is part of the Living Innovation Zone (“LIZ”) initiative, and is sponsored by the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Mayor’s Office of Innovation and the San Francisco Planning Department.
        
   24. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-181: Motion to approve the Design Development phase deliverables by Adriane Colburn for an artwork for Daggett Park.
        
   25. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-182: Motion to approve new location of the entryway artwork by Mark Brest van Kempen for the Alameda Creek Watershed Center.
        
   26. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-183: Motion to approve the Conceptual Design for Tomie Arai’s artwork for the Chinatown Central Subway Station.
        
   27. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-184: Motion to approve the Final Design Phase deliverables by Wowhaus for the Ocean Avenue Public Plaza: Historical Photography Project.
        
   28. RESOLUTION NO. 0601-15-185: Motion to approve San Francisco International Airport: Temporary Boarding Area B Art Program Outline.
        
8. New Business and Announcements
   Commissioner Collins reported on the memorial for Paula England. He also reported that he had attended Commissioner Melania’s company’s performance, and found it phenomenal.
    
   Commissioner Keehn announced a community outreach event at SPUR on June 4.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny reported that, as Ms. Dawson had explained earlier, the Executive Committee had requested that staff arrange a review of the Statement of Incompatible Activities and also of the bylaws. He explained that they were last updated in 2005, and that because the Commission was moving to the Veterans War Memorial Building in September and would have to update at least the address in the bylaws, it would make sense to do the complete review at that time rather than in July and again a few months later. He solicited proposed revisions and explained that he would invite Ms. Dawson back in the fall for a detailed review of the bylaws.
    
   Finally, he added that Tara Lamont would present an overview of the Commission’s new offices at the July meeting of this Commission.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
9. Adjournment
   There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:12 p.m.

posted 6/15/15, 6:15 p.m. spr
approved 7/6/15
 

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.