MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
OF THE ARTS COMMISSION

Monday, December 17, 2018
12:30 p.m.
401 Van Ness Avenue, Room 125

Minutes
 

President Beltran called the meeting to order at 12:42 p.m.

1. Roll Call
   Commissioners Present
   JD Beltran, President
   Roberto Ordeñana, Vice President
   Charles Collins
   Simon Frankel
   Mary Jung
    
   Commissioners Absent
   None
    
2. General Public Comment
   There was no public comment.
    
3. Director’s Report
   Mr. DeCaigny reported on the passage of Proposition E with 75% voter approval, and he discussed how the Arts Commission would work towards its implementation. In response to the Committee’s questions, he explained that the cultural districts would be overseen by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, noting that Community Investments Program Director Barbara Mumby had participated in the hiring panel. He reported that the newest cultural district, an African-American Cultural District in the Bayview Hunters Point, had just been approved by the Board of Supervisors, bringing the current total to six.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny discussed the Arts Commission’s plans to gather community input for the public process mandated by Prop. E on using the new funds. He and Senior Racial Equity and Policy Analyst Dr. Anh Thang Dao-Shah explained that staff was working with a variety of community partners to choose several accessible locations, ideally in connection with other events to maximize the outreach, during a two-week window in January, beginning January 6. Commissioners suggested additional possible venues for consideration.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
4. Special Projects Grant to Galería Studio 24
   Mr. DeCaigny introduced the following motion, for a recently proposed Special Project Grant to the Galería de la Raza.
    
   President Beltran proposed amending the motion by adding the words “by the Arts Commission” at the end.
    
   Mr. DeCaigny confirmed that the Galería was in negotiations with their landlord, along with support from the office of Supervisor Hillary Ronen. He reported that they are on a path toward a permanent location in two years, but have been unable so far to come to terms with their current landlord on the interim period. He explained that the requested grant would support their work during this period.
    
   There was no public comment, and the amended motion was unanimously approved as follows.
    
   Motion to approve a recommendation to award Galería Studio 24 a Special Projects Grant (“SPX”) and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a grant agreement for an amount not to exceed $30,000 at this time. This grant will support organizational and programmatic needs for Galería de la Raza. Additional funding for this project may be considered and the grant term may be extended upon approval by the Arts Commission.
    
   There was no public comment.
    
5. Racial Equity Statement and Plan
   Dr. Dao-Shah presented the draft racial equity statement and plan, explaining how it had been developed with staff. She discussed the role of the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, a national network in which San Francisco is participating, and she named several City departments that are partners with the Arts Commission in the cohort, with the Human Rights Commission as the lead.
    
   The Committee discussed the statement and the plan in some detail, including the definition of equity and the distinction between race and ethnicity, the importance of data as evidence in making the case for why racial equity is a priority. The Committee praised and thanked the staff for their work on the statement and the plan. They discussed how the statement and plan related to the Commission’s strategic plan, and what the implications might be for budget and policy, as well as how the plan will be implemented, and how outcomes and impact will be measured and reported. They discussed how staff time and other resources might be directed toward the plan’s implementation.
    
   President Beltran proposed that the motion be amended to add the words “for the San Francisco Arts Commission” before “to adopt.”
    
   There was no public comment and the amended motion was unanimously approved as follows.
    
   Motion for the San Francisco Arts Commission to adopt a racial equity statement and two-year plan.
    
   The Committee requested that the motion be calendared for the full Commission as an independent agenda item rather than as part of the Consent Calendar.
    
6. Amendment of Bylaws
   Mr. DeCaigny introduced the discussion by explaining that the Commission had last approved bylaws in 2005, and the present amended bylaws included a great number of updates following a very thorough review by the City Attorney’s office, as well as Commissioner Frankel, President Beltran, Deputy Director Rebekah Krell, with help from Commission Secretary Sharon Page Ritchie. He introduced Deputy City Attorney Lauren Curry, who was present to advise the Committee in its discussion of the bylaws.
    
   The Committee discussed the bylaws revisions in great detail, including changes to the committee structure reflecting changes in how the programs are administered, and discussed how the document describes ethics and Sunshine requirements and recusal by a Commissioner.
    
   The Committee also requested clarification of how the Charter and Code sections cited in the Mission and Purpose section correspond to the agency’s mandates and programs.
    
   The Committee requested an “executive summary” and/or a simple chart summarizing the changes from the 2005 bylaws to the current proposed amended bylaws.
    
   The Committee requested that the full Commission consider the amended bylaws as a separate agenda item rather than as part of the Consent Calendar.
    
   There was no public comment and the Committee unanimously approved the motion to adopt the amended bylaws with the changes they requested.
    
7. New Business and Announcements
   There was no new business or announcements, and no public comment.
    
8. Adjournment
   There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:04 p.m.
    

posted 12/31/18, 5:00 p.m. spr
approved 1/7/19

 

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.