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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20240718 - Arts & Culture Commission Minutes Page 1 of 5 Hastings Arts & Culture Commission Meeting Minutes Wednesday July 18, 2024 – 6:00 PM Hastings City Hall – Spiral Bridge Room 1. Call Meeting to Order Meeting called to order at 6:20 p.m. Present: Commission Chair Hollenbeck; Vice Chair Read; Commissioners Humphrey and Maner; Staff Representative Lee and Economic Development Coordinator Menke Absent: Commissioners McCoy, Tribe and Wagner 2. Approval of Agenda Vice Chair Read motioned to approve agenda as presented; Commissioner Maner seconded. Motion carried. 3. Approval of Minutes – June 12, 2024 Regular Meeting Vice Chair Read motioned to approve minutes as presented; Commissioner Humphrey seconded. Motion carried. 4. Administrative Update – Discussion on Collection of Email Addresses - Lee Lee reported that Communications Coordinator Skelly created a signup form titled “Arts and Culture Commission Updates” for those interested in receiving commission updates. The form can be found on the city’s website as a link on the Arts and Culture Commission page, as well as the eNotifications link on the homepage. The commission is now able to collect email addresses at its hosted events. Skelly will create a postcard-type document with link information, along with a QR code that leads to the signup page. An iPad with the page displayed is also an option to use at in-person events. The commission will have the capability to send event surveys or updates, which will need to be provided to Skelly for her to distribute to those on the list. Lee reminded that the quarterly city newsletter deadline for the fall issue is July 25. Any information the commission would like to be included must be sent to Skelly by that date. OLD BUSINESS 5. Subcommittee Updates a) Policy & Procedures No updates – did not meet b) Finance & Fundraising No updates – did not meet Arts and Culture Commission July 18, 2024 Minutes Page 2 of 5 c) Outreach & Communications - Humphrey and Tribe No updates – did not meet 6. Recap of June 30th Event - Read Vice Chair Read said roughly 120 people were in attendance, and the weather couldn’t have been better for the event. The mill was louder than expected, so they talked about other potential park locations for future events—such as Conzemius or newly refurbished Lake Isabel Park. Read suggested the commission pay to have a porta-potty in the future. Because of the quality and success of the performance, Read said he would like to book the Classical Actors Ensemble again for future events and suggested continuing to do this as an annual event around the same time. Hollenbeck agreed and said the commission should build it in so people can expect it. Commissioners shared ideas to broaden the event in the future. 7. Fall Event Naming Discussion Tribe had provided some names that were read in her absence: • Canvas and Chords • Art and Acoustic Trail • Artistry in the Air of Vermillion Falls Trail Event Commissioners agreed to name the fall event “Artistry in the Air.” 8. Fall Event Update a) Performers – Hollenbeck said she got an update from Commissioner McCoy that he had spoken to a few musicians to perform at the event. He has hired a harpist ($200), bluegrass band ($500), an old-time music band ($500), and is looking for a soloist (around $200). The bluegrass band needs a shelter or tent and, if others do as well, the commission will provide them. Hollenbeck will forward McCoy’s email to Read so they can work through the event details. b) Plein Air – Hollenbeck reported that Andy Evanson, Dave Youngren, Jeremy Haney, Sam St. John, and Ryan Johnson are all planning to participate. Johnson suggested that artists display their work and give the public an opportunity to buy, as well as post QR codes to take customers to the artists’ websites. Read said he contacted an art teacher at the University of River Falls, and the information will be shared with students. He is not sure how many student artists will be interested. Hollenbeck asked if there should be a limit on the total number of artists. Read said a total of 15 would be fantastic. There will be five artists from the community, and he is unsure how many we will get from the college. Each artist will be given a $50 honorarium. 9. Electrical Box Update – Roadside Park Hollenbeck shared that organizing this event had become complex. Artist/Organizer Eckroad posted the event on her website, and Hollenbeck told her to go ahead and start registering people for the 32 Arts and Culture Commission July 18, 2024 Minutes Page 3 of 5 available spots. Lee confirmed that Skelly has posted the event on the city website and shared on city social media channels. Hollenbeck said the materials cost for this event is $316 above the original $1,000 invoice paid by the Parks Department, so commissioners will need to approve paying the overage from the commission budget. Motion by Read to pay Eckroad $316 from the commission budget to be able to finish the project; Commissioner Maner seconded. Motion carried. a) Quotes on Signage and Sandwich Boards for Events - Read Read plans to go to Graphic Design tomorrow to sit with them and design the materials. He foresees various directional signage and one generic sign. All will include the commission logo. 10. Public Art Map – Hollenbeck Hollenbeck plans to work on the Public Art Map with the Tourism Bureau. Descriptions are needed for each art piece on the tour, which is a Google map with pins. Once drafted, she will bring the information back to the commission for review before it progresses. NEW BUSINESS 11. RFP Response – Read Read shared the one full RFP response submitted thus far. Though the artist did not include a sketch of what she wants to do, Read said he’s not worried after looking through her portfolio that shows a proven track record with work that can be found all over the Twin Cities area. He said he would talk with her extensively about how she wants to adhere the mural to the structure. Hollenbeck appreciated the community engagement piece in the proposal. Artist Sam St. John also contacted Read with a question. Hollenbeck said St. John is talking to the artist who recently painted a mural for her to consider a combined effort. Read reiterated that a vital component of this project is attachment to the building, which is not a straightforward process. Commissioners agreed that the project interest so far is promising. The deadline for RFPs is September 1st. 12. Hastings City Hall – Art Collection – Master List Lee explained that the various versions of the document that existed were all combined into one master document in spreadsheet form, and all headings are sortable (title/subject, artist last name, location, value). She asked commissioners to decide on one person to maintain the list, so it doesn’t once again end up with multiple versions. Arts and Culture Commission July 18, 2024 Minutes Page 4 of 5 Maner asked if the document would be for internal use and suggested putting it in shared document form. Hollenbeck asked if we have a separate storage space to house commission documents for all commissioners to access. Lee asked about the purpose of document, other than inventory. Read said he preferred the document have two purposes: inventory and to be able to know what we have if rotating art. Humphrey said it was important for people to know which artist made which piece. Read would like to add the medium for each piece, and ideally an image—though that can’t be put into an Excel spreadsheet. Lee asked the process for accepting art. Hollenbeck said the Policy and Procedures Subcommittee has discussed this, and a decision on that process still needs to be made. She added that discussion needs to be had with the city’s Pioneer Room volunteers as well. Read suggested the database should be kept by Lee, and Pioneer Room volunteers can work with the commission. 13. Recap of Action Items • Electrical Box Event o Humphrey – send flyer to Skelly o Read – put on Google arts calendar o Eckroad asked that members of the commission be present o Commission will provide beverages o Commission will make extra tents available, if needed • Fall Artistry in the Air Event o Humphrey – provide event description to Skelly by July 25th for fall newsletter o Humphrey – draft event flyer and complete when details become available o Read – put on Google arts calendar 14. Announcements • Humphrey brought up the $1,500 donation monies the commission talked about using in partnership with the school district for Indigenous Peoples Day in October. She said event planning is underway, and the school superintendent is on board with commission collaboration. Hollenbeck asked if activities would be held on one or multiple days. Humphrey said one day is required by legislation, but the school district would like to expand that into a week of activities. Hollenbeck expressed the commission’s willingness to partner, as it will be more impactful to collaborate with the school district rather than trying to do something on our own. Arts and Culture Commission July 18, 2024 Minutes Page 5 of 5 Humphrey shared that the current plan includes a family night on Tuesday, October 8th at the library that is open to the community where Nashke Games will be available to teach people how to play indigenous games. In that same week, the library will be hosting a storytelling event with the author of a Native American book. • Rivertown Days Arts & Craft Fair starts tomorrow night. Read said there are 90-some plots laid out for vendors • The opening day for the Cinderella play is Friday, July 26th • Community Choir is developing and growing, with Commissioner McCoy as director. They want to get going by September and be ready for the holidays. • Chamber Society is also in development, with the hope of turning into a community orchestra. • Little Log House event is the being held the weekend following Rivertown Days. • Makers Market is next Thursday evening, July 24, 5:00-8:30. Menke reported the events are doing well, and they have found their rhythm for setting up. He added that vendors like the location. They are evaluating the idea of hosting the Makers Market every Thursday next summer to coincide with Concert in the Park and rebrand as Music and Market in the Park. • The Downtown Business Association will have a fall event September 21. Spiral Brewery has Oktoberfest that same day. • Hollenbeck is meeting with City Administrator Wietecha next Tuesday to discuss the commission’s 2025 budget. Menke requested an item be added to the commission’s August meeting agenda. He would like to look at the space at 213 Ramsey Street in case the space becomes available and work through what a proposal from the commission would be to ensure community benefit. He suggested coming up with a one- to three-month proposal of plans for the space, rates charged, and how that would work. Menke is happy to work with the commission on creating that proposal and presenting it to HEDRA. Hollenbeck feels the commission is going in the right direction and that there is lots of positive energy in this community for art. 14. Adjourn Commissioner Humphrey motioned to adjourn at 7:08 p.m. Seconded by Vice Chair Read. Motion carried. The next Arts and Culture Commission meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 14 at 6:00pm in the Volunteer Room at City Hall.