this is the June 4th public art committee meeting we'll start with role
Monet Franklin is here Michelle in Nick back and forth here Meredith Ewing here
Jodie Ismer here I think Nicholson here Harry Nobles it's deal here Georgina
I think she's here Terry's here also he was waving that he was here
I got me Georgina here right I think we got everyone okay and the first item on
the list is a presentation for the members of the public first I consider
a receive or hold report and give staff direction regarding the odd districts
application for Texas Commission of Arts respond cultural district grant program
sure and just on the presentation to members from members of the public we
didn't we did post the agenda and the public comment form and we did not
receive any comments ahead of time and we didn't have anyone called into the
meeting so for the application to the Texas Commission on the Arts we're
going to switch over now to the presentation Christina like I said
Christina is going to run that so I'm gonna disappear for a second we're all
going to disappear you're gonna see the presentation and then when we finish the
presentation we'll all be able to see each other again so give us one second to
get switched over
all right so the reason we got together quickly today with this meeting is that
there is a program available through the Texas Commission on the Arts called the
arts respond cultural district project grant program and since we received our
cultural districts designation in September we are eligible to apply the
deadline for the application is June 15th so prior to submitting the
application we wanted to go over the grant project with the Public Art
Committee get your feedback so that we could incorporate it into the
application and then we'll need to go to City Council next week the night that's
the last City Council meeting prior to the deadline for the application so
let's go to the next slide so the cultural district project grant program
is like I said a project through the Texas Commission on the Arts all
eligible cultural designated cultural districts are eligible to apply as well
as arts organizations within the district that are certified the Texas
Commission on the Arts goes through a process of actually certifying
additional organizations that can also make submissions through this project so
we had I think five or six organizations also within the district get certified
Greater Denton Arts Council was one I believed it in community theater was one
that got certified so they were also eligible to submit individual
applications this particular grant project is designed to generate cultural
tourism much like the cultural district program itself projects that are
submitted through this program have to fit in one of the five categories you
see listed on the screen high quality arts programming an enhancement to the
cultural district improved signage or wayfinding promotion of the district or
organizational support some eligibility and application information is that
organizations can only submit one application per deadline but there are
multiple deadlines for this project and so we could submit again if another
round of funding comes available this year or at the next deadline whenever
that is multiple organizations within the district can also submit so just
because the original didn't district makes a submission if we had another
established organization they would be able to submit as well request can be
made for anywhere from three thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
but the request cannot exceed fifty percent of the budget and I will note
that some of the other information related to the grant will kind of go
over as we go through the project that we're proposing but things to keep in
mind is that we have to maintain at least a one-to-one so whatever we
request from the grant we also have to make sure we have funding available on
the city side because we would have to match at least one to one and these are
also highly competitive grant so we will have to enter into a competitive
applicant pool and if our application is not accepted then we'd either have to
find another way to fund the project or maybe postpone the project and wait
until we have are able to submit again so that's sort of an overview of the
grant project and the next slide we are going to jump into the project proposal
so when we were looking at what projects were in the hopper and at a place that
we could submit for the cultural district the first one that came to mind
was the women's the monument to the women's interracial fellowship and if
the committee remembers you approved this project at your March meeting the
last time that we all saw each other and at that time we talked about the fact
that there was no funding tied to that project and we would have to evaluate
what we wanted to do and how we wanted to move forward with that project in the
future so we thought that this project would be the first primary project that
we've sort of started the process on and for it to be eligible for the grant and
so our project proposal is the creation of a signature public art piece in a
featured location within the district and we'll talk about locations in a few
slides and because it has to occur within the district itself but a monument
that honors the women's interracial fellowship and the values of community
and understanding which is the precise project that we talked about back in
March so next slide so when we talked previously we talked about sharing ideas
for location these were the ideas that we got back from the committee for
possible locations one was within Quaker Town Park one was in the City Hall
courtyard and one was the Industrial Street Park that's right sorry you
can't see my mouse the Industrial Street Park which is the middle star kind of
right in the middle nope there there you go that middle star right there one
location was within Fred Moore Park and then one location at the American Legion
Senior Center and the comment we received back from that is that that was
where the women often met and so that location had a special place and special
connection to the month to the women involved in in the fellowship itself of
course we want the public art committees input on the final location and also we
want to look at once we have the location settled what size monument we
would be able to have and what infrastructure needs we would have right
you could go to the next slide so putting together we an abbreviated pretty
quick timeline of this project and oh can you go to the next slide oh okay we're
trying to add Michelle Lint to the meeting sorry for that little hiccup see
if we can get her added real quick but going forward with their project
timeline and so here we are in June we would be looking at forming a project
subcommittee in July meeting with members of the women's interracial
fellowship to discuss ideas and input and how they would think to best honor
the work that they did and the grants would be awarded late summer early fall
and then as you see a pretty aggressive timeline with moving forward with
artists proposals and conceptual design and selection this fall and then in the
winter holding public input meetings having a final design approved with
construction beginning in January I'm sorry those dates are wrong in January
of 2021 I'm not gonna make us redo 2020 promise so right there we will that
actually should be January 2021 and going forward there with a completion
date of no later than the end of July 2021 and the reason for that is that the
grant requires that the project be completed by August next slide so we
looked at other projects that we did of similar size and scope and we were
looking towards really the MLK rec center project is sort of the same size
project that we would be able to fund again the city has to commit 50% of the
funding so we were looking at what would be available from the public art hot
funds that could be used as the matching component to this grant and so we came
up with a budget about $80,000 now on the grant application we break that down a
little bit further about $70,000 going towards the artist contract itself in
the monument and reserving about $10,000 for anything from promotions and any
additional construction that needs to be done to prepare the sites lighting if
there's additional you know a pad that needs to be built for the site sort of
that prep work and so that's how we've broken down the budget and some details
for you guys to keep in mind with this budget is that for a budget at that
scale that would mean probably committing the remainder of the 1920 hot
funds that you currently have in your budget and it could mean up to all of
the 2021 hot funds and the reason I say up to all of that is you have to keep in
mind that those funds have been greatly impacted by the COVID pandemic and so we
might see a lower number in 2021 than we've worked with the past few years and
so I want to keep that kind of at the top of the committee's minds as it might
require quite a bit of financial commitment of the public art funds to
reach that budget the other thing to keep in mind is that the grant award
could they could award us a lower grant than what we're requesting it's based on
the scoring and if that is the case it would increase the city's contribution
so we would have to have a little bit of contingency built in that then we could
meet the match requirement if our project was approved at a lower amount
okay next slide so an overview of the application process so applications are
due June 15th we've been working behind the scenes with this project trying to
make sure that we could get a presentation completed by that deadline
so we have all of the background information and just need to assemble it
I shared with you the written project narrative and which is the major part of
the application which is describing the project and its impact on the community
and the overview of the cultural district and organization it does have a
small marketing plan component and which we are going to tie into the marketing
plan that the committee approved as part of the cultural district application
process and then we're also working with the Convention and Visitors Bureau to
determine and how we measure the visitorship and the economic impact of
of public art in the community or public art piece of this scale and the project
budget and financial information is the piece that I talked about we do a little
bit of a breakdown of that $80,000 it requires an audio visual presentation
which is essentially us making a formal presentation that's recorded and kind of
walking through and explaining that project so we are ready to do that we
kind of have have the sideshow in mind and and some images associated with that
that we're ready to move forward with and then it does require a letter of
support from the cultural district itself so one thing that we would be
asking for if the committee chooses to move forward is that on the June 9th
City Council agenda there is a resolution that will allow the committee to send a
letter of support to the Texas Commission on the Arts and that is a
requirement of the application itself so if we didn't have that our application
would be completely ineligible so we're gonna go ask City Council next week for
that permission and I think sorry the last thing just to prime everyone what
we need direction on to finish the application so if the project itself is
something the committee wants to move forward with with the application and
the location if we wanted to settle the app the location of the project prior to
submitting the application and comfort level with with the budget as we've
outlined it and then certainly the support for the letter of support but
those are our four key areas that that I want to make sure we get to discuss
today and that I believe is the end of the presentation so we're gonna take it
down so if we need to jump back in the presentation at any point we can but
this way I can we can see each other and talk about those elements and you
should all have the presentation I emailed it to you if you if you need to
refer back to it but I'll turn it back over to Monet and let her call on
everyone or anyone have any ideas where to put it I have an idea but I want to
see everyone else speaking the same thing I'm thinking I don't have any
strong opinions on where it should go a bit of clarity is the district itself so
it does stretch as far as over towards the MLK and in Southeast Bend it's not
just literally like in the square area or you know industrial it does not
include the MLK Rick's rec center but it does include Fred Moore Park and Oakwood
Cemetery over to that direction okay yeah so so I guess my other question would
just be I mean I may be I mean I know so they're rebuilding part of the the
American Legion right there you know part is we could just be incorporated at
all or that too far off the mark for this grant to be we probably couldn't
complete this before that that facility is completed you know I guess that's
what that would kind of rule out that that area so it was part of them the
American Legion Fred Moore Park area it would be a little bit challenging to
have the piece of art done prior to the center being complete but I did ask Gary
Packin if that was a feasible location and he said yes I mean we could figure
out if it had to have a temporary home there prior to its final place I think
that's something we could work out if that was the location that we wanted to
move forward with but I certainly understand that the concern with that
and we'll verify that so if it like I said if that was the location that the
committee wanted we'll make sure that that's feasible so maybe we have a kind
of first and second option
does anyone else have any input I do can I talk is that oh Michelle yeah I can't
hear you yeah I can't hear Michelle either I also feel I was texting Paul
Meltzer about this that we need to make sure that we can also take private funds
on this I feel that the city will will rally around this concept especially in
the political times we're in and and so I agree that the statue is an awesome
idea that was the very first meeting I ever sat in on was where it got
introduced and I feel like very personally that I want to see this done
but I also think that I would like to know where I would like to know that
wherever it goes is going to be a place where people who come to visit the city
are gonna see it and not just tucked away somewhere in a corner and I'm not
sure about the accepting private funds for it that's something that we would
have to talk about with our legal department and how we would do that but
we certainly can ask that question a little bit about it he says that he's
gonna help us with it but I feel like like whatever other strictures this
grant may offer if it was $40,000 from them versus a basically infinite amount
of money from the community I would rather go that path but I mean I say
apply for it but just let's make sure that that doesn't tie us up to a point
that we can't get private monies for this sure that would not be the reason
we we could in the application itself you can acknowledge different funding
sources so there is the ability to say yes we're also seeking private funds for
this so I don't think it would limit us I'm more concerned about the city
organization being able to ask for donations and so if that's what I need
to talk about with our attorneys okay thanks I had a question as far as
deciding on locations or a location is there already like a spot designated in
each location where the public art would go like in each in each location like
this plot is set aside for the artwork or or is that kind of up for negotiation
like within so one of the requirements of any funding that we would receive
from the Texas Commission on the Arts is that the piece of art has to meet ADA
requirements so we would not be able to have the piece of art in sort of the
middle of a park where there wasn't an accessible sidewalk for it to be reached
so when we kind of got to that point if we chose the location we would make sure
we know generally we want it in this area we would make sure that based on
the size and scale and the design of the art that we would place it in an area
that was accessible if that makes sense so it would be dependent upon which
location the size of the piece what additional work needed to be done that
adds cost to it to the project so that's one thing we'd want to make sure that we
we had it in a place that was accessible right and when I didn't catch it when do
we need to decide on the location so we don't have to decide on the location
prior to submitting the application that's something we can continue I just
wanted to give the committee that option and if we wanted to submit with a
specific location in mind you do not have to have a settled location that can
be decided in the kind of pre work that we would be doing over the next few
months anything else
all right are we we need to decide whether we're gonna actually apply for
this grant right before we move to the next item on the agenda yes okay I move
that we approve the application process for the grant I'll second all in favor
can we go just because we can't see everybody I'm on a says I Michelle in
here Michelle can you repeat it Michelle okay we can hear you
we kind of hear you go in and out Michelle
yes okay thank you did you just call my name sorry yes I'll see if you want to
yes or no yes Meredith Bowie yes Alicia Egger absent absent Jody is more yes
Frederick Nicholson yes it's still in favor I Georgina Ngozi I really don't
have the vote right but I'll I certainly support it yes everyone is a favor right
well thank you and we will work to finish the application and get it turned
in by the very quickly approaching June 15th that well we'll take it to City
Council next week so we'll make sure that that happens and then if City
Council approves the resolution then we will make sure to have the application
in by the June 15th deadline and we'll give you an update at our next Public
Art Committee which is just after the deadline do we also need to vote on
getting that requesting that letter from council I thought that was part of your
motion sort of approving that that's fine I just wanted to make sure that we
didn't need to okay no I've considered that part of that application process so
okay just making sure that we're done eyes and crops and teas I got you Nick
thank you okay next item receive report and hold discussion against that
direction of our application made by our Council's National Endowment for the
Arts NEA grant and possible support of this rental application for a text
mission of arts PCA arts respond and a book for Arts District project right I
will this was something Georgina and I have been talking about this grant
program and so Georgina actually submitted an application for an NEA
grant for for Greater Denton Arts Council and wanted to at the time we
were considering and also asking the committee for a letter support for an
additional grant for TCA but I'll let Georgina give an update on the NEA
grant process
can you hear me we can hear you okay Jessica thank you for this platform and
the opportunity to talk about this NEA grant NEA put out a grant for under the
title of the CARES Act and in support of nonprofit arts organizations as it
related to COVID-19 GDAC submitted a grant back in April called art soul
renewal project it's a project that envisions GDAC script stripping all of
its galleries and inviting local artists to provide visual art and
installations in all of our spaces all of our gallery spaces we're going to
put out a call for 25 at least 25 artists is what we hope to secure and
they will have access to the all three galleries with a certain amount of space
assigned to each one the second part of and the artwork would be reflective of
this period of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our community the
second part of the grant would be to host an opening celebration where the
community at large would be invited to come in and see the work but also be
engaged in a series or multiple activities including workshops we hope
to bring in mental health professionals and writers who can help the community
share their stories and we hope to collect that that will ultimately result
in a catalog to be distributed throughout the community and quite honestly
throughout the region and the nation we are waiting to hear from NEA to see if
that grant has been secure the dollar amount that we can receive for this
grant is $50,000 we will provide if funded the materials that the artists
need to do the work and that's pretty much it in the nutshell when we consider
what I considered the possibility of going to TCA my thought at the time
before talking with Jessica was that maybe with TCA support we could build
upon this NEA initiative if we receive that funding but I think that we've made
the right decision to have the city go for the TCA grant and hopefully GDAC
will be able to secure the NEA grant and the community as a large will be able to
benefit thank you Jessica thanks Georgina so we don't actually need a
motion on this we just wanted to keep you up to date and know that we're
working with GDAC and support their project and promote their project and as
well as their lending support to our application as well so great
collaborative effort right between the city and GDAC so we appreciate that
awesome Georgina when do you find out if you're if you've been granted that I'm
sitting on pins and needles waiting today because it's supposed they're
supposed to announce it the first week of June and quite honestly right before I
got on this call I reached out to see if I could find out whether or not we will
receive the grant so I'm thinking in the next several days we should know let me
also add that we have already carved out three months in our exhibit schedule to
accommodate this project and those and that would be May through July 21 would
those be local artists or national local artists like Denton or DFW to be honest
with you the preference would probably be given to Denton artists but the call
will go out to DFW great that's that's wonderful that's a wonderful idea well
good luck I can't wait to hear what happens well it's for all of us and I
hope that it works out in our favor
that'll be good and then concluding items anybody have anything I'll just say
that we'll be back to our normal semi normal meeting the meeting that we're
holding later in June will be our normal June public art meeting so we'll look
forward to seeing you all then I would like to suggest one thing and this is
totally up to y'all to how you feel about it but as the statue on the
courthouse square is public art I would like for you all to think about whether
we could perhaps make a statement as the city and not the county public art
people about our feelings towards its persistence in our town any other
comments or items I think that's that's everything for today we'll close the
meeting at 138