Lawrence Arts Commission

Minutes of April 11, 2007

Present: Evie Rapport, chair; Elizabeth Hatchett; David Loewenstein; Margaret Morris; John Reeves; James Schaefer; Leslie von Holten; Sandra Wiechert

Youth in Local Government Representative: Anna Cook

Absent: Donna Griffin; Liz Kowalchuk; Tom King

City Liaison: Michael Tubbs

A. The meeting was called to order at 7:05 pm in the Jayhawk Conference Room of Fire Station #5 by the Chair, Evie Rapport.

B. Commissioners Loewenstein and Hatchett moved and seconded that the Minutes of March 14 be accepted. Motion passed.

C. Commission chair Rapport introduced Anna Cook as a Youth in Local Government representative from Lawrence High School.

1.a. Commissioner Rapport announced a June 1 conference in Las Vegas of Americans for the Arts, an association of city arts administrators. Lawrence is a member. It is hoped our city liaison, Michael Tubbs, will be funded to attend.

b. She announced a new website, www.fineartamerica.com for those interested to visit.

c. The website for the National Endowment for the Arts will be linked on LAC’s website.

d. On March 30 Commissioner Rapport with help from Michael Tubbs filed a report with the city about LAC projects and how our budgeted money had been spent.

e. Contact information for the new mayor and city commissioners will be mailed soon.

2.a. The grants/developmental workshops report was deferred.

b. Commissioner Reeves updated the Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibit report, saying that 51 entries ultimately had been received from 28 sculptors. Ten entries had been eliminated and 13 others deemed conditional, due to safety and stability considerations, after a meeting with Parks and Recreation staff. Eight had now been selected, and a slide presentation of them will be given at the May LAC meeting. Commissioner Reeves stressed a need to develop formal procedures for working with Parks and Recreation and city staff. Chair Rapport encouraged him to work on this.

c. No Percent for Art report was given due to the absence of Commissioner Kowalchuk.

d. & f. Commissioner Wiechert gave no Phoenix report, but reported on the many arts events and arts projects going on in Lawrence, as presented at the Arts and Culture Roundtable. A discussion on proposed murals followed.

e. Commissioner Hatchett reported on LAC website development.

g. Due to the absence of Commissioner King, a KREOS report will be sent later.

D.1. Under Old Business, Commissioner Rapport presented the Agenda which Carol Nalbandian plans to use as the Facilitator for the LAC Strategic Planning Retreat on Saturday, April 21 at the Indoor Aquatic Facility. The first part will focus on our dreams and themes; the second on strategic plans.

2. Commissioner Rapport and liaison Tubbs announced they had just received a report on the city’s Capital Improvement Plan/Percent for Art funding, having asked for it since mid-February.

E.1. A request for a temporary mural at the Centennial Park outdoor skateboard facility had just been received. The proposal by students is late and does not meet LAC criteria.

However members did not wish to discourage the applicants. Commissioners Loewenstein and Morris moved and seconded that LAC recommend, with reservations, to the City Commission that the project be approved as proposed, but limited to the scope defined in the application. Any additional art proposals must be in a new, and correct, application. Motion passed; Commissioner Schaefer opposed. Commissioners expressed frustration at trying to enforce LAC policies with individuals and organizations.

2. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to grants applications and grant awards. We wondered, as the city funds the Lawrence Arts Center and Van Go, should LAC award them grants, as we too are city-funded. There is $6000 in the grant budget. Commissioners were asked to recuse themselves from discussion and voting where there are conflicts of interest, particularly the three commissioners involved with one grant application. Discussion followed on whether absent members could/should submit their votes, and if they had not done so, should they be contacted. Commission chair Rapport and liaison Tubbs ruled submitted votes should count, and unsubmitted votes should not be requested. Following spirited discussions on the 13 grant applications, the commissioners orally gave their scores on each application to liaison Tubbs who, with Commissioner Rapport, tallied them. Commissioners Morris and Wiechert moved and seconded that the top seven scorers be fully funded as requested for the 2007 grants. Motion passed.

Art Through Glass--Lawrence Public Schools---$1000.

Passport Abroad Art—Cottonwood Inc. Retirement Services--$750.

Centro Cultural Summer 2007--Centro Hispano Resource Center--$328.50.

Brave New Girls Hit the Road—Lawrence Community Theatre--$!000.

Holiday CD—Lawrence Children’s Choir, Inc.--$850.

HERstory Made the Difference—HERstory Productions--$!000.

Summer Arts Program at the Juvenile Detention Center—Lawrence Arts Center--$1000.

Commissioners Schaefer and Wiechert moved and seconded the remaining money be given to the Americana Music Academy. Motion passed.

Commissioner Loewenstein noted commissioners’ rankings and opinions of the grant applications changed from the start of the meeting to the final rankings.

Commissioner Reeves requested future LAC documents be printed on both sides in order to save paper, if not printing costs.

Commissioners Morris and Reeves moved and seconded that the meeting be adjourned at 9:45 pm. Motion passed.

Respectfully submitted,

Sandra Wiechert, Secretary