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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-18 Public Art Commission Summary Minutes MINUTES PUBLIC ART COMMISSION MEETING Thursday, March 18, 2021 Virtual teleconference via Zoom 7:00 p.m. Commissioners Present: Ben Miyaji, Loren Gordon, Nia Taylor, Ian Klaus, Hsinya Shen joined the meeting at 6:10 pm Staff Present: Elise DeMarzo, Public Art Program Director Nadya Chuprina, Public Art Program Coordinator CALL TO ORDER - Chair Miyaji called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS – None. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS – None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - PAC Meeting Minutes from February 18, 2021, Moved: Commissioner Shen, Second: Vice Chair Gordon. All in Favor. STAFF COMMENTS - Staff updated the Commissioners on the ongoing application and selection process for the ArtLift Microgrant projects. Staff shared visuals and descriptions of the project proposals approved for funding in February and announced an April 16 deadline for the last round of applications. Staff also shared images of eight Temporary Murals installed across Palo Alto. Additionally, staff announced the ongoing recruitment for the City’s Boards and Commissions, including 3 vacancies for the Public Art Commission with the application deadline on April 6, 2021. Staff also provided information about currently open calls for artists for the 2021-2023 Prequalified Artist Pool and Temporary Murals for the new Public Safety Building in California Ave District. Staff announced an upcoming virtual artist talk with artists who created designs for eight temporary murals. ACTION: 1. California Ave Master Plan – Art Builds Community consultants made a presentation of the refined California Ave Public Art Master Plan to the Commissioners. The consultants presented the overall scope, goals and objectives, timeline and methodology for the community outreach, and a set of final recommendations laid out in the California Avenue District Public Art Plan. There was some discussion about the outlined recommendations. Commissioners proposed to make a friendly amendment to move to approve the Public Art Plan with a modification to Recommendation 4 to strengthen the language about commissioning artwork that promotes diversity and racial justice. Moved: Commissioner Taylor moved to approve modification to Recommendation 4 to include language about commissioning artwork that promotes diversity and racial justice. Second: Commissioner Shen. All in Favor. Moved: Commissioner Shen moved to approve the final California Ave Public Art Master Plan. Second: Commissioner Taylor. All in Favor. NON-ACTION: 2. Race and Equity in Public Art –Equity and communications consultant Elizabeth D. Foggie made a special presentation to PAC to share findings from the targeted outreach and artist survey with the goal of enhancing equity and inclusion and access to public art opportunities in Palo Alto for artists and art organizations of color. The consultant presented the purpose, scope, and methodology for the conducted survey. The consultant shared aggregated findings of the demographics for the survey participants, and their experiences working in the field of public art in general, any past experience working with the Palo Alto Public Art Program, and expressed barriers to access and equity in public art. Consultant provided a number of recommendations and considerations for enhancing equity and accessibility for public artists. There was some discussion among the commissioners about the survey results and outlined recommendations. 3. Follow-up Discussion After Joint Meeting with Human Relations Commission – Commissioners discussed the take-aways from the joint meeting with the Human Relations Commission regarding the collaboration between the two commissions on the outreach and public engagement for artwork on King Plaza recognizing the City’s priorities on race and equity. ANNOUNCEMENTS – Chair Miyaji announced the ongoing PAC recruitment and encouraged incumbents and public to apply. CALENDAR: Next PAC Regular Meeting – April 15, 2021 at 7 pm via Zoom. SPECIAL MEETING ADJOURNED at 8:45 pm by Chair Miyaji.