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[CALL TO ORDER ]
AND WELCOME TO THE ARTS COMMISSION MEETING TODAY IS TUESDAY, MAY 30TH.UM, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
WHAT TO START HERE WITH A ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER GRAY, COMMISSIONER FLORES HERE.
COMMISSIONER GARZA, COMMISSIONER VANDYKE BEER.
WE HAVE A QUORUM OF LETTUCE, ROCK AND ROLL.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
UM, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH, UH, PUBLIC CITIZEN COMMUNICATION IN GENERAL.UH, LOUIS
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF A NEW EMERGING DANCE COMPANY HERE IN AUSTIN, NAMED SUDAN.
UM, I AM A FORMER DANCER WITH
I HAVE GROWN UP HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, MY ENTIRE LIFE.
AND AS A NEW EMERGING COMPANY, I HAVE, UM, WE AM COLLABORATING WITH BREAKTHROUGH THEATRO WE HAVE BEEN SEEING, I HAVE BEEN SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF STRUGGLES AND, UM, DETAILS THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE PAST YEAR, AND I WILL GIVE THE REST OF MY TIME TO READ, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THESE STRUGGLES.
AND, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY IN THREE MINUTES OR FOUR MINUTES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, AND I'VE GOT RACHEL BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CIRCLE THAT I RAN INTO HER 10, 15 YEARS AFTER TEACHING HER.
UH, SHE WAS MY FIRST COHORT IN 2008 AND SHE TOLD ME I WANT TO START MY OWN COMPANY.
I HAVE THE LOGO, I HAVE THE STUDENTS, I HAVE EVERYTHING, I JUST NEED A SPACE.
AND SO WE'RE PARTNERING WITH HER TO GET THAT SPACE AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO, AND THEN IN THE COUPLE OF MINUTES THAT I HAVE, I WANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE WHAT GUIDELINES DO FOR WORKING ARTISTS AND HOW THEY IMPACT ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH OLD AND NEW, BUT
UM, IN 2016, OUR RESIDENCY WAS TERMINATED BECAUSE, UM, IT WAS, UH, IT CAME TO LIGHT THAT THE GUIDELINES THAT OUR PROGRAM HAD BEEN BUILT UPON WERE UNREALISTIC TO THE NEEDS OF TRUE WORKING ARTISTS AFTER MONTHS OF LEGAL MEDIATION, WITH LAWYERS THAT WE HAD TO HIRE OUR RESIDENCY WAS REINSTATED AND THANKS TO COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
NOW, AFTER THAT MONTHS OF COMMUNITY, FEEDBACK OF FOCUS, GROUPS OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW GUIDELINES WERE ASKED OF US ABOUT 95% OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THOSE MONTHS OF MEETINGS.
THAT MYSELF, THAT MY TEAM, THAT MY COMMUNITY, PARENTS, FAMILIES, ACTORS, 95% OF THOSE, UM, FEEDBACKS AND OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT IN PLACE AT THE MAC.
NOW THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES USE TO RUN THE CULTURAL CENTER.
NOW, ONE OF THOSE GUIDELINES THAT WE REALLY ASKED FOR BACK IN 2016 WITH OUR LAWYERS WAS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PARKS AND REC, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT A TECHNICALLY ADEQUATE STAFF RUN THE CENTER THAT ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT BE PROVIDED TO AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS, NOT JUST ME THAT THROW
OVER THE PAST WEEKEND, WE HAD INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS FROM ARGENTINA, BOLIVIA, AND MEXICO PERFORM AT THE MAC TOTAL BLACKOUT.
DURING THE SECOND HALF, OUR PATRONS WERE EMBARRASSINGLY ASKED TO USE THEIR CELL PHONES TO LIGHT UP THE STAGE, NO AC FOR OVER AN HOUR, WE CALLED MAC MANAGEMENT AND SAID, WELL, IT'S THE WEEKEND.
WE HAD SUFFERED TWO DAYS WITH THESE PROBLEMATICS.
WE EVEN BROUGHT IN OUR OWN ELECTRICIANS TO FIGURE OUT.
WE FOUND OUT THAT THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAD ASKED TO BE REPLACED SEVEN YEARS AGO WAS STILL BEING USED.
THERE'S STILL BREAKERS IN THAT BLACK BOX THAT ARE NOT WORKING, THAT WE IDENTIFIED
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SEVEN YEARS AGO.NOW THIS COMPOUNDED WITH, WELL, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCOVERING IN OUR FUNDING IN AUSTIN, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT LATINO ARTISTS, WHAT ARTISTS OF COLOR GO THROUGH EVERY DAY JUST TO PRODUCE AND NOT JUST SAYING ARTISTS IN GENERAL, BECAUSE I, I DANCE WITH ANDRE ARIEL.
I'M A DANCER WITH HER AND THE FACT THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PERFORM AT THE LONG CENTER AND SEE HOW SEAMLESSLY ARTISTS GET TO WORK AND THESE AMAZING VENUES.
AND THEN NOT THREE WEEKS LATER, I DIRECT MY OWN COMPANY GO TO THE MAC, AND THIS IS MY RESIDENCY.
IT'S A VERY SAD REALITY THAT I LIVE WHEN I'M A DIRECTOR WITH MY OWN COMPANY.
AND WHEN I'M A DANCER WITH A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE ORGANIZATION AND SO FUNDING.
SO VENUES, GENTRIFICATION, ALL OF THESE FACTORS TYPE IN TO THE STRUGGLES.
AND RACHEL HAS BEEN WITH US FOR THREE MONTHS, AND SHE'S ALREADY SEEN THIS, HER OLDEST STUDENTS, 75 YEARS OLD ALINA WALKING IN PURE PITCH BLACK BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE COULD DO.
WE HAD TO ASK ONE OF OUR ACTORS, A PAINTER TO BRING HIS WORK LIGHTS FROM HIS TRUCK AND PLUG THOSE IN.
THERE WAS A HOMELESS GIRL WHO'S DISAPPEARED FOR ABOUT A WEEK, WHO SUFFERING FROM AUTISM HAS MADE HEADLINE NEWS IN AUSTIN.
SHE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE BLACK BOX THEATER.
ONE OF MY DANCERS RECOGNIZED HER BECAUSE SHE'S A SOCIAL WORKER HERSELF.
HOW IS IT THAT AUSTIN IS A DISMAL STATE FOR ARTISTS, BUT EVEN MORE SO FOR ARTISTS OF COLOR.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE DRAFTING GUIDELINES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOES BEYOND A NEWSLETTER AND AN EMAIL.
I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE ENERGY TO GIVE TO MY COMMUNITY AND I WILL BE HERE, BUT ROWAN SALINAS OF THE ATLANTA DANCE COMPANY, WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR OVER 30, 40 YEARS, MELISSA
WHO'S BEEN HERE, PRESENT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
RUDY MENDEZ WHO'S NO LONGER WITH US.
WHO'S DECEASED WOULD BE HERE AT THESE MEETINGS.
I CAN CARRY THE TORCH A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT IT'S REALLY EXHAUSTING.
AND THEN ADD THE FACTOR OF THE PANDEMIC.
MY WHITE COUNTERPARTS DON'T HAVE TO WORK AND TEACH EIGHT CLASSES JUST TO MAKE A LIVING AND DANCE WITH THREE COMPANIES LIKE I DO.
SO PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, HOW IT TRULY IMPACTS OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT ENGAGEMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW.
OH, AND I DID SHARE VIA EMAIL, SOME VIDEOS JUST TO SUPPORT THE EXPERIENCE AT THE MACRO LEVEL HAS TO BE DONE.
NEXT ON OUR LIST, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS LATER ON A SPECIFIC ITEM, BUT FOR NOW THAT IS THE END OF OUR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.NEXT ON OUR LIST IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION MEETING ON APRIL 18TH, 2022.
DO I HAVE A MOTION COMMISSIONER FLORES? IT'S AN EMOTION IS A QUESTION.
SECOND QUESTION OF MR. FLORES AS THE PATIENT QUESTION, BECAUSE, UH, YOU DIDN'T NOTICE THAT COMMISSIONER
AND HE WALKED BY, HE WAS MOTIONING.
OR WAS IT IN REGARD TO THE COMM THE COMMUNITY SPEAKER? YES.
I USUALLY HAVE, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SCHOOL.
WE CAN SPUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BACK TO TALK ABOUT A PARTICULAR ITEM.
I SUSPECT THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CIRCLE BACK WITH YOUR QUESTION AT THAT POINT.
WOULD IT BE, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO TURN UP OUR VIRTUAL FOLKS? IT'S THERE A LITTLE FAINT.
SO, OKAY, WELL, WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.
UM, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GOSSIP, JUST TO KEEP THAT, KEEP THAT THOUGHT AND REMIND ME WHEN WE GET THERE TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
DO I HAVE A SECOND AS MOTION BY MARK SECOND BY GRAY, ALL IN FAVOR.
ANY OPPOSED THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2a. Chair’s Report: Check in - Commissioner Polgar ]
MOVING ON TO CHAIR'S REPORT ITEM TWO.UM, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR TRUSTING IN ME AS YOUR CHAIR FOR THE LAST YEAR.
UM, IT HAS BEEN, UH, QUITE A RIDE TO BE SURE, UM,
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BUT AN INCREDIBLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND I, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT IN THE SPACE.UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR, AS WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC MORE THOROUGHLY, TO BUILD SOME, UM, SOME MORE INROADS IN WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TO WORK ON THE CULTURAL FUNDING GUIDELINES AND SOME OTHER RESOURCES, UM, FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY WRIT LARGE.
UM, I WILL BE STEPPING DOWN THIS EVENING AS CHAIR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR FUTURE LEADERSHIP.
THERE'S SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN THIS SPACE THAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING OVER.
UM, ALSO I WILL BE AT THE BAR AT NOTICE.
WE HAVE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES WITH COMMISSIONER BARNES.
I DO NOT SEE HIM IN THE ROOM AS HE'S NOT ON THE PARTICIPANT LIST.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD THEN.
UM, ALSO, UH, ITEM TWO C AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, CULTURAL TRUST, UH, AS CARL SETTLES ON THE PARTICIPANT LEAVES.
CARL IS NOT HERE AS CARL AND THE WAITING ROOM.
CARL SETTLES IS NOT IN THE WAITING ROOM MOVING RIGHT ALONG COMMISSIONER
[2d. Downtown Commission Report – Commissioner Mok ]
MOCK.DO YOU HAVE A DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REPORT FOR US THIS EVENING? YES, I AM VERY HAPPY.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, UM, THAT'S A BIT OF A CONFUSION ON THE DAY OF THE MEETING.
I GOT AN EMAIL SAYING THAT THERE'S NO CALL ROOM, BUT THEN I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A EMAIL TO CONFIRM THE PENCIL UP.
SO I DIDN'T GO TO THE MEETING.
AND THEN I FIND OUT THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING.
UM, SO I, I, I CARE IF I WERE THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, FROM NOW ON, I NEED TO HAVE A CONFIRMATION WEDNESDAY FIND A COURTROOM, BUT I DID WATCH THE VIDEO BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT REPORTING AND IT IS SO EXCITED.
I MISSED THE MEETING BECAUSE ON THE MEETING, THEY HAD THREE, UH, NEW, UH, BUSINESS AND IT'S TALKING ABOUT, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT SUCH DISTRICT IS CALLED DOWNTOWN PUPPET AND MOVE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
DO YOU KNOW THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT SUCH A DISTRICT EXISTS AND NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON THREE, UM, MAJOR THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE DC, WE HAVE THE MALL WHERE THE MUSEUM IS.
SO THAT'S A PLAN TO HAVE A TEXAS CAPITOL MALL TO CONNECT THE NORTH CONGRESS TO, UH, L M L K, WHERE THE BRENDAN MUSEUM IS BECAUSE AT UT THEY HAVE ALREADY SET UP THE MALL ON SPEEDWAY.
IT'S A WONDERFUL PLAN TO CONNECT NORTH CONGRESS ALL THE WAY TO MLK, TO CONNECT BRENDAN MUSEUM AND TURN THAT INTO A TEXAS CAPITOL MALL.
AND, UM, AND THEN I ALSO LEARNED FROM THE VIDEO, UM, THAT THE HOMELESS SITUATION AT DOWNTOWN AREA IS BEING, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF, UM, THAT'S MANY GOOD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SET UP THIS TWINITY CENTER THAT WE HELP THE HOMELESS TO, TO, UH, HAVE SHELTER AND ALSO TO GIVE THEM HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN REUNITE WITH THEIR FAMILY.
81 OF THEM GET UNITED WITH THEIR FAMILY.
I GET CHILLS WHEN I HEARD THAT.
AND THEN THE THIRD THINGS THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS DISTRICT, I THINK IS BY AUSTIN, DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE IS A NONPROFIT AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE VALUE OF DOWNTOWN IS GOING TO INCREASE A LOT AND 50% OF THIS DISTRICT, I IN PUBLIC SPACE.
SO THINK ABOUT OUR ARTS IN PUBLIC PLACES, YOU KNOW, AND THERE IS, UH, AN EFFORT TO CLEAN UP THAT DISTRICT SO THAT IT MAKES IT, UM, ATTRACTIVE TO OUT OF TOWN VISITORS.
AND I WAS THINKING WE HAVE SO MANY OF THOSE, UH, US IN PUBLIC PLACES IN THAT DISTRICT, ONE OF WHICH IS THE ART WORLD ACROSS THEM, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ON THE SIDE.
AND I WAS THERE THE OTHER DAY AND I ACTUALLY BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE THAT WAS A LOT OF TRASH.
I RAN THIS CUTE PIECE OF ARTWORK AND THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP SO THAT PEOPLE CAN REALLY ENJOY THAT THE PIECE OF ARTWORK.
AND THEN I WAS, YOU KNOW, I LEARNED THAT 28 BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN AREA ARE BEING BUILT
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28, AND THAT WILL BE 35 BUILDINGS BEING BUILT IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.SO THE VALUE OF THAT DOWNTOWN, UH, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WILL BE IN THE BILLIONS.
SO I'M THINKING, HOW ARE WE, YOU KNOW, OUR WONDERFUL PROGRAM AS IN PUBLIC PLACES, BECAUSE 50% OF THOUSANDS, THAT SPACE IS PUBLIC SPACE.
SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO UTILIZE OUR PROGRAM TO BE PART OF THIS, UM, VISION? SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE USED THE STAFF, WE'LL TALK TO THE, UM, AUSTIN DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE, BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY HAVE A BIG PLAN, YOU KNOW, IN PLACE TO REALLY LOOK AT THE 10 YEARS DEVELOPMENT OF THIS DISTRICT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO ENGAGE, YOU KNOW, TO SEE HOW WE CAN BE PART OF THAT IMPROVEMENT.
WE CAN BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION AT THE TABLE AND TO SHOWCASE OUR ARTISTS, OUR LOCAL ARTISTS, AND TO SHOWCASE OUR DIVERSE CULTURE, BECAUSE THAT IS A VERY VALUABLE PIECE OF REAL ESTATE THAT I THINK IS, SHOULD HAVE THE CHARACTER OF OUR CITY IN IT.
SO I JUST WANTED, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF, IF I NEED TO BE, I WILL, UM, ENGAGE IN THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE AUSTIN DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE.
[3a. Art in Public Places Year in Review – Marjorie Flanagan, Acting Art in Public Places Manager ]
THANK YOU.AND A LOVELY SEGUE TO ITEM THREE STAFF BRIEFINGS.
AND THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR LIST IS ART AND PUBLIC PLACES.
YEAR-END REVIEW WITH MARJORIE FLANAGAN.
AND, UH, YOU GUYS PULL UP MY PRESENTATION.
I LOVE THAT YOUR COLOR COORDINATED WITH THE PIECE BEHIND YOU.
I'M NOT SEEING YOUR PRESENTATION OR IS IT PULLED UP OR GIVE US ONE SECOND.
UH, HOWEVER, EVERYONE, AS YOU KNOW, I'M MARJORIE PLANET, CAN I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK YOU ALL COMMISSIONERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, UH, TO MAKE AIPP AND ACTIVE AND GREAT PROGRAM.
MY GOAL TODAY IS TO SHARE SOME OF THE GREAT WORK THAT WE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO IN 2021.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO BREEZE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A REALLY PACKED AGENDA.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE AIPP ORDINANCE CODIFIES, THE REQUIREMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PERCENT FOR ART PROGRAM.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS THE FIRST MUNICIPALITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ESTABLISH A PERCENT FOR OUR PROGRAM BY ORDINANCE IN 1985, AUSTIN INITIATED A REQUIREMENT THAT A MINIMUM OF, 1% OF ELIGIBLE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, PROJECT CONSTRUCTION BUDGETS BE SET ASIDE FOR THE COMMISSIONING OF PUBLIC ART.
IN 2002, THROUGH A CITIZEN INITIATIVE, COUNCIL UPDATED THE ORDINANCE TO ALLOCATE A MINIMUM OF 2% FOR ART.
SINCE THEN THE ORDINANCE HAS SPECIFIED THAT AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO AT LEAST 2% OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF A PROJECT MUST BE APPROPRIATED TO SELECT, ACQUIRE AND DISPLAY ARTWORK.
PUBLIC ART IS A PART OF OUR PUBLIC HISTORY, PART OF OUR EVOLVING CULTURE AND OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORY.
IT REFLECTS AND REVEAL SOCIETY AND ADDS MEANING TO OUR SURROUNDINGS PUBLIC ART IS FOR WITH AND BY THE PUBLIC.
SO HOW DOES AIPP WORK? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
GENERALLY, THE AIP KEY PROCESS IS SPLIT INTO FOUR PHASES, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, ARTIST SELECTION, THE DESIGN PHASE FOR THE ARTWORK
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AND THE FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION PHASE.AND HERE ARE THE AIPP ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2021 AND KEEPING COMMISSION TO PROGRAM VIDEO.
WE SHIFTED OUR PROCESS TO OPEN CALLS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
AIPP SELECTED 305 ARTISTS FOR THE 2021 THROUGH 2023.
AND WE LAUNCHED AN ONLINE JUROR APPLICATION THAT ALLOWS STAFF TO PULL INTERESTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN PROJECT DISTRICTS TO SERVE ON JURIES AS ADVISORS OR JURY MEMBERS, DEPENDING ON THE SELECTION PROCESS.
AIPP PROJECT SUPPORTED OVER 330 CREATIVE SECTOR.
I'M GOING TO SKIP THE VIDEO TONIGHT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, BUT I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE ALL SEEN AND RECEIVED, UH, A LINK TO THIS VIDEO.
UH, IT'S A GREAT ONE AND I, I LOVE IT.
WOULD YOU PLAY IT FOR US FOR SURE.
DO YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR SCREEN AND PLAY IT FROM WHERE YOU ARE? THAT'D BE, WE'D LOVE TO SEE IT.
UH, I DON'T HAVE THE SHARE CONTENT BUTTON HIGHLIGHTED.
THAT'S YA? YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET SHARING PRIVILEGES.
ARE YOU RECEIVING AUDIO? WE ARE NOT MARJORIE.
COULD YOU PULL IT UP ON YOUTUBE IF THAT'S WHERE IT'S HOSTED AND GO FULL SCREEN? YEAH.
ARE YOU GETTING AUDIO? IT'S VERY FAINT.
CAN YOU CRANK IT ON BOTH YOUR SYSTEM AND THE PORTAL? YEAH.
GIVEN US THE AUDIO DOESN'T TRANSFER.
IT HAS BEEN A LOT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE AND SOME PEOPLE MAY BE INTIMIDATED BY GOING TO A GALLERY OR WITH YOU.
BUT IF IT'S OUT IN, IN A PUBLIC FACE, PEOPLE STANDING WITH TOMMY, IT'S A SAD LISTENERS IN OUR CASE, BECAUSE THE NAME OF THE ARTIST IS KIND OF IN THE BACKLASH.
IT'S IN HOW THE PIECE IS ENGAGING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, THE COMMUNITY, AND ACT DURING THIS EXPERIENCE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERY PIECE, MOST ART, BUT SPECIFICALLY, FOR EXAMPLE,
ONCE IT'S OVER 20 DEPARTMENTS IN 102 PRESIDENTS EACH YEAR, IT'S PRETTY HARD TO, I SHARED SOME SPACES.
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HOW ARE THEY SELECTED? ITEMS ARE SELECTED BY INDEPENDENT JURY,FOUR PLACES THAT FAMILY PLACED ME ON A PLATFORM WHERE I UNDERSTAND WHATEVER IT TAKES TO THE STYLE OF THE GARDENS.
YOU HAVE TO COLLABORATE REALLY WHEREVER THE PROPERTY YOU HAVE TO DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY, A VERY BAD I DON'T KNOW THAT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO HEAR ANY OF IT, WE WERE.
SO HERE IS A STRANGE SLIDE SHOWING ALL OF THE 305 ARTISTS THUMBNAILS AND OUR PRE-QUALIFIED POOL, AND ALSO SHOWING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE BULL.
HERE IS A LINK TO OUR ONLINE, UH, JUROR APPLICATION.
AIPP HELD 19 JURIES MEETINGS IN 2021, SOLICITING 45 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS PART OF THE AIPP ARTIST SELECTION PROCESS.
NOW FOR THE PUBLIC ART INSTALLED IN 2021, IT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO.
UH, ME AND HER WING BY MARK FORNAS, UH, AUSTIN BERGSTROM AIRPORT.
AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THAT WALL SCAPE BY WALLSCAPE BECOME BY JIMMY VAN LOO AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
BUT AS ZONED AT AUTO
JOHN COMMUNITY PILLAR BY DAMON MOSLEY AT ST.
WE ALSO COMMISSIONED A VIDEO ABOUT THE PIECE AND IT WAS SHOWCASED ON GREAT KOSSAR'S FACEBOOK PAGE.
UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE LIKE WATER FIVE POLIS AND JAY MUZAK AT ROSEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
NEXT FIVE, PLEASE ENTER IMAGINARY DEPARTURES BY GINA'S Y OR R AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THERE IS ALSO A VIDEO SHOWCASING THAT PIECE IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
MOVING ON TO THE TEMPO WORKS TEMPO ARTWORK BY ADRIAN ARMSTRONG, DONNA PEROT AND MOSLEY, UH, THE CARVER LIBRARY BRANCH.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE TEMPO WORK BY VERONICA CHICHI AT WILLIE MAKE HERC BRANCH TEMPO WORK BY RAY L AND UNEASE.
THAT WAS UNFORTUNATELY DAMAGED FIVE B I VANDALS BEYOND REPAIR.
TIEMPO ARTWORK FLOW BY VICTORIA MARQUEZ AT MANCHACA LIBRARY.
TEMPO WORK BY JOE JONAH'S CRISCO AND MY GUTIERREZ, UH, SPICEWOOD BRANCH TEMPO ARTWORK BY LEE, SANTA MARIA, EMERGING AT MILLWOOD BRANCH LIBRARY.
LITTLE PHO LITTLE P TWO TEMPO ARTWORK BY SUZANNE WEISE AND ELLIOTT PIPER.
THAT WAS AT HAMPTON, UH, RECONNECTED BY LAUREN MILAN, CONNIE, UH, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
ONE MORE AND BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD BY ONE.
I CAN, UH, UH, THE HOUSE IN BRANCH LIBRARY, MORE SLACK.
SO THE AIPP TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING A LOT OF LONG HOURS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO KEEP UP WITH THE INCOMING WORKLOAD OF 20 16, 20 18, 20 20 BOND PROJECTS THAT CONTINUE
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TO BRING MORE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES TO THE CITY.THE PROJECT MANAGERS MANAGE THE ARTWORK OPPORTUNITIES AND SELECTION PROCESS.
AFTER WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GET INPUT ON GOALS FOR EACH AND EVERY PROJECT, THEY MANAGE THE APPROVALS PROCESS WITH THE AIPP PANEL AND YOUTH, THE ARTS COMMISSION, AND THEY MANAGE CONTRACTS FOR THE COMMISSION ARTISTS TO CREATE THEIR ARTWORK FOR EACH OF THE PROJECTS PRODUCING ELIGIBLE FUNDING.
I WANT TO SAY PUBLICLY, THANK YOU TO AIPP STAFF AND ALSO TO THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION LEADERSHIP AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE NEXT YEAR'S PROJECT.
AND THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, I DO.
WHAT CAN I FIND THE MAP? I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING.
IS THERE A MAP TO SHOW WHERE THEY ARE SO THAT I CAN DRIVE OVER IT? I'M SURE I SAW THAT IT IS IN DIFFERENCE DISTRICT.
SO IT'S THAT SOMEWHERE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ACCESS THE MAP TO GO LOOK AT IT.
UH, I LIKE ART ARCHIVE, UM, ALL OF OUR, ALL THE ARTWORKS IN OUR COLLECTION AND YOU CAN SEARCH BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO IT WILL BRING UP A MAP THAT SHOWS YOU EXACTLY WHAT'S LOCATED NEARBY AND WHAT'S LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I'M HAPPY TO SEND YOU GUYS A LINK TO THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW IN THE PAST, BUT MAYBE I'M ASKING TOO MUCH IN THE PAST.
THAT'S A BUS THAT I WAS ON THAT BUS THAT, UM, UM, ONE DAY OR ONE WEEKEND OR SATURDAY THAT WE GET ON THE BUS AND THEN WE WOULD JUST GO TO DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO I GUESS THE, WE STILL HAVE BUDGET TO DO IT.
I MEAN, UM, WELL, SINCE THE BUS IS NOT THAT BUSY, SO MAYBE WE CAN UTILIZE THE METRO.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE TO WALK UNDER THE THREE DIGITS SUN IT'LL KILL YOU.
BUT I THINK IF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A BUS, UM, THAT WILL BE GOOD.
MARTY, DID YOU WANT TO GIVE HER MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOURS? YES, THEY'RE WHAT I THINK IT WAS FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO.
THEY DID A BUS, UM, TO COINCIDE WITH THE TEMPO PROJECTS AND THEY, THEY WENT AROUND TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE TEMPO PROJECTS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE, UM, CONTINUED DOWN THAT ROUTE WITH TEMPO, BUT I'D LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT WITH THE TEAM AND AIPP PANEL AND DISCUSS THAT.
I THINK WE USED, UH, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDS FOR THAT.
THERE'S THE HEAD, UH, COMMISSIONER GARZA, THEN COMMISSIONER FLORES.
I'M NOT ABLE TO GARSA I HIT THE WRONG BUTTON.
THANK YOU, MS. PLANGRID FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
AND, UH, I KNOW WHENEVER I HAVE FRIENDS COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN, ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE TO DO IS JUST TAKE THEM AROUND AND SEE ALL THE PUBLIC GARDEN AND WHATNOT.
UH, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE MIM TOPLESS REC CENTER.
I'VE UH, WHEN ARE WE GONNA HAVE AN OPENING TO SHOW OFF THAT WORK? JUST CURIOUS, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND DECIDED SOMEWHAT NOT TO GO BACK IN TIME AND CELEBRATE.
SO AIPP STAFF, UM, HAS HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN DOING A DEDICATION SPECIFICALLY FOR MONTOPOLIS.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE LOVE TO CELEBRATE THE ARTWORKS AND DEFINITELY THINK THAT THE ARTISTS DESERVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THEIR WORK.
SO WE'RE KIND OF IN, IN PLANNING MODE RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT, THAT, UH, FACILITY IS DEFINITELY ON THE LIST FOR US TO, UM, CELEBRATE.
AND THIS IS, UH, UH, TO MS. MOCK AMY.
UH, THIS YEAR I STARTED WORKING WITH A NEW TEACHER AT AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY WENT ON A MURAL TOURS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO SHE ASKED, SO THAT I TOLD HER THAT HE HAD SEEN THE, UH, LOOKED AT AMHERST SAYS, YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO IS SINCE THERE'S ALREADY,
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UH, ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE OR BUSINESSES OUT THERE PROVIDING THIS KIND OF SERVICE, MAYBE VIP CAN FORWARD THE INFORMATION TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE BUSINESSES.SO THEY CAN INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, JUST VISITORS FROM EVERYWHERE, WHEREVER THEY COME TO GO SEE THOSE SITES.
IT'S JUST, IT MAKES SENSE TO ME, BUT, UH, IF YOU NEED ME, I'LL CONTACT MY TEACHER FRIEND AND THEN I'LL FORWARD THE, UH, THE LINK TO WHICHEVER ORGANIZATIONS SHE WENT WITH.
BUT, UH, I THINK THAT'D BE AN AWESOME IDEA.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FLORES.
OH, I WAS JUST GONNA JOKINGLY SAY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT A QUORUM OF THE ARTS COMMISSION ON A BUS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE A, A ROLLING, UH, MOVING QUORUM, UM, JUST, UH, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SECOND, THE FELIPE AS COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, THE MONTOPOLIS RECREATION CENTER.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT.
UM, AND BY DOING AN OPENING, UH, CELEBRATION OR POST OPENING CELEBRATION, 100%, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS COMMISSIONER IS THIS MA'AM MARJORIE.
CAN YOU CLARIFY THE PIECE THAT WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR? WHAT, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THAT? CAN YOU CLARIFY? SO THE ARTIST, UM, WENT TO THE SITE AND SALVAGED WHAT COULD BE SALVAGED AND TOOK IT BACK TO HIS STUDIO.
HIS CONTRACT WAS PAID OUT AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF, UM, WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
IT DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T MAKE FISCAL SENSE TO, TO FILE AN INSURANCE CLAIM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PAY OUT HIS CONTRACT.
IS THERE ANY SORT OF PLAN OR COURSE OF ACTION FOR PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY? I UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS PAID FOR THE WORK, BUT THE COMMUNITY IS NOW WITHOUT ART FOR THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT.
WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS AVAILABLE SINCE, UM, THE WE'VE PAID OUT THE FUNDS THAT WERE AVAILABLE FOR THIS YEARS ARTWORK.
UM, BUT THAT IS A GOOD IDEA IF HE DOES, HE SEEMS LIKE THE ARTIST SHOULD BE GIVEN ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
I DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY PRIORITIZE THEM IN AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
THAT'S MEANT FOR ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS, BUT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A PIECE IN PUBLIC THAT THEY NOW DON'T.
IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING MAYBE COULD BE DONE A GESTURE, UM, TO PROVIDE REPRESENTATION FOR THE WORK THAT WAS DESTROYED.
AND MAYBE I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THE WORK BEING DEMOLISHED, YOU KNOW, DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR SOME SORT OF REFERENCE TO IT AS IT EXISTED.
UM, PARTICULARLY IN THE TIMES THAT WE'RE IN AND AN ART PIECE, THAT REPRESENTATIVE REALLY SPECIFIC CULTURE TO BE DAMAGED IT TO ME, I APPRECIATE SOME SORT OF REFERENCE TO THE WORK IN WHATEVER FORM THAT THAT MAY TAKE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS FINANCIALLY, BUT, UM, YEAH, IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR.
IT'S DEFINITELY STILL REFERENCED ON OUR MAP AND I BELIEVE ON THE WEBSITE AND IT JUST SAYS IT WAS REMOVED DUE TO DAMAGE FROM VANDALS.
UM, SO IT HASN'T BEEN COMPLETELY ERASED.
UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'LL DO THAT.
UM, BUT I I'M TO INVESTIGATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ARTIST.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VON DYKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION? UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THIS WAS THE TIME.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THERE'S MORE AND MORE MURPHY COVERING UP, UH, PUBLIC ART.
UM, AND I'M CURIOUS TO, IS THAT A POLICE RESPONSE, I GUESS WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THAT? DOES IT SEEM LIKE IT IS INCREASING? DO WE HAVE GOOD CITY SUPPORT OR, UM, PREVENTING, REPAIRING ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF? WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THAT? THE CURRENT PATHWAY IS, IS FIRST CITIZENS TO REPORT GRAFFITI TO THE 3 1 1, AND THEN IT'S ROUTED TO THE SPONSOR DEPARTMENT WHO IS IN CHARGE OF DAY-TO-DAY MAINTENANCE OF ARTWORK THAT THEY SPONSORED.
WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR COLLECTIONS MANAGER, UH, FRANK WICK, WHO TRACKS SOME OF THE, THE NEEDS FOR, FOR THE OVER 400 PIECES IN THE COLLECTION.
SO HE HAS A HEAVY JOB OF PRIORITIZING WHAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY, AS FAR AS REPAIRS AND, AND WHAT, UH, OUR STAFF PLUS THE SPONSORS DEPARTMENT STAFF IS ABLE TO DO RIGHT AWAY.
[00:40:01]
I WOULD SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT OF AN UPTICK IN GRAFFITI.UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANY HARD DATA TO BRING TO YOU.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE GOOD SUPPORT SUPPORT FROM OUR SPONSOR DEPARTMENTS AND HAVE GOOD, UM, RESPONSE TIMES FOR THEM.
BUT A LOT OF CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE ALSO OVERWHELMED AND, AND HAVE TO PRIORITIZE AND MAKE HARD DECISIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IMMEDIATELY.
ANYWAY, I'VE GOT ABOUT 25 MURALS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OR WORKED WITH ARTISTS WHO'VE DONE MURALS.
AND ONE THINGS THAT RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WE'VE PUT AN ARTIST LIKE A LAYER, A COVER LAYER OVER THE ARTWORK.
UH, THERE'S THE COMPANY CALLS ARC CORPUS FARMERS IN CALIFORNIA, AND THEY PROVIDE THAT KIND OF SERVICES.
NOW, AS FAR AS THERE BEING MORE AND MORE EUROS ARE MORE AND MORE PUBLIC WORKS OF ART BEING GRAFFITIED, UH, WORKING WITH SO MANY GRAFFITI ARTISTS OVER SO MANY YEARS.
UH THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S JUST SOME FOLKS WHO ARE ROGUE, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO AUSTIN.
SO WHENEVER THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT THIS DOESN'T JIVE TO THEIR LITTLE MENTALITY, THEY GO OUT AND TAG, YOU KNOW, UH, AND WE HAD, I REMEMBERED, I DID A MURAL ONE TIME WITH THIS ARTIST AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS COMPLETELY TAGGED OVER.
AND THEN WE HAD TO GO BACK AND REDO IT THE VERY NEXT DAY.
AND IT ACTUALLY TOOK US ALMOST SIX MONTHS.
I'M GOING BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, USING OUR OWN, OUR OWN RESOURCES TO COVER UP THE TAGS.
NOW, ONCE WE DID THAT, YOU KNOW, THE REALIZED THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A LOSING MAIL.
SO ONCE WE, WE CAN GET THE GRAFFITI PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT ANYTIME THEY TAG A PIECE OF PROPERTY, THAT TAG WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY.
THAT WAY THEY DON'T GET TO GET THE FAME, WHICH IS WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND, UH, SO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS DO TOO, IS TRY TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THE LOCAL YOUTH TO, TO WORK ON THAT MURAL.
UH, YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY TIMES AND ONE TIME I WAS WORKING ON THIS MURAL AND THERE'S ONE KID WAS WHITE WASHINGTON WALL, AND HE WAS JUST SO SAD YOU SAYING, I'M GOING OVER MY OWN TAG TO DO THIS MURAL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, BUT AFTER THAT, NONE OF THEM THAT DIDN'T GET TAGGED BECAUSE WE INCLUDED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE WHO THEY WANTED TO SEE WORK ON IT AND GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER AND WORK ON IT.
WE CAN DO THAT TO MORE OF A POTENT PUBLIC ART PROJECTS.
I THINK WE'LL WILL FIND A COMMUNITY THAT IS WILLING TO EMBRACE AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND OWNERSHIP FOR THE, FOR THOSE PUBLIC WORKS OF ART.
AND THAT'S JUST, JUST WHAT I SEE WHAT WORKS FOR ME.
MAYBE IT WILL WORK FOR THE REST OF THE CITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? I JUST HAVE ONE MARJORIE, CAN YOU, UH, YOU HAD THE BITLY REFERENCE FOR, UM, THE JUROR APPLICATIONS, BUT CAN YOU TELL PEOPLE AGAIN WHERE THEY CAN GO TO FIND THAT YES, THEY'RE ON OUR WEBSITE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV/AIPP, THERE'S A BUTTON OR A PROCESS AIPP PROCESS.
AND SO IT SAYS, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF A JURY, YOU CAN CLICK THIS LINK AND FILL OUT THE APPLICATION.
[3b. Hotel Occupancy Tax Update – Laura Odegaard, Cultural Investment Program Manager ]
MOVING ON.ITEM THREE, B HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX UPDATE, ODOR GUARD, CULTURAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM MANAGER.
UH, COULD THE PRESENTATION FOR, UM, SHOULD I FIND ANOTHER MICROPHONE? THAT'S THE CHARGER.
[00:45:01]
B.I'M THE CULTURAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM MANAGER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I'M A WHITE WOMAN WEARING A BLACK SHIRT, RED LIPSTICK, AND MY BROWN HAIR IS TIED BACK IN A PONYTAIL AND MY PRONOUNS.
ARE SHE HER NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? SO OUR TOTAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION IN APRIL WAS $25.1 MILLION.
OUR YEAR TO DATE NUMBER IS $82 MILLION, WHICH IS 18% ABOVE THE APPROVED BUDGET OF $69.7 MILLION.
OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND COLLECTION FOR APRIL WAS 2 MILLION, 403,455.
AS A REMINDER LAST MONTH, THE NUMBERS REPORTED OUT WERE 54,000.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE HOW WE ARE ALREADY OVER OUR YEAR END ESTIMATE OF $6.6 MILLION.
OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX CULTURAL ARTS FUND ACTUALS RIGHT NOW ARE $7,844,462.
ANY QUESTIONS I'M JUST GOING TO SIT IN THIS FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO SEE A POSITIVE NUMBER IN MICHIGAN.
I THINK AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AS HAS DONE AND IS PROVEN.
SO THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER FESTIVAL COMING WITH THE TEXAS TREADMILL CHERRYVILLE, UH, FESTIVAL DO WE ALSO IN, IN SEPTEMBER, I THINK, AND ALSO WITH ACL COMING UP IN OCTOBER.
SO I, YOU, UM, ARE YOU JUST AS OPTIMISTIC AS I AM, UM, FOR EVER POSITIVE? I WOULD SAY I, I APPRECIATE THE OPTIMISM.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY ESTIMATES, BUT THINGS LOOK REALLY GOOD, UH, REGARDING ACL AND OTHER FESTIVALS IN OCTOBER, THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS FISCAL YEAR NUMBERS, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE STARTED KEEPING TRACK FROM OCTOBER.
UH, SO THE LITTLE RAINBOW GRAPH THAT SHOWS EACH MONTH, HOW MUCH WE KEPT ADDING TO THAT.
SO WE'LL BE COLLECTING THROUGH SEPTEMBER FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR BONSAI, UM, COMMENT.
I THINK IF WE CAN COLLECT MORE HOTEL TAX THAT MAKES THE HASSLE OF THREE HOURS WAY AT THE AIRPORT, LESS PAINFUL COMMISSIONER FLORES.
THANK YOU, LAURA, FOR THAT REPORT.
I KNOW YOU DID IT ALL YOURSELF.
UM, BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE THE TRENDS AND THE PROJECT AND THE PROJECTIONS GOING UP.
SO CURRENT 7.8 MILLION IN THE BANK AVAILABLE FOR FUNDING FOR OUR BASICALLY F Y 23, UH, CULTURAL FUNDING IS, IS WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACTUALS FOR, FOR FUTURE PROGRAMS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MONEY IN THE BANK RIGHT NOW AND THE MONEY IN THE BANK RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT 7.8, RIGHT? SO I GUESS MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL BE ABLE TO BE ON ACTUAL SINCE FYI 22, THERE WERE NO HOT FUNDS EXPENDED, OR THERE WAS NO FYI 22.
WE ONLY HAD THE ARC OF FUNDS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED.
SO FOR, SO FROM NOW ON, I GUESS WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH ACTUALS.
THAT BEING SAID, UH, UM, AS AMY SAID, WE'RE HOPEFUL.
WE HAVE A GOOD SUMMER, UH, SINCE IT'S LOOKING LIKE THINGS ARE PICKING UP AND I'M HOPING THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT SET BACK AGAIN BY THE, UM, COVID, BUT IF IN FACT WE DO COLLECT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, UM, INTO THE HOT FUND FOR F Y BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, WILL WE BE ABLE TO ADJUST THAT SOME 0.8 AMOUNT OF, FOR THE F Y 23 CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM? YES.
AND I'LL LET MEGAN SPEAK TO THAT.
[00:50:03]
HELLO COMMISSIONER, IS THIS ON? YEAH, A GOOD QUESTION.AND WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT IN CONSULTATION WITH SYNOVIA HOLT RABB, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, SHE HAS PLEDGED TO TAKE A BUDGET AMENDMENT BACK TO COUNCIL.
IF THERE IS AN ESTIMATE THAT IF THERE IS ACTUAL SET COME IN AFTER THE BUDGET, AFTER OUR BUDGET IS DELIVERED TO COUNCIL, BUT BEFORE THEY TAKE ACTION TO APPROVE COUNCIL TAKES ACTION TO APPROVE IT.
SO TYPICALLY THE CITY MANAGER RELEASES THE BUDGET IN JULY, UM, WHICH IS THE, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS THE BUDGET THAT IS THE WORLD CONSIDERS.
UM, THAT NUMBER MAY CHANGE BETWEEN THE TIME THAT IT'S DELIVERED AND MADE PUBLIC AND THE TIME THAT COUNCIL TAKES ACTION.
SO SHE'S PLEDGING TO KIND OF TRACK THOSE BUDGET FUNDS AS THEY COME IN.
AND IF THAT NUMBER INCREASES, SHE'LL TAKE A BUDGET AMENDMENT BACK SO THAT IT CAN BE AS CLOSE TO THE ACTUAL AS, AS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY TAKE ACTION.
AND THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE I WAS GONNA ASK THAT THAT BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
I APPRECIATE THAT SHE IS LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE, AND I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE MOVING INTO THE DIRECTION THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
UM, I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT, UH, UM, OH, WELL, IT'LL COME BACK TO ME, BUT, UM, OH, THAT WILL, OF COURSE, WHATEVER WE DECIDE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, INCLUDING MONEY TO GET TO OUR, UH, SET ASIDE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE 10%, 5% THAT WE USED TO DO IN THE PAST, UH, OR, I MEAN, WE WANT TO SEE AS MUCH MONEY GO OUT IN TERMS OF CULTURAL GRANTS OUT TO THE ARTISTS OUT THERE.
CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'D BEEN HURTING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND SO THE MORE MONEY WE CAN GET IN HANDS OF ARTISTS IS ALWAYS GREAT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT REINSTATING AT A MINIMUM, THE 10% OUT OF THE PIE, A POSSIBILITY OTHER, BUT THOSE WILL ALL BE PART OF THE MIX, RIGHT? WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WILL, HOW MUCH MONEY WILL ACTUALLY BE FUNDED AND WHAT WILL ACTUALLY BE GIVEN OUT IN CONTRACTS THAT CORRECT? YES.
ALTHOUGH IF WE ARE OPERATING WITH ACTUALS, WE WOULD NOT NEED A RESERVE.
OH, WE SPEND WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BANK.
IT WOULD BE THE RESERVE IS TECHNICALLY TO PROTECT US WITH THE ESTIMATES.
SO IF WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM THAT, WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE THE RESERVE.
WE WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY CONTRACT OUT WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BANK.
WELL, I THINK PROBABLY YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT CUSHION FOR LIKE, IF THERE'S SOME LIKE, UH, I DUNNO, FUNDING CALCULATIONS OR SOMETHING, BUT THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
I MEAN, W WE, WE DO TYPICALLY HAVE A LINE ITEM THAT IS PART OF OUR BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.
THAT IS THAT KIND OF CONTINGENCY AGENCY.
IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT DOES PROTECT US IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, NUMERICAL OR APPEALS OR YEAH.
WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT MOVING FORWARD ON BEING, WORKING ON ACTUAL, SO W WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT AND KEEP THAT MONEY BACK.
THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED US MAKE THAT SHIFT, BECAUSE THAT COMFORT LEVEL IS A NICE, IS A NICE PLACE TO LIVE, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS TICKING UP OR, AND NOT HAVING THAT, UM, SORT OF, UH, THAT, THAT UNCERTAINTY ON THE HEADS OF OUR ARTS COMMUNITY, I THINK IS PRETTY GREAT.
COMMISSIONER'S OTHER QUESTIONS.
I LOVE IT WHEN WE GET GOOD NEWS.
[3c. Cultural Funding Review Process Update – Meghan Wells, Cultural Arts Division Manager; Laura Odegaard, Cultural Investment Program Manager ]
MOVING RIGHT ALONG ITEM THREE C CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS UPDATE MEGAN WELLS, CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION MANAGER, AND LAURA ODEGAARD CULTURAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM MANAGER.WHILE THE PRESENTATION IS COMING UP, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT LAURA AND I WILL BE GIVING A PRESENTATION TONIGHT ON THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS, THE DRAFT, UH, PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND THE NEXT STEPS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE PRESENTED AT THE COUNCIL AUDIT AND FINANCE PRESENTATION LAST WEEK WITH A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ADDED TO, UM, TO THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMISSION TONIGHT.
UH, BEFORE I DIVE IN, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AS COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO STAFF.
THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE OPEN AND VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING TOGETHER FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE WERE PUTTING FORWARD A MODEL OF FUNDING THAT WILL OPERATIONALIZE OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY THROUGH A THREE PROGRAM APPROACH.
THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF SEED FUNDING FOR NEW AND EMERGING CREATIVE PRODUCTS, PROJECTS, BROAD SECTOR SUPPORT FOR ESTABLISHED CULTURAL PRODUCERS AND HIGH IMPACT TARGETED INVESTMENT IN STRENGTHENING THE FUTURE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS IN AUSTIN.
[00:55:02]
TO BRIEFLY SUM UP HOW WE GOT HERE, CULTURAL FUNDING AND AUSTIN OFFICIALLY DATES BACK ABOUT 50 YEARS WHEN FUNDING FIRST BEGAN TO BE ALLOCATED FROM THE CITY TO A HANDFUL OF ARTS GROUPS.THE PROGRAMS WERE REVISED HEAVILY IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS AND HAVE BEEN TWEAKED OVER THE LAST DECADE.
BUT IN THAT TIME, NOT SIGNIFICANTLY REVIEWED OR EVALUATED FOR EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY, OR EQUITY, THE NEED FOR RACIAL EQUITY CENTERED SHIFT IN THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION SPENDING PROGRAMS IS CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED THROUGH OUR OWN PROGRAM DATA THAT REVEALS HOW OUR CULTURAL FUNDING SYSTEM HAS BEEN EXCLUSIONARY OVER TIME.
I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT THOUGH, WE LEAD WITH RACE.
WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERSECTIONALITY AND HOW WE ADDRESS OTHER HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, SUCH AS THE LGBTQ AND DISABILITY COMMUNITIES.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE ALSO MITIGATING THE CONCERNS BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE LEGAL RISK OF LEADING WITH RACIAL EQUITY.
THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT BALANCE.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE PILOT PROGRAMS, THE IMPETUS TO REVISE THE GUIDELINES HINGED ON SEVERAL FACTORS, DATING BACK TO 2017 AND 2017.
THE ARTS COMMISSION ESTABLISHED THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM, RESPONSIVENESS WORKING GROUP AT THE AUGUST 21ST, 2017 REGULAR MEETING ITS PURPOSE WAS TO MAKE FUNDING MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY, ADDRESSING SPECIFIC PRIORITIES THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN ALL FUNDING PROGRAM GUIDELINES.
THIS INITIATED THE CONVERSATION TO ADDRESS THE INEQUITIES IN THE FUNDING PROGRAMS. AND FROM THIS DEVELOP THE IDEA OF BRINGING A MORE COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAMS IN 2018.
AUSTIN'S EXPANDING POPULATION COMBINED WITH SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM RETENTION AND OUTREACH RESULTED IN INCREASE IN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THESE SPENDING PROGRAMS, BUT HOT FUNDS WERE NOT INCREASING IN PROPORTION TO THIS PARTICIPATION.
AS MOST OF YOU REMEMBER THE ARTS COMMISSION THAT YEAR REQUESTED THE STAFF, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ADDRESS FUNDING REDUCTIONS AND COMMUNICATION PAIRED WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING AND SUSTAINING CULTURAL EQUITY.
THESE CONDITIONS PRESENTED BOTH CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO US, TO RE-EXAMINE THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROCESS, MODEL GOALS, STRUCTURE, OPERATION, AND PRIORITIES WITH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
ALSO IN 2018, THE CITY MOVED TO STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 23, 20 23, WHICH REINFORCED THAT THE CITY MUST LEAD WITH A LENS OF RACIAL EQUITY AND HEALING LEADING WITH AND EMBEDDING EQUITY INTO AUSTIN'S VALUES SYSTEM MEANS CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS TRANSFORMING LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM THE INSIDE OUT ERADICATING DISPARITIES AND ENSURING ALL AUSTIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE IN THE BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY PROGRESS.
WE ARE USING THIS LENS TO TAKE A DISRUPTIVE STANCE TO CRITICALLY TRANSFORM OUR PUBLIC SERVICE IN A WAY THAT ELIMINATES SYSTEMIC BARRIERS AND BIASES.
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW GOAL TO MAINTAIN THE FRAMEWORK WE'VE HISTORICALLY USED TO SERVE VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES AND SIZES AND TYPES OF CULTURAL PRODUCERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO PROVIDE ROOM FOR MORE INTENTIONALITY FOR GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO OUR CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS THAT HAVE NEVER RECEIVED THE INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY THAT SIMILAR GROUPS HAVE.
WE KNOW THAT WE WON'T BE ABLE TO RESOLVE OR FIX THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES OVERNIGHT, NOR WILL ANY PROGRAM OR FRAMEWORK BE PERFECT.
BUT THIS APPROACH IS WHERE WE FEEL A SOLID PILOT LANDS.
IT ALSO FITS SQUARELY WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S MISSION TO PROMOTE A COMPETITIVE, SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE ECONOMY FOR ALL, TO RECAP THE MILESTONES SINCE SEPTEMBER 21, WHEN WE LAST HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY COUNCIL, WE FOCUSED ON TRANSPARENCY IMPACT ANALYSIS, THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE ARTS COMMISSIONS, WORKING GROUPS, AND FURTHER COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FROM THE LAUNCH OF THE DRAFT GUIDELINES, THE ARTS COMMISSIONS FORMED A WORKING GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHOSE VOICES MAINLY HAD NOT BEEN HEARD IN THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS.
THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE A MIX OF CULTURAL CONTRACTORS AND NON CULTURAL CONTRACTORS.
THE WORKING GROUP COMMUNITY MEMBERS MET WITH THE ARTS COMMISSIONERS OF THE WORKING GROUP WITH MARGIE REESE AND THE STAFF BRIEFLY COMMENTS WERE ACCEPTED THROUGH AUGUST, 2021 ON THE DRAFT PROGRAMS RELEASED LAST SUMMER.
AT THAT TIME WE INCORPORATED CHANGES, BUT WE, UH, WERE INTENDED TO LAUNCH, BUT WE INCORPORATED MORE CHANGES INTO THE NEW PROGRAMS. A VERY THOROUGH FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, SECTION REMAINS ON OUR WEBPAGE TO ANSWER MANY OF THE QUESTIONS WE RECEIVED DURING THAT TIME AFTER THE UPDATED PILOT GUIDELINES WERE RELEASED, THERE WAS ANOTHER THREE WEEKS TO PROVIDE TARGETED FEEDBACK.
WE'VE NOW GATHERED THAT DATA AND HAVE PRESENTED TO THE ARTS COMMISSION AND HAVE ALREADY MADE SEVERAL CHANGES TO OUR PILOT PROGRAMS BASED ON THAT COMMUNITY INPUT.
[01:00:02]
YEAH, THIS OKAY.SO AFTER PRESENTING THE REVISED DRAFT GUIDELINES AT THE APRIL ARTS COMMISSION MEETING LAST MONTH, WE PUBLISHED THE DRAFTS ON THE WEBSITE, ALONG WITH A SHORT FEEDBACK SURVEY FORM TO GAUGE RESPONSE OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, FROM THE CHANGES THAT WE'D MADE OVER THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS.
AS A REMINDER, THIS SURVEY WAS ANONYMOUS.
THE SURVEY WAS OPEN FROM APRIL 19TH TO MAY 10TH, SO THREE WEEKS, AND WE HAD 206 RESPONSES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SELF IDENTIFIED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS SHOWN HERE.
WE ASKED ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WOULD APPLY FOR ONE OF THE PILOT PROGRAMS ON A SCALE OF ONE TO FIVE, ONE BEING NOT LIKELY TO APPLY FOR FUNDING PROGRAMS AND FIVE DEFINITELY APPLYING TO FUNDING PROGRAMS. AND WE HAD AN AVERAGE RESPONSE OF 2.71 NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, FOR RESPONDENTS WHO WERE NOT LIKELY TO APPLY, THERE IS AN INDICATION THAT HIGHER FUNDING LEVELS AND CLEAR LANGUAGE MIGHT CHANGE THEIR MIND.
ANOTHER QUESTION ASKED WHAT CHANGES IN THE PILOT PROGRAMS THAT RESPONDENTS LIKED AND SOME OF THE HIGHEST SCORING ONES INVOLVED EQUITY, INCREASED TRAINING FOR REVIEW PANELISTS, OPERATIONAL SUPPORT, AND NO MATCHING FUNDS REQUIRED ASKED ABOUT WHAT AREAS NEEDED ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION IN FUTURE YEARS.
THE RESPONSE WAS THE EVALUATION CRITERIA AND OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE HIGHEST, UM, RESPONDENTS THERE.
THE FULL DOCUMENT OF ALL COMMENTS WILL BE MADE PUBLIC SOON.
AND JUST TO NOTE, AS CAN BE EXPECTED IN ANY ANONYMOUS SURVEY, THERE WAS A LOT OF STRONG LANGUAGE AND WE SAW MANY FAMILIAR COMMENTS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY CONSTRUCTIVE TO THE PROCESS.
HOWEVER, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE DID SEE INCLUDED ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS, IF ARTISTS SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT BE IN COMPETITION WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED, THAT CAPITAL EXPENSES HAD NEVER BEEN ALLOWED BEFORE.
AND THERE WERE ALSO SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, SO BASED ON THIS COMMUNITY FEEDBACK STAFF INCORPORATED MORE CHANGES TO THE PILOT PROGRAMS, UM, THAT I WILL NOW DISCUSS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE PAST, UM, LESS THAN A MONTH, I GUESS.
UM, SO BASED ON THE LATEST ROUND OF FEEDBACK FROM THE SURVEY AND DIRECT COMMUNICATION AND CONVERSATION WITH STAFF, WE'VE INCORPORATED SEVERAL CHANGES, CHANGE.
NUMBER ONE, WE INCREASE THE TENTATIVE AWARD AMOUNTS FOR BOTH ELEVATE AND THRIVE.
AS A REMINDER, THESE CURRENT ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON ACTUAL HOT NUMBERS THAT HAVE COME IN AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO COME BACK TO THESE NUMBERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO FOR ELEVATE LAST MONTH, I SAID, THE AWARD RANGE WOULD BE BETWEEN $7,500 AND $50,000.
AND NOW WE'VE RAISED IT TO $10,000 TO $75,000 IN THRIVE.
LAST MONTH, I SAID 70,000 TO 120,000, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 80,000 TO 150,000.
ANOTHER CHANGE WE MADE WAS WE REMOVED THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT IN THRIVE OF 100,000 OR LESS AVERAGE COA AWARD OVER TIME.
SO EVEN THOUGH EVERY PREVIOUSLY FUNDED ORGANIZATION WHO WOULD BE A GOOD FIT AND THRIVE FELL UNDER THIS, THIS DESCRIPTION, IT WAS UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED.
ANOTHER CHANGE WE MADE WAS WE CREATED TWO CATEGORIES IN THE ELEVATE PROGRAM.
SO ARTISTS ARE NOT COMPETING DIRECTLY AGAINST ARTS NONPROFITS.
ANOTHER CHANGE WE MADE WAS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AN INTERACTIVE TOOL TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS THE BEST PROGRAM FOR ME SINCE THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT'S THE BEST FIT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL ARTIST OR A SMALL GROUP.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON DEVELOPING, UH, AN INTERACTIVE TOOL FOR THAT REGARDING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES IN THRIVE.
WE'VE CHANGED IT SO THAT ANY SINGLE PURCHASE OVER $2,000 MUST BE PRE-APPROVED BY STAFF.
WE TOOK OUT MISSION STATEMENTS AS AN ELIGIBILITY, DETERMINATION IN THRIVE.
AND AS ANOTHER REMINDER, WE ARE NOT SCORING AN IMMUTABLE CHARACTERISTICS.
WE ARE LOOKING HOLISTICALLY AT MISSION AND COMMUNITY SERVED.
SO BUILDING ON THREE YEARS OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, EVALUATION OF PAST PROGRAMMING, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, PEER RESEARCH CONDUCTED DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS, STAFF HAS PUT FORWARD THREE PROGRAM STRUCTURE
[01:05:01]
THAT IS ENCOURAGING NEW TALENT, SUPPORTING ESTABLISHED CULTURAL PRODUCERS AND INVESTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIVERSE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE ROOTED IN AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.SO THE THREE PROGRAMS WILL OFFER A RANGE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES IN SCALE AND CONTRACT LENGTH.
SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THEM IN, IN MORE DETAIL ON THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE FIRST PROGRAM TO DISCUSS, UH, IS NEXUS AND THE NEXT IS PROGRAM WE'LL NURTURE NEW AND EMERGING APPLICANTS BY FUNDING, CREATIVE PUBLIC PROJECTS.
THIS PROGRAM WILL HAVE THE EASIEST APPLICATION AND CONTRACTING PROCESS PROVIDING AN IDEAL ENTRY POINT FOR APPLICANTS WHO ARE NEW TO CITY FUNDING NEXUS WILL BE A FLAT AWARD OF $5,000.
WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO FUND 50 AWARDS PER CYCLE WITH TWO CYCLES PER YEAR.
THE TOTAL TENTATIVE BUCKET FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL BE $500,000.
AS AN EXAMPLE OF A NEXUS APPLICATION THAT MIGHT BE SUCCESSFUL, MIGHT BE SOMETHING LIKE A VISUAL ARTIST WANTING TO PRESENT THE WORK OF THEIR COLLECTIVE IN AN EXHIBITION, OR MAYBE A THEATER GROUP, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY TO PRODUCE A PRODUCTION BASED ON COMMUNITY STORIES.
SO BROADER SECTOR SUPPORT WILL BE REALIZED THROUGH THE ELEVATE PROGRAM.
ELEVATE WILL BE OPEN TO ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS OF ALL SIZES.
AND THIS FUNDING WILL BROADLY SUPPORT CULTURAL PRODUCERS WHO PUT ON PUBLIC PROGRAMS BASED ON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
ELEVATE WE'LL HAVE TWO CATEGORIES, ONE FOR 5 0 1 C ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS ONLY, AND ONE FOR NON 5 0 1 C ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND SO THIS MIGHT INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, ARTISTS, CO-OP GALLERIES, IMPROV, TROUPES, DANCE COMPANIES, ET CETERA.
ANNUAL CONTRACTS WILL RANGE FROM 10,000 TO 75,000 FOR ARTS AND CULTURE, 5 0 1 CS AND 10,000 TO 30,000 FOR NON 5 0 1 CS.
WE ANTICIPATE AROUND 100 AWARDS PER FISCAL YEAR IN THE ELEVATE PROGRAM.
AND TO BE CLEAR, THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT CAPS.
WE ARE JUST LOOKING AT THE BALANCE OF IMPACTFUL AWARD SIZES, AVAILABLE FUNDS AND STAFF CAPACITY.
SO A POTENTIAL NUMBER OF AWARDEES MIGHT BE 35 IN THE NON 501 C CATEGORY AND MAYBE 65 IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE 5 0 1 C CATEGORY.
AND ALSO PLEASE NOTE THAT A NON 5 0 1 C CREATIVE BUSINESS WITH AN ANNUAL BUDGET OVER $500,000 WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE.
SO A LARGE FOR-PROFIT CREATIVE COMPANY IS NEITHER ELIGIBLE NOR COMPETITIVE FOR ELEVATE FUNDING.
AND THE TOTAL BUCKET FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL BE AROUND 3 MILLION FOR ARTS AND CULTURE, 5 0 1 CS AND AROUND 1 MILLION FOR ARTS AND CREATIVE GROUPS.
SO THE THIRD PROGRAM IS CALLED THRIVE AND THRIVE WILL PROVIDE FOCUSED INVESTMENT TO SUSTAIN AND GROW ARTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN AND REFLECTIVE OF AUSTIN'S DIVERSE CULTURES.
THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO DIRECTLY CORRECT THE HISTORICAL UNDERFUNDING, DISPLACEMENT AND CULTURAL ERASER OF COMMUNITIES WITHIN AUSTIN BY OFFERING SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO SELF DETERMINE AND INVEST IN THEIR OWN SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH THRIVE IS ONLY OPEN TO 5 0 1 C ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE AT LEAST A FIVE-YEAR HISTORY IN AUSTIN.
THIS PROGRAM PRIORITIZES ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE NOT YET REACHED INSTITUTIONAL STATUS, SUCH AS ACCESS TO LARGE CASH RESERVES, ENDOWMENTS, ET CETERA, THRIVE INCLUDES A SUPPORTIVE COHORT LEARNING MODEL AS WELL, IN WHICH CURRICULUM AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE SELF-IDENTIFIED BY THRIVE CONTRACTORS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PEER LEADERSHIP, LEARNING AND GUIDANCE FROM STAFF AS NEEDED.
THIS PROGRAM WILL LEVERAGE EXISTING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND OTHER CITY PROGRAMS THRIVE AWARDS WILL RANGE FROM $80,000 TO $150,000 PER YEAR.
AND THE TOTAL BUCKET FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL BE AROUND $3 MILLION.
SO PLEASE KNOW THE BULK OF CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING WILL BE GOING TO SUPPORT ARTS AND CULTURE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS BETWEEN THRIVE AND ELEVATE.
SO RIGHT NOW, 6 MILLION OF THE 7.5 MILLION WILL BE GOING TO ARTS AND CULTURE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
[01:10:01]
SOME OTHER THINGS, UH, TO RECAP THAT I MENTIONED LAST MONTH AS WELL, BUT EVERYONE IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE ECOSYSTEM SHOULD SEE THEMSELVES SOMEWHERE, NO ONE NEEDS TO PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS AWARDS AREN'T BASED ON BUDGET HISTORY, AND AS REQUESTED BY THE COMMUNITY.THIS WILL BE A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
ADDITIONALLY, FOR THE TRANSITION PLAN, ARPA FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL EXISTING CULTURAL CONTRACTORS WHO HAD NOT RECEIVED OVER 1 MILLION IN RELIEF ALREADY.
AND SO THIS RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION WAS ABLE TO STABILIZE ORGANIZATIONS AND CREATIVES IN A WAY THAT A PERCENTAGE OF HOT NEVER COULD HAVE, AND BECAUSE THE FUNDS WERE FLEXIBLE, THEY COULD USE IT FOR STABILIZATION PROGRAMMING, ET CETERA.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT ON A PUBLIC EVENT AND COULD FOCUS ON RENT OR SALARIES THIS YEAR.
UM, SO THE MOVE TO, SO, SO NOW I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF TARGETED CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD, UM, EITHER IN THE PAST MONTH, DURING THE FEEDBACK PROCESS AND ALSO IN THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS DURING THE FEEDBACK PROCESS.
UM, SO THE MOVE TO ACTUALS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING FROM BOTH THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY WE'RE IN RECOVERY MODE AND HAVE LIMITED HOT FUNDS.
AND WE WANT TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION.
SO THIS IS THE QUESTION ABOUT WHY ARE YOU MOVING FROM PROJECTIONS TO ACTUALS? JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT.
WE USED TO USE PROJECTIONS, WHICH AS MEGAN MENTIONED WAS KIND OF A GUESS AT HOW MUCH MONEY WE MIGHT COLLECT DURING A FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD TO WAIT TO MAKE ANY AWARDS UNTIL AFTER CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE THE HOT PROJECTIONS AS PART OF THE CITY BUDGET.
AND WE WOULD GIVE OUT AWARDS BEFORE THERE WAS ACTUALLY MONEY IN THE BANK, HOPING WE WOULD HIT THOSE NUMBERS, BUT BETWEEN THE 2008 RECESSION AND THE COVID PANDEMIC, WE'VE GOTTEN VERY, VERY CLOSE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO HONOR FINAL PAYMENTS.
BUT THIS YEAR WE USED ARPA FOR THE CULTURAL FUNDING AWARDS, AND THIS ALLOWED US TO PUT ALL COLLECTED HOT FUNDS IN THE BANK.
WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOR AWARDS BEFORE COUNCIL APPROVES THE CITY BUDGET.
AND AS I JUST MENTIONED, WE HAVE OVER $7 MILLION RIGHT NOW, THIS BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE A MORE FLEXIBLE TIMELINE OF AWARDING AND CONTRACTING CYCLES.
AND WE CAN NOTIFY AWARDEES SOONER.
THERE'S NO RISK OF RUNNING OUT OF MONEY BEFORE EVERYONE HAS BEEN PAID.
SINCE WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BANK.
ANOTHER CONCERN WE'VE HEARD HAS BEEN AROUND FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AND WHY WE'RE GETTING RID OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
AND I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING RID OF FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.
WE'RE JUST MAKING IT OPTIONAL FOR MORE INCREASED FLEXIBILITY APPLICANTS, GET TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEM.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE ANOTHER CONCERN WE'VE HAD IS ABOUT WHY NON AUSTINITES ARE ABLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDING.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ACTUALLY EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
WHEN WE STARTED DISTRIBUTING RELIEF FUNDING, AS MANY OF US KNOW, IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING FOR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY CREATIVES TO AFFORDABLY LIVE AND WORK IN AUSTIN.
AND SO WE'RE EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY TO INCLUDE THE MSA.
ALL HOT FUNDED PROGRAMS ARE FOLLOWING THE LEAD OF RELIEF FUNDING TO NOT JUST CULTURAL ARTS, ALL, ALL HOT FUNDED PROGRAMS. AND ADDITIONALLY, WE WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EVEN IF SOMEONE LIVES OR IS BASED IN THE SURROUNDING MSA, THE HOT FUNDED ACTIVITIES STILL MUST TAKE PLACE IN AUSTIN.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THRIVE APPLICANTS, NOT HAVING A FIVE-YEAR HISTORY AND HOW THAT WAS LIMITING.
SO TO CLARIFY ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, WHILE THE ORGANIZATION HAS TO BE A 5 0 1 C AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE BEEN A FIVE, A ONE C FOR FIVE YEARS LEADING UP TO THE APPLICATION TIME.
SO AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN PRODUCING PUBLIC EVENTS AND MAYBE EVEN BEEN RECEIVING FUNDING FROM US WITH A FISCAL SPONSOR OR WITHOUT FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, BUT MAYBE RECENTLY THAT THEY DECIDED TO FORMALIZE THEIR BUSINESS STRUCTURE AND BECOME A 5 0 1 C THEY WOULD STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT CAPITAL EXPENDITURES IN THRIVE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY YES, HISTORICALLY WE HAVE NOT ALLOWED FOR HOT FUNDS TO BE USED FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, BUT THAT WAS A PRACTICE, NOT A POLICY WE'VE WORKED WITH LEGAL DEPARTMENT AROUND THIS CONCERN AND EVERYTHING IS STILL IN LINE WITH THE HOT STATUTE.
WE'VE HEARD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT PEOPLE USING THIS MONEY TO BUY A CAR THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
[01:15:01]
CAPITAL EXPENSES FOR THRIVE ARE DIRECTLY TIED TO THE ABILITY OF AN ORGANIZATION TO GROW AS AN INSTITUTION WE RECOGNIZE AND HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THAT THE ABILITY TO GAIN ASSETS IN SUPPORT OF GREATER SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH FOR THOSE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE LONG-TERM VIBRANCY OF THOSE COMMUNITIES.THIS INCLUDES THINGS THAT ALLOWS AN ORGANIZATION TO HOLD EVENTS.
SO TECH EQUIPMENT CHAIRS, PROJECTORS SPEAKER SYSTEMS, GREEN SCREENS, BLACK BOX CURTAINS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THE FIRST STEP TO BECOMING AN INSTITUTION IS OWNING THINGS THAT CAN BE USED REPEATEDLY BY THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
ISN'T JUST PUTTING A DOWN PAYMENT ON A BRICK AND MORTAR, AND ADDITIONALLY TO ALLEVIATE ANY PUBLIC CONCERNS WILL REQUIRE PREAPPROVAL FROM STAFF FOR ANY CAPITAL EXPENDITURE OVER $2,000.
UH, ALSO JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS WORKING HOLISTICALLY TO STREAMLINE HOT PROGRAM ROLLOUT, AND SPECIFICALLY IN CULTURAL FUNDING, WE WILL NOT BE CLOSING OUT FINAL REPORTS THE SAME MONTH THAT WE ARE ENTERING INTO NEW CONTRACTS.
EVERYTHING IS STAGGERED TO BETTER SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF CAPACITY.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN LEARNING FROM VARIOUS RELIEF PROGRAM ROLLOUTS TO STREAMLINE AND AUTOMATE PARTS OF THE PRE-CONTRACT MATERIALS AND CONTRACTING PROCESS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE WILL BE SUPPORTING APPLICANTS.
SO THERE WILL BE A VARIETY OF WORKSHOPS, MATERIALS SUCH AS AN APPLICATION CHECKLIST AND VIDEOS AND PDFS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN USE.
AND WATCH THERE WILL BE INCREASED OPEN OFFICE HOURS WITH STAFF, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM THAT WAS DISCUSSED THE OTHER MONTH THAT IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO HELP SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IN APPLYING FOR FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS THESE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IMPROVING THE PANEL REVIEW PROCESS.
SO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS ON A DEPARTMENT WIDE INTAKE FORM.
RECRUITMENT WILL BE STARTING IN LATE JUNE AND STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES TO DEVELOP A SUITE OF FORMALIZED TRAINING MODULES FOR PANELISTS.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS NOW A DETAILED SCORING RUBRIC TO REDUCE SUBJECTIVITY AND FEWER NARRATIVE QUESTIONS.
SO I WANT TO GO INTO THE PANEL PROCESS A LITTLE DEEPER NOW, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO FROM THE INTERIM REPORT, THE CONSULTANT MADE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING PANELS AND YOU CAN FIND IT ON PAGE 20, SECTION 5.1 TO 5.6, ALL RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT FOR THESE PILOT PROGRAMS. SO WE HAD ONE AROUND RECRUITMENT, AS I JUST MENTIONED, WE'RE LAUNCHING A CITY-WIDE CAMPAIGN TO RECRUIT PANEL MEMBERS THAT REFLECTS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE CITY.
THE PANEL INTAKE FORM WE'LL LAUNCH ON JUNE 22ND AND RECRUITMENT EFFORTS WILL BE SUPPORTED BY THE FULL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE UNTIL APPROPRIATE PANEL TEAMS ARE FORMED.
RECRUITMENT SUPPORT WILL INCLUDE DEPARTMENT NEWSLETTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA PRESS RELEASES POSTING ON INDUSTRY MESSAGE BOARDS AND, AND HOPEFULLY THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS, THE ARTS COMMISSION AND THE PUBLIC TO HELP GET THIS NEWS OUT FOR THE TRAINING.
THERE WILL BE MODULAR TRAINING SECTIONS AND MULTI-LINGUAL TRAINING AS WELL AS IT WILL BE PAID.
UM, SO IT IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED AND PAID FOR ALL PANELISTS.
AND THE PANEL ROSTER WILL BE USED FOR SEVERAL PROGRAMS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS AND POTENTIALLY BEYOND THAT, WE'RE ALSO OPEN TO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE COMMISSION'S ROLE IN VETTING PANELISTS WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT.
SO JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PANEL TRAINING.
SO TRAINING MODULES ARE BEING DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE, HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENTS, AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, PARTICIPATING PANELISTS WILL BE PAID FOR TRAINING, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT $300 FOR THE PAID TRAINING.
ALL SELECTED PANELISTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THREE TRAINING MODULES.
THERE WILL BE A MODULE ABOUT EQUITY AND UNCONSCIOUS BIAS, INCLUDING AN AUSTIN CONTEXT AND GUIDED DISCUSSION.
THERE WILL BE A MODULE AROUND PANEL EXPECTATIONS, PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND PROGRAM RUBRICS.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A THIRD MODULE ABOUT TECHNICAL TRAINING FOR USING THE PORTAL SYSTEM TO SCORE APPLICATIONS.
APPLICATION ASSIGNMENTS WILL HAPPEN AFTER TRAINING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
[01:20:01]
SLIDE PLEASE.SO CULTURAL FUNDING PANELISTS WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN REVIEWING AND SCORING APPLICANTS FOR FUNDING.
WE WILL SELECT PANELS THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF A BROAD RANGE OF ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL VIEWPOINTS AND A WIDE RANGE OF ETHNIC AND GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.
OUR PANEL WILL BE COMPOSED OF ARTS PROFESSIONALS AND KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE ARTS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY AN ACTIVE ARTS PROFESSIONAL MOST PANEL PANELISTS WILL BE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ALSO EXPERIENCED IN COMMUNITY CENTRIC, WORK AND EQUITY THROUGH THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY'S EQUITY OFFICE WILL BE ESSENTIAL FOR ALL CULTURAL FUNDING PANELISTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE AT PANELISTS, WE'LL INCLUDE, WE HOPE TO INCLUDE A VARIETY OF, OF PEOPLE IN A PANEL.
SO THERE'LL BE A MIX OF BOTH LOCAL AND OUT OF TOWN PANELISTS.
THERE'LL BE A MIX OF ARTS ADMINISTRATORS AND PRACTICING ARTS PROFESSIONALS.
THERE'LL BE A MIX OF ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES.
THERE'LL BE PEOPLE WITH EQUITY EXPERTISE.
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ARTISTIC PRACTICE EXPERTISE AND NONPROFIT EXPERTISE.
SO AT LEAST ONE MONTH BEFORE THE CLOSE OF AN APPLICATION, CULTURAL FUNDING STAFF WILL SELECT A MINIMUM OF 15 POTENTIAL PANELISTS CANDIDATES PER ANTICIPATED PANEL.
THESE PANELISTS WILL BE ASKED TO COMPLETE A SECONDARY FORM TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND CONFIRM THAT THERE'LL BE ABLE AND AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHEDULED MEETING DATES IF APPLICABLE, AND CAN COMMIT TO REVIEWING AND SCORING THE APPLICATIONS IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING DATES.
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO SAY ON THIS LINE? I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
UM, SO PANEL OPERATIONS, SO SOME THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT GO BACK ONE, SORRY.
UM, SO THE PUBLIC SO DIFFERENT THIS YEAR FROM, FROM PREVIOUS PANELS IS THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH THE DAY OF PANEL, BUT THERE WILL BE NO INTERACTION BETWEEN THE PANELISTS AND THE APPLICANTS.
SO IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO MAYBE AN ARTS COMMISSION OR A CITY COUNCIL MEETING PANELISTS WILL BE PAID FOR REVIEWING APPLICATIONS AND ALSO PAID PER MEETING DAY.
THERE WILL NOT BE DISCIPLINED SPECIFIC PANELS.
NONPROFIT APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED SEPARATELY FROM INDIVIDUAL AND CREATIVE GROUPS.
SO THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT SMALL, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU CAN ALL SEE IT IN BACKUP AS WELL.
AND I'LL TALK THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT.
SO PROGRAM SPECIFIC DETAILS FOR THRIVE.
SO FOR THE THRIVE PROGRAM, WE PLAN ON HAVING ONE MULTIDISCIPLINARY PANEL WITH FIVE TO NINE PANELISTS THAT WILL REVIEW ALL THRIVE APPLICATIONS.
THE PANEL WILL REVIEW AND SCORE APPLICATIONS.
PRIOR TO THE DAY OF THE PANEL MEETING THE TOP 50 SCORING APPLICATIONS WILL THEN BE REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED DURING THE PANEL MEETING AND PANELISTS WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO MAKE A PASSIONATELY TO TALK ABOUT AN APPLICANT THAT WAS NOT A TOP SCORING APPLICANT, BUT THEY STILL FEEL HAS MERIT TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE VIRTUAL PANEL MEETING.
AND THIS MIGHT BE A PANEL THAT LASTS SEVERAL DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WE RECEIVE.
AND THEN FOR ELEVATE, WE ANTICIPATE A LARGE VOLUME OF APPLICATIONS IN THE ELEVATE PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING A TWO ROUND REVIEW PROCESS IN ROUND ONE.
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PANELISTS AND A MINIMUM OF THREE PEOPLE WILL REVIEW EACH APPLICATION PANELISTS WILL SCORE AND PROVIDE COMMENTS TO JUSTIFY THAT SCORE.
AT LEAST THE TOP 100 SCORING NONPROFIT APPLICATIONS.
AND AT LEAST THE TOP 50 SCORING INDIVIDUAL AND CREATIVE GROUP APPLICATIONS WE'LL MOVE ONTO ROUND TWO IN ROUND ONE PANELISTS WILL HAVE TWO WEEKS TO REVIEW A MAXIMUM OF 15 APPLICATIONS EACH AND ROUND ONE PANELISTS WILL RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR COMPLETING THE PANELISTS TRAINING, AND THEN THERE'LL BE PAID FOR REVIEWING THEIR ASSIGNS APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN IN ROUND TWO, A MINIMUM OF FIVE PEOPLE WILL REVIEW EACH APPLICATION AND THERE'LL BE GIVEN THREE TO FIVE WEEKS TO REVIEW.
A SINGLE PANEL WILL BE HELD FOR TOP SCORING NON-PROFIT APPLICATIONS.
AND A SEPARATE SINGLE PANEL WILL BE HELD FOR INDIVIDUAL AND CREATIVE GROUPS.
AND I SAY PANEL, BUT THAT PANEL MIGHT TAKE MORE THAN ONE DAY.
AND THEN THE ROUND TWO PANELISTS WILL RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR BOTH COMPLETING THE PANELISTS TRAINING,
[01:25:01]
REVIEWING THE ASSIGNED APPLICATIONS AND ATTENDING THE DAY OF MEETING.AND THEN WE'RE BACK TO THE NEXT STEPS.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO SLIDES LEFT.
SO HERE'S THE NEXT STEPS IN OUR PROCESS.
YOU CAN SEE AMONG THE SIX PHASES THAT WE ARE AT THE APPROVALS PHASE, WHICH INCLUDES A MEMO AND A BRIEFING TO CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WE PROVIDED LAST WEEK TO THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AND DISCUSSION AND ACTION BY YOU.
THE ARTS COMMISSION, WE HAVE BEGUN THE PRELAUNCH TO GET A HEADSTART ON FRAMING OUT THE PANEL PROCESS AND THE DIGITAL INTEGRATION OF OUR APPLICATION SYSTEM INTO A NEW IN-HOUSE SYSTEM CALLED PORTAL THAT ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL USE TO INTERACT WITH OUR DEPARTMENT FROM HERE ON OUT, SINCE WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM ZOOM GRANTS INTO THE NEW SYSTEM, WE WANT TO BUILD IN TIME FOR REGISTRATION AND ORIENTATION.
WE ALSO WANT TO COORDINATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS TO BE PREPARED, TO BE PREPPED, TO ASSIST APPLICANTS AND PROMOTE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO APPLY.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PLANNING TO TE TENTATIVELY PLANNING TO LAUNCH THRIVE ON OCTOBER 12TH WITH A SIX WEEK APPLICATION PERIOD OF TAKING US THROUGH THANKSGIVING.
AFTER THAT, WE WILL HAVE THE APP, THE APP EVALUATION AND PANEL PROCESSES, AND MOVE FORWARD, THE RECOMMENDED AWARDS TO COUNCIL, AND THEN PROCEED TO CONTRACTING AND INVOICING.
WE PLAN TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AFTER APPLICATIONS CLOSE, BUT WE WILL RUN INTO THE HOLIDAYS, WHICH WILL IMPACT OUR PLANS AND STAFFING CITYWIDE DURING THAT TIME.
THIS IS THE PROCESS TIMEFRAME THAT WE, UH, INITIATED LAST MONTH.
UM, THE MAY 25TH MEETING WAS THE COUNCIL AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THE MAY 31ST MEETING IS OF COURSE TONIGHT, JUNE 7TH, WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION ON JUNE 13TH.
WE'LL BE PRESENTING TO THE LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION ON JUNE 21ST TO THE ASIAN-AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION.
AND THEN AGAIN, JUNE 21ST, WE WILL MEET WITH YOU.
THE ARTS COMMISSIONERS PANEL RECRUITMENT WILL BEGIN JUNE 22ND.
AND THEN TO ROUND OUT THE MONTH, WE WILL PRESENT TO THE HISPANIC, LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, UH, WHICH WILL FINISH OUR, OUR, OUR ROADSHOW.
UM, THEN WE WILL PREPARE FOR LAUNCH OF THRIVE, WHICH I SAID, WHICH AS I SAID, WILL, UH, IS EARMARKED FOR OCTOBER 12TH.
UM, TENTATIVELY, WE ARE LOOKING AT FEBRUARY, 2023 TO LAUNCH NEXUS AND THEN ON ITS HEELS IN MARCH 20, TWEET, 2023, WE WILL TENTATIVELY LAUNCH ELEVATE.
AND THAT IS ALL WE HAVE FOR YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEARING WITH US COMMISSIONERS AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO ONE QUICK NOTE, BEFORE WE GET INTO QUESTIONS HERE, UM, WE DO HAVE DISCUSSION ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS UNDER OLD BUSINESS, WHICH IS FIVE A, UM, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND OR, OR ASK HIM AND SEE IF WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT FORWARD AHEAD OF FOUR A SINCE ALL THIS INFORMATION IS HAPPENING AND I SUSPECT THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING TO QUICKLY OVERLAP INTO THAT SPACE.
UM, BUT MOTION TO MOVE THAT UP TO NOW.
I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE COMMISSIONER RESISTANT AND THE SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GREG AND I HAVE TWO SECONDS.
I ALSO HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER FLORES.
UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO FIVE, THEN I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LET QUESTIONS HAPPEN SPECIFIC TO THIS PRESENTATION AND WE'LL WORK OUR WAY THROUGH, UH, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
I BELIEVE YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP JUST AS WE CAME OUT AND THEN I'VE GOT COMMISSIONER VANDYKE AND COMMISSIONER FLORES.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THE PEER PANEL IS STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COMMISSIONERS ATTENDED THE PEER COUNSELORS.
I KNOW I ATTENDED TWO PEER PANELS MEETINGS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED IN THOSE TWO MEETINGS THAT I ATTENDED AS A, THERE WAS A LOT OF LEEWAY AS FAR AS LETTING COMMISSION PANELISTS RECUSE HIMSELF FROM APPLICATIONS AND SWEAT.
NOT LIKE I SAW LIKE ONE REPORT OR A COUPLE OF MEETINGS I WAS IN, UH, THERE WERE DOWN TO LIKE ONLY THREE PANELISTS.
UH, I KNOW RUDY MENDEZ, UH, GOD BLESS HIS SOUL, TOLD ME THAT WHEN HE CAME TO HIS PANEL REVIEW, THERE WAS ONLY TWO PANELISTS ON THERE.
AND ONE OF THE PANELS THAT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH AUSTIN WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IN AUSTIN.
AND THAT PERSON THOUGHT THAT ONLY AISD AUSTIN DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THREE WOULD HAVE MADE HER PART OF DOVE VALLEY, UH, EONS AND
[01:30:01]
SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO ARE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN ROUND ROCK.THERE'S ALL FUNCTIONAL THEM ACTUALLY.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT PANELISTS THOUGHT THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE DOING SOMETHING AT DOVE VALLEY.
AND SO HE STRUCK THAT AS, AS A NEGATIVE, THE GUY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCES HERE AND, UH, HE HAD NO COMMITMENT OR NO CONNECTION TO WHAT DOES AND WHAT FASCINATE GET FUNDED WHEN HE DID FAT NEGATIVE THING.
IT REALLY IMPACTED RUDY MENDEZ, UH, BALLET, BALLET EAST.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO SEE IS A MORE OF A GIVE AND TAKE BETWEEN THE APPLICANTS AS WE GIVE THEM MONEY, BUT WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM GIVE US SOMETHING BACK.
I THINK I HAVE SPOKEN TO A COUPLE OF, UH, OUR CONTRACTS AND FIND IT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA THAT ONCE YOU BOUGHT OVER FIVE YEARS, SO YOU'RE GOING TO S YOUR NUMBER SIX.
NOW YOU MUST INCLUDE IN YOUR APPLICATION.
ONE PEER PANEL IS WHO'S WILLING FOR, TO REVIEW EITHER YOUR GROUP OR OTHER GROUPS REVIEWS.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY CREATE A VERY DEEP POOL OF PANELISTS.
EVERY REQUIRED, ALL THOSE GROUPS RUN THEIR SIX YEAR INCLUDE ONE PEER PANEL IS THAT THEY THINK WOULD BE GOOD, WHETHER IT BE FOR THEIR PANEL OR FOR ANOTHER PANEL, WE WERE HAVING A SHORTAGE OF PANELISTS PEOPLE AREN'T APPLYING.
THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO GAIN.
I SAT IN THAT MEETING, LIKE I WENT TWICE, HALF A DAY IS LIKE FIVE CRAP, THESE MEETINGS LAST FOREVER.
AND THEN, AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, PEER PANELS WERE COMING UP AND DOWN AND OFF AND ON THE PANEL WAS LIKE, OKAY, MY TURN TO RECUSE MYSELF.
AND THEN IT SEEMS, I DON'T KNOW.
IT JUST SEEMED LIKE MAYBE THEY'RE JUST BACKING EACH OTHER UP.
IF YOU CHOSE TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM THERE, YOUR GROUP, THIS TIME I'LL SCORE YOUR GROUP HIGH, IF YOU DO THE SAME THING.
CAUSE I REMEMBER THERE WAS LIKE OVER 90% OF THOSE APPLICATIONS WERE GROUP AND THAT WAS DISTURBING TO ME BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY OUR PANELISTS.
SO WE'RE NOW GOING THROUGH EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION AND VETTING THEM PROPERLY IN TECHNO SOME PEOPLE EVERY NOW AND THEN.
AND SO THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE A MAJOR REVIEW OR A PEER PANEL, THIS PROGRAM, UH, WHATEVER YOU, YOU GUYS DID LAST YEAR DID NOT WORK WELL, UH, AND HURT A LOT OF FOLKS.
AND I REALLY DO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ONE PEER PANELISTS FROM EVERY AFRICANS HAD BEEN THERE FOR MORE THAN SIX YEARS.
COMMISSIONER VAN DYKE AND THEN COMMISSIONER FLORES.
UM, YOU SAID THAT, UM, THE PANEL COMPOSITION, UH, WOULD INCLUDES, UH, PANELISTS FROM OUT OF TOWN.
UH, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE RATIONALE FOR THAT PLEASE? WHY, WHY YOU WOULD HAVE, UH, PANELISTS FROM OUT OF TOWN.
I MIGHT PASS THIS ONE OVER TO
AS LAURA SAID, IT'S A NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE.
IT'S UM, GOOD TO HAVE, UM, KIND OF TO WHAT COMMISSIONER GARZA WAS JUST SPEAKING ABOUT WITH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
UM, WE KNOW WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE CONFLICT OF INTEREST IT'S UM, UM, THE APPLICANTS, YOU KNOW, AND NOT NECESSARILY RELYING ON THAT, THE PANELISTS ARE GONNA KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
SO IT'S, UM, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SO MANY WHO HAS AN OUTSIDE EYE THAT CAN LOOK AND SEE WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, REASONS AND RATIONALE FOR, UH, FOR DOING THAT.
IS THERE ANY KIND OF, UM, OH, PERCENTAGE OR NUMBERS OR THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, OR JUST, JUST, YOU'RE TRYING TO INCLUDE PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN.
I WOULD SAY WE WANT AT LEAST ONE OUT OF TOWN PANELIST PER PANEL, JUST TO GIVE THAT NATIONAL BALANCE TO THE REVIEW PROCESS ITSELF.
UM, I THINK TO ADDRESS WHAT THE OTHER COMMISSIONER WAS MENTIONING AS WELL.
UM, WE, WE KNOW THAT IT HASN'T WORKED IN THE PAST.
AND SO PART OF THE PROCESS OF HAVING, HAVING A MORE IN-DEPTH TRAINING PROCESS AND HAVING A RECRUITMENT THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF STARTING WELL IN ADVANCE AND NOT JUST MAYBE A MONTH BEFORE WE WANT TO HAVE THE PANELS IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A ROBUST, UM, PANEL GROUP TO CHOOSE FROM.
UM, LOVE THE SUGGESTION OF, OF ENCOURAGING, IF NOT REQUIRING, UM, FOLKS WHO ARE RECEIVING CULTURAL FUNDING TO, TO THEN, UM, NOMINATE SOMEONE OR HAVE SOMEONE FROM THEIR ORGANIZATION SERVE ON A PANEL.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER RECEIVED FUNDING OR NOT, UH, TO APPLY TO BE A PANELIST BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, AND WE DO WANT TO HAVE THE PAID TRAINING HEAD OF TIME.
[01:35:01]
SPECIFIC.SO, UH, COMMISSIONER VANDYKE TO YOUR POINT ABOUT FOLKS NOT NECESSARILY BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AUSTIN ECOSYSTEM AND HAVING SOMEONE FROM OUT OF TOWN, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP, UM, SHED SOME LIGHT ON AUSTIN'S SITUATION, BOTH FROM A CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM AS, AS WELL AS FROM A RACIAL EQUITY POINT OF VIEW.
UH, THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
UH, I HAVE I'LL, I'LL START WITH THE ONE ON THE PANEL SINCE I'LL, SO I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THESE, UH, WHEN YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THE TRAININGS FOR ALL THESE PANELISTS.
AND, UH, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THRIVE WAS ALSO GOING TO HAVE PANELS, BUT I GUESS THAT'S NEW.
I'VE GOT TO REREAD, UH, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T PICK UP ON THAT BEFORE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NEW OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY IN THERE, BUT THAT WAS NOT.
UM, BUT I DID NOT NOTICE I RE READ AND RE-READ THOSE, AND I JUST DIDN'T SEE THAT.
HOWEVER, WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM TO PAY ALL THE PANELISTS AND ALL THE TRAINING AND ALL OF THAT? IT COMES FROM JENNER OPERATING THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PUTS IN THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION BUDGET.
I GUESS IT'S ADDING UP THE DOLLAR SIGNS AND IT WAS, IT WAS SOUNDING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE A LOT WHEN YOU SAID THE ROUND ONE AROUND TWO ON THE ELEVATE PANELS, UM, UH, THE PANEL IS GOING TO JUST, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME PANEL FROM ROUND ONE AND ROUND TWO, THAT REVIEWED, UH, APPLICANTS.
IS IT IT'S GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA MIX IT UP AND HAVE DIFFERENT PANELISTS COME IN FOR ROUND TWO.
IS THAT, IS THAT HOW I'M UNDERSTANDING? CORRECT.
IT WOULD BE ONE GROUP OF, UM, SOMETIMES OTHER FUNDERS, THEY CALL THEM THE, THE READER ROUND.
UM, AND SO YOU HAVE SEVERAL PANELISTS READING CERTAIN APPLICATIONS AND SCORING THEM, AND THEN IT MOVES TO THE NEXT SET OF PANELISTS.
SO NOT THE SAME PANELIST AS FROM ROUND ONE.
SO ROUND ONE SELECTS THE HUNDRED, AND THEN THE 50 I'M TALKING ABOUT ELEVATE, AND THEN THEY GO INTO THE BADGE AND THEN IT ROUND TWO, THEN REVIEWS THOSE MORE AND SCRUTINIZES THOSE MOLDS MORE CLOSELY.
AND THERE IT'S A DIFFERENT BATTLE.
AND THAT'S WHO, WHO ACTUALLY DOES THE ACTUAL SELECTION OR THE SCORING, I MEAN, FINAL SCORING ROUND TWO.
SO EVERYONE, EVERY PANELIST WILL BE SCORING THE APPLICATIONS, BUT THE, THE ROUND TWO, IT BASICALLY WIPES OUT THE FIRST ROUND SCORES AND SAYS, OKAY, YOU MADE IT TO THE TOP GROUP OF POTENTIAL APPLICANTS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THEM FRESH WITH THESE FIVE NEW PANELISTS REVIEWING ALL OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND GOING FROM THERE.
SO SCORING FIRST JUST MAKES YOU INTO THE GROUP OF A HUNDRED OR THE ROOT OF 50.
AND THEN THE NEXT PANEL IS THE ONE THAT ULTIMATELY DECIDES WHAT YOUR SCORE IS FOR PLACING YOU IN THE FUNDING CATEGORY FOR THE MATRIX OR WHATEVER.
HOWEVER, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
AND IF YOU'LL BE FUNDED, WHETHER YOU'LL BE FUNDED WELL, DEPENDING ON WHAT SCORE YOU GET, I, I GUESS YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT BY SCORES.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAVE A MINIMUM SCORE WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT HAPPENS A LOT OF TIMES IN PAST PANEL, UM, EXPERIENCES WAS YOU'D GET A LOT OF REALLY NICE PANELISTS WHO WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE A MINIMAL SCORE.
SO WE'RE STILL HASHING OUT WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE, BUT ULTIMATELY EVERYONE WILL BE SCORED.
AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THE TOP AND SAY, OKAY, WHO ARE WE GOING TO BE FUNDING? THESE ARE WHO SCORED HIGHEST.
THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE PANEL.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND SO IT'LL BE THE ROUND ONE AND ROUND TWO, IT'S BASICALLY JUST A WAY TO KEEP NARROWING IT DOWN, UM, TO GET TO THE POINT OF MAYBE 65 THAT WOULD RECEIVE FUNDING IN ELEVATE FOR ARTS AND CULTURE.
NON-PROFIT FOR EXAMPLE, OH, YOU'RE ON MUTE COMMISSIONER.
YOU JUST TOTALLY CONFUSED ME BECAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID PANEL ONE DECIDES WHETHER THEY GET INTO THE BATCH, THAT'S GOING TO BE SCORED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY GET FUNDED.
AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING THAT, THEN YOU GO BACK WITH PANEL ONE AND TWO TO FIGURE OUT WHO, I MEAN, PANEL, TWO'S GOING TO GIVE THE SCORES.
ARE THEY NOT GOING TO BE BASED ON HIGH TO LOW, WHO GETS THE HIGHEST SCORES AND WHO GETS LOWS? AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT, DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE.
SO MAYBE I APOLOGIES IF I, IF I ENDED UP CONFUSING THAT PIT THAT BIT RIGHT THERE.
UM, IF WE HAVE 600 APPLICATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR,
[01:40:01]
FOR ELEVATE IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE, NONPROFIT, THE FIRST ROUND OF ELEVATE WILL BE SCORING AND REVIEWING EVERYONE TO NARROW THAT 600 APPLICATION DOWN TO 100 APPLICANTS.AND THEN THE NEXT ROUND WE'LL LOOK AT THOSE 100 APPLICANTS SCORE THEM.
AND THAT WILL BE BOTH TO DETERMINE POTENTIALLY THE 65 WHO WILL RECEIVE FUNDING AND WHAT THAT FUNDING AWARD WILL BE.
SO PANEL ONE IS NOT GOING TO COME BACK INTO THE PICTURE.
SO IT ALL HAPPENED PANEL TWO, AND THEN I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO LIST THEM IN TERMS OF THE SCORES.
AND I THOUGHT I'D READ IN THE GUIDELINES THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A MATRIX OR SOMETHING INVOLVED, BUT I'LL GET THERE LATER.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DIGEST A LOT, THE STUFF THAT YOU SAID.
CAUSE I, I LOOKED AT EVERYTHING, INCLUDING ALL THE CHANGES.
SO YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS ABOUT PANELS.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO CAPITAL EXPENSES BECAUSE I WAS THINKING OF CAPITAL EXPENSES.
AND THEN SOME OF THE GUIDELINES, THE DRAFT GUIDELINES THAT I READ PRIOR TO THE CHANGES YOU MADE TO CITY COUNCIL AND WHATEVER YOU JUST SHOWED US TONIGHT, BASICALLY YOU SAID BUILDING CONSTRUCTION REPAIRS.
UM, WHEN I THINK OF CAPITAL EXPENSES, I'M THINKING OF, YOU KNOW, BY, YOU KNOW, BUILDING A BUILDING, PURCHASING THE BUILDING, NOT NECESSARILY BUYING CURTAINS AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, WHAT YOU STATED AND THE, AND THE TYPES OF EXAMPLES YOU GAVE SOUND FINE TO ME.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HAVE STAFF OVERVIEW, LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES OVER 2000.
AND, BUT WHAT I'M I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IS THAT WE'RE NOT FUNDING BUILDING A BUILDING OR, YOU KNOW, UH, DOING ANY, WHAT DO YOU KNOW WHEN PEOPLE HAVE CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS IT'S TO BASICALLY BUILD A NEW BUILDING OR EITHER WHATEVER THAT, THOSE AREN'T THE KINDS OF EXPENSES THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT? CORRECT.
NO CONSTRUCTION, NOT THROUGH OUR PROGRAM.
THAT'S TYPICALLY SOMETHING THAT THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION MONEY WOULD FUND.
SO NOT KATZ, BUT FROM ANOTHER SOURCE OF HOT, WELL, I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT ARE HOT.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS THE EXPRESSION CAPITAL EXPENSES.
AND WHEN I THINK OF CAPITAL EXPENSES, I THINK OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
AND I MAYBE I'M THINKING OF IT INTO TOO NARROWLY.
AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'RE EXCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OR BUILDING PAUSE IN OUR HOT PROGRAM.
I PERFECTLY AGREE THEY SHOULD GO TO, IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR AN HISTORICAL PRESERVATION, THAT THEY SHOULD CHASE THOSE DOLLARS AS, AS BEST THEY CAN.
BUT, UM, BUT UNDER OURS FOR, FOR PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS NORMALLY WHAT WE'VE PAID FOR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.
AND AS I SAID, THAT THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU GAVE EXAMPLES OF SOUND PERFECTLY FINE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON A SHOW, YOU NEED SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
AND AS LONG AS THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, OVERLOOKING THAT, THAT'S FINE, BUT NO BUILDING, NO RENOVATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO A BUILDING YOU'RE CORRECT.
AND ALSO THERE ARE OTHER SOURCES WITHIN THE CITY THEY'RE HELPING OUT WITH THOSE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS, CULTURAL TRUST HAS, YOU KNOW, SOME FUNDS TO HELP WITH THAT.
SO DOES THE, YOU KNOW, CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A SEPARATE FUND.
SO WE ARE EXCLUDING THAT FROM OUR PROGRAM.
I DIDN'T LOOK AT THE GLOSSARY.
SO MAYBE THERE'S A BETTER DEFINITION OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, BUT THE WAY I READ IT IN THE GUIDELINE, IT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE THEY WERE CONSTRUCTION, BUT THEY'RE OUT.
I HAD A PRETTY EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF, OF EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT, BUT YEAH.
SO INCLUDING ELEVATE AND THRIVE, NO, NO MORE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, EXCEPT THE KINDS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, TIGHTS ONLY IN THRIVE FOR, FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
AND WE'LL WE'LL LIST SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT.
SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN ELEVATE? YOU HAD IT IN THE PREVIOUS GUIDELINES.
IT SAID THERE WERE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, AT LEAST IN THE DRAFT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THEY'RE OUT COMPLETELY IN BOTH PROGRAMS, RIGHT? SO OPERATIONAL EXPENSES WERE ELIGIBLE IN ELEVATE AND IN THRIVE, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ARE ONLY IN THRIVE.
BUT ONLY THE TYPE THAT YOU'VE DISCUSSED.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN I WAS READING THE DRAFT AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALREADY, UH, YOU CORRECTED THEM, BUT ON PAGE, UM, THERE WAS A NOTE THAT SAID PURCHASE REPAIR CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION OF EQUIPMENT WAS UNDER ELIGIBLE EXPENSES ON PAGE SIX OF THE OLD DRAFT.
SO I WOULD MAKE SURE, AND THAT WAS UNDER ELEVATE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT IN THERE EITHER.
CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE ARE
[01:45:01]
SORT OF TEASING THROUGH AND THAT WAS A HUGE PRESENTATION.UM, SINCE WE HAVE FIVE AIR COMING DOWN THE PIKE, I, MY IMPULSE IS TO SAY, CAN WE KEEP OUR QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW ON SORT OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE PRESENTATION AND LET'S GET INTO GUIDELINES AND OUR GUIDELINES NOTES WHEN WE GET INTO FIVE EIGHT.
IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY WITH EVERYBODY? WELL, I AM ASKING YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST SAYING BEFORE YOU GET THERE, I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO HEAD OFF.
I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO STOP YOU WHILE YOU WERE WORKING ON STUFF.
AND THEN AFTER, UH, COMMISSIONER FLORES, COMMISSIONER, MARK HAS SOME QUESTION.
WHAT I MEAN, THERE THEY'RE SPECIFIC.
I WAS TRYING TO DO THE MATH AND SHE DID.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THE NON, UH, UNDER ELEVATE NON 5 0 1 C AND THE 5 0 1 C I WOULDN'T SEE IS THE ORGANIZATIONAL, THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORT, YOU SAID ABOUT ROUGHLY 3 MILLION AND THEN FOR THE NON 5 0 1 C, WHICH INCLUDES INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AND ALL THE, IN THESE CREATIVE, UH, ORGS AND NON 5 0 1 CS AND EVERYBODY THAT'S ALL IN ONE BATCH.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THAT'S FOUR PLUS THE THREE FOR THRIVE.
THAT'S SEVEN, YOU HIT SAID SIX.
AND THEN PLUS THE 500,000 FOR NEXUS.
SO OF THE TOTAL FUNDING THAT WE PUT IN HERE OF 7.5 MILLION, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THREE PROGRAMS, THE, THE 6 MILLION I MENTIONED WAS JUST FROM ELEVATE, NONPROFIT AND THRIVE.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY ARTS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THOSE TWO GROUPS BETWEEN THOSE TWO PROGRAMS WILL BE RECEIVING 6 MILLION OF THE 7.5.
SO I MISHEARD THAT BOTH THREE AND THREE PLUS THE ONE AND THEN THE 500,000.
AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER QUESTS, BUT, UH, I JUST HAVE NOTES.
I WAS WRITING ALL OVER ON MY THING THAT I HAD BEFORE, BUT, UH, YEAH.
SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO DISCUSS, UH, ARE WE VOTING TONIGHT OR ARE WE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST MEETING TONIGHT AS DISCUSSION ONLY THERE WILL BE NO VOTE TONIGHT FOR CLARIFICATION.
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
THEN I WILL JUST PROBABLY BOMBARD YOU ALL WITH QUESTIONS AS I'M I MADE NOTES LATER INDIVIDUALLY.
WE HAD NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING, BUT I DO HAVE TWO VERY BASIC, UH, CHALLENGE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
NUMBER ONE IS THE DIGITAL CHALLENGE.
ALL OF THIS IS BEING DONE DIGITALLY RIGHT ONLINE.
SO I'M LOOKING AT MY AUNT IS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SOME OF THEM, UM, ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, UM, COMFORTABLE.
THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A COMPUTER, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO IS EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DONE IN ENGLISH, I SUPPOSE.
SO THAT WRITING, IT CAN BE IN CHINESE YES.
UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPANDING OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS FOR ALL PROGRAMS. AND SO THE APPLICATIONS, THE GUIDELINES, EVERYTHING, EVEN THE PANELIST INTAKE IS GOING TO BE IN AT LEAST SIX LANGUAGES.
SO THAT WILL INCLUDE, UM, VIETNAMESE, CHINESE SIMPLIFIED HINDI, UM, SPANISH THERE'S, THERE'S AT LEAST SIX.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE OPEN TO DOING OTHERS AS WELL.
SO THE PANEL IS THE COMPOSITION OF ALL THESE PANELISTS.
I HAVE TO BE FLUENT WITH ALL THESE SIX LANGUAGES.
WE'LL BE PAYING FOR LIVE TRANSLATION DURING ANY KIND OF PANEL PROCESS.
SO I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST, YOU KNOW, UM, IF PEOPLE WANTED TO HIRE SOMEONE TO WRITE THE, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION WRITING IS A SKILL, YOU KNOW, ON SOME PEOPLE CAN DO IT BETTER THAN THE OTHER, RIGHT.
SO I'M WONDERING, UH, IF THEY NEED TO, I, AS SOMEBODY TO WRITE THE PROPOSAL, COULD THAT BE A LEGITIMATE EXPENSE? SO WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT IS DESIGNED TO BE SUPPORTING MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AS WELL AS MULTIPLE TYPES OF APPLICATIONS FOR WHATEVER A COMMUNITY MEMBER
[01:50:01]
NEEDS ASSISTANCE WITH AS FAR AS APPLYING FOR A PROGRAM.SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY THE FIRST STEP, UM, FOR SOMEONE TO REACH OUT AND SAY, I WANT TO WORK WITH A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR IN JAPANESE TO WORK ON THIS APPLICATION.
AND, AND THAT'S PAID FOR BY THE CITY.
THAT IS, WE HAVE FUNDS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THOSE SERVICES.
THAT IT'S VERY NICE TO KNOW A LITTLE ONTO THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS, AS LAURA MENTIONED AGAIN, FISCAL SPONSORSHIP IS OPTIONAL.
SO, UM, THAT COULD BE SOMETHING POTENTIALLY A FISCAL.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING ABOUT WHETHER THAT COULD BE PAID OR NOT, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE THIS MORE GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, IT IS FOR A CONTRACT THAT STARTS AT A CERTAIN TERM.
SO MOST LIKELY, NO, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR WRITING THE APPLICATION BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO FALL WITHIN THE CONTRACT TERM.
SO POTENTIALLY FOR WRITING A FINAL REPORT OR FOR, YOU KNOW, DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOT FOR WRITING THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
YEAH, BECAUSE I'M JUST THINKING THAT, UM, THERE IS A CULTURAL DIFFERENCE, OUR PEOPLE, RIGHT.
AND HOW WE PRESENTED, YOU KNOW, UM, SO IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE, I THINK, TO RECRUIT PANELIST THAT HAS DIVERSE CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING TO LOOKING AT ALL THESE 600, YOU KNOW, PROPOSAL, BECAUSE IT IS QUITE SCARY.
YOU HAVE 600, YOU NARROW IT DOWN TO 100.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVEN ABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT, RIGHT.
SO A LOT TO THINK ABOUT, BUT THANK YOU FOR OFFERING, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, COMMISSIONERS, OTHER QUESTIONS, CLARIFICATION ON THE PRESENTATION, COMMISSIONER GARZA, JUST A REAL QUICK, UH, I THINK YOU SAID YOU GUYS DOING LIKE 12 LANGUAGES SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE AND YOU MET WHEN IT CHECKED WITH, UH, AUSTIN ISD AT THEIR INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.
CAUSE THEY DO 18 LANGUAGES THERE.
UH, TH TH THEY PROVIDE SERVICE FOR UP TO 18 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY MATCH THAT, UH, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME LANGUAGES THAT KIND OF CROSSOVER, BUT DON'T REALLY CROSS OVER FOR IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, ARABIC IS SPOKEN IN A LOT OF PARTS OF THE COUNTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT SO IS TURKISH.
AND SO IS, UH, PARSI FROM MY RANTS.
SO PEOPLE FROM IRAN, YOU'RE NOT CONSIDERING SOME ARABIC, THEY USE A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
SO JUST, JUST MAKE SURE YOU GET SURE YOU GUYS ARE INCLUSIVE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT CULTURES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
YOU KNOW, CAUSE THERE'S SHOULD BE AT LEAST 18 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, CONTACT, UH, AISD INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, FIND OUT WHAT THOSE 18 LANGUAGES ARE THAT THEY PROVIDE SERVICES FOR AND JUST, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE TO REBUILD A NEW WHEEL.
I WAS, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD COMMISSIONER THAT, THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE A LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICY IN PLACE.
UH, AND SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ABOUT 10 LANGUAGES RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND WE ARE STILL EXPANDING THOSE SERVICES AND THE AVAILABILITY OF, OF TRANSLATING THINGS.
SO I THINK THE, THE WAY THAT THEY'VE DONE THE STUDY, IT'S BASICALLY HERE ARE THE SIX LANGUAGES THAT EVERYTHING IS AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BE TRANSLATED INTO FOR OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS PRIORITIES, BUT ANY OTHER LANGUAGE THAT SOMEONE MIGHT SPEAK OR MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE WITH ENGLISH THINGS, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO TRANSLATE THAT ON DEMAND AS WELL.
I'M JUST GONNA TAKE EVERYBODY'S TEMPERATURE.
OH, I WAS GOING TO ASK IF IT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK, LIKE FOUR MINUTE BREAK? LET'S DO YES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO RECESS FOR FIVE MORE MINUTES.
UM, SO WHEN LAST WE WERE HERE, WE WERE DOING QUESTIONS RELATED TO ITEM THREE C COMMISSIONERS.
[5a. Discussion and Possible Action on Cultural Funding Review Process, including i. Consultant Update ii. Community Engagement and Feedback Reports iii. Commission Questions and Recommendations to Staff iv. Timeline ]
ARE WE OKAY TO MOVE ON TO FIVE, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS? ARE WE ALL GOOD TO GO THERE? OKAY.WITH, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WE HAVE HACKED OR DOES FROM PRODUCTIVE
I CAN NOT READ YOUR FIRST NAME, YOUR HANDWRITING.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GUYS START TO COME TOGETHER OR YOU DO WANT TO COME SEPARATELY? COME ON UP, GRAB A SPOT
[01:55:02]
UM, BECAUSE IN INTEREST OF TIME, CAN WE GIVE YOU A COMBINED FOUR MINUTES? YOU DON'T NEED ALL THREE MERRY CHRISTMAS IS YOURS.REMEMBER THAT? YOU HAD A QUESTION.
SO I'VE GOT THAT ON THIS LIST.
IT HAS, HE HAS
I SAY YOU NOT
UH, MY NAME IS
AND HE DOES WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR STEPPING OUT HE HAD A REHEARSAL TO GO TO.
UM, SO, WELL, I JUST HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, YOU'VE GOT YOU GUYS REMEMBER WHAT HE MENTIONED, BUT HE SHARED WITH YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, THE EXAMPLES.
I HOPE THAT HELPS TO CONTEXTUALIZE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF ARTISTS, OF COLOR HERE IN AUSTIN TODAY, THE STRUGGLES AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE TODAY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND HOW TIRED AND EXHAUSTED WE ARE OF, OF THESE STRUGGLES AND THESE CHALLENGES, YOU KNOW, AND HAVING TO WORK AND SURVIVE IN ESSENCE, YOU KNOW, INEQUITIES AND, YOU KNOW, STILL RACISM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN THIS ECOSYSTEM, UM, YOU KNOW, IN ALL OF THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HE PROVIDED THE EXAMPLE OF, OF THE PROGRAM, UM, INSTILLED OR IMPLEMENTED AT THE MAC, UM, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND, AND THE, THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE MADE PROMISES WERE MADE GUARANTEES.
UM, THOSE HAVEN'T HAPPENED OR HAVEN'T HAVE NOT TAKEN PLACE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'VE ALWAYS ACTED WITH, TO HAVE GOOD FAITH IN, IN SYSTEMS AND POLICIES AND YALL AND OTHER, UM, UH, PUBLIC SERVANTS, BUT IT SEEMS THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE WERE FAILED.
UM, SO WE'LL JUST ASK THAT AS WE'VE ALWAYS TASKED, YOU KNOW, THAT WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHATEVER
[02:00:01]
IS IMPLEMENTED, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THEY'RE DONE IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER, UH, BECAUSE OUR LIVELIHOOD, OUR SURVIVAL IS AT STAKE.UM, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THESE, UH, UPDATES THAT WE JUST SAW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT WE SEE JUST IN UPFRONT THAT WE SEE CHALLENGES.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT RACIAL INEQUITY AND MITIGATING THAT TOGGLING DAD IT'S BEEN ON REPORTS.
IT'S BEEN THE CONVERSATION GOING BACK TO 2017 THAT'S DIRECTION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT YET WE CHOOSE TO OMIT THAT WORD IN THAT CONVERSATION.
SO WE CAN'T HAVE RACIAL EQUITY WITHOUT RACE BEING A PART OF IT.
YOU KNOW, WE, AS THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE THAT FACED THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THESE, LIKE, WE HAVE NO ARMS, WE TALKING ABOUT RIGS, LIKE WE HAVE NO ARMS COLOR, WHATEVER IT IS.
UM, SO WE JUST NEED TO OWN UP, WE JUST NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO SUMMARIZE THINGS AND THERE'S JUST A LOT ON, ON, ON THE MINDS AND, UM, KIND OF WHAT SHE MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE, UH, FOR YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, OUR EFFORTS, I GOING TO SAY THIS, WE APPLY CHANGE, CHANGE IS NEEDED.
SO LET'S START WITH, WITH THAT DEFINITELY APPLY CHANGE, BUT OUR EFFORTS, YOUR EFFORTS, COMMUNITY EFFORTS, DON'T HAVE TO JUST END AT AN APPLAUSE, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF PUT A PLAY ON WORDS.
SO LET'S GO FOR THE STANDING OVATION.
YOU LET'S SEE WHAT'S NEEDED TO REALLY LIKE, MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND, AND, AND NURTURE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT SUFFERED, YOU KNOW, FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SHE JUST SAYS, YOU KNOW, AND COME TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OH, ONE, ONE THING THAT I JUST MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, QUICK EXAMPLE, UM, MA'AM YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT CHINESE AND THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AND WHATNOT.
UM, THAT'S A KEY IMPORTANT ELEMENT, YOU KNOW, IN HINDSIGHT, THAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S TACKLING RACIAL INEQUITY, BUT RACIAL INEQUITY IS NOT, UM, HIRING A TRANSLATOR OR TO TRANSLATE A DOCUMENT INTO A LANGUAGE AND KNOW YOU GUYS MIGHT KNOW, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, CHINA, CHINESE, AND TAIWANESE, THEY SPEAK CHINESE, BUT THEY'RE IN CONFLICT, WHICH YOU MENTIONED THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL COMPONENT OF THINGS ARE EXPONENTIAL WHEN IT COMES TO LANGUAGES AND CULTURES.
AND SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS JUST, JUST, JUST GET, PUT, GETS PUT BY THE WAYSIDE.
UM, SO JUST BECAUSE IT'S CHINESE DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S THE SAME, JUST BECAUSE IT'S SPANISH DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE SAME FOR ME, FOR PERSONAL FROM PUERTO RICO.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE TIME.
AND, UM, ANY QUESTIONS I KNOW, I THINK I LEAVE IT.
MIGHT'VE HAD A QUESTION EARLIER FOR THAT IN REGARDS.
AND FOR BEING HERE AND FOR STICKING OUT THROUGH THE LONG CONVERSATION SO FAR THIS EVENING, COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY.
NOT TOO MUCH A QUESTION WITH YOU GUYS, BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I DO SUPPORT YOU GUYS AS MUCH AS I, AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, MY OLDER BROTHER AND MY OLDER SISTER WERE PART OF THE THREE AFTERLOAD CASINOS AND SAN ANTONIO PICKING UP THE STUFF FROM RELEASE MY LISTS AND USING THOSE SCRIPTS TO TEACH THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT REALLY, REALLY DRAWS TO MY HEART AND DRAWS TO, TO WHAT I BELIEVE AND WHAT I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
LIKE YOU SAID, SOME OF US SPEAK SPANISH, MOST, SPEAK ENGLISH, SOME SPEAK ENGLISH
SO IT'S REAL EASY TO SWITCH OVER FROM ONE LANGUAGE TO ANOTHER AND JUST CONTINUE A CONVERSATION.
BUT FOR MIDOSTAURIN SPANISH AND BACK AND FORTH, I CAN DO THAT.
LIKE, THAT'S THE WAY I WAS BROUGHT UP.
UM, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU GUYS DO.
UH, I KNOW SOMETIMES YOU GUYS MAKE PRESENTATIONS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T REALLY SEE THE CONNECTION.
UH, I'VE BEEN TO THE DEALER'S MARCOS DANCING CELEBRATION OR WHERE I'VE BEEN TOPLESS, UH, AND SIGNPOST SAYS CEMETERY A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND I THINK IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL.
THE WAY YOU GUYS ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PRESENT WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT OUR CULTURE? UH, WE'RE NOT ALL, YOU KNOW, FRITO, BANDIDOS, HAPPY GO, LUCKY KIND OF GUYS.
OUR CULTURE IS ALL ABOUT A WORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR, FOR THE WORK YOU DO AND ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP YOU OUT, LET ME KNOW.
AND THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT REAL, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT REAL, KEEP REAL WHAT IT IS THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY DO.
LIKE YOU SAID, SPANISH SPOKEN IN LIKE WHAT'S OVER 18 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA, MEXICO.
I MET PEOPLE FROM
[02:05:01]
THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO.I THINK YOU JUST A LITTLE QUICK SUMMARY ON THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF SAY THAT THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY KNOWS WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, YOU KNOW, SO JUST KINDA WORK FROM THERE.
SO WHEN YOUR BROTHER MENTIONED, UM, THE CONDITION THAT WE YOU WERE IN WHILE YOU WERE DOING THE PERFORMANCE, THE NO AC AND BLACKOUT, I'M WONDERING, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CULTURAL CENTER RUN, BUT DO THEY GIVE YOU A EVALUATION AT THE END OF THE SHOW TO DO YOU KNOW, LIKE CUSTOMER SERVICE, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU EVALUATE, BECAUSE APPARENTLY YOU, YOU SCHEDULED A PLACE, RIGHT? I DUNNO.
YOU'VE, IT IS FOR FREE, UH, EVEN IF IT IS FOR FREE, UH, YOU SHOULD EXPECT, SO TURN CUSTOMER SERVICE.
SO, UM, DO THEY EVER GIVE YOU AT THE END, YOU KNOW, OF THE EVENT, UH, THE, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, YOU KNOW, HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH, WITH THE CONDITION, WITH THE, UH, FACILITY, WITH THE EQUIPMENT AND ALL OF THAT? DO THEY EVER GIVE YOU SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UM, SO THEY, THEY DO OFFER THAT OR THE PATRONS THEMSELVES, UM, FROM THIS EVENT, I DON'T RECALL IF THERE WAS LIKE, I CAN'T SAVE, THERE WAS A PERSON, USUALLY THERE'LL BE A PERSON FROM THE SENATOR TO OFFER HANDOUT SURVEYS.
UM, BUT FROM THE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PRODUCER STANDPOINT, ARTIST'S STANDPOINT, UM, I MEAN, WE DO HAVE INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THAT EXAMPLE IS NOT TO PINPOINT A SPECIFIC ISSUE ON, LIKE, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, THE MANAGEMENT OR ADMINISTRATION OF THE FACILITY, BUT IT'S A HIGHLIGHT KIND OF LIKE THIS LITTLE CHAIN REACTION OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WHEN, UM, SYSTEMS ARE NOT IN PLACE WHEN RESOURCES ARE NOT AVAILABLE, WHEN WE ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THE CULTURAL CENTERS ARE HOUSED UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION BECAUSE IN OUR CULTURE IS MANAGED AS A RECREATION WHEN IT'S NOT, IT SHOULDN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS, IF NOT THE ONLY ONE OF THE ONLY, UM, CITIES NATIONWIDE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SPECIFIC CULTURAL DEPARTMENT THAT ADMINISTERS AND MANAGERS CULTURAL CENTERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES START AT THE TOP AND THEY JUST, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S AN EFFECT, YOU KNOW, THAT GETS TRICKLED DOWN.
YOU KNOW, ONE EXAMPLE IS WHEN THE PROGRAM, THE LATINO ARTS PRESERVATION PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED AND WE WERE REMOVED FROM THAT RESIDENT MODEL PART OF IT, THE AGREEMENT WAS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE QUALIFIED, UH, ACTION TECHNICIANS AT ALL OF THE CENTERS, BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING FOR EQUITY.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE COME IN AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
SO I CAN'T VOUCH HAPPENS AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER OR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER EITHER.
UM, THAT'S JUST US, WE CAN SPECIFIC SPEAK ONLY, YOU KNOW, TO, TO OUR, OUR, UM, WHAT WE WITNESSED, I GUESS, BUT I ASSURE YOU, WHOEVER ON THE TOP WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THIS FEEDBACK, BECAUSE THEY WILL WANT TO KNOW SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENT, BECAUSE I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT.
YOU KNOW, I SAID SOME NIGHTS, I AM SURE, YOU KNOW, YOU, IF I WERE IN CHARGE, I WILL WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, THAT'S WHY I ASKED IF THERE'S AN EVALUATION AT THE END OF EACH EVENT.
I IT'S JUST GOOD PRACTICE BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE.
UM, SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP.
AND I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WHOEVER ON THE TOP, UM, TO REALLY HEAR IT, YOU KNOW, AND IT IS NOT PERSONAL.
IT'S JUST THAT THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN DOWN AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
AND SO WITHOUT THE FEEDBACK, IT CAN NEVER BE FIXED.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, BUT I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW, HOW ARE THE SERVERS AT THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL, UH, A RESOURCE CENTER BEING, UM, WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK ARE THEY GOING TO DO? I'M SURE EVERYONE WANTS TO DO A BETTER JOB, YOU KNOW, SO HOW CAN WE AS A COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, TO HELP, YOU KNOW, DO A BETTER JOB, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MONT COMMISSIONER.
FLORESTA DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE, AS IT'S GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT IT'S A YES.
AND THANK YOU ALSO TO BATHROOM FOR YOUR WORK,
[02:10:01]
AND I'VE BEEN TO YOUR PERFORMANCES IN THERE.BUT I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY THAT IT'S NOT JUST YOU, IT'S OTHER ARTISTS IN THAT EXHIBIT, IN THE GALLERY, AN ARTIST TALK WITH BAD, COMPLETELY BAD AUDIO, UH, UH, EQUIPMENT.
UH, EVEN THOUGH THEY WENT AND CHECKED AND EVERYTHING, IT JUST DIDN'T WORK THROUGHOUT THE THING.
AND SO, AS A RESULT, THE RECORDING WASN'T MADE, SO CAN'T UTILIZE IT EITHER.
SO YEAH, THERE ARE ISSUES AND THERE ARE PROBLEMS THAT, THAT DEFINITELY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND NOT TO PICK ON THE MAC, BUT IT IS, IT IS THERE AND THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THOSE BECAUSE OUR, OUR ARTISTS, UH, ARE NOT BEING GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE PROPER EQUIPMENT.
AND SO I THINK WE, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT.
I'M GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, A CONVERSATION WITH PARKS AND REC ABOUT THE CULTURAL CENTERS AND THE SUPPORT THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED TO THE ARTISTS WHO ARE USING THOSE SPACES.
I JUST WANT TO ADD TWO MORE THINGS REAL QUICK.
UM, SO THEY, UH, UM, AS FAR AS ADDRESSING THIS TO, TO THE MAC MANAGEMENT, UM, WE DO PLAN ON DOING THAT.
UM, IT JUST, THAT THIS JUST HAPPENED YESTERDAY OR SATURDAY, SUNDAY OVER THE WEEKEND.
THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING THAT IT'S KIND OF TIES INTO IT.
UM, THE MAC ADVISORY BOARD MEETING IS TOMORROW.
SO WE ALSO PLAN ON GOING THERE.
WE HAVE A MEETING ALREADY WITH THEM, SO IT WAS NOT THAT WE'RE JUMPING THE GUN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY YOU GUYS WERE HERE, UM, THERE TOMORROW.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE AND WE HAVE A GOOD DIALOGUE WITH THEM.
UM, AND THEN, UM, HOPEFULLY SOMETHING GOOD WILL COME OUT OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN JUST THE LAST THING ITEM IS, UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST THE MAC, AS SOMEBODY MENTIONED, IT'S ALSO JUST IN GENERAL, THE CENTERS, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY BALLET EAST.
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THERE, UM, AT THAT DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
EQUIPMENT IS NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, OPTIMAL, UM, PROJECTOR HAS BEEN THERE FOR EXAMPLE, THREE, FOUR YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S AN OPERABLE, SO WE'RE HAVING TO RENT OUR PROJECTOR, HAVING TO RENT EQUIPMENT THAT SHOULD ALREADY KIND OF BE THERE.
AND SERIOUSLY, THANKS FOR STICKING OUT THROUGH ALL THE CONVERSATION.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE AND TO SHARE YOUR INFORMATION TODAY.
SO WE ARE A FIVE
UM, THANK YOU FOR OUR SPEAKERS.
WE ARE MOVING ON TO 5 81 CONSULTANT UPDATE, MARGIE, REESE.
ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO SPEAK TO US? AND CAN YOU TURN ON, THERE YOU GO.
I, UM, I HAVE SO APPRECIATED, UH, BEING AT THIS MEETING AND LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION AMONG THE COMMISSIONERS AMONG THE PUBLIC, LISTENING TO THE SUMMARY.
I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF INFORMATION, UM, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED WITH TONIGHT, BUT IT IS TRULY A SUMMARY OF A LOT OF WORK, UH, THAT THE, THE STAFF, UH, THE VOLUNTEERS, ARTISTS AND THE COMMUNITY, UM, I, I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA RE I'M GONNA TRY NOT TO REPEAT ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE HEARD.
SO I'M GOING TO JUST STICK TO A COUPLE OF HIGH POINTS AND PRIMARILY, I'M JUST HERE TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU ALL KNOW THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR WORK PLAN, THE LISTENING SESSIONS, THE COMING BACK AND FORTH TO YOU, TO THE COMMUNITY, SYNTHESIZING WHAT WE'VE HEARD, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION TEAM COULD MAKE CHANGES TO, UH, WHAT CHANGES WERE WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARIES TO, TO CONSIDER WHAT CHANGES WERE MANDATED BY THE LEGAL OFFICE, BY RISK MANAGEMENT, BY THE TAX CODE.
UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT, YOU'VE HEARD THE PHRASE POLICY VERSUS PRACTICE, WHICH IS WHAT'S MY MANTRA WITH THE GRANTS TEAM.
IS IT, WHY ARE WE DOING THINGS THIS WAY, BECAUSE IT'S THE POLICY, OR ARE WE DOING THIS THINGS THIS WAY? BECAUSE IT'S AN ABBOT.
SO AFTER GATHERING A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT, WHICH WHICH CONTINUED UP UNTIL, I THINK WHEN, WHEN DID WE HAVE OUR LAST WORKING GROUP MEETING, UM, WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, NOT THAT LONG AGO, A MONTH OR TWO AGO.
SO INPUT INPUT, INPUT INPUT REQUIRES OUTPUT, WHICH IS WHAT YOU HEARD A GREAT DEAL OF TODAY.
UM, I, I READ A NUMBER OF THE MOST RECENT, UM, RESPONSES TO THE PUBLIC, UM, FEEDBACK SESSION.
I WAS SURPRISED BY SOME, UM, AND DISAPPOINTED IN OTHERS, BUT MOSTLY HERE TO SAY TO YOU, THERE WERE SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE IS MARGIE, REESE? WHERE IS OUR CONSULTANT? WHAT HAPPENED TO HER? DID SHE DISAPPEAR? AND, UH, SHE IS NOT DISAPPEARED.
AND I WANT, LIKE, I WANT TO SAY
[02:15:01]
FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, THAT, THAT OUR TEAM HAS CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE STAFF, EVEN THOUGH WE APPEARED TO BE SILENT, IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO GO LINE BY LINE, ALMOST WITH THE GUIDELINES THAT YOU'VE HEARD SUMMARIZED HERE TONIGHT, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, UM, STEADILY WITH HIS SUSAN, HIS TEAM, UH, WITH LAURA LOOKING AT OPERATIONAL THINGS, LOOKING AT PANEL THE PANEL SELECTION PROCESS, THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT WE SPENT RESEARCHING BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON A NUMBER OF AREAS, LOOKING AT OTHER TEXAS CITY, BUT ALSO LOOKING REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY.SO I WORK WHILE IT MAY HAVE BEEN INVISIBLE TO YOU OR TO THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN TO STICK WITH THE STAFF TEAM.
UH, THE NUMBER OF ZOOM MEETINGS.
I WISH I HAD TRACKED THOSE, UM, THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT WE WOULD DO WEEKLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE RESPONDING WITH SENSITIVITY, UM, WITH THE RIGHT PROTOCOLS AND WITH ADHERENCE TO WHAT WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS DONE.
AND THAT IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOT TEXT FUNDS IN AN EQUITABLE AND MORE INCLUSIVE WAY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY REVOLUTIONARY DISRUPTIVE PRACTICES THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT THAT ARE CHANGED MAKING CHANGE, UH, STEPS.
UM, I APPRECIATED ALSO HEARING FROM THE GROUP THAT JUST PRESENTED TO YOU NOW, UH, JUST RE RE RELAYING TO YOU SOME REAL TANGIBLE DIFFICULTIES, AND JUST GETTING THE PROGRAMMING OUT TO THE PUBLIC, THESE STORIES.
WE HEARD TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME.
AND THIS PROCESS THAT YOU'RE SEEING NOW IS A RESULT OF A LOT OF GOOD TIME AND THINKING, I'LL TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAD TO SPEND WITH THE STAFF, AND I'M SAYING THIS DIRECTLY TO YOU AS COMMISSIONERS, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A PUBLIC CONVERSATION, THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE JUST HAD TO ENCOURAGE THE STAFF TO STAY IN THE GAME, STAY IN THE GAME IS HARD.
THE PUBLIC OUTCRY IS COMING FROM A PLACE OF FRUSTRATION, UH, FROM A PLACE OF FEAR, UH, FROM A PLACE OF NOT WANTING TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT REDISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE ARTS AND ARTISTS IN AUSTIN HAS TO HAPPEN.
AND IT'S HARD TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, UH, CHANGE-MAKING WORK.
UH, BUT THE BIG PICTURE, UH, FOR ME, UH, FOR BEING HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT IS TO SAY THAT THE FINAL A FINAL REPORT IS COMING TO YOU AS YOU COME TO THIS MEETING, UH, IN JUNE TO REVIEW AGAIN, THE DRAFT GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU THERE IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING HIDDEN IN THIS PROCESS, EXCEPT MAYBE OUR FACES ON A ZOOM SCREEN, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO HAVE SO MANY CONVERSATIONS JUST TO FIND CLARITY.
AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU USE THIS WORD? I WOULD SAY TO THE STAFF, LET'S REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE CORRECT DEFINITION OF THINGS THAT WE'RE USING.
SO MY WORK MOVED FROM BEING THE LISTENER TO THE SYNTHESIZER, TO BEING A GUIDE AND ALMOST A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR.
SOMETIMES I SAY, DID YOU LOOK AT THIS CITY'S GUIDELINES? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT APPROACHING IT IN THIS WAY AND WHAT YOU HAVE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU IS A RESULT OF MANY, MANY HOURS OF HUMAN LABOR.
UM, THINKING ABOUT HOW AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE, WILL BE ONE OF VERY FEW CITIES THAT WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE MATCHING FUNDS FOR PUBLICLY THAT'S REVOLUTIONARY GUYS.
UM, IN MANY CITY TAX CODES ARE, IT'S HARD TO CHANGE THAT FUNCTION, BUT THIS TEAM HAS LISTENED TO ORGANIZATIONS, STRUGGLE WITH THE CONCEPT OF HAVING TO REQUIRE MATCHING DOLLARS.
THE CONVERSATION ABOUT AROUND FISCAL SPONSORSHIP PESOS WILL TELL YOU I'VE GONE FROM ZERO TO 10 IN FIVE SECONDS.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THAT CONSTRUCT AND THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THAT CONSTRUCT, SO THAT WHAT YOU SEE COMING BEFORE YOU NOW IS IS A WAY TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACHES.
AND THEN FINALLY, THIS RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IS ALSO AN INCLUSION MOVE BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE REALITIES OF PRUDENTIAL DISTRESS ON PEOPLE, NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RE ARTISTS TO CONTINUE THEIR RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT HAVE A DESIRE TO PRODUCE AND PRESENT THEIR WORK WITHIN THE CITY.
THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE WAYS THAT THIS STAFF HAS LISTENED AND HEARD AND EVEN GONE AGAINST TRADITIONAL SYSTEMS TO MAKE THESE KINDS OF CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED TO YOU.
LAURA USED THE WORD PILOT SEVERAL TIMES IN HER DISCUSSION.
[02:20:01]
THINGS WILL NEED TO CHANGE AS WE LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES, AS WE LOOK AT, UM, PILOTING PROGRAMMING, UH, THAT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT TONIGHT, THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FOR ME AS YOUR ADVISOR AND CONSULTANTS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IS THAT THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT OPPOSE CHANGE THE MOST ARE THE ONES YOU'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE MOST LOUDLY.BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE VERY ARTISTS AND LONG TIME, UM, LONG STANDING ORGANIZATIONS OF COLOR THAT HAVE NOT COME TO YOU AS LOUDLY AS OTHERS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEIR VOICES AREN'T EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, BUT WE HEARD THEM.
AND SO THE WORK THAT MY TEAM HAS BEEN DOING WITH THE STAFF AT CULTURAL AFFAIRS, UM, IN THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT IS TO HELP THEM SEE HOW TO CHIP AWAY AT LONGSTANDING PRACTICES TO CREATE NEW POLICIES AND NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SUCCINCT THINGS TO REPORT TO YOU THAT YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, BUT JUST TO CONFIRM AND REASSURE YOU THAT, UH, PUBLIC INPUT HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN LISTENED TO.
UM, AND WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO TURN AROUND A CRUISE SHIP IN A CANAL, IT TAKES A LOT OF MANEUVERING AND A LOT OF COLLABORATION FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS FROM THE, FROM THE STAFF.
AND I THINK THAT THIS, UM, SET OF GUIDELINES THAT YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO LOOK AT FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS OR SO I WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT YOUR COMMISSION CHAIR SPARES NO DIAMOND CALLING ME AND SAYING, WHAT DO YOU THINK MARGIE, I NEED YOU TO COME TO THIS MEETING.
UH, AND I THINK I WELCOME THAT, UH, FROM YOU AS WELL.
SHE SAID TWICE, MAYBE LIKE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES FOR THE RECORD, JUST SAY, I CALLED HER TWICE, COME ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES, BUT IT DOESN'T COUNT THE EMAILS, BUT WE'LL WELCOME THAT FROM YOU AS WELL AS WE, AS WE GET TO THE FINISH LINE ON THIS WORK, I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT.
UM, I EVEN HEARD A COMMENT IN ONE OF THE, UH, FEEDBACK SESSIONS THAT I'M, UH, UH, A, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST DO WHATEVER THE STAFF TELLS ME OR ANYBODY THAT HAS WORKED WITH ME OVER MY 40 YEAR CAREER.
AS AN ARTS ADMINISTRATOR WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT IS NOT SUCH AN EASY THING TO SAY OR DO.
UM, THE WORK HAS BEEN RIGOROUS.
AND, UM, I APPLAUD THIS COMMISSION, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT COMMISSION FROM THE ONE THAT I STARTED WITH TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
MEMBERS OF NEW MEMBERS HAVE COME AND GONE, BUT THE WORK HAS CONTINUED AND YOU SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WHAT YOU'RE NOW ABLE TO SEE AND RED LINE.
AND I, I APPRECIATE THE NOTES, UH, COMMISSIONER FLORES.
I'VE BEEN TAKING NOTES FROM YOUR COMMENTS AS WELL, THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE ANSWERED AS MUCH, UH, OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE PUBLIC REALLY BEGINS TO, UM, RESPOND AND USE THESE GUIDELINES AND CONTINUING TO DO THE GREAT WORK THAT'S DONE IN AUSTIN.
I USED TO HOLD UP MY LAST COMMENT.
I USED THE HOLDUP, THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO'S GUIDELINES, UM, AS BEING REALLY PROGRESSIVE.
UM, AND, AND THINKING ABOUT HOW TO CREATE A SYSTEMIC CHANGE IN CITY GOVERNMENT.
I THINK WHEN YOU GET THROUGH WITH THIS PROCESS, AUSTIN, YOURS WILL BE, UM, REALLY HIGH ON THE LIST AS A MODEL, UH, FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES LOOKING AT HOW YOU CREATE THIS KIND OF CHANGE.
SO, UM, I'M HERE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, I'LL BE BACK IN JUNE FOR, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AS WELL, AND, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT I'VE HAD TO SPEND TO, TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU, MARGIE, FOR EVERYTHING, LOVE HAVING YOU IN THE ROOM, LOVE HAVING YOUR VOICE IN THIS MIX.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND SO AS I STEPPED DOWN OUT OF THE CHAIR POSITION, THANK YOU.
AND, UM, SELENA WILL BE CALLING AN EXTRA SOMEBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM.
SO, UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MS. REESE? ALL RIGHT.
UM, NO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, ASSURING US OF ALL OF THE WORK WE KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE, WE KNOW FOR SURE AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT STAFF HAS DONE.
UH, JUST IN THE ITERATIONS THAT WE'VE HEARD.
AND AS I SAID, I WAS, AS I'VE READ ALL THE GUIDELINES THAT WERE BEFORE US AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE'S ALL THESE NEW CHANGES THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO NOW CATCH UP WITH THAT JUST SHOWS THAT IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT IN THAT IT'S, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS.
AND I THINK PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.
UH, BUT, UH, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT, UH, AND HAVE NOTED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES AND WITH EVERY PRESENTATION IT BECOMES CLEAR, UH, AND, BUT A LOT OF WORK AND THOUGHT
[02:25:01]
AND EFFORT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS.AND SO IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.
UH, IT'S HARD, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S IN A HOT SEAT.
UH, SO, UH, SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO KEEP COOL WHEN YOU'RE ON THE HOT SEAT.
SO, UH, BUT THE, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S WORK THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.
UH, IT'S IT'S WORK THAT WE NEED TO PICK APART AND RE PICK APART.
AND, UH, UM, I AM KIND OF A NERD FOR MINUTIA, SO I WILL GET IN THERE INTO THE WEEDS.
UH, BUT I, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CLARITY BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN LEGISLATION AND HAVE HAD TO INTERPRET LEGISLATION.
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT PRECISENESS AND WORDS, WORDS MATTER, AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR DEFINITIONS ARE, ARE AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE INTERPRETATIONS, MISINTERPRETATIONS, REINTERPRETATIONS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, THAT THERE IS AS MUCH CLARITY FROM THE GET, GO AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I WILL ASK THE QUESTIONS IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING AND I APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE THAT EVERYBODY HAS, BUT THEY'RE NECESSARY.
AND SO, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, UH, WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO, AND FOR, YOU KNOW, UM, GUIDING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO TELL COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
MR. MONK, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO 580 TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK REPORTS.
UM, IF YOU'LL INDULGE US, UM, THE ARTS COMMISSION AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE CITY HAD THE PORTAL OPEN WITH THEIR VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
UM, WE WENT ON WHAT I LOVINGLY CALLED A BLITZKRIEG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UM, FROM THE 19TH OF APRIL THROUGH, WELL, ACTUALLY I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION THIS MORNING, SO THAT IS CONTINUED.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE, I HAVE NOT COMPLETED MY HOMEWORK.
SO OUR REPORT IS ON MY COMPUTER, BUT NOT IN YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE AS I SAID, I WAS STILL TALKING TO FOLKS THIS MORNING AND I HAVE A COUPLE OTHER PHONE CALLS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING OR MEETINGS HAPPENING WITHIN THE WEEK.
UM, WE HAVE A ROBUST SPREADSHEET FROM ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH COMMENTS, UM, THAT ARE, THAT WE'VE BEEN SHARING AS WE GO WITH STAFF.
AND A LOT OF THAT WORK IS ALREADY REFLECTED IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WENT TO AUDIT AND FINANCE THIS WEEK.
UM, AND SO I WILL, I WILL COME BACK TO YOU STAFF IN A MINUTE.
ONCE WE GET INTO THE DISCUSSION AND ASK YOU TO PULL UP SOME PAGES OF THAT, UM, THAT PRESENTATION, BUT FOR US, WE STARTED LISTENING SESSIONS.
UM, OUR FIRST LISTENING SESSION WAS APRIL 24TH.
UM, THE LAST ONE, UH, THE LAST LISTENING SESSION WAS THE 24TH OF MAY A SOLID MONTH IN THAT TIME, COMMISSIONERS BARNES CASTILLO, GRAY KEATON, MOCK PULL, GAR SMALL BUCK AND ZISMAN AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL IN SOME FORM OR FASHION WERE IN THE SAME SPACE TOGETHER.
UM, AND OF COURSE HE SAYS, HE'LL BE GLAD TO KNOW THAT NO MORE THAN FIVE COMMISSIONERS WERE PRESENT IN A SINGLE LISTENING SESSION.
UM, SO BETWEEN THE 19TH OF APRIL AND MAY 24TH, THE COMMISSION MEMBERS CONDUCTED NINE TWO HOUR SESSIONS WITH HUNDRED AND 28 ARTS COMMUNITY CONSTITUENTS, INCLUDING INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM SMALL MID-SIZED AND LARGE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED BOTH PRIOR CONTRACTORS AND ARTS ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE NEVER RECEIVED CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, CONTRACTING ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED IN INCLUDING NEWER MID-RANGE AND LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND AS I SAID, THE FEED UP PROCEEDS TO THAT PROCESS HAS ALL ALREADY BEEN PUT FORWARD AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE PUT FORWARD.
AS I MAKE SURE THAT I HAVEN'T MISSED ANYTHING IN OUR NOTES, OUR LISTENING SESSIONS, LOCATION DATES, AND NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN EACH IS AS FOLLOWS FOR THE RECORD.
UM, MOST I'M GOING TO GO FROM MOST RECENT TO THE FIRST, ALMOST REAL THINGS.
MAY 24TH, 2022, WE HAD 25 PARTICIPANTS THAT'S DOES NOT INCLUDE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT IN THAT SPACE.
UM, ON MAY 11TH, WE WERE THE LONG CENTER.
WE HAD FIVE ORGANIZATIONS PRESENT.
UM, THERE WAS, UH, AN ASIAN-AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER LISTENING SESSION ON MAY 9TH WITH FIVE PARTICIPANTS.
THERE WAS A, UH, ASIAN AMERICAN AUSTIN ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL SESSION ON MAY 6TH WITH 15 PARTICIPANTS.
THE TIER TWO WORKING GROUP MET ON MAY 5TH WITH 13 PARTICIPANTS PLUS COMMISSIONERS, UM, RICH'S GALLERY AND THROUGH MASS CULTURE HAD A LISTENING SESSION ON MAY 3RD WITH 30 PARTICIPANTS, MOHAN HOSTED US ON MAY 1ST 12 PARTICIPANTS.
THE COMMUNITY EQUITY WORKING GROUP ALSO MET AND REVIEWED THESE GUIDELINES ON APRIL 27TH WITH EIGHT PARTICIPANTS IN THE ROOM AT THAT TIME AND ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK COMING FROM FOLKS WHO COULDN'T MAKE THAT MEETING.
AND, UM, AGAIN, A HUGE THANKS TO SHARON DAR ANDERSON AND ATEX THEATER, WHO WERE THE GUINEA PIGS AND HOSTED
[02:30:01]
OUR FIRST LISTENING SESSION ON APRIL 24TH WITH 15 PARTICIPANTS FROM THE AUSTIN THEATER COMMUNITY.SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO.
UM, IN ADDITION, I PERSONALLY HAVE MET WITH, I THINK, 17 ARTISTS, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, BOARD MEMBERS FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS IS ABOUT TWO HOURS PER, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A BUSY MONTH GUYS, AND I KNOW THAT OTHER ONES OF YOU HAVE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WOULD LOVE IF YOU'VE GOT THOSE NOTES TO PLEASE SUBMIT THAT SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT ON THE FEEDBACK REPORT.
AND I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO INCLUDE THAT FEEDBACK IN THE FINAL REPORT WITH MARGIE AND WITH STAFF.
UM, SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS IN EVERY CONVERSATION WE HAD, THE COMMUNITY WAS, UM, GRACIOUS AND APPRECIATED THE CONVERSATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND I'M ENCOURAGED THAT, THAT THAT'S CONTINUING AND BROADENING.
UM, AND I HOPE WE KEEP THAT WORK UP.
UM, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT AND THE LAST YEAR WITH US.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO MY AMAZING GODDESS OF COMMUNICATIONS AS A SMELL.
UM, PARTICIPANT SEEMS FREE IN THESE SPACES TO ASK QUESTIONS AND EXPRESS CONCERNS.
I'LL PUT A LITTLE ASTERIX ON THAT BECAUSE WHAT I FOUND TOO IS THAT THERE WERE SOME PLACES WHERE PEOPLE HAD THINGS TO SAY THAT THEY FELT UNCOMFORTABLE SAYING IN THE PUBLIC GROUP.
AND SO WE WANTED MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLUG IN EITHER IN PERSON OR IN THESE SPACES, WHICH IS WHY I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO REACH OUT WHEN I, WHEN I FELT OR SENSE THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE AND WHAT WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW UP IN THAT REGARD.
UM, IN GENERAL, THE GREATEST NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WERE SPECIFIC TO HOW AN INDIVIDUAL OR AGENCY COULD QUALIFY FOR FUNDING.
UM, THERE WERE MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CLARITY OF PROCESS AND, AND ONE BIG REQUEST FOR THE NEED FOR DECISION TREES, WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY FIT WAYS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY NEED A FISCAL SPONSOR, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND YOU GUYS HAVE THOSE NOTES, BUT JUST FOR THE REST OF THE ROOM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WAS SOME KIND OF CLARITY AND VISUAL, UM, SIMPLIFICATION OF HOW DO I GET WHAT I NEED TO KNOW, HOW DO I GET TO THE NEXT STEP? UM, THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, ESPECIALLY ABOUT OPENING UP FUNDING, ELIGIBILITY TO APPLICANTS, NOT PREVIOUSLY ELIGIBLE UNDER PRIOR CONTRACT PROGRAMS. AND I THINK STAFF HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB TONIGHT OF EXPLAINING SOME OF THE REASONING BEHIND THAT.
NOT ALL OF US LIVE WHERE WE DID FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, TWO YEARS AGO.
LAST YEAR, SOME OF US ARE WONDERING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE LIVING NEXT MONTH AS OUR RENTS ARE INCREASING.
I THINK STAFF'S, UM, UH, NIMBLENESS AND FLEXIBILITY, AND BEING AWARE OF THE ACTUAL SITUATION ON THE GROUND FOR AUSTIN'S ARTS ARTISTS AND ARTS COMMUNITIES IS LAUDABLE.
AND THAT, THAT IS BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT ALSO THEY CLEARLY UNDERSTAND, AND THIS PROCESS UNDERSTANDS THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT, UM, GIVING MONEY AWAY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HERE.
IT'S ABOUT SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE AND TRYING DESPERATELY TO STAY.
UM, THERE WERE MANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, AND COMMENTS ABOUT PEER PANELS, AND I THINK, WOW, ALL OF THEM, MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN ANSWERED TONIGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE GROUPS WAS, UM, WE HAD A SENSE IN THAT SPACE THAT THERE'S PROBABLY A LISTENING SESSION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN SPECIFICALLY ON PEER PANELS, SO THAT WE CAN GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THE INFORMATION YOU'VE JUST GIVEN, PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF AND HEAR WHAT OTHER CONCERNS ARE OUT THERE.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO PUT THAT HIGH ON THE PRIORITY LIST AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SIMILARLY, THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT HAVING AN OUTSIDE LISTENING SESSION ON FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, UM, AND, AND THE CLARIFICATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPTIONAL FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, AND THAT WE WILL MAKE IT CLEAR FOR APPLICANTS, UM, TO UNDERSTAND HERE ARE THE BENEFITS OF IT BECAUSE THERE ARE, AS MARGIE JUST SAID, A LOT OF BENEFITS OF BEING FISCALLY SPONSORED AND FOR SOME ORGANIZATIONS, THEY DON'T NEED IT.
AND YOUR EVERYONE'S AT A DIFFERENT PLACE IN THE PROCESS.
SO TRYING TO CLARIFY AND, AND, UM, EXPAND KNOWLEDGE IN THAT SPACE AND HEAR OTHER CONCERNS I THINK IS USEFUL.
UM, AND THEN WE, UH, WE ASKED EVERYWHERE, WE WENT, HAVE YOU READ THE GUIDELINES AND DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THESE PROGRAMS? UM, AND, UM, WHAT WAS INTERESTING THERE, AND I THINK TO WHAT MARGIE JUST SAID, THERE ARE LOTS OF FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN DEEPLY ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND THEY DID SEE THEMSELVES AND WERE EXCITED.
THERE'S TREPIDATION FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF A LONGSTANDING CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAM THAT NOW THINK IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.
UM, AND, UM, I WAS THRILLED TONIGHT TO HEAR AN INCREASE IN HOT COLLECTIONS AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT, THAT, THAT POOL IS GROWING, WHICH TO ME SAYS MORE ACCESS.
AND I, I APPRECIATE STAFF'S RAISING THOSE LEVELS.
WE HEARD A LOT IN CONVERSATIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE APPLICANTS FUNDED.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ABOUT, UM, BANDWIDTH IN THAT SPACE, BUT THAT WAS ONE OTHER KEY TAKEAWAY.
[02:35:01]
AND THEN IMPORTANTLY, AND MAYBE THE BIGGEST LIKE FLAG I HAVE IN THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION, UM, AS WITH THE ORIGINAL COMMUNITY EQUITY WORKING GROUP, UM, CONVERSATIONS AND IMPORTANT THAT FROM PARTICIPANTS IS THERE'S UNANIMITY THAT HOT FUNDS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY.AND THIS MEANS BOTH ARTS AND MUSIC, AND THAT FUNDS ARE LOW USE OF IT.
AS LIMITED BY STATUTE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME TO RETURN TO PRIVATE PRIOR LEVELS, ASTERIX, MAYBE NOT AS LONG AS WE THOUGHT, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT, BUT EVEN AT $12 MILLION BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, IT WASN'T ENOUGH.
AND THINGS ARE HARDER NOW THAN THEY WERE THREE YEARS AGO.
SO THAT'S NOT THAT ISSUE'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN THE JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC WORKING GROUP.
AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AND THAT LONG CENTER LISTENING CONVERSATION WE HAD, WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY EXCITING ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING THAT WORK.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON THAT WORK.
AND AGAIN, THE CULTURAL FUNDING REVIEW PROCESS, THIS IS ONE PART OF THE PIE, BUT IT'S NOT THE WHOLE PIE.
WE GOT TO BAKE THE REST OF IT GUYS.
UM, AND OVERALL THERE IS A DEEP, DEEP EXCITEMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY AND, AND SOME RELIEF ABOUT THE EQUITY LENS AND TRYING TO REBALANCE AND SORT OF RIGHT SIZE FUNDING FOR ALL OF AUSTIN AND FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME ON THAT, OR SELENA OR ACO OR AMY WHO ARE ALL ON THIS CONVERSATIONS, OR LET ME KNOW QUESTIONS, MR. MOM, I JUST WANT TO SHARE OBSERVATION, YOU KNOW, UM, I FELT LIKE WE HAVE SHOWN THE COMMUNITY THAT AS A COMMISSION, WE GENUINELY WANTING TO HEAR THEIR FEEDBACK.
WE ON, WE ARE NOT WAITING FOR THEM TO COME TO US.
WE HAVE GOING TO THEM AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK THAT IS, I THINK IT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE A RECORD, YOU KNOW, TO SHOW THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST SITTING HERE AND ASKING THEM TO COME IN.
WE REALLY, BECAUSE THIS IS HUGE AND CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS COMFORTABLE, ESPECIALLY TOO MANY WHO HAVE BEEN ENJOYING THE PRIVILEGE OF THE PAST 50 YEARS.
AND THEN NOW THEY HAVE TO SHARE THE MARBLES AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT IS NOT EASY, YOU KNOW, IT IS, THERE'S JUST SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO JANUARY DIVISION, YOU KNOW, UM, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARY.
SO IF THE PIE IS NOT BIG ENOUGH, THEN WE HAVE TO CREATE A BIGGER PIE, BUT THEN WE CAN NOT CONTINUE TO LEAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE BEHIND FOR 50 YEARS.
I THINK WE HAVE, WE HAVE MODEL, YOU KNOW, UH, AS A COMMISSION, WE HAVE MODEL, UM, THAT THIS IS HARD WORK, BUT WE ARE WILLING TO DO THE HARD WORK.
AND, UH, WE'LL, WE THINK IN DEL
AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT SPECIFIC SET OF INFORMATION? OKAY, COOL.
SO HERE IS HOW I WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED.
I KNOW THAT WE STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ON STAFF'S PRESENTATION.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN BACK UP TO QUESTIONS ON STAFF'S PRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO GUIDELINES.
UM, AND, AND LOOK AT WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE FOR STAFF AS THEY'RE CONTINUING DRAFTING, UM, BASED ON WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR.
SO COMMISSIONER FLORES, DID YOU HAVE MORE STUFF? UM, I, WELL, I WAS JUST RE LOOKING AT SOME NOTES AND, UM, I SAW THAT, YOU KNOW, WELL, WHEN THEY SAID THE LAUNCH DATES, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, NOVEMBER, I MEAN, OCTOBER FOR, UH, THRIVE AND THEN ELEVATE IN, IS IT MARCH OF 20, 23? AND I WAS JUST GONNA ASK, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANSWERED TONIGHT OR MAYBE CONSIDERED, UH, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT TO DO IN BETWEEN AND THERE'S HOLIDAYS,
[02:40:01]
BUT WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, ELEVATE MIGHT BE LAUNCHED SOONER RATHER THAN, THAN MARCH, MAY POSSIBLY JANUARY OR SOMETHING, OR, YOU KNOW, EARLY FEBRUARY, BECAUSE KIND OF A LONG TIME TO ME NOW, AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO GET MONEY.AND IF Y 23 INTO THOSE HANDS OF THOSE THAT WILL BE ELIGIBLE, ET CETERA, TO RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THAT PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE, IT'S AN ASK IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST TO HAVE TO BE ANSWERED, BUT, UH, JUST THINK ABOUT, UH, IMPULSIVELY, UH, IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO MAYBE MOVE IT UP.
UM, UM, AND I THINK I PRETTY MUCH FOR ALL I CAN TELL, ASK THE QUESTION THAT I NEEDED TO ASK HIM THAT I HAD SHARED WITH YOU, UH, WHEN I HAD, UH, AND I, AS I SAID, I, AS I SAID, I GO THROUGH THE NOTES AND, AND REVIEW, UH, AND THE QUESTION IS THE LAST DRAFT, UH, HOW DO WE GET OUR HANDS ON IT? CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS IN THE BACKUP FOR THIS AND I'M HAVING TROUBLE GETTING MY BACKUP.
SO DON'T, YOU KNOW, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT IF THERE IS THE NEW ITERATION, HOW SOON CAN I GET MY HANDS ON IT SO I CAN GO THROUGH IT, ET CETERA.
THAT'S IT FOR ME FOR NOW, LAURA, DID YOU HAVE A RESPONSE FOR MY RESPONSE TO THE, UM, ELEVATE AND, AND NEXUS? UM, THE, THE TIMING IS WE'RE, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SWITCHING THEM.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD, UM, WE KNEW WHO WAS GOING TO BE RECEIVING THRIVE BEFORE LAUNCHING ELEVATE.
SO NO ONE WAS IN THAT KIND OF WAITING PERIOD, UM, AND APPLYING WITHOUT KNOWING A DECISION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER FOR THRIVE.
SO IT'S, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WE MIGHT SWITCH ELEVATE AND NEXUS.
SO ONE MIGHT BE IN FEBRUARY AND THE OTHER ONE MIGHT BE IN MARCH.
UH, BUT WE'RE STILL HAMMERING OUT THE LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF WHEN THE PANELS WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT.
SO DEFINITELY TAKING THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT THOUGH.
ELEVATE BEFORE NEXT IS ALL I'M SAYING COMMISSIONERS, ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
HOW MANY CRITICISM NOTES DO I HAVE? 753.
UM, NO, I THINK, I THINK I'M OKAY.
I THINK THE, THE BIG THING FOR ME, UM, BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH THE COMMUNITY ARE, UM, AT TIMES OF THE ESSENCE, I MEAN, WE KNOW THIS RIGHT, THE LAST, THE ARPA MONEY WAS GREAT.
THE NON-PROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE, UM, EMERGENCY FUNDING WAS FABULOUS AND HAS KEPT MANY AN ORGANIZATION ALIVE IN THIS HARD TIME.
THAT MONEY WAS LAST OUT THE DOOR SOMETIME AGO.
UM, AND PEOPLE WERE FEELING IT AND HAVING A HARD TIME.
UM, AND THERE'S NOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF EXTRA EMERGENCY MONEY FLOATING AROUND EVERY GRANTING PROGRAM THAT I KNOW OF HAS HAD MAJOR SHIFTS.
UM, SO IT, IT'S JUST TOUGH AND YOU KNOW, THIS, I MEAN, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS WEEK AND WE ALL FEEL IT, BUT AS SWIFTLY AS WE CAN GET THINGS OUT THE DOOR, UM, AND TRY THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP FACILITATE OR ALIGN OR ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO ON OUR END AS COMMISSIONERS, UM, TO SUPPORT THAT WORK, I KNOW I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I SAY WE'RE HERE AND WE'LL DO THAT.
I'M JUST THOUGHTS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.
UM, FIRST OFF, THANK, THANK THANK YOU.
AND JUST, JUST, THIS HAS JUST BEEN AN, AN AMAZING, JUST TO SEE HOW MUCH THOUGHT FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER NOT AGREEING, AGREEING, WHATEVER, JUST THE FACT THAT IT'S MOVING IN, IT'S SHAKING AND IT'S GOING IN, IN SUCH A IT'S GOING FORWARD.
UM, SO MUCH HAS BEEN CLARIFIED FROM THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD AND, AND THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, THAT ARE COMING IN, UM, THROUGH THE WEBSITE IN OTHER POINTS AND SO MUCH IS SO DETAILED IN WHAT WAS JUST PRESENTED TODAY, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
UH, I WILL SAY FOR ME, EVEN IN ALL ITS DETAIL, AT THIS POINT IN A PRESENTATION IN THE PRESENTATION, IT'S A BROAD
[02:45:01]
STROKE OF, AND I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT, WELL, WHAT PART OF THE SLICE OF THE WET INGREDIENT AM I IN THAT SLICE OF PIE? IN OTHER WORDS, HOW AM I SCORED? HOW ARE THEY LOOKING AT US OR ME? AND I KNOW THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE EVERYTHING IS.UM, BUT EVEN IN LOOKING FORWARD AND EVEN THINK ABOUT ARTISTS THAT ARE HAVING TO LEAVE THE CITY OR NOT DOING WHAT THEY USED TO DO OR CUTTING BACK YOUR YOU'RE THINKING, THEN THE OLD SCHOOL WAY OF CAPACITY AND ARTISTIC MERIT AND ALL THAT IS LIKE, IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO EVEN KNOW WHAT BEING AN ARTIST OR A SUPPORTED ARTISTS MEANS IN A COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AS JUST IN, IN A BIG THING, AS I'VE ALWAYS, UM, AND, UH, UH, CHEER POLE GUARDS HEARD ME SAY THIS MANY, MANY WAYS, I AS LIKE, WHAT IS THE CITY'S VISION OF BEING SCORED WITHIN? IT'S NOT IT'S, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I'M MAKING SENSE.
BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S EXCITING THAT IT'S MOVING FORWARD AS MY BIG THING THAT I'M SAYING, AND STILL SEEING, AND HEARING AND FEELING AND KNOWING WHERE AM I IS SO STILL HANGING THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYBODY.
AND NOW I, I HEAR YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO OFFER IS IN ALL OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, LIKE WE, THERE ARE SO MANY SORT OF UNDERSTOOD, BUT I HAVE ALSO BEEN REALLY MINDFUL OF ASSUMPTIONS.
AND HOW MANY OF US HAVE LIKE A CERTAIN SET OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE PLAYING BACK AND THAT ARE INFORMING EVEN THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED AND HOW WE FRAME THINGS.
AND SO I I'VE, I'VE TRIED TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT SORT OF BRINGING THAT FORWARD.
SO ON, IN THAT SENSIBILITY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE WE VALUE THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS SPACE.
I HAVE HAD THE GREAT, GOOD FORTUNE TO SEE SOME INCREDIBLE ART IN THE LAST MONTH, UM, IN BETWEEN A GAZILLION CONVERSATIONS, UM, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE OUT AND WATCH PEOPLE READING RE-EMERGING RIGHT.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, UH, UH, OF, UH, OF WORK.
I GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE GENRE EVERYWHERE IN TOWN.
UM, THERE IS SO MUCH CREATIVITY.
THERE IS SO MUCH HOPE IN ALL OF THAT WORK.
AND IT'S SO EASY WHEN IT'S ABOUT NUTS AND BOLTS.
AND DO I GET, DO I NOT GET, HOW DO I GET FOR THAT TO FALL AWAY OUT OF THE CONVERSATION? AND SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME ARTISTS WERE LIKE, WHERE'S THE ART? AND I WAS LIKE, YES, IT'S EVERYWHERE.
IT'S IN EVERY SINGLE MOMENT, RIGHT? THE REASON THAT WE ARE COMING TO YOU AND LISTENING TO YOU IS BECAUSE THAT IS THE BIGGEST VALUE.
SO JUST KNOW THAT THAT HASN'T DISAPPEARED.
THAT IS THE UNDERPINNING OF EVERY SINGLE CONVERSATION.
IT'S THE UNDER UNDERPINNING OF EVERY CONVERSATION STAFF IS HAVING.
IT'S THE UNDER PINNING OF EVERY CONVERSATION THE COMMISSION'S HAVING, ALL OF YOU IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE OF THAT.
MA MAYBE GO BACK TO NEW BUSINESSES ACTUALLY.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE TIMELINE, UH, BEFORE WE DO THAT, LULA, YOU HAD A QUESTION YOU'RE YOU'RE MUTED.
UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY IF WE'RE MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
I'LL GET YOU IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT THE TIMELINE FROM STAFF, UM, AND YOU GUYS, THE, UM, PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE WE'LL SHARE, AND CAN WE GET THE UPDATED DRAFT GUIDELINES THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'RE STILL IN DRAFT AND IT'S THE CURRENT ITERATION ON EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE MOVING, BUT WHATEVER YOU HAVE AT THIS POINT, IF YOU COULD SHARE IT WITH US, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THEN WE CAN GO BACK BASED ON ALL OF THE OTHER CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING AND CONTINUE TO, TO HELP AND SUPPORT.
[4a. Art in Public Places Discussion and Action Items]
MOVING ON.WE ARE NOW ON ITEM FOUR, UNDER NEW BUSINESS ARTS, SOME PUBLIC PLACES, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, COMMISSIONER FLORES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT FOR A 1, 2, 3, 4, AND FIVE.
[02:50:01]
I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER FLORES.I HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GRAY TO TAKE, UM, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, A 1, 2, 3, 4, AND FIVE ON CONSENT.
YOU GUYS ALL IN AGREEMENT TO TAKE THEM ON CONSENT.
SO WE'VE AGREED TO TAKE THEM ON CONSENT ALL IN FAVOR, ANY OPPOSED WITH THIS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FLORES.
UH, LOOK, WE'RE ON FOUR B OH, THIS IS MY FAVORITE ITEM.
DID I SAY SOMETHING REAL? CAN I SAY, IS IT REALLY BUT WHAT EXCITING THINGS? NO, IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE THESE JUST IT'S SO AMAZING.
I'M JUST GOING TO DO IT ONE MORE PLUG FOR ART IN PUBLIC PLACES, WHICH IS JUST A BASIC JUUL AND R A MAN JUST INCREDIBLE.
GET OUT THERE, EVERYBODY AND GO SEE THIS WORK.
AND THE WORK THAT AMPP IS DOING JUST BLOWS MY MIND IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GREY FOR THAT.
AND THERE IS A PIECE IN THIS BUILDING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT COMMISSIONERS, THIS MAN HAS A PHOTO OF IT AND IT WILL END UP IN THE NEWSLETTER JUST SAYING SPOILERS.
SHOULD I NOT HAVE SPOILED THAT? OKAY.
I'M GOING TO GO COMMISSIONER FLORES.
IS THIS A MOTION THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO MAKE FOR THE NEXT THING? JUST HOT, HOT.
[4b. Election of Chair and Vice Chair]
I'LL START TALKING TO HIM.UH, ITEM FOUR, B ELECTION OF ARTS COMMISSION CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
WELL, I, I THOUGHT MISSION OF FLORES HAS HER HAND AT ONE MOMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UM, TO, UH, TO, UH, TO PUT FORTH, UM, ARE WE IN, IN, UH, IN A WAY TO JUST BE ABLE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PUT TOGETHER? YES.
GOD WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE, UH, ELECT, UH, COMMISSIONER SYSMON AS OUR CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER SMALL BACK AS VICE CHAIR.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FROM FLORES AND THE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MARK AND A THIRD BY COMMISSIONER GRAY.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF WAIT, IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? WELL, I, I JUST, I CONSENT TO THAT.
AND WE HAVEN'T
WE HAVE HER WRITTEN TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN THERE.
I THOUGHT YOU MADE A BRETT JUST AS WRONG.
THE THING IS IF YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE THEM.
NO, WE MADE SURE THAT COMMISSIONER, A SMALL BUG HAD ACTUALLY WRITTEN TO US AND WE HAVE IN WRITING SO THAT SHE CANNOT COMPLAIN, SAY THAT.
SO WE HAVE PROOF THAT SHE'S WILLING TO DO WELL OR VACATIONS.
SHE WAS ON VACATION AT THE MOMENT, WHICH I'M APPLAUDING AND ENCOURAGING THEM WHILE SHE'S STILL CAN.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION IN THE SECOND FOUR COMMISSIONER ZISMAN AS CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER, SMALL BUCK AS VICE VICE-CHAIR FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I WROTE FOR MYSELF, YOU CAN TOTALLY VOTE FOR YOURSELF.
I'M VOTING FOR ALWAYS VOTE FOR YOURSELF.
IT ISN'T ANANYMOUS ON THE DAYAS.
AND I WILL ASK AT THIS POINT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE OVER THIS MEETING OR I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE IT.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED, BUT YOU GO, I SHOULD PUNISH YOU WITH MAKE YOU JUST FINISH UP.
WELL, AS, AS A FRESHLY ELECTED CHAIR, I WANT TO THANK, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER PAUL GAR FOR THE INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP THAT SHE'S EXHIBITED AND I HAVE SOME EXTREME SHOES TO FILL AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR ANY AND ALL SUPPORT THAT IS GOING TO BE CONTINUED, UH, IN THIS SPACE.
UM, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO SERVE, UH, THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COMMISSIONERS, UM, UH, IN, IN PERSON AND IN THE VIRTUAL SPACE.
AND, UM, PLEASE LET'S KEEP THESE CONVERSATIONS GOING AND, UM, I'LL BE DOING THE WORK TO KEEP Y'ALL PROUD.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, LET'S MOVE ON DOWN AND, UH,
[4c. Discussion and Possible Action on Preservation Austin Recommendation to Support Historic Zoning for sites in the Warehouse District]
MOVE TO FORESEE DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON PRESERVATION, AUSTIN RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT HISTORIC ZONING FOR SITES IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, UH, COMMISSIONERS HAVE, HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THIS LETTER? UH, COMMISSIONER FLOTUS I'M SEEING YOUR HEAD NODDING GARS I'M SEEING A LITTLE SHAKE.YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ, UH, ESSENTIALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING? IS THERE SOME MAJOR DEVELOPMENT BEING PROPOSED IN THE FOURTH STREET DISTRICT IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT? UH, THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE QUEER LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
UM, THE, UH, PRESERVATION AUSTIN, UM, HAS SET FORTH A RECOMMENDATION, UH, THAT I SUPPORT AND I, UH, I BRING IT TO OUR COMMISSION HERE TO
[02:55:01]
SIGN ON AS WELL.UM, COMMISSIONER GARZA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY HERE TO SPEAK TO IT DIRECTLY, BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT SHOULD WE GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY? CAN I SORT OF GET A LITTLE BIT OF SUMMARY? SO THIS IS, UH, A REQUEST THAT WAS SENT TO US.
UM, IT IS A LETTER THAT RECOMMENDS TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO DESIGNATE HISTORIC ZONING FOR, UM, THREE SITES IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, UM, AS HISTORIC SITES FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND PROTECT THEM FROM SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT COMMISSIONER MACH WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER IN THE EVENING, COMMISSIONER FLORES.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ONLY BECAUSE I READ THE LETTER AND I UNDERSTAND THE LETTER, BUT I HAD ALSO READ AN ARTICLE AND SOME OTHER INFORMATION THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISAGREEMENT, BUT AMONG THE COMMUNITY OF THOSE OWNERS OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS AS TO DO THE APPROACH, I KNOW A COUPLE OF INSTITUTIONS ARE, I MEAN, ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE BEEN OFFERED, YOU KNOW, TO BE, UH, I GUESS, BUILT INTO AN, UH, A NEW DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S WHAT THE S THE, I DON'T KNOW, THE STRENGTH OR THE, UH, OR THE BACKGROUND.
UH, I, I KNOW WHEN IT'S BEING SAID IN THE LETTER, I DON'T KNOW, UM, WHAT THE UNANIMITY OF, OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ESTABLISHMENT OR ALL THE PLAYERS ARE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THAN I DO THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE? UM, I REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS AGO THERE WAS, UM, A PROPOSAL THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LIKE, UH, A RAINBOW, UH, CROSS ROW OR SOMETHING.
I REMEMBER YOU WERE THERE A LITTLE, UM, AND HAD PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY, UM, THE BUSINESS IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT ACTUALLY CAME UP AND SAID, UH, WE DON'T WANT THIS DISTRICT TO BE IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THEY AFRAID THAT THE BUSINESS MAY BE AFFECTED.
YOU KNOW, IF IT IS BEING, I TEND TO DEFY, THEN THERE MAY BE.
SO WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M HOPING TO SEE IS THAT THEY HAVE WORK WITH THE BUSINESS, THE LOCAL BUSINESS THERE, AND REALLY COME UP WITH A SUPPORTING SIGNATURES FROM THE DISTRICT OVER THERE, BECAUSE I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE SITTING HERE THAT I'M NOT DOING BUSINESS IN A WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, THAT I'M NOT REALLY, UM, MY, MY, MY LIVELIHOOD IS NOT BEING AFFECTED.
AND FOR ME TO MAKE A DECISION THAT THEY WILL BE AFFECTED.
SO I'M HOPING WHOEVER PROPOSED THIS GET ENOUGH SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, UM, FROM THE, THE, THE LOCAL BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF THEY CAN GET, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST 50% SUPPORT THAT WILL GIVE US MORE COMFORTABLE TO MAKE THIS DECISIONS WITH CONFIDENCE AND WITH INTEGRITY, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T JUST LISTEN TO ONE, ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT AND ALL THE BUSINESSES WHO ARE DOING BUSINESS IN THAT DISTRICT.
SO I WILL RECOMMEND THOSE WHO MAKE HIS POSITION.
I MEAN, PUT A PROPOSAL TO GO BACK AND GET SIGNATURE FROM THE NEIGHBORS, FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING BUSINESS THERE THAT I HAVE GATHERED THIS, AND THIS IS SUPPORTIVE BY, UH, MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS DISTRICT DENTISTS WAY, YOU KNOW, THEN, UH, LOW WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE CONFIDENT.
UH, MICHELLE, DO YOU WANT A CHECK? YEAH.
UH, I AM LOOKING AT KUT REPORTING ON MAY 5TH, HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UNANIMOUSLY VOTES TO INITIATE HISTORIC ZONING PROCESS FOR FOURTH STREET, AUSTIN HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO INITIATE HISTORIC PROTECTIONS FOR PROPERTIES ON FOURTH AND COLORADO STREETS.
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS DECISION CAME IN RESPONSE TO A PROPOSAL FROM DEVELOPERS TO BUILD A HIGH RISE TOWER THAT WOULD ALTER THE CITY'S ICONIC LGBTQ PLUS DISTRICT.
SO THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A VOTE AT HISTORIC LANDMARK.
[03:00:01]
THEY'VE ALREADY SUPPORTED IT.UM, SO WHAT WE ARE BEING ASKED IS TO THROW OUR SUPPORT BEHIND AN EXISTING, UM, LANDMARK COMMISSION VOTE COMMISSIONER.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, IT'S THIS, I MEAN, JUST IN THE LE THE LEGACY OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE LEGACY OF THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WAREHOUSE DISTRICT IS SO DEEPLY ROOTED THERE, AND THERE'S SO MANY BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS THAT ARE SO MUCH NEWER, DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG THOSE PLACES HAVE BEEN AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO THAT COMMUNITY.
I DO AGREE THAT, UM, THAT, UH, EACH SHOULD PRETEND THAT COUNTS OF THAT, BUT, UM, SO I'M NOT SO SURE TO DESIGNATE IT AS LBGTQ, OR SHOULD WE JUST SUPPORT TO PROJECT A CHARACTER OFF THAT DISTRICT AND NOT THAT'S UNAIDED FOR ANY SPECIFIC GROUP? I MEAN, IT IS JUST MY OWN, YOU KNOW, SO, SO, SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT, UH, HISTORIC SONY, IS IT A COMMISSION? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WERE YOU READING? WHAT, WHAT IS THIS ORGANIZATION? IS THERE A LANDMARK COMMISSION IS A LANDMARK COMMISSION AND THE LETTERS FROM PRESERVATION AUSTIN.
SO THE CONCERN THAT THE, THE, THE, WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION BY THE ARCHITECTS, UH, WAS ALARMING AND WASN'T NECESSARILY THE RIGHT PROPOSAL FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND FROM THAT PRESENTATION WAS THAT THEY'RE NOT OPPOSED TO THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT THAT WHAT WAS PROVOKED, WHAT WAS PROVIDED, WHAT WAS PRESENTED DID NOT MEET THOSE STANDARDS.
AND SO WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED IS, IS A DELAY IN THAT PROCESS.
SO, SO THE SUPPORT, THE ASS IS COMING FROM THE LANDMARK, THE MISSION FROM HUSBAND FROM PRESERVATION OFFICE, AUSTIN PRESENTATION, HE SAID A NONPROFIT, IT'S A NONPROFIT, AND WE'RE PULLING UP SOME CONTENT HERE.
CAN I, CAN I CLARIFY MY QUESTION? THE PREVIOUS QUESTION? I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS OBSCURE COMMISSIONER FLORES, CAUSE I, UM, I REALIZED THAT SOME OF THE DIFFERENT ESTABLISHMENT HAD DIFFERENT COMPETING INTERESTS OR IDEAS.
AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW, UH, IF, IF NOW THEY'VE COME TO CONSENSUS THAT THEY DO WANT TO DESIGNATE IT ALL HISTORICAL.
CAUSE I ASSUME I, I THOUGHT I HAD READ THAT THERE WAS A DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS INTERESTED IN PRESERVING A COUPLE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THAT, THAT WAS GOING TO, UH, WORK IN THE INTEREST OF THOSE ESTABLISHMENT TO PRESERVE THEM.
I TOTALLY AGREE THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT SHOULD ALL SAVED AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PRESERVATION OF THAT CULTURE IN THAT, IN THAT BLOCK, YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA, UH, IN THE, IN THE AREA DESCRIBE, HOWEVER, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE INTERNAL, UH, DIFFERENCES REGARDING, UH, THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
AND SO, BUT, UH, YOU'RE ALREADY SAYING THAT THE, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS ALREADY VOTED TO DESIGNATE ALL OF THE AREA THAT THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A VOTE ITEM AND A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
IS THAT THE NEXT STEP? NO, I THINK IF I MAY AND I APOLOGIZE, CAUSE I'M CATCHING UP ON THIS.
UM, BUT I'M LOOKING AT AN AUSTIN MONITOR STORY, UM, AND I'M GONNA, I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS CONVERSATION.
I'M LOOKING AT THE AUSTIN MONITOR STORY.
THE THING THAT CAUGHT MY EYE THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS QUOTE, ORAL CAN HARRY'S WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAY ON FOURTH STREET IF THE BUILDING IS DEEMED HISTORIC, RIGHT WITH HISTORIC DESIGNATION COME VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR VENUES IN THOSE SPACES.
SO I THINK THAT WE WOULD BE BETTER SERVED TO SAY WE SUPPORT THE, THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS THAT ARE IN THAT DISTRICT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO STOP SHY OF SUGGESTING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT HISTORIC PRESERVATION WITHOUT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
BECAUSE THAT'S A STORY I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT I PROBLEMS FOR OIL CAN HARRY'S I AGREE.
I THINK THE VENUE THAT I'VE FREQUENTED A LOT, I USED STORIES LOU DIDN'T WE ALL, WHEN WE WERE A CERTAIN AGE LIMIT, UM, YEAH, I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THIS AND WE BRING IT BACK IN JUNE.
I THINK LET'S, LET'S TABLE THIS FOR NOW AND, AND FOLLOW THE STORY AS IT GOES.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOMEONE WE COULD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN REQUEST
[03:05:01]
TO COME SPEAK TO THIS MORE IN DETAIL AND TO HAVE A MORE HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.SO DO WE NEED A MOTION OR ANYTHING? AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO JUST MOVE IT TO JUNE.
WE'LL MOVE TO TABLE THIS TO JUNE AND, UH, FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION IN JUNE, I WILL SECOND.
I WOULD HAVE ALL THE SECONDS, SO GREAT.
I REQUESTED FOR ANYBODY TO FORWARD, LIKE YOU'RE FINDING, MONITOR, WHATEVER, AT LEAST HOW YOU FOUND ALL THE SOURCES.
CAUSE I'VE MISSED SOME OF THAT.
WE CAN COMPILE A COLLECTION OF THE ARTICLES TO HAVE MR. HASTY STRAIGHT NOW TAKE YOU OUT.
[5b. Discussion and Possible Action on Working Groups and Working Group Updates]
ALL RIGHT.MOVING ON TO OLD BUSINESS, FIVE B DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON WORKING GROUPS AND WORKING GROUP UPDATES, THE EQUITY WORKING GROUP WITH COMMUNITY ARTS LEADERS, BIPAP LGBTQ DISABILITIES, COMMUNITY WOMEN WITH COMMISSIONERS, UH, KEATON CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS CASTILLO, GRAY POLE GUARD CISMEN AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
COMMISSIONER KEATON COULD NOT BE WITH US TODAY.
UM, I FEEL THAT COMMISSIONER POLGAR HAS GIVEN A VERY THOROUGH UPDATE ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, I'M CURIOUS IF THIS SPECIFIC WORKING GROUP NEEDS TO BE SUNSET AT THIS POINT, SINCE WE'RE NOT CREATING ANOTHER ORGANIZED GROUP THAT IS DELIBERATE TO THE GUIDELINES AS IT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY.
MY MY THOUGHT IS TO NOT SUNSET IT WHEN THE CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP IS NOT IN THE ROOM.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE SOME SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT WE WANT TO TAKE AND SOME, SOME SUBGROUPS THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SPLINTER OFF.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE IMPULSE IS RIGHT, BUT I THINK LET'S HOLD UNTIL JUNE.
UH, NEXT B2 IS JOINT, UH, ARTS MUSIC WORKING GROUP TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, RESOURCES, STRATEGIES BEYOND HOT WITH COMMISSIONER, SMALL BLOCK COMMISSIONERS, CASTILLO FLOORS, THIS MEN AND MEMBERS OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION, QUISHA FLORES.
DO YOU WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE? I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN PRETTY OCCUPIED LATELY.
WE HAVEN'T MET NO, I, AND I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT HEIDI HAD AT THE LAST MEETING MOVED TO, UH, EITHER POSTPONE IT AND DO THE DIASPORA OF THE WORKING SUBGROUPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO FORTH AND DO THEIR, THEIR OWN, UH, MEETINGS AND TRY TO, UH, BUT I COULD BE MISSPEAKING, BUT THAT WAS MY, UH, THAT WAS MY RECOLLECTION OF OUR LAST MEETING.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE WRONG THERE.
AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THAT IS STILL IN PROCESS, BUT PERHAPS WE NEED TO RECONVENE, UH, TO FINALIZE THOSE DETAILS.
SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO CARRY OVER TO JUNE.
UH, NEXT IS JOINT WORKING GROUP FOR CULTURAL COMMUNITY WITH COMMISSIONERS CASTILLO CHAIR.
WE ARE JUST WINNING TODAY WITH THE CHAIRS BEING PRESENT, UH, COMMISSIONER POLGAR I'M WORKING GROUP MEMBERS FROM THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS CHAIR, UH, FORMER CHAIR POLL GAR, PLEASE.
SO, UM, THE JOINT CULTURAL COMMITTEE, A WORKING GROUP WE'LL MEET ON SATURDAY.
SO WE WILL HAVE A REPORT AT THE NEXT MEETING IN JUNE AND JUNE.
AND JUST TO NOTE THAT THE COMMUNITY EQUITY WORKING GROUP IS TO INFORM OUR WORK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROCESS.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE NEEDED TO CREATE ANOTHER ITERATION OF THAT GROUP LONG LIVE.
NEXT IS THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THROUGH WORKING WITH COMMISSIONERS BARNS, CHAIR, SMALL BLACK FLOORS AND MOCK.
I'M GOING TO TOSS IT TO COMMISSIONER MOCK.
I BELIEVE WE DID SOME DOODLE DO THOUGH.
WE'RE MEETING WE'RE MEETING ON TUESDAY.
THE TUESDAY WE HAVE, WE DECIDED WHEN, BECAUSE I JUST DID THE DOODLE WE'RE MEETING TUESDAY AT THREE TO THEN ONCE, TUESDAY, SORRY, NEXT TUESDAY.
I HAVE A MEETING FROM THREE TO FIVE.
SO WE'RE MEETING ON TUESDAY THE SEVENTH AT TWO, THREE, I BELIEVE MARJORIE SHE'S, UH SHE'S WAS HETI HELPING HIM HAD THAT UP.
I THINK I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION.
UH, I THOUGHT THERE WAS A, A CALENDAR INVITE TO ACCEPT OR NOT FOR THAT DATE.
UH, MARJORIE SHE'S STILL ON SOMEWHERE.
SHE SHE'S MELLON ON, BUT, UH, THIS IS MEGAN.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE I DO HAVE A, I HAVE A MEETING INVITE.
SO AMY, IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT ALL FORWARDED TO YOU.
IS IT JUNE 3RD? IT IS NEXT TUESDAY, RIGHT? A THREE.
IT'S LIKE A, I THINK CONFIRMED THREE TO FIVE AND IT'S UH, AND IT'S, UH, SEVERAL OF THE COMMISSIONERS
[03:10:01]
WHO WERE INVITED HAVE NOT RESPONDED YET, SO I CAN FOLLOW UP AND JUST RESCIND IT.WE LOOK FORWARD TO AN UPDATE IN JUNE.
UM, ITEM FIVE, SIX EMERGENCY FUNDING AND PROACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE FUNDING WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONERS FLORES, POLL, GAR VAN DYKE ENDS THIS MONTH.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THAT AND I'M HERE.
UH, WE HAVE NOT MET, UM, AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU COULD IMAGINE OUR HANDS HAVE BEEN QUITE FULL WITH THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROCESS AND THE FEEDBACK COLLECTION.
SO I IMAGINE THIS WILL BE PICKED BACK UP, UM, AS THESE OTHER ITEMS ROLL OUT.
SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT AS WELL.
UM, NEXT IS THE ART NEIGHBORHOODS WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONERS GREY MOCK ASSESSMENT AND BEN DYKE CHAIR.
I SHOULD HAVE HAD, LIKE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE US A QUICK UPDATE? YEAH, IT'S QUICK.
UM, WE DID NOT MEET MY GOAL IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO MEET, UH, REALLY SOON.
AND I HOPE TO HAVE THIS TO EVERYBODY, UH, FOR NEXT MONTH, BEFORE NEXT MONTH, MAYBE AS MY GOAL AND THE RECENT DEVELOPMENT THERE IS THAT THE, WE ARE KIND OF CATCHING UP WITH THE CONSULTANTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ON AND WE'LL BE, I THINK WE'RE WORKING ON CONNECTING OUR FINAL REPORT WITH THEM, POTENTIALLY A MEETING, MAYBE JUST HANDING OFF THEIR PORT.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THAT ACTION WILL LOOK LIKE, BUT I THINK CAD JUST MET WITH THEM RECENTLY, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN.
I DID SHARE A CHAIR CHAIR OF THE WORKING GROUP, VANDYKES EMAIL WITH THE CONSULTANTS SO THAT THEY COULD REACH OUT, UM, COMMISSIONER VANDYKE.
IF YOU DO NOT HEAR FROM THEM SOON, LET ME KNOW.
THEY HAVE THEIR MARCHING ORDERS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
THIS COLLISION OCCURRED, LIGHT UP MY GREEN BUTTON, UM, BACK TO NUMBER FIVE, THE QUARTERLY ARTS, THE QUARTERLY ARTS COMMUNITY COMMISSION MEETUPS.
UM, WE'VE ALL BEEN SO BUSY AND IT KEEPS GETTING PUSHED AND IT, UM, I DO HOPE THAT HAPPENS SOONER THAN LATER.
I KNOW IT CAN'T HAPPEN RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT HAPPENS.
AND I KNOW OUR CHAIRS NOT HERE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YEAH.
AND I THINK THAT THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AS, AS INDIVIDUALS, AS COMMISSIONERS AND GETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN UP A BIG SPACE OF THAT WORK.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW, UH, OUR PROPO THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER GARZA, I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING WITH LAVANYA ABOUT A QUARTERLY MEETUP AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THAT WAS, BUT I LIKED IT.
I THINK WE WANT TO JUST TRY TO KEEP THAT ON THE LIST.
LAST CONVERSATION I HAD WITH CYNTHIA IS SHE'S WIRED TO POSTPONE UNTIL AFTER THIS MEETING.
UM, BECAUSE SHE WAS LOOKING AT THE DRAFTS OF THE NEW PROPOSALS THAT ARE COMING IN FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND SO SHE WANTED TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
SHE'S ALREADY CONTEXTS THAT ALL ORGANIZATIONS NOT PUTTING IN TO GO THROUGH THAT AND THEN LISTEN TO OUR MEETINGS.
SO THEN THEY COULD PROVIDE FEEDBACK FOR THAT.
SO I'M EXPECTING TO HAVE THAT MEETING SOMEWHERE AROUND JUNE, HOPEFULLY BEFORE JULY.
AND I KNOW THEY ALSO WENT OVER LIKE, UH, DISTRICT NINE AND DISTRICT ONE SINCE THEY'RE ALL IN THAT CENTRAL AREA.
IF IT'S MORE THAN I KNEW, SO YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.
UM, IF IT'S WITH RESPECT TO THE GUIDELINES REVIEW, THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE GUIDELINES COMPANY WITH ALL DELIBERATE SPEED, I THINK IS THE TECHNICAL TERM.
UM, SO SUGGEST THAT YOU GUYS, AS A WORKING GROUP GET TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT DATES AND AVAILABILITY FOR COMMISSIONERS TO ALSO BE THERE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARZA.
I THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CONNECTION WOULD DEFINITELY STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING INTO NEW SPACES.
SO REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, LAST ON THIS.
THAT'S ALL OF THE WORKING GROUP UPDATES,
[5c. Discussion and Possible Action on Recommendation in support of prior Community Initiatives contractors who have received no emergency funding support]
UH, FIVE C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT OF PRIOR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE TO RECEIVED NO EMERGENCY FUNDING SUPPORT.SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO AGAIN, PUSH THE PUSH.
THIS, THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE HAD BACK AT THE RETREAT THAT WE STARTED AT THE RETREAT, BUT IT REQUIRES SOME INFORMATION FROM STAFF AND CLEARLY STAFF HAS BEEN VERY, VERY BUSY DOING ALL THE OTHER, DOING ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
AND SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE IT PRIOR TO THIS CONVERSATION, UM, WE'LL MOVE IT FORWARD TO JUNE AND THEN WE'LL JUST TAKE IT.
[6. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION]
ITEM SIX, I, FOR INFORMATION, IF YOU COULD SEE YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE COMMISSIONER PAUL GUARD SPACE AT THE MOMENT.IT'S ONE OF PURE JOY ITEMS FOR INFORMATION COMMISSIONERS, ANY NEWS TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER MA PLEASE.
YES, I, UM, I WAS AT THE, UM, CLO, IS IT CALLED THE WATER GARDEN? COMMON WATERS, COMMON WATER.
[03:15:01]
I WAS THERE WHEN THEY PUT THE FIRST ARTWORK TOGETHER.I JUST WANT IT, I KNOW THEY'RE COMING TO PRESENT.
THESE ARTISTS ARE ALL FROM GIZA AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM THE SPACE AND THE PLATFORM TO, TO LET THEM EXPLAIN TO US THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THEIR PIECE OF WORK.
SO, SO THESE FIRST WORK IS ALL PLANTS LIVE AND THEY MAKE IT INTO SOME KIND OF A FORMATION AND THEY ARE GROWING AND THAT THE ROOTS IS IN THE WATER.
SO THEY, THEY GROW AND THEN THE FALL, THE PIECE OF WHAT WILL BE TRANSFORMED DAILY BECAUSE OF THAT GROWTH.
SO I WANT THEM TO EXPLAIN TO US, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST AMAZING.
SO I'M GLAD THEY ARE GOING TO BE ON OUR AGENDA AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME.
ISN'T YES, THEY'RE ALL FROM EAST SIDE AND I WAS ON THE PANEL.
I THINK WE MAKE THE BEST CHOICE.
UH, WILL THEY HAVE BEEN INVITED AND THEY'LL BE PRESENTING TO US IN JUNE AN IDEA.
I KNOW THERE'LL BE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PUBLIC CITY AND IDEALLY WE'LL GET THE THREE ARTISTS HERE WITH US.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UM, A REALLY SPECIAL PRESENTATION.
ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM INFORMATION? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
SOME, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE LIKE TEASER ABOUT CAP METRO AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CAP METRO? I, YEAH, SURE.
UH, CAT VETRO HAS SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS COMING DOWN.
THEY ARE LOOKING, THEY RECRUITING ARTISTS AND JURORS ACTUALLY, UM, FOR THEIR, UM, GOD, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, SO I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE THE DIRECT LANGUAGE, BUT WE'VE ALSO INVITED A REPRESENTATIVE FROM METRO WHO ENDED UP AT THE RICHEST GALLERY TALK AND WAS ABLE TO ANNOUNCE THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'VE GOT GOING THERE.
I KNOW THEY JUST HAD A CALL CLOSE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM FOR ARTISTS TO GET ART ON BUSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE GOING AROUND THE CITY.
SO, UM, I, FOR THOSE THAT ARE FOLLOWING, UM, OUR ACTION ON OUR PLATFORMS, THERE'S INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN POSTED THERE, I'VE CIRCULATED, UH, LINKS TO OUR HOSTS, UH, FROM THESE PREVIOUS, UM, CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE GUIDELINES, BUT I'LL DEFINITELY BE INCLUDING THAT INFORMATION.
SO IT'S EASY TO ACCESS, BUT I'VE INVITED KELSEY T FROM CAP METRO TO COME SPEAK TO THAT IN JUNE.
AND I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE THEY'RE LOCKED AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT FOR ME, BUT WE SHOULD SEE THEM HERE NEXT YET.
IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITING.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER FLORES? UM, JUST, UH, A PLUG FOR A COUPLE OF OPENINGS THAT I, I WENT TO HAVE SOME SHOWS, UM, THAT ARE REALLY GREAT AND I'M SURE THERE'S OTHERS, BUT MEXICO AT THE, THE, THE CHICANO ARTISTS, UH, EXHIBIT IS AMAZING A LOT OF WORK.
AND I WENT TO THE OPENING THAT HAD ALL OF THESE, UH, ARTISTS THAT WERE TOGETHER IN ONE SPACE AND IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING TO JUST BE THERE WITH THE ENERGY AND THE ARTS.
AND THEN ALSO ONE OF OUR OTHER CULTURAL CONTRACTORS, UH, IN SOME, UH, UH, AIPP PROGRAMMING IS, UH, AMERICAN.
THE NICOLETTE, UH, IS, UH, HAS AN EXHIBIT AT THE MAP.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL AND A GLASS TIRE, UH, NAMED IT AS ONE OF FIVE TO SEE IN THE STATE.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, THAT EXHIBIT AS WELL.
IT'S, UH, IT'S VERY, IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING AND VERY, I PROPOSED FOR THE TIMES.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S ABOUT, I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT OF TOWN A LITTLE BIT.
I GOT TO GET AWAY FOR FIVE DAYS, SO I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT MUCH OTHER THAN THAT.
I MEAN, WELLS, I HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS AND LAURA HAS ONE TOO REAL QUICKLY.
UM, JUST A REMINDER THAT THE PEOPLE'S GALLERY, UH, WE ARE BACK IN PERSON.
THE OPENING IS THIS FRIDAY AT CITY HALL, FROM 6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM.
WE HAVE OVER 150 NEW WORKS FROM LOCAL ARTISTS THAT WE ARE EXCITED TO UNVEIL, AND THESE WORKS WILL BE UP FOR TWO YEARS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TIME TO GO SEE THEM.
WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, EASING BACK INTO BEING IN PERSON.
SO WE WANTED TO GIVE THOSE ARTWORKS A LITTLE CHANCE TO MARINATE.
THERE'LL BE ALSO A LOCAL MUSICIAN.
SO PLEASE COME, WHAT'S THAT SIX TO NINE, SIX TO NINE.
AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE A POSITION OPEN IN THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION.
[03:20:01]
FUNDING SPECIALIST POSITION IS OPEN.SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, WE WELCOME ALL THE APPLICATIONS.
UH, THE PAY RANGE IS $24 AND 10 CENTS TO $30 AND 72 CENTS PER HOUR, IF THAT IS OF, UH, OF INTEREST AND THE JOB CLOSES ON THE 21ST OF JUNE.
SO THERE'S STILL TIME TO APPLY.
SO PLEASE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ON THAT.
AND I WILL LET LAURA SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON OUR TOWN.
SO THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, THEY ARE GOING TO BE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE, OUR TOWN GRANT, UM, THIS SUMMER AS USUAL.
BUT TO, TO SET, TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION WITH THE NEA, YOU NEED CITY ENDORSEMENT.
AND SO WE HAVE A PROCESS WHERE, UM, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE INTERESTED AND HAVE A PROJECT IN MIND, THEY'RE ABLE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR ENDORSEMENT TO US FIRST.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO VET HAVE A SELECTION PROCESS AND THEN ANNOUNCE WHO THE TWO ENDORSED ARTISTS, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEFORE THEY THEN APPLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO IF YOU ARE AN ARTS, 5 0 1 C AND YOU ARE DOING A PROJECT THAT INTEGRATES ARTS CULTURE AND DESIGN ACTIVITIES INTO EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES BY ADVANCING LOCAL ECONOMIC, PHYSICAL, AND OR SOCIAL OUTCOMES STAY TUNED BECAUSE THE ENDORSEMENT APPLICATION OPENS TOMORROW AND WILL BE OPEN FOR THREE WEEKS ON OUR WEBSITE, AUSTIN CRATES.COM.
WONDERFUL TAKE YOU BOTH FOR THAT.
UH, ANY, ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR INFORMATION CONGRATULATION? NOT YET.
YOU DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAD BOCA.
I JUST, UM, IF, IF I MAY, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW EXCITED I AM, UH, THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF THIS BODY.
I HAVE HAD THE GREAT, GOOD FORTUNE TO WORK HAND IN GLOVE WITH THIS WOMAN FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS, LITERALLY ALL THE TIME, LIKE SPEED DIAL.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER ANSWER TO TAKE ON THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS SPACE AT THIS MOMENT IN OUR TIME.
UM, IT IS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I WILL BE HERE IN YOUR POCKET BY YOUR SIDE.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHERE YOU STEER THE SHIP NATO LADY.
IT'S AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOU AND TO, TO BE IN THIS SPACE AND TO BE AROUND SUCH AMAZING CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ECOSYSTEM.
SO I DON'T TAKE THIS JOB LIGHTLY.
THANK YOU, MICHELLE, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IT'S JUST, IT WAS JUST A JOY AND I'M SO EXCITED DOING IT.
I TOLD YOU I HAD A YEAR IN ME.
YOU, NONE OF YOU TOLD ME WHAT THAT YEAR WAS GOING TO BE.
IT WAS A YEAR, A YEAR OF YOUR LIFE, BUT THREE YEARS, REALLY? IN ONE OR 12.
[7. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
I'M OKAY WITH THAT.A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. WE KNOW WE HAVE A ONSLAUGHT OF THINGS THAT ARE BEING CARRIED OVER TO JUNE.
THAT BEING SAID, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO ADD AT THIS MOMENT? WE CAN ALWAYS ADD THINGS.
I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION NOW FOR TWO TRANSPORT, ABOUT SIX YEARS.
UH, AND ONE THING I LIKE ABOUT THE COMMISSION IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE AND TO, TO TAKE ON NEW LEADERSHIP POSITIONS OR WHATNOT.
I LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS OUR AIPP PANELISTS SHOULD BE A ROTATED POSITION SO THAT ALL DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS CAN LEARN ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND COMPARE THAT COMMISSIONS OR THAT PANEL'S WORKS OR OUR WORK TO BECOME BETTER LEADERS AND TO LEARN HOW TO COLLABORATE MORE.
SO JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
I THINK, UH, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS AND THE EXACT SAME COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN ON THAT SAME POSITION THE WHOLE TIME.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU'RE DOING BAD WORK OR WHATNOT, BUT I REALLY THINK THAT, UH, IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO OTHER FOLKS, GET THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
AND YOU KNOW, BRETT'S DOWN HERE, IT'S FINE.
HE WON'T TUNE IN, BUT, UM, I D W YOU KNOW, WE, AT ONE POINT WE WERE CIRCULATING A SIGN UP SO PEOPLE COULD ATTEND, IF NOT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT BE THE REPRESENTATIVE, BUT TO AT LEAST AUDIT THOSE MEETINGS AND, AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR THAT TO PICK UP AGAIN, AGAIN, A LOT OF OUR TIME HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO THIS COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PROCESS AND REALLY PRIORITIZING THE, THE DRAFT GUIDELINES AND PUSHING THAT THERE.
BUT I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU COMMISSIONER GARZA.
AND I REALLY THINK THAT THAT'S, UM, A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE FOR ALL OF US TO, TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A COOL FACET OF WHAT WE DO, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN GET ALL GET EXCITED ABOUT.
[03:25:01]
UM, YOU WANT TO SIT IN ON THE FIRST, THE NEXT ROUND HERE, YOU HEAR YOU LET IT BE KNOWN.WE'LL COMMUNICATE WITH BRETT AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
I KNOW THAT THAT POSITIONS UP FOR, WE NEED TO KIND OF REEVALUATE WITH THAT, WHERE THAT IS NOW, BUT LET'S, LET'S DEFINITELY, UM, GET THAT ON THE TABLE FOR DISCUSSION NEXT ROUND.
AND I THINK AS, COULD YOU MAKE A NOTE TO RESEARCH COLLATE THE SIGNUP SHEET? I MIGHT EVEN HAVE THAT BOOKMARKED SOMEWHERE, I'M SURE.
UM, SO THAT WE HAVE THE LIST OF DATES FOR THOSE MEETINGS, AND WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE THEM IN OUR CALENDAR AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE YEAR AND GET AS WELL AS A ROTATING REP POTENTIALLY, BUT ALSO THESE, THESE SET OF GUEST STARS, UH, ARTS COMMISSION, GUEST STARS IN THAT SPACE.
I JUST WANT TO SPEAK WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I ATTEND THAT MEETING, THEY IPV MEETING, AND GUESS WHAT? I ENDED UP SERVE ON THE P THREE, THE THREE, THREE COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THERE ARE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO FIGHT FOR, YOU KNOW? SO, UM, YEAH.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO ATTEND THE AIPP MEETINGS.
WE'LL TRY AND GET THAT THOSE DATES OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I ALSO THINK AGAIN, JUST THE SAME WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY COGNIZANT ABOUT TRYING TO CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS, UM, WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION THAT WE NEED TO BE HAVING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR AEP PANEL, BUT IF NOT MORE SO, BECAUSE WE'RE SO CONNECTED IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
WE SHOULD PROBABLY WRAP UP LET'S ADJOURN.
DO I NEED A GAVEL MOTION? AND I GOT A SECOND.
PAUL DAR GETS TO SECOND THAT ONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE STAFF AND OUR SPEAKERS FOR JOINING US FOR A FOUR HOUR MEETING.
YOU GUYS ARE CHAMPIONS AND, UM, THANK YOU.