[00:00:03]
HAVE MY COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY COME ONTO THE SCREEN.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
UM, THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR NOVEMBER.
WHAT TIME IS IT? IT IS 6:06 PM WE'RE GONNA START WITH ROLL.
AND THEN IN THE ROOM WE HAVE COMMISSIONER HOUSTON PRESENT.
UM, WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TODAY, SO WE'LL GO ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE OCTOBER MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I STILL MOVE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FOR OCTOBER.
[2. Discussion of Chair’s Report on Growth and Future Planning by Chair Zisman]
NEXT WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION.THE CHAIRS REPORT, GROWTH AND FUTURE PLANNING BY CHAIR ZISMAN.
MY NAME IS COMMISSIONER ZIMAN.
I AM THE PERSON OF COLOR AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM WITH A SWEATER AND DARK BROWN HAIR.
I'M GONNA KEEP THIS BRIEF 'CAUSE WE HAVE A ABUNDANCE, AN ABUNDANCE OF PRESENTERS TODAY.
UM, BASICALLY AN UPDATE FROM OUR LAST MEETING IS THAT WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY, WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, WITH STAFF, UM, REGARDING THE, THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, REVISIONS, UPDATES AND FEEDBACK, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING.
I THINK IT'S BEEN ALL VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS AND, UM, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE KEEPING IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ITERATION OF THESE PROGRAMS. UM, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, UM, FROM THE GROUP A LITTLE BIT, UM, ABOUT AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE AND THEN HEARING, UM, THE REPORT ON THE APPEALS PROCESS FOR THOSE THAT WERE ELIGIBLE.
[3. Report of the Art in Public Places Liaison concerning actions taking during the November 4th meeting of the Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Maldonado]
WITH THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND KEEP ON MOVING.UM, THE REPORT OF THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, UH, FROM THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES LIAISON CONCERNING ACTIONS TAKEN DURING THE NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING OF THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PANEL BY COMMISSIONER MALDONADO, WHO IS NOT PRESENT.
CAN I CLARIFY, UM, CUS MR. CASTILLO WAS MALDONADO PRESENT AT THAT MEETING? DID IT HAPPEN? I KNOW THERE WAS A CANCELLATION.
MC CASTILLO, UH, MANAGER OF ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM.
COMMISSIONER MALDONADO WAS PRESENT AT THE A IPP PANEL MEETING, AND ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT, THAT WERE DISCUSSED ARE BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT AS FINAL DESIGN ON, ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION.
JUST A REMINDER TO OUR COMMISSIONERS, ANYBODY THAT'S PRESENT AND AVAILABLE ON THOSE MONDAYS THAT WE HAVE, UH, A IPP MEETINGS, REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO AUDIT THAT PROCESS, NOT ONLY TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THEIR SUBJECT MATTER, BUT ALSO TO SORT OF, AGAIN, DESI ALL OF THESE BRANCHES OF OUR DEPARTMENT THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE ARE WORKING SYMBIOTICALLY.
[4. Update on actions taken at the October 16th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Mok]
THAT, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM FOUR, UPDATE ON ACTIONS TAKEN ON THE OCTOBER 16TH DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING BY COMMISSIONER MOCK.UH, YES, UH, I REPORTED OUR LAST MEETING, UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING, SO THE NEXT DOWNTOWN, UH, COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE THIS COMING WEDNESDAY.
SO I'LL REPORT IT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
[5. Presentation by Laura Esparza from Friends of the Dougherty on the Dougherty Arts Center Plan]
MOVING RIGHT ALONG.UM, ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A PRESENTATION BY LAURA ESPARZA FROM THE FRIENDS OF DOUGHERTY ON THE DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER PLAN.
I KNOW LAURA'S JOINING US VIRTUALLY TODAY.
I, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, LAURA.
I AM, UH, SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS OF THE DOHERTY ART CENTER.
OUR, UH, CAMPAIGN, UM, BEGAN IN, UH, JULY TO, UM, BRING TO COUNCIL'S ATTENTION THAT WE REALLY NEED THEIR COMMITMENT, UM, TO FINISH THE DOHERTY ART CENTER AND A COMMITMENT TO PUT IT ON THE 2026 BOND.
AND SO I'LL QUICKLY GO THROUGH THESE SLIDES.
UM, SO FRIENDS OF THE D OR IS AN ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION THAT'S ABOUT 15 YEARS OLD, AND WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING SIGNATURES ON A PETITION ONLINE.
WE'RE NOW WELL OVER 500, PROBABLY NEARING 600 AT THIS POINT, ASKING FOR LETTERS TO CITY COUNCIL TO URGE THEM TO FINISH THE DAC.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE, UM, ISSUE,
[00:05:01]
THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER IS, UH, NEARLY 80 YEARS OLD.IT IS A TEMPORARY BUILDING, UH, THAT WAS A NAVAL RESERVE CENTER.
UM, AND IN THE EIGHTIES IT WAS DO, UH, DONATED TO THE CITY TO BECOME, UM, AN ART CENTER.
UM, IT, UH, EXPERIENCES, UM, MANY, MANY, UM, UH, ISSUES, UH, FREQUENT FLOODING.
UH, IT HAS FOUR HVAC UNITS AND 16 WINDOW UNITS THAT OFTEN BREAK DOWN.
THE PLUMBING IS DISINTEGRATING, THE ROOFS FAIL.
UH, IT HAS STRUCTURAL AND A DA ISSUES IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, OF WHICH THERE WERE 202,555 DAYS, THE DAC HAD 3,856 DAYS OF OPERATIONAL IMPACT BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THE BUILDING, THAT MEANS THAT THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE, UM, ISSUE EVERY DAY THAT INTERRUPTS PROGRAMMING OR WHERE PROGRAMMING HAS TO BE.
UH, WHEN I WORKED FOR THE DEPARTMENT, I WORKED ON A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.
UM, AND SINCE 2010, UM, THE PART HAS BEEN, UH, TAKING STEPS, UM, TO, UM, MANAGE THE ISSUE, UM, THAT WE COMPLETED A CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT.
UH, THERE WERE TWO BOMBS ACTUALLY.
UH, WE, UH, WENT THROUGH A VERY THOROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, PROCESS DURING COVID.
WE TOOK THE DESIGN ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UM, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.
WE WERE GETTING READY TO PERMIT.
WHEN, UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER JUAN GARZA, REQUESTED THAT THE PROJECT BE ENTIRELY SHELVED IN FAVOR OF DESIGNING A NEW DESIGN WITH A NEW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, WHICH ESSENTIALLY THROWS OUT $4.6 MILLION OF WORK TOWARD THE DESIGN THAT, UH, WAS COMPLETED.
UM, HE, HIS, UH, PROPOSAL BACK THEN WAS TO BUILD WHAT WE COULD BUILD, UH, FOR $20 MILLION, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAD REMAINING IN OUR BONDS.
AND THAT WOULD MEAN ELIMINATING THE THEATER PROGRAM IN THE GALLERIES.
SO, UM, THE PROJECT CHA IN 2024, UM, THE PROJECT HAS JUST STALLED.
UM, COUNCIL HAD, UH, EXPANDED THE PROJECT SCOPE, UH, EVEN BEYOND WHAT WE ASKED FOR IN THE BOND.
UM, COVID-19 DOUBLED THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION.
UH, ALTERNATIVE FUNDING DIDN'T MATERIALIZE BECAUSE FUNDERS JUST DIDN'T HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE PROJECT WITHOUT CLEAR CITY COMMITMENT.
THERE WERE SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES.
UM, THE, UH, IN DECEMBER OF 2022, WE DID HAVE A COUNCIL RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AS DESIGNED.
BUT THEN COUNCIL AND MAYOR SWITCHED OVER, AND OF COURSE, CITY MANAGER SWITCHED OVER AND THE NEW COUNCIL AND, UM, UH, NEW CITY MANAGER HAVE NOT ACTED UPON IT SINCE.
UM, AND INFLATION HAS REALLY GOTTEN THE BEST OF US WITH A PROJECT THAT WAS ONCE 28 MILLION WHEN WE WENT INTO THE BOND AND IS NOW OWE 50 OR 60 MILLION.
UM, SO THE PROJECT LOSES MONEY EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF ESCALATING CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
AND THERE IS NO, UM, WE HAVEN'T MOVED FORWARD YET ON, UM, A, UM, A DECISION ABOUT HOW WE, HOW WE, YOU KNOW, REPLACE THE DAC.
AND EVERY DAY THAT I WORKED FOR THE CITY, WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMMINENT CLOSURE OF THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER, UM, BECAUSE THE BUILDING WAS JUST TOO BAD, IT STILL COULD HAPPEN.
SO WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING OF COUNCIL IS A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AS DESIGNED, UH, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE PROJECT THAT THE PUBLIC HAD INPUT IN.
IT WAS THE PROJECT THAT ARTISTS FELT BEST SERVED, UM, THE NEEDS OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
UM, IT WAS A PROJECT THAT DAC STAFF FELT, YOU KNOW, REALLY MET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND, UM, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON AN ALTERNATIVE PARKING SOLUTION, UM, TO GET RID OF THE UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE THAT WAS SO
[00:10:01]
EXPENSIVE AND ADDED ONTO THE PROJECT BY CITY COUNCIL.UM, AND, UH, IT'S NECESSARY THAT THIS BE INCLUDED IN A 2026 BOND.
AND SO, UM, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE HAVE FORWARDED TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, UM, ENCAPSULATES ALL OF THESE REQUESTS TO COUNSEL.
IT'S NOT A RESOLUTION, IT'S A RECOMMENDATION.
SO, UM, WE'RE ASKING YOU TODAY TO PASS THIS RES I KEEP SAYING RESOLUTION, BUT IT REALLY IS A RECOMMENDATION.
AND TO SIGN OUR PETITION ONLINE@FRIENDSOFDOHERTY.COM.
UH, AND OF COURSE, TO WRITE OR CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE A BURNING ISSUE IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
GIVEN THAT THE, THE, THE SITE STILL SERVES UPWARDS OF 60,000 PEOPLE A YEAR WITH, UH, LOW COST OR FREE ACCESS TO THE ARTS, UM, FOR EVERYBODY, UM, ON THE CALL TODAY, WE HAVE LUCKY LEMU, WHO IS THE, UM, THE CHAIR OF FRIENDS OF THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
LUCKY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? YES.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS LUCKY LAMU, AND I'M, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER.
AND I'VE BEEN IN THAT SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY FOR OVER, I GUESS 12, 13 YEARS.
KEEPS RACKING UP, HAVEN'T COUNTED.
UM, LAURA, THANK YOU FOR GIVING THAT PRESENTATION AND, UH, UH, ARTS COMMISSION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, UH, INVITING US TONIGHT AND, AND LETTING US BEING ABLE TO SPEAK.
YOU KNOW WHAT LAURA SAID, I THINK THAT WE'RE, JUST TO SUM UP WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THE, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY BELIEVES IN THE DOHERTY ART ARTS CENTER AND THE PROJECT, IT'S GONE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
IT'S BEEN THROUGH, UM, COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE BOND MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN.
AND, UH, IT, IT REALLY DID HIT A WALL, RIGHT? EVERYBODY BELIEVED IN THE PROJECT, HAD EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, I DON'T WANNA BLAME EVERYTHING ON THE PANDEMIC, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT CAME AND IT DOUBLED THE COSTS.
AND THEN COUNCIL CAME BACK AND, AND APPROVED IT, BUT ADDED A, UM, CHANGES, EXPANDED THE PROJECT SCOPE WITH AN UNFUNDED MANDATE FOR THE PARKING GARAGE.
AND THEN WHEN INTERIM CITY MANAGER GARZA HAD, UH, PUT A PAUSE ON THE PROJECT AND THEN DIRECTED CITY STAFF NOT TO PROCEED, THAT WAS, UM, IT'S BEEN LANGUISHING EVER SINCE.
AND SO NOW THAT DISCUSSION, WE'RE LUCKY THE BUILDING'S STILL OPEN, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT IT, IT'S SITTING THERE, RIGHT? AND THE WHOLE PROJECT THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN APPROVED, BOND MONEY'S BEEN ISSUED, UH, IT NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ASKING, AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION, IS TO GET THIS PROJECT MOVING.
EVERYBODY BELIEVES IN THE DECK.
COMMUNITY GET, LIKE I SAID, EVERYBODY LOVES IT, BUT IT'S STALLED AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO NOT ONLY DID WERE WE SEEKING SUPPORT, UM, AGAIN, FROM THE, AND ON THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT ALSO THAT IT BE INCLUDED THAT THIS, UM, MATTER BE INCLUDED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN THE 2026, UM, GENERAL BOND ELECTION.
AND, UH, AS LAURA DID SAY, UH, THAT I SAID, THE PROJECT STALLED AS THE, WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH PAR AND THERE IS PATH FORWARD, OBVIOUSLY TO KEEP THE DESIGN AS IS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED WITH STUDIO EIGHT.
SO WE DO NOT, THERE'S NOT NECESSARY TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE REENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND DRAG THAT OUT AND HAVE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE.
SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS WAS SPENT ON THE REQUIRED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO WE D DON'T NEED TO GO BACKWARDS
'CAUSE WE WERE SO CLOSE, WE WERE UP TO PERMITTING, AND IT'S BEEN A LONG LABOR OF LOVE.
I KNOW FOR ME, I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER HERE FOR 13 YEARS AND IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE IT LANGUISHING AND, UM, KNOWING THAT THE, THE REGULAR, THE OTHER DECK CAN CLOSE AT ANY TIME BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THE BUILDING.
AND THERE'S BEEN, UM, SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS PROVIDED JUST TO TRY TO PUT BANDAIDS ON THAT BUILDING TO KEEP IT OPERATING.
UM, IT'S A FANTASTIC RESOURCE.
SO THE VALUE OF THE DAC ISN'T A QUESTION, BUT WE DO ASK FOR SUPPORT OF THE RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT FOR IT TO BE, UM, THE FUNDING, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE DAC TO COMPLETE THAT ON THE 2026 GENERAL BOND ELECTION.
AND THERE IS A PATH WHERE THE SHELL OF THE BUILDING CAN BE BUILT AND WE CAN STILL MOVE FORWARD BEFORE 2026.
BUT, UM, THEY NEED THE SUPPORT, UM, AUGMENTED FROM THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS THERE IN DECEMBER, 2022, NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING NEW, JUST HONORING US IN COUNCIL AND WISHES TO HONOR THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED IN DECEMBER, 2022 TO MOVE THE DOHERTY FORWARD WITHOUT A REDUCTION IN THE SIZE OR THE SCOPE, THEATER, GALLERY,
[00:15:01]
SCHOOLS, ALL THAT NEEDS TO STAY IN THE PROJECT.SO, UM, HUMBLY ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE AND ELABORATING AND SORT OF TAKING US BACK IN TIME.
I REMEMBER LAURA GIVING THAT INITIAL PRESENTATION, UH, WITH THE, THE APPROVED PLANS FOR THE DECK AND HOW EXCITING THAT WAS AND HOW GORGEOUS THE CAMPUS WAS TO BE.
UH, SO THIS IS REALLY HEARTBREAKING TO HEAR THAT THERE'S JUST BEEN ENOUGH BUREAUCRACY TO REALLY SLOW THIS UP.
UM, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE WANNA ASK.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE PRESENTATION, BUT JUST REFRESH MY MEMORY.
SO THERE'S SOME BOND MONEY, UH, ASSIGN TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE SPENT SOME OF THOSE BOND MONEY FOR THE DESIGN WITH STUDIO EIGHT ALREADY, CORRECT? RIGHT.
AND THEN, SO NOW THE CONSTRUCTION COST HAS BASICALLY DOUBLE, CORRECT? RIGHT.
AND WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION, YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT MAYBE HAVE A ALTERNATIVE OPTION FOR THE PARKING SO THAT IT WILL NOT BE UNDERGROUND, WILL NOT BE AS EXPENSIVE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO, UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND A 2026 BOND, UM, PACKAGE FOR DECK.
SO HOW MUCH ARE YOU REQUESTING WITHOUT, I BELIEVE THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO REQUEST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT $30 MILLION UHHUH, WHICH IS STILL PRETTY MUCH WITHIN THE SCOPE OF, UH, WHAT HAD BEEN REQUESTED BEFORE.
THE LAST BOND FOR THE DAC WAS 25 MILLION.
SO, YOU KNOW, INFLATION, WE, YOU KNOW, 30 MILLION IS, IS REASONABLE.
SO I KNOW D HAS, HAS, UH, MANY PROGRAMS, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE YEARS.
SO IF, IF WE DON'T HAVE D WHERE WILL THOSE PROGRAMS BE HOUSED? THEY WILL BE ELIMINATED.
SO IT WILL NOT HAVING ALL THOSE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE, IT'LL BE GONE.
THAT IS REALLY HARMFUL, I THINK, TO OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY WILL BE MISSING OUT ON THOSE WONDERFUL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM.
HOW MANY CHILDREN, UM, HAVE YOU SERVED, YOU KNOW, UH, IN ALL THOSE YEARS AND ANNUALLY YOU TALK ABOUT 60,000 PEOPLE.
ARE THOSE ALL CHILDREN OR JUST LIKE NO, NO, THEY DO MANY, MANY ADULT PROGRAMS UHHUH.
SO THEY DO, UH, STUDIO, UM, PROGRAMS IN, UM, VISUAL ARTS IN CLAY.
UM, THEY DO, UM, UH, ARTIST PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS. MM-HMM.
SO THEY ALSO DO PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.
SO THEY HAVE, UH, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, UM, EVERY MONTH THAT'S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THEY DO A COUPLE, UH, COUPLE OF FESTIVALS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THEY, UH, ARE VERY BUSY WITH THE, UH, THE, UH, ARTIST ACCESS PROGRAM.
AND THEN LOW COST ACCESS TO PERFORMANCE SPACE FOR ARTISTS THAT QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO THEY'RE VERY BUSY WITH HOUSING A LOT OF SMALL AUSTIN THEATERS.
SO MY OBSERVATION IS THIS, WITHOUT THAT, ALL THESE 60,000 PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE SERVICES AND, BUT WITH THE NEW DECK, YOU PROBABLY, PROBABLY CAN INCREASE, UH, YOUR PROGRAMMING CAN PROBABLY SERVE MORE AND, AND, AND PROVIDE BETTER PROGRAMMING.
SO, SO THE NEW DECK FEATURED TWO THEATERS, UHHUH
UM, AND IT WAS ISOLATED FROM THE ADULT PROGRAM.
UM, THE FLOOR WITH THE ADULT PROGRAM DOUBLED THE SIZE OF THE PROGRAM SO WE COULD DOUBLE THE SIZE OF THE CERAMICS PROGRAM.
AND IT HAD A LOT MORE OPEN SPACE ON THE GROUND FLOOR FOR THOSE FESTIVALS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT WE HOST EVERY MONTH, UH, OR THAT THE DAC HOSTS EVERY MONTH.
UM, AND SO LOTS OF ROOM FOR, UM,
[00:20:01]
UH, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING.IT ALSO INCREASED THE NUMBER OF GALLERIES TO FOUR.
SO I, I THINK IT IS A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR OUR GROWING CITY WITH OUR GROWING WEALTH.
SO, UH, I WILL WANT TO RECOMMEND THIS TO THE COUNCIL AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER KEYS? SO I SAW THAT IN 2022, IT WAS PROPOSED TO BE AROUND 28.5 MILLION BASED ON THE, UH, PRESENTATION? NO, UH, AND, UH, OKAY.
SO IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 28 MILLION IN 2018.
BUT NOW IT'S ESSENTIALLY WITH INFLATION, IT'S BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MILLION CORRECTED, CORRECT? MM-HMM,
SO IF YOU'RE ONLY ASKING FOR 20, FOR 30 MILLION, WHAT WERE, WHAT WAS THE PLAN TO GET THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING WITH THE ACCOUNT OF INFLATION? WE HAVE, UH, FUNDING LEFT OVER FROM THE 2018 BOND, AND THE ONLY WAY THAT THAT FUNDING CAN BE SPENT IS ON A NEW DOHERTY ARTS CENTER BECAUSE IT'S A BOND.
AND SO WHAT IS THAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNT WITH THE 30 MILLION? MAYBE I MISSED THAT.
THE ORIGINAL BOND MONIES WERE INITIAL, UH, I EARMARKED FOR THE DAIRY IN 2012, SO IT'S BEEN SUPPORTED BY COUNCIL SINCE 20.
IF YOU WANNA GO BACK IN HISTORY.
SO THE MATH IS, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT TO KEEP TRACK OF.
THERE WERE TWO OTHER BONDS PRIOR TO, BUT SOME OF THOSE BONDS WERE USED FOR PLANNING AND SOME OF THEM WERE TO SHORE UP.
UM, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE ROOF HAS LITERALLY FALLEN IN TWO TIMES AT THE DOWDY YARD CENTER.
AND SO, AND THE CENTER WAS FLOODED ONCE AS WELL BECAUSE IT'S IN A FLOODPLAIN.
SO THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ONE TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT CONTEXT.
THANKS COMMISSIONER HOUSTON, I HAVE A QUESTION.
EXCUSE ME ABOUT THE, THE WORDING IN THE RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S FORMATTED RIGHT NOW, LIKE A RESOLUTION.
UM, I FEEL LIKE IT NEEDS SOME DATA LIKE COMMISSIONER MOCK WAS ASKING ABOUT THAT SAYS HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SERVED AND WHAT, WHAT TANGIBLY WILL BE LOST IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING SOON.
AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOSING MONEY THE LONGER THAT WE WAIT, AND THEN WILL WE WANT TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IT BE PLACED IN THE NEXT APPROPRIATE BOND SO THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING THIS BOND, BUT THE NEXT APPROPRIATE BOND COMES UP, THEN THIS NEEDS TO BE IN IT SO THAT WE'RE NOT PIGEONHOLING THE REQUEST.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE WHAT I'M SAYING? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BOND CALENDAR WOULD BE.
THE 2026 BOND MIGHT BE THE NEXT ONE THAT'S ELIGIBLE.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS RATHER THAN SAY THIS BOND MM-HMM.
AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE, YOU GUYS HAVE WRITTEN A RECOMMENDATION ALREADY? YES.
WE SENT IT IN, IN THE BACKUP THAT, SO THAT'S YOU FOR, I, I'M, I GUESS I'M MORE TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE.
DO YOU WANT US TO COMPOSE A SEPARATE RECOMMENDATION OR CAN WE BE IN SUPPORT OF Y'ALL'S? YOU CAN, UM, REMODEL THIS RECOMMENDATION.
IE YOU CAN CHANGE IT HOWEVER YOU SEE FIT.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, WAS SENT TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
UH, THEY MADE SOME CHANGES AS IT PERTAINED TO THEIR COMMISSION.
AND SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHANGE IT.
WOULD IT BE BETTER TO HAVE A UNIFORM LIKE CONSENSUS ACROSS COMMISSIONS? I'M CURIOUS TO UNDERSTAND OR I, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE THE TOURISM COMMISSION'S VERSION.
'CAUSE IT, WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS A UNITED VOICE TO COUNCIL TENDS TO BE A LOT MORE IMPACTFUL VERSUS US ASKING FOR SIMILAR THINGS, BUT GOING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THE DAC THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN, UM, AND NOT NECESSARILY CHERRY PICK THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA SEE FOCUSED ON.
I, SO I JUST WANNA, WHATEVER'S GONNA BE THE MOST IMPACTFUL FOR YOU ALL IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO EXECUTE.
OH, THE ESSENTIAL CHANGE WAS THAT, UM, THEY FOCUSED ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE TRAINED AT THE DAC WHO WOULD THEN PARTICIPATE IN THE, UM, ARTS ECOSYSTEM OR IN, UM, THE FILM INDUSTRY.
[00:25:01]
UM, OKAY.AND SO THEY WERE KIND OF FOCUSED ON, UM, THE DACS CONTRIBUTION TO, UM, TOURISM, UH, IN THE WAY THAT THEY FACILITATE, UH, TRAINING FOR, UH, ARTISTS.
SO IT'S REWRITTEN TO COME FROM THE TOURISM COMMISSION? YEAH.
PARTICULAR COMMISSIONER MACH, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, I WAS JUST, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR THIS.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY LIKE FULLY SUPPORTIVE.
I DID SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE, UH, PURSUIT OF EXTERNAL OR, YOU KNOW, NON NON-CITY NON BOND FUNDS BEING INHIBITED BY THE LACK OF COMMITMENT BY THE CITY, WHICH MAKES COMPLETE SENSE, UM, THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.
BUT IS DO YOU FEEL LIKE A COMMITMENT SOON WOULD OPEN UP PATHWAYS FOR THE PURSUIT OF OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING? UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE INDECISION OR THE STALLING AT THE CITY LEVEL IS, IS HARMING THE PROJECT IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.
AND I ALSO WONDERED IF THAT, IF SEEKING SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT IS THE PURVIEW OF THE FRIENDS OF DAC OR IS THAT FULLY WITHIN THE PARKS TEAM'S PURVIEW OR SOMEONE ELSE? SO THE LAST, THERE'S SEVERAL QUESTIONS IN THERE.
UM, AND SO LET ME UNPACK THEM AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD YOUR LAST QUESTION.
UH, WHAT WAS YOUR LAST, THE LAST IT'S, IT'S LIKE, ARE DOES THE, DO FRIENDS OF THE DAUGHTY SEEK EXTERNAL? LIKE DO YOU, DO YOU PURSUE OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING ON BEHALF OF THE DAUGHTY? OR IS THAT, IS THAT REALLY WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF CITY STAFF EXCLUSIVELY? I LIKE DO YOU SEEK GRANTS ON BEHALF OF THE AUTHORITY OR, OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE WELL PART CANNOT FUNDRAISE PART STAFF.
UM, LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FUNDRAISE.
UH, AND SO STAFF ARE NOT GOING TO BE FUNDRAISING FOR THIS.
AT ONE POINT IN TIME, WE HAD, UH, PROFFERED, UH, A CONTRACT TO THE FRIENDS OF THE DAC WHEN I WAS A STAFF PERSON.
AND LUCKY WAS, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH FRIENDS OF THE D MM-HMM.
UM, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE RECEPTION THAT WE GOT WAS THAT THIS WAS, UM, DUBIOUS.
UM, AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, LAURA, WITH THE, WITH THE HISTORY, IF THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL.
AND THEN ONCE, UM, THE, THE CONTRACTOR, ONCE HE SAW THAT THE PROJECT WAS STALLED AND THAT THE GAP WAS SO LARGE, UM, THAT WAS, IT WAS LIKE A NON-STARTER, RIGHT? WE, A A, A PRIVATE ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RAISING 20, $30 MILLION.
SO, UM, WE WISH WE COULD, RIGHT? SO, UM, THE IDEA IS, AND, AND ALL OF THE MONEY IT HAS TO BE READY FOR, FOR ASSETS, FOR CONSTRUCTION AND BEFORE YOU CAN GET THE PERMIT, RIGHT? AND TO HAVE SHOVEL, I SAY SHOVELS IN THE GROUND, UM, THAT HAS TO BE THERE.
AND THAT, THAT'S JUST OUTSIDE OF WHAT THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN NOW CAN A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN ASSIST WITH WHEN THE, THE BUILDING IS BUILT.
AND FOR, TO GET, UM, ARTS PROGRAMMING, COMPUTERS, YOU KNOW, NICE ACCOUTREMENTS PLAYGROUNDS.
BUT IT, IT CANNOT BE, UM, PART OF WHAT WE DO TO GET THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION PERMIT.
SO WE, WE DEFINITELY PURSUE THAT.
AND BOY, WE TRY, LAUREN, WE TRIED YEARS, UH, EVEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
IT'S LIKE, THIS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO HAPPEN.
AND IT ISN'T, UM, IT JUST WASN'T EVEN FEASIBLE.
AND, AND, AND PROFESSIONAL CAMP CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOLKS WOULDN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, SAY THAT'S JUST TOO WIDE OF A GAP.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT FAIR FOR PRIVATE GROUP TO DO.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS AND YEAH.
NO HOPE
THANKS FOR BEING SO PERSISTENT FOR SO LONG.
LAURA AND I ARE STICKING WITH IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN, THAT'S, I WORKED ON THIS PROJECT FOR 17 YEARS AND I AM NEVER
[00:30:01]
GONNA STOP UNTIL IT'S BUILT.AND I ALWAYS TELL THE STORY, MY SON WENT TO THE DAC IN THE PRESCHOOL, HE WAS THREE.
AND UH, I JUST, WE DROPPED HIM OFF AT COLLEGE IN, UH, IN AUGUST.
AND SO AS A BELIEVER THEN, AS SO TIME IS, TIME IS, IS MOVING ON.
SO, UM, THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT ON THIS COMMISSIONER HOUSTON, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? I WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, I DO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO BE ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC THING FROM COUNCIL, BUT I THINK IT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR COUNCIL TO SEE HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON TOURISM AND A DETRI EFFECTS EFFECT, EFFECT ON ARTS AND ANY OTHER COMMISSION THAT YOU ALL CAN GO TO.
AND THAT EACH RECOMMENDATION SAYS, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL LOSE IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION.
BECAUSE THE CITY HAS A HISTORY OF DOING A SURVEY, FIGURING OUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, AND THEN IT DISAPPEARS INTO THE ETHER AND WE NEVER HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT IT ONCE THE MAKEUP CHANGES.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, FROM AS MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AS POSSIBLE, WE SAY THIS IS WHAT'S NEEDED AND THIS IS WHAT'S LOST IN THIS AREA.
THIS IS WHAT'S LOST IN THIS AREA, THIS IS WHAT'S LOST IN THIS AREA.
COMMISSIONER, THAT'S, NO, THAT'S A GREAT COMMENT BECAUSE THIS WHOLE PROJECT'S BEEN SITTING THERE ANOTHER SINCE THE RESOLUTION FOR TWO YEARS, THAT'S PEOPLE, IF WE'RE NOT SPEAKING ABOUT THE WHOLE PROJECT COULD BE LOST.
AND SO, TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER HU STAT'S REALLY, UM, IT'S SOMETHING ELSE TO, TO SEE, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHAT CAN BE LOST.
AND, AND CERTAINLY I LOST THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY DOES WANT THIS, SO THANK YOU.
UM, SO, UH, ALONG WITH WHATEVER THE RECOMMENDATION IS, WHEN YOU SEND IT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FINAL VERSION OF IT, YOU UH, I THINK THE CHAIR WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO ADD, UM, DETAILS IN THE JUSTIFICATION ON TOP OF, UH, RIGHT.
SO, UH, SOME OF THE DATA, EVEN IF IT'S NOT DIRECTLY IN THE VERBIAGE OF THE RECOMMENDATION ITSELF, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADD IN THE JUSTIFICATION AND THAT SHOULD, UH, ALLOW FOR, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTE ADDING MORE DETAILS.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY, I'VE TWO PART QUESTION.
ONE, HAS THIS BEEN PRESENTED TO COUNCIL YET, OR IS THERE A PLAN TO TAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL? OR ARE YOU ABLE TO GET ON THEIR AGENDA AT ALL? WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK WITH STAFF OF TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS ONLY.
UH, WE DID TAKE IT TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION WHO PASSED IT, AND SO IT WAS PRESENTED TO TOURISM.
WE DID TAKE IT TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, THE PARKS, UM, BOARD, BOARD, BOARD PARKS, AND, UM, THEY ARE CONSIDERING IT AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS NOT UNDER ACTION ITEM, SO WE NEED TO, IT'S JUST UNDER PRESENTATIONS.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, DO WE, OH, DO WE HAVE IT? OH, THERE IT IS.
UM, SO WE CAN SUPPORT IT TONIGHT.
WHAT WAS I SAY? OH, PRESS, WHAT PRESS HAVE YOU GUYS YIELDED ON THIS ITEM? ANYTHING, ANYBODY FROM THE MONITOR, ANYBODY FROM THE CHRONICLE HAS BEEN PICKED, PICKED UP? NO ONE RESPONDED.
WE SENT OUT A PRESS RELEASE AND WE DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE.
ALTHOUGH, ALTHOUGH INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, UM, KUT PICKED UP THE STORY WHEN WE, UH, TESTIFIED TO THE PARKS AND REC BOARD BECAUSE I, UM, I WAS AT, UH, WORK THE NEXT DAY AND PEOPLE TEXTED TEAMING ME SAYING, HEY, WE HEARD YOU ON KUT THIS MORNING.
SO, UM, THAT WAS PRESS THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING, BUT
THAT WAS PICKED UP BY, I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY NEAT.
BUT WE COULD USE ALL THE SUPPORT WE COULD GET.
AND EVERYTHING THAT HAD BEEN IN THE PRESS IN THE PAST WAS VERY FAVORABLE FOR THE PROJECT.
I MEAN, I, I DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY READ THE RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATION, SO IF THERE'S MORE OF US, THEN IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE CAN JUST GO THROUGH IT WHEN WE REACH THAT AGENDA ITEM.
AND, UH, DEFINITELY, UH, FROM MY END, SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AT SUCH A GREAT LOCATION TOO, SO ACCESSIBLE AND, UM, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST PERSONALLY, I MEAN, IT WAS I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST FEW PLACES THAT I PLAYED AT IN TOWN IN COLLABORATION WITH SOME OTHER ARTISTS.
BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD JUST RUN THROUGH IT.
I CAN, I THINK I HAVE IT EVEN UP HERE IF YOU WANNA TAKE A PEEK.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT A, A CONCISE ACTION PLAN.
UM, AND IN REGARD TO THE RECOMMENDATION AS WELL AS BADGERING OUR COUNCIL AND OUR REPRESENTATIVES, UM, AND MAKING SURE, SINCE WE'RE A LITTLE SHORT TONIGHT, WE'RE DOWN AT COMMISSIONER, UM, IN TERMS OF VACANCIES AND THEN WE'RE MISSING A GOOD HANDFUL
[00:35:01]
OF OUR PEOPLE TODAY.BUT, UM, WE HAVE ENOUGH FOR QUORUM SO WE CAN GET THIS APPROVED.
COMMISSIONER HOUSTON, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO TRY TO COORDINATE MEETINGS WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBER FOR Y'ALL? WELL, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, THERE ARE MANY THAT WE JUST DIDN'T GET ANY RESPONSE FROM.
UH, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, TALK WITH, UM, RYAN ALTER'S, UH, STAFF AND THE STAFF OF VANESSA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD TO OUR AGENDAS AS WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH THE, UH, NEW CITY MANAGER.
'CAUSE WE ARE HAVING ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM REGARDING HOLISTIC SUPPORT OF THE ARTS ECOSYSTEM, WHICH IS FALLING A BIT SHORT.
'CAUSE THE ENTIRE COUNCIL IS THAT RESOLUTION IN 2022 WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE, I THINK A LOT OF THE COMMISSIONERS TRUTHFULLY THINK THIS IS A DONE DEAL AND IT'S ON ITS WAY AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
YOU MENTIONED THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THERE WAS A MENTION OF THE 2012 BOND AS WELL.
WERE THERE FUNDS FROM THAT EARMARKED FOR THE DAC FOR JUST IMPROVEMENTS AND, YEAH.
IT WAS ONLY LIKE A COUPLE OF MILLION.
AND THOSE WERE A APPLIED AND USED? YES.
BUT THAT SHOWS A HISTORY OF INVESTMENT INITIAL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, THE PROJECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
ANY FINAL QUESTIONS FOR WHICH DISTRICT IS WORKING? I BELIEVE IT'S IN DISTRICT FIVE, BUT IT MIGHT BE TOUCHING VANESSA'S AS WELL.
IS IT IN FIVE? THE DAC? NO, IT'S NINE.
AND THAT AND VANESSA'S TWO, SO THE SOUTH.
I ALWAYS GET MY NUMBERS MIXED UP.
SO WHO, WHO IS THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THAT DISTRICT? LET'S JUST ASK.
YEAH, I'D ACTUALLY, WE'VE GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT OFFICE BECAUSE, UM, THEY'VE SORT OF TAKEN UP A LOT OF THE WORKING FROM THE INSIDE, SORT OF THE ADVOCACY THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR THE ARTS.
SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T GET A MEETING WITH YOU GUYS, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY START WORKING ON RIGHT AWAY.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COMMISSIONER GARZA HAS JOINED US FOR THE MEETING.
HE'S, ANYBODY WHO'S NOT ON CAMERA, UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT ON THE DAIS CONSIDERED.
SO COMMISSIONER GARZA IS HERE.
[6. Presentation by Allison Steger from Austin Public Library on the Austin Poet Laurate Program]
UM, WITH THAT WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, PRESENTATION BY ALLISON STEGER FROM THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY ON THE POET LAUREATE PROGRAM.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
I AM THE ACTING, UM, DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AT THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND I WANNA TALK TO YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR POET LAUREATE PROGRAM, WHICH WE HAVE, UM, RECENTLY STARTED HERE AT THE LIBRARY.
UM, SO WE LAUNCHED OUR POET LAUREATE PROGRAM, UM, IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.
AND WE ARE GOING TO NAME OUR FIRST POET LAUREATE IN APRIL, 2025.
THIS PERSON WILL SERVE A TWO YEAR TERM FROM 2025 THROUGH 2027.
THAT WILL BE AN OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR OF THE CITY'S LITERARY ARTS, CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ART OF POETRY.
UM, AND THIS IS OUR POET LAUREATE COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH INCLUDES CHAIR SIMAN.
IT'S NICE TO ACTUALLY MEET YOU
UM, AND I JOINED THE CREW PRETTY LATE, UH, BECAUSE I JUST AM NEW TO THIS POSITION, SO I CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE SO FAR.
UM, AND PARTICULARLY I WANNA SHOUT OUT MARIA ELENA ROA AND, UM, LEIA OSWALD, WHO ARE TWO ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIANS WITH A PL WHO REALLY MADE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, AND OUR GOAL IS TO PROMOTE POETRY LITERACY IN THE LITERARY ARTS, BUILD AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF POETRY, CELEBRATE POETRY, AND ADVANCE IT AS A MEANS OF COMMUNICATING AND UNDERSTANDING AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND CULTURE.
UM, UH, AND SO WE ARE ESTABLISHING THIS AMBASSADOR TO ADVANCE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY'S MISSION TO DISCOVER, LEARN, AND CREATE.
THEY'LL SERVE AS A MENTOR TO POETS IN THE COMMUNITY AND CREATE A PLATFORM FOR LOCAL POETS TO, UM, UH, PROMOTE THEIR WORK.
UM, SO THE COMMITTEE, UH, WHICH IS ACTIVE RIGHT NOW, UM, OUR SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN.
THEY OPENED ON OCTOBER 1ST, THEY'LL CLOSE ON NOVEMBER 30TH.
UM, AND WE ARE FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR APPLICANTS.
UM, YEAH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A FAIRLY, UM, IT'S A FAIRLY IN-DEPTH, UM, APPLICATION.
THIS IS, UH, REALLY A POSITION FOR SOMEONE WHO'S MAYBE MORE LIKE MID-CAREER.
[00:40:01]
WE DID NOT GET A LOT THAT FIRST WEEK.AND I STARTED TO GET A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT WE WERE GETTING A LOT NOW AS WE GET CLOSER, 'CAUSE FOLKS HAVE CLEARLY BEEN PUTTING SOME TIME AND THOUGHT INTO THEM.
UM, AND SO THERE'S, THEY WILL SERVE, LIKE I SAID, A TWO YEAR TERM BEGINNING IN APRIL OF 2025.
UM, AND WE SEND OUT THE APPLICATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE PERIODICALLY AND THE COMMITTEE WILL MEET IN, UH, JANUARY TO DECIDE WHO GETS AN IN-PERSON INTERVIEW.
AND, UM, WE'LL HAVE THOSE INTERVIEWS IN FEBRUARY AND WE WILL RECOMMEND, UH, THE NEW POET LAUREATE IN MARCH AND THEY'LL BE INVESTED.
THE POET LAUREATE INVESTITURE CEREMONY WILL BE IN APRIL.
UM, AND THIS PERSON HAS TO BE 21 YEARS OLD, HAVE LIVED OR WORKED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THREE YEARS AND CONTINUE TO LIVE OR WORK IN THE CITY THROUGHOUT THE APPOINTMENT.
UM, AND HAVE AT LEAST 10 PUBLISHED WORKS AND OR 10 PUBLIC PERFORMANCES OR SOME COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO.
UM, STRONG INTEREST IN SERVING THE CITY, CONDUCTING COMMUNITY OUTREACH, HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKING PERFORMING EXPERIENCE, BE AVAILABLE AT LEAST 10 HOURS A WEEK, INCLUDING FIVE HOURS A MONTH, WHICH WILL BE AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY AND BE ABLE TO TRAVEL AROUND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, SO THEIR APPLICATION INCLUDES A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY, UH, RESUME OR CV.
UM, AND PARTICULARLY HIGHLIGHTING THEIR PUBLICATION AND AWARD HISTORY, THEIR EXPERIENCE TEACHING PUBLIC SPEAKING OR DOING PUBLIC PERFORMANCES.
A 300 WORD STATEMENT, WHY ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD BE SELECTED.
UM, A STATEMENT OUTLINING THEIR IDEAS FOR WHAT THEY WOULD DO AS POET LAUREATE, SPECIFICALLY AIMING TO REALLY BRING ALL DIFFERENT PARTS OF AUSTIN IN.
AND THEN A 300 WORD DESCRIPTION OF HOW PAST PROJECTS HAVE ENGAGED CULTURALLY DIVERSE AUDIENCES AND HOW POETRY CAN AMPLIFY THOSE VOICES OF HISTORICALLY DISENFRANCHISED AUDIENCES.
THEY ALSO INCLUDE A WRITING SAMPLE AND A VIDEO OF THEM PERFORMING ONE OF THEIR POEMS. UM, AND THEN OUR GOAL FOR THEM IS, UH, DURING THEIR TERM THAT THEY WILL LEAD AT LEAST 10 UNIQUE PUBLIC READINGS OR WORKSHOPS A YEAR.
UM, FIVE AT SCHOOLS, FIVE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER LITERARY ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS TOWN.
THEY'LL DEVELOP SOME KIND OF SIGNATURE PROJECT.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THEY PUT ON FOR THE TERM.
THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, MEETINGS AND PUBLIC APPEARANCES AND COLLABORATE WITH A PL, UM, LIKE I SAID, TO DO THE SIGNIFICANT ONE, A SIGNIFICANT EVENT FOR PER YEAR.
UM, MAINTAIN HIGH STANDARDS OF CHARACTER AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY, AND RESPECTFULLY.
WITH AUSTIN'S ENTIRE WRITING COMMUNITY, WE ARE AIMING TO GET ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN, IN POETRY, UM, TIMELINE.
SO LIKE I SAID, WE OPENED APPLICATIONS ON OCTOBER 1ST, THEY'LL CLOSE ON NOVEMBER 30TH.
UM, THEY'LL SERVE THIS TWO YEAR TERM.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DOCUMENTS DO PEOPLE NEED TO PROVIDE TO VERIFY THEY'VE LIVED OR WORKED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE ARE TAKING ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
WE ARE TAKING LIKE EMAILS FROM THE BAR WHERE YOU HOSTED BUS SLAM POETRY THAT SHOWS THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT IF YOU LIKE.
WE ARE, WE HAVE ACCEPTED A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS 'CAUSE WE WANT TO BE AS GENEROUS AS POSSIBLE WITH THIS.
UM, AND WE ARE CONSIDERING SELF-CURATED AND SELF-PUBLISHED WORKS.
UM, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, AGAIN, WE ARE DEFINING THIS VERY BROADLY.
UM, AND FOR THE VIDEO, UH, WE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SUBMITTED VIDEOS THAT WERE TAKEN OF THEM AT PUBLIC READING.
SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST SUBMITTING A VIDEO OF THEMSELF READING IN THEIR HOME.
ONE PERSON SUBMITTED A TIKTOK VIDEO, UM, WHICH WORKS
UH, AND THEN WE CAN SUBMIT THINGS IN OTHER THAN ENGLISH, BUT WE DO REQUIRE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AS A PART OF THIS POSITION.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS SOME LINKS, UM, AND I CAN SHARE THIS WITH THE WHOLE COMMITTEE, UH, COMMISSION, UM, SOME LINKS TO EXAMPLES OF SIGNATURE PROJECTS FROM, UM, OTHER, UH, POET LAUREATES IN OTHER PLACES.
UM, WE HAD A KICKOFF EVENT BEFORE IN SEPTEMBER BEFORE THIS STARTED CALLED AUSTIN IS A POEM WHERE WE INVITED THE TEXAS POET LAUREATE AND THE POET LAUREATES OF DALLAS HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO, ALL OF WHOM WERE ABLE TO COME.
WE HAD ABOUT 250 PEOPLE AT THE EVENT.
UM, AND THEY READ FOR US, UH, DIFFERENT POEMS AND TALKED ABOUT.
WE ALSO HAD MULTIPLE OTHER LOCAL POETS READ.
UM, IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT AND IT REALLY HELPED ME SEE HOW AMAZING THIS CAN BE AND WHAT KIND OF CALIBER OF WORK WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO EXPECT, WHICH WAS PRETTY EXCITING.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THIS PERSON RECEIVES AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $25,000 AND A $10,000 ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THEIR PROGRAM EXPENSES.
SO, UM, THIS DOES COME WITH, UH, A STIPEND.
UM, AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER? FANTASTIC.
[00:45:01]
HI.UM, THIS IS A PRETTY QUICK TURNAROUND BECAUSE THE DEADLINE IS END OF THIS MONTH.
SO, WELL, WE'RE MEETING IN, SO THE DEADLINE, UM, PRETTY QUICK TURNAROUND FROM THE END OF IT TO CHOOSING THE PERSON.
UM, WE, UH, A LOCAL POET NAMED KB BROOKINS IS REALLY THE PERSON WHO SPEARHEADED THIS.
THEY, UM, HAVE REALLY BEEN WORKING WITH THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE WAY THEY DESCRIBED IT AT, UM, THE AUSTIN AS A POEM EVENT IS THEY SAID BULLYING WORKS
AND SO, UH, ONCE WE GOT THE GO AHEAD FOR THIS, WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND GET IT MOVING.
AND WE AIMED FOR APRIL BECAUSE THAT'S NATIONAL POETRY MONTHS.
WE WANNA UNVEIL OUR NEW POET LAUREATE IN NATIONAL POETRY.
SO, SO DO YOU HAVE A LIST AS FAR AS OUTREACH CONCERNED? WHERE, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN REACHING OUT TO GET THE APPLICATION OUT THERE? UM, WE HAVE, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT THE NAME OF IT WAS.
ONE OF OUR, UM, WE, ONE OF OUR, UH, LIBRARIANS ATTENDED A ONE OF AUSTIN'S MOST POPULAR POETRY SLAMS THAT HAPPENS AT THE DRAFT HOUSE AT MUELLER.
I FORGET WHAT IT'S CALLED, BUT SHE WENT TO THAT AND PROMOTED IT.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING, THE TEXAS POET LAUREATE HAS BEEN PROMOTING THIS LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTER.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO AMANDA JOHNSON FOR HER, UM, HELP PROMOTING THIS.
ALL OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE WORKING POETS HAVE BEEN PROMOTING THIS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
UM, KB AND I WENT ON THE LOCAL CBS MORNING SHOW WHEN OUR, UM, APPLICATIONS FIRST OPENED TO PROMOTE THIS.
WELL, WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
I REMEMBER THAT YOUNG MAN CAME TO OUR COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, UH, WE SUPPORTED IT AND IT IS HAPPENING.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK IT IS EXCITING.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE REACH OUT TO MM-HMM.
OH, WE ALSO, UM, THE PRINCE FOUNDATION PAID TO PUT AN AD IN THE, UM, TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL, UH, CIRCULAR.
SO WE JUST HAD THAT THIS WEEKEND.
LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVE OUR FIRST POET ATE.
I WAS, I WAS GONNA ASK STAFF, WE HAD SOMEONE ELSE PRESENT ABOUT AUSTIN PO POET LAUREATE.
WHO WAS THAT? AND ARE THEY CONNECTED WITH THIS? THAT'S KB.
SO KB IS A LOCAL POET WHO REALIZED THAT AUSTIN WAS THE BIGGEST CITY IN TEXAS THAT DIDN'T HAVE A POET LAUREATE AND REALLY MADE THIS HAPPEN.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE, UM, IS ONE OF THE PANELISTS JUDGING THIS.
THE TIMELINE KB REACHED OUT, KB IS A, UH, ELEVATE RECIPIENT AND, AND THEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THIS DEFICIT IN TERMS OF POET REPRESENTATION.
AND WE WORKED SORT OF IN TANDEM AND POINTED THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS AND I THINK THEY DID A REALLY AMAZING JOB YES.
OF, OF STICKING WITH IT AND SEEING IT THROUGH TO FRUITION.
AND SO YES, THEY ARE ON THE, UM, JUDGING PANEL FOR CHOOSING THIS PERSON.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HEARING ABOUT IT.
UM, SO I GUESS I HAD SOME QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS AS FAR AS THE OUTREACH.
WHEN DID YOU BEGIN THE OUTREACH? UM, A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, WELL SIGN BEFORE THE APPLICATION PERIOD OPENED, BECAUSE WE STARTED PROMOTING THE KICKOFF EVENT.
AUSTIN IS A POEM, WHICH HAPPENED TOWARDS THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE.
UM, THEY WERE ALREADY PROMOTING IT WHEN I, I JOINED THIS POSITION AT THE END OF AUGUST, UM, WHICH IS WHEN I FIRST BECAME INVOLVED.
AND THEY WERE ALREADY PROMOTING IT BEFORE THAT
SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO EXACTLY WHEN, BUT I KNOW BEFORE I GOT ON BOARD.
I, YEAH, I WOULD SAY, UM, I KIND OF ECHO SOME OF, UM, COMMISSIONER MOCK SENTIMENTS AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY SHORT, UM, JUST APPLICATION, UM, CYCLE.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S FINE WITH APRIL AND EVERYTHING, BUT I THINK ONLY HAVING IT OPEN, UM, FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE, I THINK ABOUT, UM, WAS IT OCTOBER 1ST? THEY OPEN, SO IT'S TWO MONTHS.
UM, BUT YES, UM, I, I THINK I'LL GET JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT AND DO SOME MORE RESEARCH, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REPRESENTING TODAY.
AS SOMEBODY WHO SAT IN ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS, IT WAS VERY INTENTIONAL, VERY THOUGHTFUL, AND VERY COMMITTED TO LOOKING AT INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND WHAT'S DONE COMPARABLY IN THAT GENRE, BOTH AT A NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL.
TWO MONTHS IS A PRETTY BROAD APPLICATION, UM, WINDOW, I'D SAY.
HOW MANY APPLICATIONS DID YOU SAY YOU'VE RECEIVED THUS FAR? I WANNA SAY WE'VE RECEIVED 10 NOW.
UM, AND I KNOW FROM KB AND MIKE, WHO ARE TWO WORKING POETS WHO ARE ON THE JUDGING
[00:50:01]
COMMU, UH, PANEL THAT THEY BOTH KNOW MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY STILL WORKING ON IT, UM, AND PLANNING TO SUBMIT.WE HAVE DISCUSSED EXTENDING, AND WE STILL MIGHT, BUT LAST WEEK WE GOT FOUR.
SO I STOPPED FEELING QUITE SO NERVOUS.
AND WE KNOW FROM OTHER CITIES THAT IN THEIR FIRST YEAR, 20 WAS ABOUT THE MAX.
ANYBODY RECEIVED 20 APPLICATIONS IN THEIR FIRST YEAR AND THEN THEY, THEY WOULD SEE IT GO UP EVERY TIME.
WE'VE GOT 12 DAYS TILL THE APPLICATION CLOSES AND WE ARE SEEING THAT IT'S PICKING UP.
AND IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, EXTENDING POETS TO ARTISTS, IT'S GONNA BE IN THE 11TH HOUR, YOU'LL PROBABLY GET A FEW MORE SUBMISSIONS.
WE ARE EXPECTING THAT, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING IT.
UM, BUT WE GOT LESS NERVOUS LAST WEEK AS WE GOT, I THINK FOUR OR FIVE LAST WEEK.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER? IF I MAY? UH, JUST, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
I, UH, JUST, JUST VERY THRILLED TO SEE THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, CHAIR ALSO BECAUSE, UH, WE SAW IT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TAKE LIFE HERE, UH, AND, AND KIND OF SEEING THE OUTCOME NOW.
AND, UH, I CAN ONLY SEE HOW IT'LL, IT CAN, YOU KNOW, BUILD, UH, IN THE FUTURE YEARS.
BUT JUST VERY THRILLED TO SAY THIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.
LIKE I SAID, I CAN'T TAKE MUCH CREDIT.
I JOINED THIS LATE IN THE GAME, BUT I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT TOO.
PASS IT ALONG TO EVERYBODY THAT'S CONTRIBUTED.
UM, IT'S, YEAH, VERY EXCITING TO SEE IT COME.
SO, SO THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION IS ON THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY SITE? YES.
UM, IT'S AUSTIN, UH, LIBRARY TO AUSTIN TEXT.GOV/POET.
I'M TRYING TO FIGURE IT'S POET OR POETRY.
AND AGAIN, OUR JOB AS COMMISSIONERS IS TO BE THE STEWARDS OF THIS INFORMATION.
SO CAPTURING IT, PROMOTING IT WITHIN YOUR NETWORKS, AMPLIFYING IT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE WORD.
I HOPE LAURA DIDN'T GO TOO FAR 'CAUSE SHE'S NEXT PRESENTATION BY LAURA ESPARZA ON THE INTRODUCTION OF A THREE ART ALLIANCE.
UM, DID UM, YOU RECEIVE MY PRESENTATION? I BELIEVE AV IS WORKING ON PULLING IT UP RIGHT NOW.
BEAR WITH US ONE MOMENT, LAURA.
I'M SEEING SOME PUZZLED FACES.
IF YOU HAVE IT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, WOULD YOU MIND RESENDING IT TO EITHER ME OR STAFF? OKAY.
I, I DIDN'T UH, REALIZE I HAD BEEN PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS ITEM.
UM, EVEN THOUGH I HAD REQUESTED IT A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, I KNEW I WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR THE DAC ITEM.
AND SO, UM, TODAY I UM, DO YOU WANT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND COME BACK 'CAUSE UH, OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS READY AND THAT WOULD GIVE YOU, I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU UNDER PRESSURE.
UH, WHO SHOULD I SEND THE UM, TO JESUS VELA.
THEY BOTH, IT'S LIKE ONE INBOX PROBABLY.
RIGHT? I'LL SEND IT OVER TO YOU.
I'LL DO A MEETING WHEN YOU GET TO ME.
WE'RE JUST GONNA GO ONE ITEM DOWN.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL BE BACK TO ITEM SEVEN FOR
[8. Presentation by Sara Vanderbeek, art consultant for Zilker Point (218 South Lamar Blvd Planned Unit Development [PUD])]
NOW, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM EIGHT, PRESENTATION BY SARAH VANDERBEEK, ART CONSULTANT FOR ZILKER POINT.THE TWO 18 SOUTH OF MAR BOULEVARD, PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT P WELCOME SARAH, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME EVERYONE.
AND, UM, I'M SUPER HAPPY TO BE HERE PRESENTING, UM, ABOUT THIS PROJECT THAT JUST TALK ABOUT THINGS TAKING A LONG TIME I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, SO HELLO, I'M SARAH VANDERBEEK.
I AM AN ARTIST THAT HAS BEEN BASED HERE IN AUSTIN FOR ABOUT 16 YEARS.
UM, I'M ALSO A CONSULTANT AND I'M THE FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DF, WHICH IS AN ARTIST RUN NON-PROFIT GALLERY.
UM, THAT RECENTLY RELOCATED TO THE ZILKER POINT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ON SOUTH LAMAR RIGHT NEXT TO ZACH THEATER.
UM, SO MY CAREER IN THE ARTS SPANS OVER TWO DECADES AND IS SPLIT PRETTY EVENLY BETWEEN MY VISUAL ARTS PRACTICE AND MY CURATORIAL AND ARTS ADMINISTRATION PRACTICE.
AS AN ARTIST, MY WORK RANGES FROM PORTRAITURE TO LARGE SCALE FABRIC PAINTINGS AND INSTALLATIONS, OFTEN CENTERED AROUND THEMES OF MOTHERHOOD CARE, COMMUNITY, MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALING.
I LOVE BRIGHT COLORS, EMBRACING VULNERABILITY AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS.
AS A CURATOR AND ARTS ADMINISTRATOR, I'VE
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HELPED BUILD PRIVATE AND PUBLIC COLLECTIONS.AND FROM 20 2009 TO 15, I WAS THE CO-FOUNDER, CO-CURATOR AND BUDGET MANAGER OF A HUGE PUBLIC ART COLLECTION, UM, IN SAN ANTONIO AT UNIVERSITY HEALTH.
ALONG WITH MY PARTNER ALLISON HAYES LANE AND LOCAL ARTS LEADERSHIP, WE BUILT THIS COLLECTION AND FACILITATED THE DISTRIBUTION OF OVER $7 MILLION TO OVER 400 TEXAS-BASED ARTISTS.
IN 2018, EXCUSE ME, MY PARTNER ERIC AND I STARTED A NEW INITIATIVE, A GALLERY IN OUR HOME GARAGE AND SURROUNDING GROUNDS.
WE NAMED OUR GALLERY DF, WHICH MEANS VILLAGE IN DUTCH AND GERMAN.
AND OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD A VILLAGE OF ARTISTS, ADVOCATES, AND INNOVATORS.
WE OPENED DF AS A RESPONSE TO MANY CLOSURES OF PROMINENT ART SPACES IN AUSTIN AND HOPED OUR SPACE COULD HELP RETAIN, SUPPORT, AND PROMOTE TEXAS BASED ARTISTS, BUILD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND CAUSES WE CARE ABOUT.
WE IMMEDIATELY SAW THE COMMUNITY'S NEED FOR A SPACE LIKE DORF IN OUR QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD, COMMUNITY CENTRIC PROGRAMMING ADVOCACY EFFORTS.
IN THE FACILITATION OF CHALLENGING COVER CONVERSATIONS WERE DRIVING HIGH TURNOUTS, MEDIA ATTENTION AND ACCOLADES.
OUR EXHIBITIONS, PERFORMANCES AND PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS HAVE ADDRESSED CRITICAL ISSUES AND HIGHLIGHTED THE VOICES OF THE GLOBAL MAJORITY.
OUR 2021 EXHIBITION OWN IT DELVED INTO THEMES OF RAPE CULTURE, SURVIVOR JUSTICE AND HEALING, AND CONCLUDED WITH A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION FEATURING PROMINENT LOCAL AND STATE LEADERS, POLITICIANS AND SURVIVORS.
THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO DWARF WAS UPLIFTING AND LED US TO QUICKLY OUTGROWING OUR HOME GALLERY SPACE.
AND JUST IN TIME IN 2019, AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY WAS PRESENTED TO US AS A CONSULTANT AND CURATOR.
I'VE WORKED WITH THE DEVELOPERS OF THE NEW MULTI-USE DEVELOPMENT ZILKER POINT FOR ALMOST A DECADE.
I FACILITATE, UH, THE SELECTION AND PLACEMENT OF PUBLIC ARTWORK FOR THEIR BUILDINGS FOR THIS BUILDING.
FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND KITCHEN WAS REQUIRING AND COUNCIL, UM, WAS REQUIRING THE DEVELOPERS TO GIVE, IN ADDITION TO A PUBLIC SCULPTURE, A FREE SPACE FOR AN ART ORGANIZATION.
ZILKER POINT OWNERSHIP INVITED ME AND DORF TO PUT A PROPOSAL TOGETHER FOR HOW WE WOULD USE THE SPACE, UM, TO PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL.
OUR PROPOSAL WAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE ZILKER POINT DEVELOPERS AND CITY STAFF.
FROM THERE, UH, WITH FURTHER SUPPORT FROM FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER AND KITCHEN, WE NEGOTIATED FOR A 1062 SQUARE FOOT GALLERY SPACE, A BUDGET FOR BUILD OUT BY ARCHITECTS, RUN A WORKSHOP WHO DESIGNED THE BUILDING AND WE SECURED AN UP TO 10 YEAR LEASE FOR JUST A DOLLAR PER YEAR.
IN ADDITION, DORF HELPED ENSURE THROUGH A NEW CITY ORDINANCE THAT THIS RENT-FREE SPACE WOULD BE PROTECTED IN PERPETUITY, CREATING A PERMANENT HOME FOR THE ARTS IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
THIS IS A LANDMARK AGREEMENT BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES AND THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN AUSTIN.
AND WE HOPE THIS CAN BECOME A MODEL TO SUPPORT OTHER ARTS NONPROFITS AND NOT JUST ARTS NONPROFITS, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ART TONIGHT.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, LARGE REASON THAT WE DECIDED WE AGREED TO MOVE TO THIS SPACE WAS THE PROMISE OF THE