[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.COMMISSIONER MALDONADO IS PRESENT.
I CAN'T, SHE'S RAISING MY HAND.
COMMUNICATED THAT SHE MIGHT NOT MAKE IT.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON IS MAKING HER WAY TO THE DAAS.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
HAVE SOME SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.IF YOU WOULD COME FORWARD WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO HEAR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS EVENING.
I HAVE CHRISTY ANN CHER, AND THEN ALICIA PHILLY.
JEN ZO, ARE YOU SPEAKING ON AN ITEM OR YOU JUST GENERAL COMMENT? YOU, YOU CAN COME FORWARD.
JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY YOUR NAME.
UM, MY NAME IS JEN ZO, UH, PRESIDENT OF FILIPINO YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, ALSO KNOWN AS F-Y-P-A-T-X.
UM, I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION TO REEVALUATE THE ELEVATE GRANT AWARD DETERMINATION PROCESS.
SPECIFICALLY HOW FUNDING CAPS ARE CALCULATED FOR NEWLY ESTABLISHED NON NONPROFITS LIKE OURSELVES.
UM, DESPITE OUR HIGH APPLICATION SCORE, FYP WAS COMPLETELY BARRED FROM RECEIVING THE FULL TIER AWARD AMOUNT SOLELY BECAUSE OUR FIRST YEAR IRS TAX EXPENSES WERE USED AS HARD CAP ON OUR FUNDING.
WITH THE UNIFIED GUIDELINES, THE ELEVATE AWARD AMOUNTS ARE STRICTLY TIED TO PAST EXPENSES REPORTED TO THE IRS AND FOR GRASSROOTS STARTUPS LIKE OURSELVES, THIS MODEL CREATES A STRUCTURAL BARRIER.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR A NONPROFIT TO SHOW HIGH IRS REPORTED EXPENSES.
WHILE WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO ESTABLISH THEIR FOUNDATION AND TO FIND AND SECURE FUNDING BY BASING A WORD AMOUNTS ENTIRELY ON PAST, PAST TAX FILINGS, RATHER THAN ON PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET, THE SYSTEM PENALIZE OUR GROWTH.
I URGE THE ARTS COMMISSION TO DIRECT STAFF TO REEVALUATE THE RELEVANT GRANT DECISIONS FOR EMERGING ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AND ALLOW FORMED NONPROFITS TO USE THEIR PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGETS AND UPCOMING ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR FUNDING CAPS.
UM, THIS REALLY ENSURES THE AUSTIN'S CULTURAL FUNDING LIFTS UP THOSE BUILDING A FOUNDATION RATHER THAN LEAVING THEM BEHIND.
AND THEN WE HAVE THREE MORE SPEAKERS ON ITEMS 10 AND 11, SO WE WILL CALL THEM AT THAT TIME.
UM, I WAS ON THE, THE LIST, BUT I COULDN'T UNMUTE, BUT I WAS JUST UNMUTED.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA CALL YOU ON ITEM 14 WHEN IT COMES UP.
I, I CAN, I CAN SPEAK TO THEN, OR I CAN SPEAK NOW.
SO, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN MOVE ITEM 14.
UH, THIS SAYS WE CAN MOVE ITEM 14.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM 14 UP AND WHILE WE'RE DOING IT, ITEMS 10 AND 11 AND THEN WE'LL MOVE UP 'CAUSE THEY HAVE, UH, PEOPLE WANTING TO SPEAK AS WELL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I WILL MOVE THE 10, 11 AND 14.
I CAN SECOND THAT MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SKODA.
[00:05:01]
IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? WE HAVE ONE COMMISSIONER OPPOSED, BUT THE MOTION PASSES.SO WE WILL MOVE, UM, UM, 14, 10, AND 11 UP AFTER, UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A REPORT FROM COMMISSIONER SMALL BLOCK.
AFTER, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
UM, SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO NOW? WE'RE GONNA DO MINUTES.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MINUTES? AND MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I CAN MAKE A MOTION.DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER POLLO.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MIN MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
ANY OPPOSED BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? I WANT TO, I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY ASK COMMISSIONER HUSSEI IF SHE'S WILLING TO SERVE AS VICE CHAIR
DO I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION?
[14. Approve a recommendation regarding updates to the Art in Public Places Guidelines and Policies per City Council Resolution No. 20250306-029. Presentation by Jaime Castillo, AIPP Manager, ACME.]
OKAY.SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM 14, APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING UPDATES TO THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES GUIDELINES AND POLICIES PER CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION AS PRINTED WITH A PRESENTATION BY JAIME CASTILLO.
DO WE DO THE PRESENTATION FIRST OR DO WE DO THE PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST? THEY'RE ON ITEMS THOUGH, AND THAT'S WHY WE MOVED 10 AND 11 UP.
YEAH, EVERY, EVERYBODY THAT, EVERYBODY THAT I CAUGHT, UM, HECTOR, LUIS, AND RAQUEL ARE ON ITEM 10 AT 11.
SARAH VANDERBEEK, BIANCA BAILEY.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T SAY, THEY DON'T SAY THAT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
I'M AN ARTIST, CURATOR, PUBLIC ART CONSULTANT AND ART ORGANIZER BASED HERE IN AUSTIN FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS.
AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE A IPP PANEL'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION REAFFIRM ITS UNANIMOUS APRIL VOTE AND DECLINE TO ADVANCE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE A IPP ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME.
AT THE CENTER OF THIS ISSUE IS A SIMPLE BUT UNRESOLVED QUESTION.
HOW HAS THE CITY ACTUALLY BEEN CALCULATING THE REQUIRED 2% FOR ART ALLOCATION ACROSS CAPITAL PROJECTS? DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS THAT QUESTION REMAINS UNANSWERED.
THE MATERIALS PROVIDED TO DATE DO NOT OFFER COMPLETE PROJECT LEVEL FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION.
DO NOT RECONCILE KNOWN DISCREPANCIES AND DO NOT ALLOW FOR CLEAR COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT THE TWO 2002 ORDINANCE REQUIRES.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN PRACTICE AND WHAT WOULD CHANGE UNDER THE PROPOSED REVISIONS.
WITHOUT THAT CLARITY, WE CANNOT MEANINGFULLY ASSESS COMPLIANCE OR UNDER UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THESE CHANGES.
SECOND, THE A IPP PANEL CONTINUES TO CALL FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION SUGGESTS THERE MAY BE A SIGNIFICANT GAP BETWEEN EXPECTED AND ACTUAL ALLOCATIONS.
BEFORE CHANGING THE ORDINANCE, WE NEED A VERIFIED BASELINE, OTHERWISE, WE RISK CODIFYING DISCREPANCIES RATHER THAN CORRECTING THEM.
THIRD, PUBLIC ART MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS AN INTEGRAL CAPITAL COST, NOT A DISCRETIONARY ADD-ON.
THE EXISTING ORDINANCE REQUIRES A IPP TO BE INTEGRATED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN PROJECT PLANNING LIKE ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, OR ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION.
PUBLIC ART IS PART OF HOW CIVIC PROJECTS ARE CONCEIVED AND DELIVERED.
[00:10:01]
BEFORE YOU IS NOT TO REJECT REFORM.IT'S ON TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.
BEFORE MAKING SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES, I URGE THE COMMISSION TO SUPPORT THE A IPP PANEL'S RECOMMENDATION TO COMPLETE AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT, PROVIDE FULL DOCUMENTATION OF HISTORICAL CALCULATIONS AND COMPLIANCE, REAFFIRM A IPP AS AN EARLY INTEGRATED COMPONENT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND ONLY THEN CONSIDER ORDINANCE REVISIONS.
THIS IS THE PRUDENT PATH TO PROTECT PUBLIC TRUST AND THE LONG-TERM INTEGRITY OF THE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR ENSURING THIS PROGRAM REMAINS ALIGNED WITH ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE AND PUBLIC VALUE.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, DO WE GET THE PRESENTATION FROM STAFF BEFORE WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT? OR DO WE HEAR ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION FROM STAFF? I WOULD SAY THE PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM 14 SPECIFICALLY.
SO THE, I HAVE, I HAVE FOUR PEOPLE STILL SIGNED UP FOR SPECIFIC ITEMS ON THOSE ITEMS. THERE IS STAFF PRESENTATION AT LEAST ON 14.
SO I'M ASKING DOES THE STAFF PRESENTATION HAPPEN BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT OR AFTER FOR ITEM 14? THOSE, ANY, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM HAPPEN BEFORE THE PRESENTATION.
OKAY, SO THAT WAS SARAH VANDER BE, AND WE HAVE CHRISTIE AND SAYER ON THE PHONE, CORRECT? HELLO? YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? THIS IS, THIS IS BIANCA BAILEY.
ARE YOU SPEAKING ON AN AGENDA ITEM, MS. BAILEY? UH, I'M SIGNED UP FOR, UH, I GUESS A PUBLIC COM COMMENT OR, OKAY.
BY JESUS, PUT ME ON THE AGENDA, IT'S CALLED.
OKAY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO? NO.
AND IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AGAIN.
GREETINGS, UH, AUSTIN ARTS COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU, UH, JESUS FOR, UM, GETTING US ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS FOR LISTENING.
UH, TODAY, UM, I, UH, SEEKING SOME SUPPORT FOR, UM, A RECENT, UM, EVENT THAT A FRIEND AND I WANNA START.
UM, IT'S CALLED SIDES AND SIDEWALKS AND SOUNDS, AND IT'S TO BRING BACK THE SOUL OF LIVE MUSIC IN AUSTIN.
NUMBER TWO, WE'RE SEEKING, UH, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS OR IMMEDIATE FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT THE EVENT, TO HELP PAY FOR THE MUSICIANS TO PLAY, UH, STREET, PERFORM OR BUS, UH, IN THE PARK.
UM, I MOVED TO AUSTIN ABOUT NINE MONTHS AGO BECAUSE I WAS DRAWN TO AUSTIN'S REPUTATION AS A LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
BUT I FOUND LESS LIVE MUSIC THAN I EXPECTED.
SO I DECIDED TO START ON MY OWN AND BUSKING ON CONGRESS, UH, SIXTH STREET AND EVEN IN THE DOMAIN.
AND THIS LED ME TO PLAY AT OTHER VENUES LIKE THE AUSTIN REGGAE FESTIVAL, UM, BOTH ARTS, THE HAIR LOUNGE CONTINENTAL GALLERY.
AND, UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO I WAS STREET PERFORMING AT THE MUELLER FARMER'S MARKET, AND I MET A LADY NAMED ERICA AND HER DAUGHTER, WHO STOPPED TO LISTEN TO ME PLAY SAXOPHONE.
UM, ERICA APPROACHED ME AND SHARED THAT IN 2013 SHE WENT TO PARIS WITH HER FAMILY.
AND DURING THAT TIME, UM, PARIS WAS CELEBRATING THE SUMMER SOLSTICE.
UH, AND THERE WAS EVENT CALLED LA DE LA MUSIC.
AND IT'S A DAY WHERE MUSIC MUSICIANS FILLED EVERY CORNER OF PARIS, UM, FREE LIVE MUSIC AND FREE TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AND SO AFTER OUR CONVERSATION AND SHE MET ME, WE BOTH DECIDED, HEY, LET'S PUT TOGETHER AN EVENT.
AND SO WE DREAMED UP AN EVENT CALLED SIDEWALKS AND SOUNDS TO BRING LIVE MUSIC AND CREATIVE EXPRESSION BACK TO AUSTIN'S PUBLIC SPACES.
OUR EVENT IS, UH, IN JUNE, AND WE ALREADY HAVE A LIST OF ABOUT 15 MUSICIANS THAT WANNA PERFORM.
UM, SO WHY ARE WE HERE? WE'RE HERE TODAY SEEKING A POSSIBLE ARTS, UH, COMMISSION PARTNERSHIP, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND, UH, NUMBER TWO, WE'RE SEEKING RECOMMENDATIONS OR, UH, OPTIONS FOR, UH, FUNDING THE EVENT AND THE AMOUNT OF $5,000 TO HELP, UH, PAY FOR THE MUSICIANS AT THE AUSTIN, UM, UH, MUSICIAN RATE AT $200, UM, FOR, UH, TWO HOURS.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
AND MS. BAILEY, WILL YOU SEND AN EMAIL WITH YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION
[00:15:01]
TO THE COMMISSION? YES, I CAN ALSO SEND A, IN A PROPOSAL AS WELL.THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, YES, PERHAPS.
IS ALICIA PHILLY ON THE PHONE? HI, THIS, THIS IS CHRISTINE CHER.
I CAN SPEAK IF, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.
NO, WE WERE, WE WERE TRYING TO GET ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T SPEAKING TO A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM DONE FIRST.
IS ALICIA PHILLY ON THE PHONE? SO HEARING NO RESPONSE, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA SAY THAT, THAT THEY'RE NOT PRESENT.
SO NOW, UH, MS. UH, MS. SAYER, WE'RE OFFICIALLY OPENING ITEM NUMBER 14.
CHRISTIE AND CHER, IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PANEL.
I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE REVISION ITEM 14, SINCE OUR PANEL LIAISON, HEIDI SCH MALACH IS NOT PRESENT TONIGHT.
UM, AT THE LAST ARTS COMMISSION MEETING, THE PANEL SUBMITTED A LETTER RECOMMENDING THE COMMISSION NOT APPROVE THE ORDINANCE REVISION, AND INSTEAD SUPPORT THE PANEL IN REQUESTING DATA ON HOW THE 2% FOR ART HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN CALCULATED.
OUR GOAL WAS TO COMPARE THOSE CALCULATIONS AND FUNDING LEVELS WITH THE PROPOSED REVISION.
UM, BECAUSE THAT DATA HAD NOT BEEN RECEIVED AT THE TIME OF, UH, THE PANEL'S MOST RECENT MEETING, WE FORMED A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW THE A IPP GUIDELINES AND ANY INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED.
UM, THE WORKING GROUP HAS SINCE BEEN GIVEN SOME DATA BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MORGAN MESSICK.
UM, THE WORKING GROUP REVIEWED THE DATA AND DRAFTED, UM, A LETTER THAT I'M GONNA READ FROM THE PANEL.
UM, THE A IPP PANEL RECOMMENDS THAT THE ARTS COMMISSION REAFFIRM ITS UNANIMOUS APRIL VOTE AND DECLINE TO ADVANCE THE PROPOSED UPDATES TO THE ORDINANCE.
AT THIS TIME, OUR REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES HAS OCCURRED ALONGSIDE ONGOING REQUESTS FOR CLARIFICATION REGARDING HOW THE 2% FOR ART REQUIREMENT HAS BEEN CALCULATED ACROSS CITY CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THOSE REQUESTS REMAIN UNRESOLVED.
WHILE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS WERE SHARED ON MAY 8TH, THEY WERE LIMITED IN SCOPE AND DID NOT PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF CLARITY OR COMPLETENESS NECESSARY TO EVALUATE PAST COMPLIANCE OR THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED REVISIONS.
SO, BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED, THE PANEL HAS IDENTIFIED SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCIES AND CANNOT VERIFY CONSISTENT ADHERENCE TO THE 2002 ORDINANCE.
ADVANCING AMENDMENTS UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WOULD RISK FORMALIZING PRACTICES THAT WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE, OR MAY BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCES ORIGINAL INTENT.
UM, BELOW IS THE, THE PANEL'S RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDING AGAINST ADOPTION AT THIS TIME.
UH, ONE IS INCOMPLETE AND UNRECONCILED FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION.
THE CITY STAFF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HISTORICAL CALCULATION MATERIALS DO NOT FULLY RECONCILE, AND THAT DISCREPANCIES HAVE BEEN FLAGGED BUT NOT RESOLVED.
UH, THE PANEL HAS NOT RECEIVED COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT LEVEL DATA DEMONSTRATING HOW A FEP CALCULATIONS HAVE BEEN CALCULATED OVER TIME.
MATERIALS PROVIDED TO DATE INCLUDED ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF RECENT EXAMPLES, AND DO NOT INCLUDE CLEAR SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISONS OF THE CALCULATION METHOD.
DEFINE AS DEFINED IN THE 2002 ORDINANCE, HOW IT'S BEEN IMPLIED IN PRACTICE, AND HOW IT WOULD CHANGE UNDER THESE PROPOSED REVISIONS.
AND SO WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION, THE PANEL CANNOT ASSESS COMPLIANCE OR THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
UM, THE WORKING GROUP, UM, ITEM NUMBER TWO, THEY'RE ASKING FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT.
THE PANEL CONTINUES TO REQUEST AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF THE FUNDING.
PRELIMINARY MATERIAL SUGGEST A MEANINGFUL GAP BETWEEN EXPECTED AND ACTUAL ALLOCATIONS.
ESTABLISHING A VERIFIED BASELINE IS ESSENTIAL BEFORE MODIFYING THE ORDINANCE AND PROCEEDING WITHOUT THIS STEP.
RISK CODIFYING DISCREPANCIES RATHER THAN CORRECTING THEM.
AND THEN THREE, EARLY INTEGRATION OF PUBLIC ART IS REQUIRED AND UNDERMINED BY CURRENT PRACTICE.
UH, THE 2002 ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT A IPP BE INCORPORATED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN PROJECT PLANNING.
AND BEST PR PRACTICES AND CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT SIMILARLY RECOGNIZE PUBLIC ART AS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN INTEGRATED AT THE OUTSET, THE LATER INCONSISTENT ILU INCLUSION DIMINISHES THE QUALITY, RELEVANCE, AND PUBLIC VALUE OF THE WORK AND UNDERMINES THE ORDINANCES STATED INTENT.
AND THEN FOUR, PUBLIC ART IS A CORE CAPITAL COST.
NONDISCRETIONARY ADD-ON, UM, PUBLIC, SORRY, I'M ALMOST DONE.
ENHANCEMENT LAYERED ONTO A PROJECT AFTER CORE COSTS ARE ESTABLISHED.
THE 2002 ORDINANCE DEFINES A IPP AS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY LIKE ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION.
IT IS PART OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST AND FRAMING, A IPP AS DISCRETIONARY OR SUBJECT TO REDUCTION IS INCONSISTENT WITH BOTH THE ORDINANCE AND A LONGSTANDING PUBLIC SECTOR PRACTICE.
[00:20:01]
THE RECOMMENDATION FROM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.UM, UM, SINCE COMMISSIONER SMALL COULDN'T BE HERE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.
THIS LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO THE COMMISSION, CORRECT? YES, YES.
I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE BACKUP FILE, YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND THEN WE STILL DON'T HAVE ALICIA PHILLY.
I'M GONNA SAY THAT SHE'S A NO SHOW.
SO NOW WE'RE READY FOR STAFF PRESENTATION.
JAIME CASTILLO, MANAGER FOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES.
UH, WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT LATER IN THE AGENDA, BUT I, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE REGARDING, UH, OUR, OUR RESOLUTION WORK, UM, THAT INCLUDES THE ORDINANCE AND THE GUIDELINES.
UH, LAST TIME THAT WE MET AT YOUR APRIL MEETING, UM, WE WERE ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR APRIL 23RD.
UM, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH SOME COUNCIL OFFICES, UH, WE DECIDED TO PULL THE ITEM FROM THE APRIL 23RD MEETING AGENDA.
AND THERE WAS A REQUEST TO BRING FORWARD, UM, THE WORK THAT WE HAD DONE ON THE GUIDELINES SO THAT COUNCIL COULD SEE THAT WE HAD FULLY ADDRESSED THE RESOLUTION ITSELF.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAD, UM, UNDERTAKEN SOME STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GUIDELINES WERE UPDATED AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE, WE GAVE, UM, MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
AND THAT MEANT IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS SAW, UM, WHERE WE WERE WITH THE GUIDELINES.
WE GAVE THE A IPB PANEL AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE GUIDELINES AND, UH, THE EXPECTED TIMELINE OR THE EXPECTED, UH, STEPS THAT WE HAD LAID OUT WERE THAT WE WOULD PRESENT TO, UM, THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS A COMMITTEE OF CITY COUNCIL AS DIRECTED THROUGH THE RESOLUTION, UM, AT THEIR FRIDAY, UH, AT THEIR MAY 15TH MEETING.
AND THEN THAT WE WOULD THEN PRESENT THE GUIDELINES, UH, AT THE STATE THAT WE HAD THEM TO Y'ALL TONIGHT SO THAT WE COULD PRESENT A COUNCIL AT THE MAY 28TH MEETING.
UM, THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE FAILED TO MEET QUORUM LAST FRIDAY, SO WE DID NOT PRESENT TO THEM, AND THEREFORE WE, UM, HAVE SOME, A DIFFERENT TIMELINE, UH, BASED ON, ON THAT.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING TO UPDATE OUR, UH, OR NOT UPDATE, BUT WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR GUIDELINES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT, THAT WE'RE, UH, HAD ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR APRIL 23RD.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA INCLUDE THE FEEDBACK.
SO WE, WE DID SHARE THAT WITH PARTNER DEPARTMENTS, AS I MENTIONED, AND THE A IPB PANEL.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, UH, THAT INPUT IS INTEGRATED, UH, OR NOT.
AND, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, ALLOW TIME FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND THE, UH, BUDGET AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE DEPARTMENT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO, TO REVIEW WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND THAT MEANS THAT, UH, BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE DIDN'T HAVE QUORUM AND THEIR NEXT, THEY MEET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE A CHANCE TO PRESENT TO THEM WOULD BE AT THEIR JULY 31ST MEETING, WHICH ALLOWS US TO PRESENT TO THE APU PANEL AGAIN AT THEIR AUGUST MEETING SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE, THE STATUS OR THE STATE OF THE GUIDELINES AND ORDINANCE AT THAT TIME.
UH, AND THEN THAT ALLOWS US TO PRESENT TO Y'ALL AT YOUR AUGUST MEETING, UH, WITH THE INTENTION OF, OF BRINGING FORWARD THE ORDINANCE TO COUNCIL AT THEIR AUGUST 27TH MEETING WITH THE BACKUP OF HAVING THE GUIDELINES THERE FOR THEM TO COMPARE, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING, UH, ALL THE DIRECTIVES OF THE RESOLUTION.
BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE ORDINANCE IS WHAT WE DO, AND IT IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL UP UPDATES ARE APPROVED BY COUNCIL, AND THE GUIDELINES ARE HOW WE DO THE WORK OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND THE UPDATES ARE APPROVED BY YOU, THE ARTS COMMISSION.
SO WITH THE ORDINANCE PRESENTED AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TENTATIVELY APPROVED BY COUNCIL AT THEIR AUGUST 27TH MEETING, WE WOULD BRING BACK THE GUIDELINES TO THE PANEL AND YOURSELVES, UH, AT YOUR SEPTEMBER MEETINGS.
AND THAT IS THE UPDATE WE HAVE CURRENTLY FOR THE GUIDELINES AND ORDINANCE.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OH, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COMMISSIONER KEYS IS ON THE DA
[00:25:03]
COMMISSIONER.MS. HUSSEINI, UH, I BELIEVE WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY, KEEP ME HONEST, I MAY, IS THAT IN LINE WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM SARAH VANDER BE, AND KRISTINE SAYER WAS THAT THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO STICK WITH, UH, THERE WERE FEEDBACK GIVEN TO STICK WITH WHAT WE VOTED ON IN APRIL.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT YOU PRESENTED TO US, THAT YOU WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK AND THEN PRESENT ON THIS NEW TIMELINE.
IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTOOD?
WE'RE WE'RE GONNA, BECAUSE OF THE, THE DELAY IN PRESENTING TO THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE, YEAH.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE THE TIME TO INCORPORATE FEEDBACK AND WE WILL BE, UM, IN CONVERSATION WITH THE IPB PANEL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD, AND, AND I ALSO, I GUESS KEEP ME HONEST IF I DO THIS RIGHT, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE STICK WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION OF WHAT WAS DISCUSSED AND ALSO WHAT CAME OUT OF THE WORKING GROUP TO HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY AND THE FINANCIALS UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR BASELINE IS WITH THE CLEAR COMPARISON, SO WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE STARTING WITH, WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, AND THAT WE ARE MAKING THE IMPACT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE ON BRINGING ART INTO THE CITY, AND THAT WE KEEP ART IN PUBLIC PACES INTEGRAL TO, UM, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN THE CITY.
UH, SO I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED, DO I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT? SO, ARE WE, IS IS, IS A IPP PULLING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT NO.
IS WE, WE ARE NOT PULLING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT, I MEAN ASK NOT ASKING ARTS COMMISSION TO APPROVE ANYTHING TONIGHT.
UH, ARTS COMMISSION CAN DO AS THEY SEE FIT IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMEND WITH THE INFORMATION AT HAND.
UH, I SHOWED YOU A NEW TIMELINE OF WHEN WE ARE PRESENTING TO COUNSEL, AND YOU HAVE, UH, A LETTER FROM THE A IBP PANEL WORKING GROUP THAT HAS PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION FROM THAT BODY.
UM, WITH THAT INFORMATION, YOU CAN MAKE, UH, ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU, AS THE ARTS COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION IN THAT LETTER.
THAT'S THE SIMPLEST WAY THAT I CAN PUT IT.
SOMEONE WANT A SECOND? WE HAVE A REC, WE HAVE RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT THE LETTER, UH, PRESENTED TO COMMISSION BY THE A IPP COUNT PANEL.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? UH, MORGAN HAD HER HAND UP.
UH, CHAIR HOUSTON, I HATE TO INTERRUPT WHEN YOU'RE TAKING THE ROLL CALL.
I, I DID WANNA CLARIFY FOR, UM, COMMISSIONER HUSSEINI THAT WHILE WE ARE PUSHING THE TIMELINE HERE, DUE TO THE, UM, NON QUORUM AT THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE, THERE'S NO CURRENT PLAN TO BRING THE ORDINANCE BACK TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PANEL.
LIKE THE VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN SEEN IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO GET ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM, FROM OUR, OUR PANEL OR OUR COMMISSION.
AND I JUST WASN'T QUITE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD HOW YOU WERE FRAMING, UH, HOW JAIME WAS SHARING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
SO TO BE AS CLEAR AS I CAN, I BELIEVE WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR THE FINANCIAL INPUT FOR TRANSPARENCY AROUND THAT.
THE BASELINE RELATED TO, I THINK IT'S LIKE THE 2% CALCULATION, AND IT WAS THE CONVERSATION WE HAD, I BELIEVE IT WAS LIKE TWO MEETINGS AGO, UM, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT.
AND I, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS LIKE THE FOOT TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING IN RIGHT NOW WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CLOSED, RIGHT? MM-HMM
UH, WHAT, WHAT IS OUR BASELINE THERE? AND IT'S A GOOD TIME TO LOOK AT THAT BASELINE BECAUSE THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CLOSED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HAVING THE IMPACT WE CAN, THAT WE ENSURE THAT OUR, AND I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THE POINT ANYMORE, BUT I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THE OUTCOME WE'RE TRYING TO DRIVE.
WHAT I CAN SHARE IS, UM, I ATTENDED THE A IPP PANEL LAST MONDAY WHEN THEY HELD IT AHEAD OF SENDING THIS LETTER FOR, OR MAYBE THAT WAS TWO MONDAYS AGO BEFORE THEY SENT THIS LETTER FORWARD.
AND, UM, THEY WERE REQUESTING PRETTY SPECIFIC DATA, AND I DID SHARE OVER EVERYTHING WITH THEM THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET UPON REQUESTS TO OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO PROCURE, LIKE WE HAVE ASKED MANY TIMES AND PUT TOGETHER SPREADSHEETS
[00:30:01]
BASED ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN SHARED.AND, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY GO BACK WITH THE ASK TONIGHT.
UM, AND I WILL, I'M GONNA REACH BACK OUT TO OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, FOR JAIME AND HIS TEAM AND MYSELF, EVERYONE AT ACNE, WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO LIKE DEPARTMENT SPREADSHEETS AND DEPARTMENT CALCULATIONS.
AND SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE HARD FOR US TO GET OUR HANDS ON THINGS.
AND TO THE POINT IN THE LETTER, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE PROJECT INFORMATION FOR RECENT PROJECTS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE BIGGER GLOBAL ASK IS, LIKE, THEY DON'T WANNA JUST SEE DATA FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
THEY WANNA SEE DATA FROM THE LAST 20 YEARS TO HELP DEMONSTRATE, UM, YOU KNOW, DEMONSTRATE HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE HISTORICALLY.
AND I, I'VE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ACQUIRING THAT DATA.
UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO KEEP TRYING, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THEY'VE NOT BEEN PLEASED WITH WHAT WE'VE GIVEN THEM AND HAS AND HELPED ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY STILL HAVE.
SO, BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, I NEED TO GET A SECOND ON THE MOTION TO SUPPORT THE LETTER THAT CAME OUT OF THE A IPP PANEL.
GOT A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER KEYS, NOW DISCUSSION.
I, UH, MS. MESSICK, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION THAT THE DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE NOW IS JUST MORE RECENT.
I APPRECIATE THE DIFFICULTY OF, OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I THINK FOR US TO FULFILL OUR RESPONSIBILITY, WE HAVE TO PUSH BACK AND ASK FOR MORE INFORMATION AND BUILD TOWARDS THAT TRANSPARENCY.
THOUGH I FULLY APPRECIATE, IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF A WILD GOOSE CHASE AND, AND VERY HARD FOR YOU AS IF Y'ALL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO ALREADY.
UM, I THINK I, I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE IN, EVEN THOUGH I'M SITTING UP HERE DISAGREEING.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE, AS THE COMMISSION CAN DO TO HELP GREASE WHEELS OR OPEN DOORS? MORGAN? MORGAN? SORRY, WAS THAT A QUESTION FOR ME? CAN YOU SAY IT ONE MORE TIME? I APOLOGIZE.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL? I'M SO SORRY.
I'M, I JUST MISSED THE QUESTION.
CAN YOU TELL ME ONE MORE? OH, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE AS A COMMISSION CAN DO TO OPEN DOORS OR GREASE THE WHEELS OR HELP FIND THAT? BECAUSE THAT HISTORICAL DATA IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A QUESTION FOR THE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, YES, I I THINK YOU'VE ALL BEEN INCREDIBLY HELPFUL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD FROM YOUR COUNCIL STAFF, LIKE THE FOLKS THAT, UH, YOU REPORT UP TO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN REALLY ENGAGED AND, UM, ASKING A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND SETTING MEETINGS AND MAKING ASKS.
I THINK, UH, IF YOU'RE IN SUPPORT OF THIS LETTER, MOVING THAT FORWARD, UM, TO COUNSEL IS PROBABLY THE BEST THING FROM THE COMMISSION'S PERSPECTIVE YOU CAN DO TO CONTINUE TO SHOW YOUR, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU STAND AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.
AND THEN THAT'LL GIVE US A LITTLE MORE PLATFORM TO WORK ON, UM, RESPONDING TO THOSE ASKS YOU'RE PUTTING FORWARD.
SO I JUST WANNA REAFFIRM THAT BEFORE ANY REVISIONS MOVE FORWARD, WE, WE REALLY WANNA RESOLVE THE DISCREPANCY IN THAT 2% CALCULATION AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, WHATEVER FINANCIAL DOCUMENTATION WE CAN HAVE AND THE COMPLETION OF AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT WOULD REALLY, REALLY BE HELPFUL.
AND REAFFIRMING, A IPP IS A REQUIRED CAPITAL PROJECT COST.
AND SO JUST, UH, REGISTERING THAT, AND I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON AT THIS POINT.
BUT WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND, AND I AGREE THAT IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO SIGN OFF ON THE PANEL'S LETTER AND FORWARD IT TO COUNSEL TO SAY THE COMMISSION SIGNS OFF WITH WHATEVER THE VOTE IS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ARE WE READY FOR THE QUESTION? ALL IN FAVOR TO, UH, CO-SIGN THE LETTER THAT CAME OUT OF THE ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PANEL AND FORWARD THAT TO COUNSEL.
PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE OR RAISING YOUR HAND.
ANY OPPOSED? SAYING NONE OPPOSED, UH, THE MOTION CARRIES.
HOW DO WE GO ABOUT, UM, DOING THAT? DO WE JUST SEND AN EMAIL THAT SAYS, WE WE AGREE WITH THIS LETTER AND WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE SAID IN THIS LETTER?
YOU PASSED THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO I, I UPLOAD THAT RECOMMENDATION TO AND THEN FORWARD IT, RIGHT?
[00:35:01]
BUT THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS JUST ARTS COMMISSION SUPPORTS, AND THEN THE LETTER, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST MONTH AS WELL WHEN WE OKAY.UM, BUT I THINK YOU AS WELL, WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE LIKE SITUATIONS, ALSO LET YOUR COMMISSIONER, WHEN YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON A LETTER RECOMMENDATION.
COMMISSIONER, YOUR COMMISSIONER, COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO THAT'S ON EACH OF US TO REACH OUT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER TO SAY THAT WE DID THIS RECOMMENDATION AND THAT IT MOVE FORWARD.
UM, THAT'S THE END OF ITEM 14.
[10. Discussion and possible action to approve possible collaboration with Coalition for Austin’s Arts & Spanish-Language Theatre for the expansion of the Latino Artist Access Program. ]
TO ITEM 10, DISCUSSION ON POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE POSSIBLE COLLABORATION WITH COALITION FOR ARTS AND ARTS AND SPANISH LANGUAGE THEATER TO THE EXPANSION OF THE LATINO ARTISTS ACCESS PROGRAM.AND I HAVE THREE SPEAKERS ON THAT.
HECTOR OR LUIS OR RAQUEL RIVERA.
Y'ALL WILL WANT TO COME FORWARD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES EACH BEFORE YOU START.
HECTOR, DO WE HAVE, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR MORE THAN ONE AGENDA ITEM, DO THEY SPEAK TWICE OR DO THEY GET THE, DO WE DO BOTH AGENDA ITEMS IN ONE COMMENT? I THINK WE'LL CALL FOR EACH ITEM.
I AM A, UH, MEMBER OF THREE COMMISSIONS HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, THE, UH, BUDGET, UH, WORK GROUP WITH THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMISSION, THE ARTS AND CULTURE WORK GROUP WITH THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION AND THE, UH, STRATEGIC, UH, PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER BOARD.
UH, I'M ALSO AN AUTO VISUAL PRODUCER, UH, DIRECTOR AND ARTIST.
WORKED IN AUSTIN FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, AND SINCE DAY ONE OF THE OPENING OF THE, UM, UM, MAC, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IN 2008.
NOW, ALL OF THIS HAS ALLOWED ME TO WORK, UH, WITH THESE COMMISSIONS THAT I MENTIONED, UM, AND OF COURSE, SHARE MY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE, UH, WHICH HAS LED AND WAS PART OF THE, UH, SIX RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION PASSED, UH, RECENTLY AND, AND MADE THEIR WAY TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
UH, NOW ONE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS PERTAIN, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO, UH, THIS ITEM, WHICH IS THE LATINO ARTIST RESIDENCE PROGRAM RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT THE MAC.
UM, AND, UH, THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS PASSED AND APPROVED, UH, VARIES IN SCOPE WITH, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS BROUGHT FORTH AND, UH, BY THE GROUP, UH, CAST.
UH, I BELIEVE THEY PRESENTED LAST MONTH.
AND, UH, IT, IT DIFFER, DIFFERS IN SCOPE AND, UH, IN MONETARY AMOUNTS.
UM, NOW BEING PART OF ALL THESE BOARDS, UH, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE MEMBERS.
UM, ACTUALLY RECEIVED A TOUR OF THE, UH, MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO TO REVIEW, UH, THE STATUS OF, UM, THE, UH, I GUESS THE FACILITIES.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THE ITEMS WERE VALUE ENGINEERED OUT, UM, WHICH IS ALSO TIES TO THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND, UM, I GUESS ALL THAT TO SAY THAT MEMBERS OF THESE COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING THE MAC BOARD, UM, THEY SHARE THE SENTIMENT THAT ALTHOUGH THIS IS A GREAT, UH, PROPOSAL BY THIS GROUP, UH, IT FALLS SHORT IN SCOPE AND IT'LL JUST PUT US BACK INTO THAT HAMSTER WHEEL OF, YOU KNOW, GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES AND NOT REALLY, UH, BEING ABLE TO ADVANCE, UM, INITIATIVES AND SUPPORT THE HISPANIC LATINO COMMUNITY, UH, WHICH IS, IS CRITICAL.
UM, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OF THE MAC, LARRY AMATO, HE COULD NOT BE HERE, UH, BUT HE ALSO SHARED THE SENTIMENT AND WANTED ME TO SHARE THAT, UH, WITH, WITH Y'ALL AS WELL.
UM, AND ALL THIS TO SAY THAT IT'S OBVIOUSLY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ALL ALIGNED, UH, AS A COMMUNITY, AS AN ARTIST, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET PROPER SUPPORT, UH, FOR OUR LIVELIHOODS.
UM, AND SO MY ASK I'LL CLOSE WITH, WITH THE ASK, UM,
[00:40:01]
I BELIEVE YOU GUYS HAVE, UH, AND HAVE RECEIVED PERHAPS THESE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE, UH, ONE OF THEM, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTS THE LATINO ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM.BUT IF NOT, UM, AND TO GO ABOUT IT A FORMAL WAY, UH, LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THESE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA, UH, FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTH, AND WE CAN PROVIDE FURTHER CLARITY, UM, PERHAPS HAVE, UM, MEMBERS OF THESE OTHER COMMISSIONS PRESENT, UH, THAT CAN AID IN, IN CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, UM, IN, IN SUPPORT FOR, FOR THIS, UH, ITEM.
UM, MY STATEMENT IS BRIEF AND IT'S REALLY AN UPDATE ON THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT THE MAC.
AND I THINK BEFORE WE CAN EVEN BEGIN AS A COMMUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM'S FUNDING, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM ITSELF.
IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, THE PROGRAM WAS PAUSED BECAUSE THERE WERE, UM, IDENTIFIED ISSUES WITH THE TRANSLATIONS IN THE APPLICATION.
ALL OF THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS THAT WERE IN THE APPLICATION FOR THE PROGRAM WERE FROM 2008.
IMAGES WERE, UH, THAT WERE ON THE APPLICATION IMAGES OF LIKE THE DANCE STUDIO.
AND THE, THE, THE BLACK BOX WERE ALL FROM 2013.
SO IT WAS OUTDATED INFORMATION.
UH, TRANSLATIONS WERE INCORRECT.
AND SO WITH ALL OF THESE ISSUES, ACME DECIDED TO PAUSE THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT THE MAC, NOT TO MENTION THAT THE MAC WAS STILL CLOSED AT THE TIME AND IS STILL CLOSED.
AND SO IN THAT MEETING, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE PROGRAM WOULD BE RELAUNCHED AFTER THE OPENING DATE.
NOW, LAST MONTH, THE M ADVISORY BOARD VOTED TO PAUSE THE PROGRAM'S LAUNCH UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
THEY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE GRAND OPENING AND THE FIRST YEAR OPERATIONS.
NOW, AS A RESIDENT ORGANIZATION AT THE MAC, WE, WE REALLY MOTIVATED THEM TO RECONSIDER THAT DECISION BECAUSE RELAUNCHING THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO TAKE ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS, AS WE ALL KNOW, ALL OF THE MOVING PIECES OF THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM.
AND IF WE WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR TO START TALKING ABOUT HOW TO RELAUNCH THIS PROGRAM, IT'S GONNA TAKE TWO YEARS BEFORE THIS RESIDENCY PROGRAM EVEN TAKES PLACE.
SO EVEN IF THERE'S FUNDING, WE HAVE NO PROGRAM, UM, SET UP AT THE MAC.
AND SO MY ASK NOW IS, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF MANY ORGANIZATIONS, IS BEFORE WE EVEN START TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THIS PROGRAM, CAN WE DIRECT ACME AND THE MAC ADVISORY BOARD TO RELAUNCH THE PROGRAM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO THE LATINO ARTS ECOSYSTEM.
WITHOUT A RESIDENT PROGRAM AT THE MAC, ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO PAY MARKET FULL RENTAL RATES.
NO ONE CAN AFFORD THAT AS A LATINO ARTIST.
AND, AND WE'RE TALKING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR RENTALS OF THESE SPACES AT THE MAC.
AND THIS WAS A CRITICAL ISSUE IN 2008 WHEN IT OPENED, AND IT TOOK FIVE YEARS FOR THE MAC TO CREATE THIS RESIDENCY PROGRAM THAT WAS LAUNCHED IN 2013, WHICH ALLOWED ARTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO, TO ESSENTIALLY RENT OUT AND USE THE FACILITY FOR ONLY $1 PER TICKET SOLD.
NOW, THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS COMMUNITY ARTISTS TO BE AT THE MAC.
WITHOUT THAT PROGRAM, THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE AS ARTISTS CAN BE AT THE SPACE.
I'M ACTUALLY ONLY, UM, GOING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 11.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? COMMISSIONERS, CHAIR, COMMISSIONER, CHARLA? UM, COULD, COULD ANYBODY PLEASE EDUCATE ME ON IF THIS, UM, HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE MARK BOARD? YES.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS NO, BUT LUIS IS COMING BACK TO, UH, HELLO.
SO THE MAC BOARD, UM, DID NOT PASS
[00:45:01]
THIS PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION.UM, THEY ONLY PASSED TWO OTHERS IN THEIR, UH, BUDGET.
I ALSO WANT NOTE THAT WE SHARED WITH THEM THE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WORKED TOGETHER WITH THE HISPANIC, LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND THEY DID NOT PASS THOSE EITHER.
THERE'S, UM, A CRITICAL SITUATION WITH THE IMEC ADVISORY BOARD, AND WE'VE SHARED IT TO THAT BODY PERSONALLY, IS, UM, IT'S A VERY BRAND NEW ADVISORY BOARD, AND THERE'S NO HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO, UM, THIS, I'M SO SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
COMMISSIONERS, YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WAS, I WAS ASKING THE
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION COMMISSIONERS? I DO FIND IT, I DO FIND IT CONCERNING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING THE GRAND OPENING AND THEN THERE'S NOTHING TO HAPPEN AFTER THE GRAND OPENING AND THAT, THAT
AND SO I'M NOT SURE, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO SOLVE THAT BESIDES GETTING PROGRAMMING UP.
BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GET PROGRAMMING UP IF WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING.
HEY, ARE WE ABLE TO ASK THE MAC TO COME PRESENT TO US AS FAR AS PROGRAMMING AND WHERE THEY'RE SEEKING FUNDING OR WHATNOT? NOW THAT IT'S BEING FUNDED BY IKE ME NEY.
UM, JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A STANDING STAFF UPDATE NOW FOR OUR CULTURAL SITES AND MUSEUMS. SO WE SKIPPED, UM, THAT SECTION AS WE MOVED THESE, UM, THESE ITEMS FORWARD.
BUT, UM, I KNOW MARJORIE AND MICHELLE WHO ARE THE MANAGERS FOR THOSE SPACES, THEY'LL BE DOING A PRESENTATION JUST TO GIVE YOU ALL UPDATES AS WELL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE PERSONALLY THAT WE TABLE THIS UNTIL AFTER WE HEAR FROM THE MAC.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA HEAR THE PRESENTATION NOW, BUT I WOULD EVEN TABLE IT TILL THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT WE COULD HEAR FROM ADVISORY GROUP PEOPLE OR SOMEONE MORE, THEY GIVE US MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN IS THAT, SO MY MOTION IS TO IS TO TABLE THE RECOMMENDATION TO HOLD ONTO THIS RECOMMENDATION AND TABLE IT TILL THE JUNE MEETING.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I CAN SECOND THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION? SO NO DISCUSSION.
I'M GONNA CALL THE QUESTION ALL IN FAVOR OF TAILORING, UH, THE MOTION ABOUT THE COLLABORATION WITH THE LATINO ARTIST ACCESS PROGRAM TO THE JUNE MUNI.
PLEASE, UH, SIGNIFY IN FAVOR BY SAYING, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED ME?
UM, WE'RE GONNA TABLE THAT UNTIL JUNE.
[11. Establish a working group with the Arts Commission, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) Advisory Board, and the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission to work with ACME to create recommendations for Spanish language access in the next round of Grant Fundings. ]
NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 11.ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP WITH THE ARTS COMMISSION
SO THIS IS WHAT'S ON THE TABLE, IS THAT WE DO A JOINT WORKING GROUP.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? OH, THAT'S PUBLIC.
I KEEP FORGETTING PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA, GOING BACK TO THE TOP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
ACTUALLY, LET'S DO RAQUEL FIRST.
'CAUSE RAQUEL HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK
UM, MY NAME IS RAQUEL RIVERA AND I AM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RO ANO AND FOUNDER OF STUDENT DANCE COMPANY.
UM, I AM HERE TODAY TO TALK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THIS AGENDA ITEM AS I AM ALSO PART OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE WORKING GROUP FOR THE HISPANIC QUALITY
[00:50:01]
OF LIFE.UM, AND WE FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TRY TO ALIGN RECOMMENDATIONS AND VISION FOR WHAT THAT, UM, ART LOOKS LIKE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF COMING TO THE ARTS COMMISSION MEETINGS AND THE MAC COMMISSION MEETINGS AND, UM, TRANSFERRING ALL OF THAT, UH, COMMUNICATION TO THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO HAVE THAT OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO REALLY LOVE TO BE PART OF THIS WORKING GROUP IF ALLOWED.
UM, BUT ALSO JUST TO KEEP THIS COMMUNICATION GOING AND MAKING SURE THAT, UM, ALL, YOU KNOW, PARTIES INVOLVED, SPECIFICALLY IN THIS CASE WITH, UM, THE HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITY, BUT IN GENERAL WITH ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, I THINK IT'S VERY NEEDED.
AND, UM, YEAH, I APPRECIATE THIS COMING INTO PLACE AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THE WORKING GROUP, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, HECTOR, AND THEN LOUISE.
UH, SO OF COURSE IN SUPPORT OF, UH, THIS INITIATIVE, I THINK IT'S A LONG TIME COMING, UM, TO HAVE, UH, AN ENTITY THAT CAN ADVOCATE FOR HISPANIC LATINO ARTISTS, UM, ACROSS THESE THREE BODIES AND HAVE, I WOULD SAY, ACTUAL, UH, INPUT, UM, WITH, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT, UM, COMMISSIONERS FROM, UH, MACK BOARD, AND ONCE AGAIN, LARRY AMATO, UH, CANNOT BE HERE, BUT HE EXPRESSED A SENTIMENT THAT HE, UM, HE'S LOOKING FORWARD, UM, TO THIS INITIATIVE IF IT PASSES.
UM, AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT IT.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, ONCE AGAIN.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO, TO SHARE SUPPORT OF THIS IDEA OF A CROSS COMMISSION WORKING GROUP, BECAUSE I THINK IT REFLECTS THE MULTICULTURAL, THE MULTIFACETED IDENTITY THAT AT LEAST, UH, YOU KNOW, A THIRD OF THIS CITY REPRESENTS, AND ITS LATINOS AND ITS SPANISH SPEAKING.
BUT FOR MYSELF AS AN IMMIGRANT AND AS A SPEAKER, THE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS REPRESENT A PART OF ME AND A PART OF MY COMMUNITY.
IT HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT TO IDEATE SOLUTIONS WITH EACH COMMISSION WHEN IT FEELS LIKE THAT IDENTITY IS SPLIT HERE.
IT'S ALL ARTISTRY AND CULTURE AND HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT'S ALL LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY AND IMMIGRATION RIGHTS.
BUT THERE IS AN INTERSECTION THAT, AND I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I LIVE DAILY, AND OUR CITY, I FEEL SPECIFICALLY IN THE LATINO ARTS ECOSYSTEMS, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SOLUTIONS THAT HOLD, THAT INTERSECTED IDENTITY OF OUR ARTISTIC COMMUNITY.
SO A WORKING GROUP WITH THESE THREE OFFICIAL BODIES, IN MY PERCEPTION, WOULD REALLY PUSH IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS FASTER.
AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH IN THESE COMMISSIONS.
WE CAN SHARE INFORMATION, WE CAN SHARE SOLUTIONS, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE LIMITED, UH, VOICE.
AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, A WORKING GROUP COMPRISED OF THESE THREE COMMISSIONS WOULD REALLY, REALLY CHANGE AND ADDRESS CRITICAL ISSUES THAT THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS FACING CURRENTLY.
OH, I, I FORGOT IF I WOULD SUGGEST A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CHANGE OF THAT WORKING TITLE.
I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW IT'S AS, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR SPANISH LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY, BUT THE LATINO ECOSYSTEM IS IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY.
YOU KNOW, THE ONLY CULTURAL CENTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR NEARLY SIX YEARS.
OUR ARTISTS CONTINUE TO BE LEFT OUT OF THE FUNDING PROCESS FOR MANY FACTORS, AND THIS WORKING GROUP WOULD REALLY ENSURE THAT SOLUTIONS ADDRESS THE MULTIPLE FACTORS IN THE, IN THE LATINO.
SO CHANGING THAT TITLE TO MAYBE THE LATINO ECOSYSTEM, UM, WOULD BE SOMETHING BENEFICIAL.
[00:55:01]
YOU.JUST REALLY QUICK, I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO BE, UM, THE FUND MISER TONIGHT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, COMMISSIONS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CREATE A JOINT BOARD OR COMMISSION WITHOUT, UM, BEING DIRECTED BY A FORMAL ACTION OF COUNSEL TO DO SO.
SO THIS WAS, UH, CLARIFICATION THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE THAT WE, THAT YOU AS A BODY CANNOT BE, UM, THE ORIGINATOR OF THAT THING.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US KNOW THAT.
THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE.
SO, UH, WE, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS TO ESTABLISHING, BECAUSE WE CAN'T ESTABLISH IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHO MIGHT BE WILLING TO SPEARHEAD WITH THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER GETTING THIS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CREATED, CHANGING THE LANG.
I, I AGREE WITH CHANGING THE LANGUAGE, AND I GOT A, A EMAIL FROM SOMEONE ON THE HISPANIC LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE THAT ASKED, I THINK COMMISSIONER MALDONADO WAS COPIED ON IT, ASKED US TO EXPAND THAT LANGUAGE SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST LANGUAGE ACCESS BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE, THERE'S A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, UH, AGAIN, I THINK BEFORE WE EVEN HAVE A DISCUSSION, WE KIND OF NEED TO HEAR THE REPORT FROM THE CULTURAL CENTERS TODAY FROM STAFF, BUT LET'S NOT LOSE IT.
WE CAN CLOSE THIS AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE WE CAN'T ACT ON IT.
[3. Explore a Special Called joint meeting with the Music Commission ]
THE AGENDA.ITEM NUMBER THREE, EXPLORE A SPECIAL CALLED JOINT MEETING WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
WHO ADDED THAT TO THE AGENDA? I THINK I HAD BROUGHT THAT UP LAST TIME.
THAT WAS, AND THEN WE FIGURED OUT THAT WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT SOME DATES POSSIBLY.
SO LET'S, I THINK THAT'S, THAT REALLY SHOULD BE THE ACTION ITEM AS, UH, AND, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER MAYOR CHARLIE IS THE CHAIR OF THE MUSIC COMMISSIONER, SO, SO SHE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
SO THIS IS USUALLY, UM, A SEPARATE DATE THAT'S, UM, ALLOCATED, UH, TO HAVE A JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING.
WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST.
UM, AND, UH, UH, COULD, STAFF COULD ADVISE ON LIKE, HOW MANY SPECIAL MEETINGS WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE IN A QUARTER? I THINK WE'RE LIMITED TO ONE A QUARTER.
SO WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT'S HAPPENING ON OUR END.
UM, SO I THINK THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION HERE WOULD BE TO COME UP WITH SOME POTENTIAL DATES, UH, FOR HAVING THIS JOINT MEETING.
AND THEN WE CAN BOUNCE THOSE DATES OFF AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
AND I THINK THE CHAIRS COULD WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH SOME CONSENSUS ON THAT.
IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY DAYS OF THE WEEK THAT WORK WELL FOR PEOPLE? TUESDAYS,
I CAN'T, I CAN'T SEE WHO'S GOT THEIR HAND UP.
I, I GUESS, UH, MY QUESTION WAS, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE, THE JOINT MEETING? UM, USUALLY IT'S BEEN TO, UH, WELL SHARE NOTES.
UH, WE ARE ALL ALSO WORKING WITH ACME.
UH, SO THERE IS VALUE IN, UH, SHARING, YOU KNOW, HOW WE ARE APPROACHING THINGS.
UH, IN THE PAST WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO MAKE, UH, JOINT RECOMMENDATIONS WHERE IT'S BEEN, UH, UH, VALUABLE TO US.
SO USUALLY THE CHAIRS, UH, WORK TOGETHER ON THE AGENDA FOR THAT SPECIAL MEETING.
THAT, THAT WOULD, THIS WOULD BE MY FIRST TIME.
SO I JUST WAS HONESTLY CURIOUS AS, UM, THIS WOULD BE, THIS IS FROM NEW TERRITORY FOR ME, SO THANK YOU FOR THE CONTEXT.
AND IT HASN'T HAPPENED OFTEN 'CAUSE I, IT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, SO, AND THAT'S THREE YEARS NOW, ANY DAYS OF THE WEEK THAT ARE OFF LIMITS THAT PEOPLE JUST CANNOT ABSOLUTELY DO.
YEAH, IT COULD BE, UM, SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
IT'S, UH, IT TOTALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT, WHAT WORKS.
WOULD THE, I CAN'T DO TUESDAYS BETTER.
WOULD THE QUORUM BE LIKE A COMBINED QUORUM?
[01:00:01]
UH, NO.WITH EVERYONE OR, I THINK IT HAS TO BE, UM, FROM ARTS AND QUORUM, FROM MUSIC, FROM ART, YEAH.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT TEDIOUS IF WE ALL PROVIDE OUR AVAILABILITY.
LIKE I, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, I'M JUST TRYING TO, I'M JUST TRYING TO PIN PAT PINPOINT OUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CANNOT LOOK AT.
I MEAN, LIKE, I HAVE TRAVEL COMING UP, SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC DAYS DON'T MATTER AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE FOR EVERYONE CONSIDERING SUMMERS COMING UP.
SO, SO IF I MAY, MAY I, UH, SORRY.
UM, ALSO, WE DID HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING.
WELL, OUR SPECIAL MEETING GOT CANCELED THE OTHER DAY FOR THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
SO WOULD THAT
WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT AND THEN WE CAN EACH PERMISSION FOR THE AVAILABILITY, BECAUSE THEORETICALLY THERE WAS A SPECIAL CALL, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SO CLARIFICATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, UM, WHICH WE CAN GET TOMORROW.
ALSO, JUST ANOTHER QUICK QUESTION WOULD BE THEN, UM, IF IT'S ONE, ONE PER QUARTER, IS IT A ROLLING QUARTER OR IS IT TILL JUNE? SO NOW WE CAN ONLY HAVE THIS MEETING IN JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OR IS IT ANY, ANY ROLLING QUARTER? SO IT'S A SPECIFIC QUARTER, AND I FORGET THE EXACT PERIOD OFF MY DATE, BUT I WANNA SAY LIKE THE QUARTER STARTS ON SEPTEMBER, SO IT'S KINDA WEIRD.
UM, SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR, WHICH STARTS OCTOBER 1ST, I BELIEVE THE QUARTER STARTS SEPTEMBER.
SO IT'S ONE, BUT IT'S, IT'S ONE IN THAT QUARTER.
SO WITHIN WHATEVER THAT THREE MONTH PERIOD IS, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, ET CETERA.
SO IF THE, WE CAN DO FROM JUNE.
SO IF THE, IF THE COUNTED MUSIC COMMISSION, IF THE MUSIC COMMISSION CALLED MEETING COUNTS, THEN WE CAN'T MEET AGAIN UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
WE CAN, UH, WE CAN MEET FROM JUNE ONWARDS, BASICALLY.
NOT, NOT IF THE, NOT, IF THE YEAR STARTS IN SEPTEMBER.
YEAH, IT'S EVERY QUARTER WE CAN HAVE ONE SPECIAL MEETING.
BUT IF THE YEAR STARTS IN SEPTEMBER, THE FIRST QUARTER IS NOVEMBER, THE SECOND QUARTER IS FEBRUARY THE THIRD QUARTER IS MAY, THE FOURTH QUARTER IS AUGUST.
SO IF IT'S THE CALENDAR QUARTER, UH, IS THAT IN YOUR MEETING COUNT? THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO.
I'M, I'M GOING OFF MY MEMORY, BUT I KNOW IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WEIRD, BUT WE CAN LOOK IN TO SEE WHAT THE SPECIFIC DATES ARE FOR THE QUARTER.
IT MAYBE IT POINT, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE'LL LOOK INTO.
NO, WE PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET ANYTHING IN MAY ANYWAY.
UH, PLEASE, UH, CHAIR, GO AHEAD.
UM, COMMISSIONER CHARLA, MAL MAL, MAL
I, OKAY, SO I'M KIND OF FOLLOWING KEY'S LEAD.
UM, I THINK I'M KIND OF JUST, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD BE THE CHAIRS COMING UP WITH A, AN AGENDA.
I JUST THINK THERE'S SO MUCH WORK WE'RE WE ALREADY NEED TO DO AS AN ARTS COMMISSION.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING, OR AT LEAST I DON'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING WITH SO MANY NEW COMMISSIONERS.
SO I JUST DON'T KNOW LIKE HOW PRODUCTIVE IT WOULD BE WITHOUT KNOWING I WOULD PERSONALLY, UH, WOULD BE WILLING TO GIVE UP AND VOLUNTEER SOME TIME IF I KNEW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LIKE, THAT THE CHAIRS HAVE ALREADY TALKED AND WHAT KIND OF AGENDA ITEMS WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT IN A SPECIAL MEETING.
I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH FREE TIME, TO BE HONEST.
YEAH, I THINK, I THINK, UH, THEN, UH, IN THAT SITUATION, AND ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS INTEREST IN, UH, UH, THE ARTS COMMISSION INDEPENDENTLY HAVING ITS OWN SPECIAL RETREAT AS WELL, UH, OF SOME SORT, UH, WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE THAT.
AND, UH, WE WILL, UH, TABLE THIS FOR, UH, NEXT YEAR.
UM, I BELIEVE THE CITY QUARTER SHOULD, THE FIRST QUARTER SHOULD START IN OCTOBER, BUT, UH, IT WOULD STILL BE GOOD TO KNOW, UH, FROM STAFF, UH, WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT EXACTLY IS.
UH, I WOULD SEE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND THEY'RE ON EVERY QUARTER.
SO IF WE WERE TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING, WHETHER IT'S FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION OR FOR A JOINT MEETING, I, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO ONE, UH, FROM NOW TILL SEPTEMBER.
SO IF WE HAVE A, IF WE HAVE A JOINT MEETING THAT'S SPECIAL, THEN WE CAN'T HAVE OUR OWN SPECIAL MEETING UNTIL THE NEXT QUARTER.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON
[4. Staff briefing on Creative Reset Part 2 with Candice Cooper, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, ACME. ]
TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, STAFF READING ON CREATIVE RESET, PART TWO, CANDACE COOPER, INTERIM CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ACME.[01:05:01]
BEEN HERE SINCE 4 45 WAITING ON Y'ALL.SO, UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, CHAIR HOUSTON AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WILL BE LISTENING TO THIS PRESENTATION LATER ON.
UM, I HOPE THAT THIS FIND THIS TODAY FINDS YOU WELL.
MY NAME IS CANDACE COOPER, I'M THE INTERIM CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR ACME ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.
AND I FIRST WANT TO, AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING ME BACK TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CREATIVE RESET.
BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO PHASE TWO AND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY, UM, JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE WHO MAY BE NEW, UH, TO THE COMMISSION THAT THE CREATIVE RESET, UM, KICKED OFF IN APRIL OF 2025, SOON AFTER ACME WAS CREATED.
AND WHAT IT IS, IS IT'S OUR WAY TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WE BROKE THE CREATIVE RESET INTO FOUR DIFFERENT PHASES.
SO PHASE ONE FOCUSED A LOT ON GRANTS AND OUR FUNDING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
PHASE TWO FOCUSES ON THE, UH, CULTURAL FACILITIES, THE SITES THAT WE HAVE, OUR MUSEUMS, ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS, ET CETERA.
THAT'S THE ONE YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT TODAY.
UH, PHASE THREE FOCUSES ON SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, IN ADDITION TO, UM, ALTERNATIVE FUNDING OPTIONS FOR ACME.
AND THEN PHASE FOUR, WHICH IS OUR FINAL PHASE OF THE CREATIVE RESET, BASICALLY LOOKS INTO EVERYTHING THAT WE MISS, AND IT ALSO LOOKS INTO PROGRAM EVALUATION.
AND THEN WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UM, BASICALLY ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE MISSED WITHIN, UM, PHASE FOUR FA, THE CREATIVE RESET.
SO TO THIS EVENING, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FACILITIES.
SO IN TERMS OF ACME, THESE ARE ALL OF THE FACILITIES HERE NOTED THAT ACME HAS WITHIN ITS PORTFOLIO.
AS A REMINDER, THESE FACILITIES WERE UNDER THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE ALSO HAD, UM, A COUPLE OF THEM, WELL AT LEAST ONE I KNOW WAS UNDER HOUSING.
AND SO THE FACILITIES THAT WE, THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE ALL OF THE FACILITIES THAT ACME NOW MANAGES.
SO THE CREATIVE RESET PHASE TWO LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER OF 2025.
THIS PICTURE THAT YOU SEE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES OF MS. CHRISTINE.
SHE IS OUR MARKETING REP OVER AT THE, UH, CARVER CENTER.
AND THEN BEHIND HER IS JAY, OUR SUPERVISOR.
BUT THIS IS ONE OF OUR OPEN HOUSES THAT WE, UM, THAT WE DID IN THE FALL.
AND DURING THIS TIME, WE OPENED THE DOORS AND ALLOW FOLKS TO COME IN AND JUST PROVIDE US INPUT ON, UM, THE FACILITIES.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE FACILITIES KIND OF NAMED HERE.
INDIVIDUALS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THEIR INSIGHTS, THEIR THOUGHTS.
WE FOCUSED ON HOW SHOULD WE USE OUR FACILITIES, WHAT TYPES OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING, UM, ET CETERA.
SO WE JUST OPENED UP THE DOORS AND SAID, COME ON IN AND TALK TO US.
SO WE DID THAT BETWEEN OCTOBER AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH JANUARY.
AND SO WE USED A SURVEY FOCUS GROUPS, OPEN HOUSES.
WE HAD ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND WHAT'S CALLED THIS JEFF JEFFERSONIAN STYLE DINNER WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM.
AND WHAT WE HEARD OUT OF THAT IS WE WANT MORE, WE WANT MORE ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO WE THOUGHT WE WERE FINISHED, UM, AT THE END OF JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY.
BUT WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR MORE INPUT.
AND SO WE'VE OPENED IT UP TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
BUT WHAT WE ALSO LOOKED AT IS HISTORICAL DATA.
UH, WE LOOKED AT THE LAST FIVE YEARS, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH PHASE ONE.
WE LOOKED AT FIVE YEARS OF HISTORIC DATA.
UM, SOME OF THE VISION PLANS THAT WERE DONE AT THE FACILITIES AS WELL, WE INCORPORATED IT.
UM, ALSO THE DATA THAT WE RECEIVED DURING PHASE ONE.
SO DURING PHASE ONE, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURED THAT WHILE WE WERE, UM, TRANSITIONING INTO PHASE TWO.
DURING PHASE TWO, WE ALSO DID A LOT OF, UH, RESEARCH AND BENCHMARKING.
AND SO ALL OF THE SITES HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN PROVIDE A VISION PLAN.
THE SITE MANAGERS, ALONG WITH THE STAFF LOOKED AT HOW THEY EVEN SAW THE FACILITY BASED ON THEIR, UH, EXPERTISE THAT THEY HAVE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT, WE PERFORMED AN INTERNAL ASSESSMENT WHERE WE LOOKED AT HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE AND LOOKED AT EFFICIENCIES AND WHERE WE CAN BE MORE CONSISTENT IN OUR OFFERINGS.
AND SOME OF THE BENCHMARKING THAT WE PERFORMED WERE NOT ONLY, UM, JUST WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT WE LOOKED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND EVEN SOME INTERNATIONALLY.
[01:10:01]
WE COMPARED SITE, IT WAS A, TRIED TO DO A SITE BY SITE COMPARISON, BUT WE ALSO EVEN LOOKED AT KIND OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER MUSEUMS, UM, ACROSS OUR NATION ARE, ARE DOING.SO HERE'S SOME OF THE TOP EIGHT THINGS THAT WE HEARD.
AND SO AGAIN, I'VE TALKED TO YOU ALL ABOUT FROM OCTOBER ALL THE WAY THROUGH LATE JANUARY, A LITTLE BIT INTO FEBRUARY, WE WERE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE TOP EIGHT PRIORITIES THAT YOU SEE HERE IS WHAT WE HEARD.
UM, PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY ASSETS, REDUCING ACCESS BARRIERS.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT CAME UP QUITE OFTEN.
AND SOME OF THE BARRIERS INCLUDED TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING.
UM, SOME OF IT ALSO IN INCLUDED JUST KIND OF PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY AND LANGUAGE ACCESS WAS ALSO A BIG ONE.
UM, IN TERMS. THE THIRD WAS ALIGNING OUR STAFF CAPACITY WITH DEMAND.
UM, ENSURING THAT OUR CURRENT STAFFING, LI STAFFING LIMITATIONS DID NOT IMPACT OUR HOURS OF OPERATION OR OUR OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED WERE THAT WE WOULD, THEY WOULD COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INVESTMENT HAPPENING IN THE FACILITIES.
UM, IN ADDITION TO A FOCUS ON PROVEN PROGRAMMING PRIORITIES.
MEANING WHAT, WHAT PROGRAMS ARE WORKING, WHAT PROGRAMS ARE NOT WORKING, WHICH ONES ARE A SUCCESS, AND WHAT PROGRAMS DO OUR COMMUNITY REALLY WANT FROM US? UM, STRENGTHENING COMMUNICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
EVERY SITE COMMUNICATES A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.
WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITY IS WE WANT TO BE MORE THE, THE COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE CLEAR, EASIER FOR THE AUDIENCE TO UNDERSTAND.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA HEAR ABOUT RENTALS A LITTLE BIT LATER.
MARJORIE IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF OUR SPACES AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THOSE SPACES AND PARTNER WITH US.
AND SO WHAT WE HEARD AT A LOT OF OUR FOCUS GROUPS IS HOW DO WE MAKE IT EASIER FOR FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO ACCESS THE SPACES AND HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THAT INFORMATION? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT, UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR FACILITIES WERE IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, THEY WERE SILOED AND THEIRS, THEIR PROCESSES WERE VERY DIFFERENTLY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, THROUGH OUR ASSESSMENT AS HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE AND BE MORE EFFICIENT AND OUR DELIVERY AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS BALANCING AFFORDABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ADVANCING A SYSTEM-WIDE COORDINATION.
SO THEREFORE, THAT OUR, OUR FACILITIES ARE NOT SILOED, BUT THAT WE ARE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND.
SO THIS WEEK WE ARE LAUNCHING THREE FOCUS GROUPS.
SO YOU GUYS HAD ME AT THE PERFECT TIME, 'CAUSE I CAN ANNOUNCE THESE.
SO BEGINNING TOMORROW WE WILL HAVE A VIRTUAL FOCUS GROUP FROM NOON.
SO IT'S AROUND LUNCHTIME, BASICALLY.
I WILL FACILITATE THESE CONVERSATIONS, AND IN IT WE'RE GONNA TALK, WE'RE GONNA DEEP DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER.
WHAT WE HEARD IS A LOT OF BROAD CONVERSATION THROUGH OUR FIRST ENGAGEMENT PHASE.
THIS PHASE WE REALLY, REALLY WANNA GET INTO, WHEN YOU SAY AFFORDABILITY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, STREAMLINING AN APPLICATION.
THOSE ARE JUST WORDS, BUT I NEED TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
YOU LOOKING FOR A ONE STOP SHOP, ONE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND ACCESS ALL FACILITIES? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, IN ADDITION TO HOURS, FOLKS WERE TALKING ABOUT, WE SHOULD EXTEND OUR HOURS, WE'LL EXTEND THEM TO WHEN SHOULD IT BE SEASONAL? ARE YOU ALL LOOKING FOR MIDNIGHT? 2:00 AM I ACTUALLY DID HEAR THAT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOMEONE SAID THEY WANTED TO ACCESS THE SITES AT TWO 8:00 AM SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IS IT ON SUNDAYS OR SATURDAYS? AND THEN WE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF ABOUT WHEN IS THERE MORE FOOT TRAFFIC DURING THE DAY? AND SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE'RE GONNA DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER AND FIND SOME MORE TANGIBLE THINGS THAT WE CAN BRING OUT OF PHASE TWO.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS TO ENHANCE.
SO THIS WEEK, BEGINNING ON TOMORROW, WE WILL HAVE A NOON FOCUS GROUP.
WEDNESDAY WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER NOON FOCUS GROUP.
AND THEN, UM, AN EVENING FOCUS GROUP ON WEDNESDAY.
THE SURVEY IS STILL OPEN, THE SURVEY IS STILL OPEN.
IT HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE OCTOBER.
SO ANYONE WHO CANNOT ATTEND THE FOCUS GROUPS THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY.
I HAVE PROVIDED THE LINK HERE IN TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
AND THEN ALSO YOU CAN EMAIL US.
SOME FOLKS JUST SAID, HEY, CANDACE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I JUST WANT TO EMAIL YOU.
WHERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EMAIL THE SITES? AND SO HERE'S AN EMAIL AND WE ARE OPEN TO RECEIVE
[01:15:01]
ALL OF THAT.YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT US DIRECTLY.
I HAVE HAD ALSO ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS WELL.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT KICKING OFF IN OCTOBER OF 2025 WAS THE KICKOFF.
UM, I'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL KIND OF WHAT WE DID BETWEEN THAT OCTOBER TO DECEMBER, UM, IN JANUARY ALL THE WAY THROUGH FEBRUARY.
AND WE DID ANALYZE SOME PRELIMINARY DATA THAT WE RECEIVED.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE WANT MORE.
BUT WHAT WE ALSO HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS, WELL, WHAT WE REALIZED IS HONESTLY, THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT IT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE TANGIBLE.
AND I TALKED TO YOU ALL ABOUT THAT IN A APRIL THROUGH JUNE, THIS IS WHEN WE WILL BE PUBLISHING OUR DATA.
YOU KNOW, ACME STANDS ON TRANSPARENCY.
AND SO WE ARE UTILIZING A PUBLIC INPUT PAGE IN ORDER TO SHARE ALL OF THE DATA THAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD, UM, REGARDING THE REPORTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, THE DATA THAT WE'VE HEARD.
ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED, I'M HOPING THIS MONTH.
AND THEN WE ARE AGAIN, HOSTING OUR V VIRTUAL FOCUS GROUPS.
WE HAVE, UM, ACTIVATED THE ACME WORKING GROUP, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL ON FEEDBACK.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE INTERNAL STAFF SESSIONS, UM, AS WELL.
WE'RE ALSO ENCOURAGING MEMBERS OF BOARDS TO PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR INPUT.
UM, I TALKED ABOUT THE KIND OF THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN DO.
SO WHETHER YOU JOIN A F FOCUS GROUP, A SURVEY, CONTACT ME DIRECTLY TO MEET WITH ME AND ARE EMAILING YOU YOUR INFORMATION.
I HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED EMAILS, UM, FROM SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER KEYS ON THIS.
COMMISSIONER HAS SENT OVER, UM, SEVERAL, UH, EMAILS IN REGARDS TO HER FEEDBACK.
AND SO ALL OF THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION WILL GO INTO OUR PROCESS.
WE PLAN TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THE FEEDBACK INTO A FINAL REPORT.
AND THAT REPORT WE ARE HOPING TO, UM, TO PUBLISH IN AUGUST.
WHAT THAT REPORT WILL LOOK LIKE IS ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR SITE.
AND WHEN WE SAY ENHANCEMENTS, WHAT WE MEAN IS WE'LL TAKE IN THE FEEDBACK.
WE ARE GONNA MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, AND WE WILL PROVIDE MORE OF A STREAMLINED, CLEAR PROCESS IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT OUR SERVICE DELIVERY IS TOP NOTCH FOR AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
I TALKED ABOUT PUBLISHING THE DATA FOR ME, THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE THAT DATA AVAILABLE.
AND SO THE, THE HOPE IS THAT THIS MONTH, WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THAT WE'LL HAVE THE DATA POSTED.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I TALKED ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE WILL HAVE.
WE WILL THEN ANALYZE ALL OF THE FINDINGS AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW OUR SITE SHOULD REMOVE FORWARD.
THAT FINAL REPORT WILL HAVE ALL OF THOSE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
NOW, I HAVE IN HERE MODIFIED TIMELINES.
AS YOU ALL MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX IS A NEWER FACILITY, UM, FOR, SINCE THE NI LATE NINETIES.
IT'S OPERATED WITH A THIRD PARTY ENTITY AND AC IT JUST TRANSITIONED OVER TO ACME IN NOVEMBER ONE.
SO WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THAT TRANSITION PERIOD, BUT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT WHAT IS MORE FEASIBLE FOR THAT SITE IN THE FUTURE.
REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE MON TOPLESS NEGRO SCHOOL IS ALSO A, UM, A FACILITY THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE WILL BE ACTIVATING IT FOR JUNETEENTH, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT USING THE LAWN FOR THAT.
BUT IT IS STILL IN THE VISION PLANNING MODE.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, PROCESS WITH THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE MONTOPOLIS COMMUNITY.
AND THEN CONLEY YEARWOOD, WHICH IS KNOWN IN EAST AUSTIN AS THE PINK HOUSE, THAT HOUSE IS, UM, IS STILL CURRENTLY WITH HOUSING, BUT WILL BE TRANSITIONING OVER TO ACME, UM, AS SOON AS IT IS AVAILABLE.
AND OUT OF THE, IT'S GOING THROUGH, UM, SOMEWHAT OF A LITIGATION PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
SO ONCE THAT IS COMPLETE, THEN IT WILL BE, UM, ACCESSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
I, SO THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE FOR THE CREATIVE RESET PHASE TWO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
WHERE DOES Z OR HILLSIDE FALL? YES.
SO ZILKER HILLSIDE IS ONE OF THE, UM, IT FALLS UNDER THE DAC.
AND SO WITH THE DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER? YES, MA'AM.
UM, SO IN THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH CENTER, UH, WHEN DO YOU, WHEN DO YOU, I KNOW IT'S BEEN LIKE THERE FOR A WHILE AND IT'S KIND OF DILAPIDATED, SO WHEN DO YOU THINK THERE'S GONNA BE
[01:20:01]
A SPECIFIC BUDGET OR IDEA OF WHAT THE NEXT NEXT STEPS ARE? BECAUSE, 'CAUSE IN THE GRAPEVINE, I HAVE HEARD A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT I DON'T WANNA MENTION IT UNLESS IT COMES UP FROM ACAI.UM, SO THE MILLENNIUM YOUTH, UM, ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS WE ARE, THERE'S A BOARD, THE A-R-C-D-C BOARD, AND LET ME SEE, AUSTIN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
DON'T GIVE ME THE QUOTING, THE, YOU KNOW, WE USE ACRONYMS HERE, PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO MUCH.
UM, BUT THE A-R-C-D-C BOARD HAS BEEN, HAS HAD THE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY OVER THE MILLENNIUM CENTER.
AND AGAIN, IT JUST, THEY'VE TRANSITIONED THAT AUTHORITY OVER TO ACME.
WE HAVE ACTIVELY, WE'RE ACTIVELY PROGRAMMING IT NOW, UM, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY EXCITING.
WE ARE ACTIVELY PROGRAMMING IT.
YOU'RE GONNA SEE A HUGE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING A FILM FESTIVAL AND SOME OTHER, UM, ACTIVATIONS DURING LIKE OUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.
BUT FOR, IN TERMS OF LONG-TERM PLANNING, WE ARE LOOKING AT A, UM, LOOKING AT A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND WHAT COULD BE FEASIBLE FOR THAT SPACE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? UH, COMMISSIONER KEYS? UM, YES.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOU MEETING WITH ME.
UM, BUT MY QUESTION STILL STANDS ABOUT, UM, LIKE, AND I JUST CHECKED ON NOVEMBER, I THINK IT WAS 19TH LAST YEAR, I REACHED OUT ABOUT, UM, THE UN UNINTENDED BIAS IN THE SURVEY.
AND I POINTED IT OUT IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY QUESTION.
AND I ASKED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THE, UM, COMMUNICATION WAS THAT THE CREATIVE RESET PHASE TWO SURVEY WAS, UM, USED OF COURSE NOT ONLY AS THE ONLY LIKE, UH, IDENTIFIER, BUT AS ONE OF THE MEANS OF, OR METHODS OF COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS USED TO IDENTIFY WHAT RESOURCES OR WHERE RESOURCES WOULD GO BASED ON THE SURVEY AND THE INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS.
AND SO, UM, I JUST LOOKED AT THE SURVEY BECAUSE I REMEMBER, UM, IN THE PRESENTATION YOU SAID IT WAS STILL OPEN.
AND SO I LOOKED TO SEE IF ANY OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I HAD GIVEN WAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND IT WASN'T, UM, OR IT HADN'T BEEN CHANGED.
AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, I GAVE, THE VERY FIRST QUESTION WAS, IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, WHICH CITY OWNED SITES HAVE YOU VISITED OR ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH? AND THERE WERE SIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIASES IN THAT QUESTIONS.
UM, THERE WAS ACCESS BIAS, CONFLATION BIAS, TEMPORAL BIAS, AVAILABILITY BIAS, STRUCTURAL INEQUITY BIAS, AS WELL AS INTERPRETATION BIAS.
AND I POINTED IT OUT AND GAVE EVERY EXAMPLE.
AND THAT WAS IN 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, UM, 10 11 OF THE QUESTIONS.
AND I THINK IT WAS ONLY LIKE 13 OR 15 OF THE QUESTIONS.
AND SO, YEAH, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WAS ANY OF THAT FEEDBACK TAKEN? BECAUSE IF NOT, HOW IS THAT NOT PERPETUATING THE INEQUITIES? FOR EXAMPLE, IF I CANNOT GO TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE FACILITY BECAUSE OF THE LAST YEAR, IT MAY HAVE BEEN UN MAY HAVE ONLY BEEN OPEN THREE MONTHS OF THE LAST YEAR, THEN IF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO VISIT IT, IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE INTEREST IN IT, IT'S BECAUSE IT WASN'T OPEN OR STAFFED IN ORDER TO BE O TO BE UTILIZED.
AND SO EVEN IN JUST THAT ONE EXAMPLE, THAT'S ALREADY PUTTING SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT ARE UNDER-RESOURCED, UNDERSTAFFED, UNDERUTILIZED ON UNEQUAL FOOTING.
AND SO I TRIED TO POINT THAT OUT AS SOON AS I WAS AWARE OF THE SURVEY AND I TOOK THE SURVEY BECAUSE I DON'T, JUST WONDERING HOW THAT ISN'T GOING TO CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SINCE JUNE, 2024.
SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KEYS FOR YOUR COMMENT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
UM, IN TERMS OF HOW WE SUBMIT OUR SURVEYS, OUR SURVEYS AGAIN IS JUST ONE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK AND DATA WE HAVE RECEIVED.
UM, EVEN YOUR EMAIL THAT YOU SENT US IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, SURVEY EVEN THAT IS GOING INTO OUR FEEDBACK SESSION, OUR FEEDBACK THAT WE ARE RECEIVING.
SO AGAIN, WE'VE HAD ONE-ON-ONE.
WE HAVE HAD, UM, ONE-ON-ONE OPPORTUNITIES WITH STAFF.
WE'VE HAD FOCUS GROUPS, WE'VE HAD TOWN HALL HELD TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
WE'VE ALSO HELD VIRTUAL FOCUS GROUPS, THE JEFFERSONIAN STYLE AND ALSO THE SURVEY.
DIFFERENT PEOPLE RECEIVE INFORMATION DIFFERENTLY.
AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE ARE JUST COLLECTING DATA.
WE'RE COLLECTING DATA, AND THAT DATA WILL BE USED TO HELP US WITH HOW WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE
[01:25:01]
DEL SERVICE DELIVERY.NOW, TO YOUR POINT, THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAVE OCCURRED.
COVID IS ONE OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, THE MAC HAS NOT EVEN BEEN OPENED.
UM, THERE WE ARE ALSO AWARE OF CERTAIN STAFFING CHALLENGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST.
THESE SITES HAVE BEEN IN DIFFERENT, UM, UNDER DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SO THERE ARE SITUATIONS WITH EVERY, EVERY SINGLE, UM, FACILITY THAT WE ARE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND SO I GUESS WHERE, WHERE I AM GOING TO PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ON IS SO THAT YOU CAN KNOW THAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHO IS ACCESSING OUR FACILITY.
WHEN ARE YOU ACCESSING THE FACILITY, AND WHAT ARE YOU COMING IN FOR? THAT IS THE, THAT WAS THE GIST OF THE SURVEY COMMUNICATION, JUST SO THAT WE CAN KNOW WHO IT IS THAT WE ARE TALKING TO.
THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THAT'S GONNA BE USED IN A PUNITIVE, WELL, IT WILL NOT BE USED IN A PUNITIVE WAY BECAUSE WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN BUDGETS.
SOME FACILITIES HAVE DIFFERENT BUDGETS THAN OTHERS.
SOME ALSO HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT BOARDS THAT, THAT THEY OVERSEE.
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT ALL OF THE FACILITIES ARE CREATED EQUALLY.
ALL OF THEM ARE VERY UNIQUE, UM, IN TERMS OF THEIR STAFFING AND THE RESOURCES THAT THEY ALSO HAVE.
AND SO THE SURVEY IS NOT MEANT TO BE PUNITIVE.
IT IS MEANT SIMPLY AS A WAY FOR US TO COLLECT DATA.
AND ALL OF THAT DATA IS IMPO IMPORTANT.
AND SO THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING ARE, ARE GEARED TOWARD WHO IT IS.
THAT'S MORE SO TAKING THE SURVEY AND NOT PUNITIVE AGAINST THE FACILITY.
AND I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS POINTING OUT IS NOT THAT THE QUESTIONS AREN'T NEEDED, BUT HOW THEY CAN PERPETUATE BIAS EVEN IN HOW THEY'RE ASKED.
SO EVEN IN THE FIRST QUESTION I POINTED OUT SAYING, HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS? AND WHAT FACILITIES ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT SIMPLY COULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN UP INTO TWO QUESTIONS TO NOT SKEW THE DATA.
UM, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO BE PUNITIVE THE DATA, IF IT IS SET UP INCORRECTLY AND PERPETUATED AN INEQUITY, THEN THE DATA IS STILL GOING TO BE SKEWED AND STILL HIGH.
NOT EVEN HIGHLIGHT, BUT PERPETUATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
SO FOR INSTANCE, AGAIN, AND SEPARATING THOSE QUESTIONS AND JUST SAYING, WHAT, WHAT FACILITIES ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH ENLISTING ALL OF THE ACNE FACILITIES.
AND THEN A SEPARATE QUESTION IS, HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU BEEN TO ANY OF THESE FACILITIES? EVEN SEPARATING THAT YOU GET MORE ACCURATE DATA AS OPPOSED TO SKEWING THE DATA AND HAVING BIASES THAT ARE IN HOW THE LANGUAGE ARE.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT METHODS AND WAYS THAT WE'RE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, BUT THIS STILL SEEMS LIKE THIS IS SOME OF, AT LEAST A PART OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT IS USED IN THAT.
SO EVEN IF WE'RE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS OPENLY IN A JEFFERSONIAN STYLE DINNER OR WHATEVER, IT'S STILL, WE'RE NOT ASKING THE CORRECT QUESTIONS TO GET THE ACTUAL DATA THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND THUS WE'RE GETTING SKEWED OR NOT, NOT THE BEST OR MOST ACCURATE OR EFFICIENT DATA FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TO ACTUALLY SOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. THANK YOU.
AND THE SURVEY'S OPEN CURRENTLY? 'CAUSE I USE THAT LINK AND IT'S GIVING ME SURVEYS CLOSED.
NO, IT SHOULDN'T STILL, YES, BUT I JUST, I JUST USE THE LINK.
SO IT MIGHT, UM, FROM THE MAIN PAGE THAT, UH MM-HMM.
I, WHAT I CAN DO IS RESHARE THE LINK WITH ALL OF YOU.
I ACTUALLY WORKED, WENT THROUGH IT THIS AFTERNOON, BUT I CAN RESHARE IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS STILL OPEN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE DO THE SURVEYS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER NINE UP TO NOW BECAUSE THAT'S ABOUT THE MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES TO, I HAVE A SECOND.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ANDERSON.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING ITEM NUMBER NINE UP.
ANY OPPOSED? I DON'T SEE ANY OPPOSITION.
[9. Staff briefing regarding an update on ACME Museums and Cultural Facilities by Marjorie Flanagan, Division Manager or Michelle Rojas, Acting Division Manager.]
WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM NUMBER NINE, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ACNE MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES BY MARJORIE FLANAGAN, DIVISION MANAGER, OR MICHELLE ROJAS, ACNE DIVISION MANAGER.I THINK WE HAVE MS. FLANAGAN HERE.
YES, I AM EXCITED TO BE HERE AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
[01:30:01]
ACNE SPACES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIPS.AS CANDICE MENTIONED, HERE ARE OUR FACILITIES AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF ALL OF OUR FACILITIES AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY OPERATIONAL AND WHAT WILL BE OPERATIONAL IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AS YOU MIGHT NOTICE, THERE IS A ASTERISK NEXT TO THE MS STOS MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS CURRENTLY OPEN, BUT WILL BE ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS FOR RENTALS IN, UH, ON OCTOBER ONE FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2027.
SO IT IS OPEN AND OPERATIONAL AND IT IS CURRENTLY IN YOUTH.
THEY ARE ACTIVELY PROGRAMMING CASA DE CULTURA, THE YOUTH, THE YOUTH EDUCATION SUMMER CAMPS, COLLABORATIONS, EXHIBITS, TOUR EVENTS, AND THE LATINO ARTIST ACCESS PROGRAM THAT WAS REFERENCED EARLIER, WHICH IS NOT A RESIDENCY PROGRAM, IT'S A SPACE ACCESS PROGRAM.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY PLANNING TO LAUNCH THOSE APPLICATIONS THIS SUMMER FOR 2027 DATES FOR ACCESS.
SO I, I WANTED TO, UH, POINT THAT OUT.
BUT THE FACILITY IS OPEN AND, UM, IS ACTIVELY PROGRAMMING.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER, UH, SITES AS WELL.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THEM ALL OUT, BUT I DID WANNA POINT OUT THE CONLEY YEARWOOD HOUSE OR, UH, SOME PEOPLE REFERRED TO IT AS THE PINK HOUSE IS NOT CURRENTLY OPEN.
AND THE MEIS NEGRO SCHOOL IS ALSO NOT CURRENTLY OPEN.
WE ARE EMBARKING ON A VISION PLAN WITH THE DESIGN TEAM AT KIRKEY AND ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTURE FIRM.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A SUBCONTRACTOR, DONNA CARTER AND ASSOCIATES, WHO WILL BE HELPING ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THAT, UM, FACILITY.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPLORE USE OF THE SPACE WITH THE COMMUNITY WITH THAT NEARBY COMMUNITY AND, UM, HOW WE SEE PROGRAMMING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE FOR THAT SPACE.
SO ALL THE FACILITIES ARE LISTED AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF USE.
SOME ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENTALS, SOME ARE, THEY HAVE FREE COMMUNITY SPACE.
SOME ARE AVAILABLE, UM, THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED COLLABORATIONS THAT WE DESIGN AND SOME SPACES HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, BEING HIRED THROUGH A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES AT OUR FACILITIES.
BUT REMEMBER, THESE ARE COMMUNITY SPACES THAT WERE DESIGNED WITH SPECIFIC MISSIONS FOR THOSE SPACES.
SO, UM, SITES THAT HAVE, UH, ARTWORK COLLECTIONS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO RENT OUT.
IT'S JUST BASED ON THE MISSIONS OF THESE SPACES.
WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RENTALS AND HOW YOU CAN RENT A SPACE AT AN ACME FACILITY.
SO UP ON OUR WEBSITE YOU CAN ACCESS, UM, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF THE SPACES THAT YOU, UM, SAW ON THAT LIST HAVE WEBSITES AND SOME HAVE SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR RE UH, RESERVATIONS AND RENTALS.
UM, SO YOU WOULD WANNA GO TO THE WEBSITE, LOOK AT ALL THE SPACES, SEE WHICH ONES HAVE AVAILABILITY, UH, FOR WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING TO DO.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, OUR DOHERTY ART CENTER HAS A THEATER.
SO IF YOU NEED A THEATER, YOU MAY WANNA GO THERE, BUT YOU MAY ALSO WANNA LOOK AT THE CARVER'S THEATER.
IT HAS DIFFERENT, UM, TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT AND DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR WHAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
YOU WILL NEED TO CONTACT EACH SITE DIRECTLY AND CONFIRM AVAILABILITY FOR THAT DATE.
WE DO NOT HAVE, WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE AN ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM FOR EACH SPACE.
SO ONCE YOU'VE CONTACTED THE PERSON AND FOUND THAT THE DATE IS AVAILABLE, YOU WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT A RENTAL APPLICATION AND THAT WOULD PLACE A TEMPORARY HOLD ON THE DATE, UH, FOR YOUR, THE SPACE THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.
YOU WOULD THEN RECEIVE A FEE ASSESSMENT AND GUIDELINES AND SOME, UH, DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT.
SO THE TEMPORARY HOLD EXPIRES TWO WEEKS FROM THE DATE OF THE INITIAL REQUEST.
[01:35:01]
AND IN ORDER TO SE SECURE THAT RESERVATION, YOU HAVE TO RESPOND TO THE EMAIL CONFIRMING THE AGREEMENT AND PROVIDE ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THOSE TWO WEEKS.UH, ONCE IT'S CONFIRMED, A CONTRACT WOULD BE GENERATED FOR YOUR SIGNATURE AND YOU WOULD NEED TO PAY THE DEPOSIT.
SO IF THE CONTRACT ISN'T SIGNED AND THE DEPOSIT ISN'T RECEIVED WITHIN THAT TWO WEEKS FROM THE INITIAL REQUEST, THEN THE HOLD ON THE DATE RELEASES.
AND THEN ONCE YOU ARE SIGNED UP AND YOUR CONTRACT'S SIGNED AND EVERYTHING'S GOOD TO GO, YOU WOULD, UM, DO A WALKTHROUGH PRE-EVENT PLANNING MEETING WITH THE SITE AND YOUR, UM, SITE COORDINATOR.
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS TO REMEMBER.
THE TEMPORARY HOLD EXPIRES AFTER TWO WEEKS AND RESERVATIONS ARE SECURED.
ONCE THE CONTRACT AND DEPOSITS ARE COMPLETED.
UH, YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT THE REQUIRED PERMITS, INSURANCE AND DOCUMENTATION BY THE DEADLINE, AND THEN THAT FINAL WALKTHROUGH WOULD OCCUR WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF YOUR EVENT.
SO CURRENTLY, AS I MENTIONED, EACH SITE HAS THEIR OWN RENTALS CONTACT AND THEY'RE LISTED HERE AS WELL AS ON THE WEBSITE.
THIS IS HOW YOU WOULD GO ABOUT REQUESTING A SPACE FOR RENT.
I'M GONNA PAUSE HERE AND ASK IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RENTAL PROCESS.
I CAN'T SEE THE PEOPLE ONLINE THOUGH.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER KEYS, COMMISSIONER KEYS, UM, HOW I'M LOOKING UP THE RENTALS, UM, PRICES RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF, LIKE, I KNOW FOR INSTANCE, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AFRICAN, THE, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE FACILITY DIDN'T NORMALLY HAVE RENTAL FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THEM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE SINCE WHEN I WORKED THERE AND MANAGED THE FACILITY AND ALSO AS, AS EARLY AS I THINK LAST YEAR.
AND SO IF WE'RE IN A CREATIVE RESET RIGHT NOW AND WE'RE ANALYZING DATA RIGHT NOW, UM, AND WE'RE, I'M COMMUNICATED TO, LIKE I'VE BEEN ASKING THIS INFORMATION FOR TWO YEARS AND TOLD THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE, A APPROPRIATE OR ALL OF THE INFORMATION, HOW ARE WE NOW DETERMINING WHAT THE RENTAL FEES ARE FOR FACILITIES THAT DIDN'T HISTORICALLY HAVE THEM? IF WE'RE STILL GATHERING DATA ON ALL OF THE FACILITIES, THE NEEDS, THE AMENITIES, AND TRYING TO EVALUATE WHAT THE APPROPRIATE PRICING SHOULD BE.
SO ACME IS NOT AN ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT.
WE DO NOT MAKE, UH, REVENUE WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
ALL OF OUR REVENUE GOES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO BY LAW, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO CHARGE MORE THAN WHAT IT JUST COSTS FOR US TO HAVE THAT BUILDING OPEN FOR A RENTER TO RENT THE SPACE.
SO WE USE, UH, A COST RECOVERY METHOD, WHICH MEANS THAT WHAT WE'RE CHARGING JUST COVERS, LIKE I SAID, WHAT IT COSTS TO OPEN THE DOORS.
SO WE'VE DONE COST RECOVERY WORKSHEETS ON EVERY FEE THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S COUNCIL PROOF FEE SCHEDULE.
AND THAT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE COST RECOVERY WORKSHEET.
AND IS THAT AVAILABLE OR IS THAT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE? UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THE COST RECOVERY WORKSHEETS ARE, BUT THE FEE SCHEDULE HAS TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND THE COST RECOVERY WORKSHEETS ARE BACKUP FOR THE BUDGET OFFICE.
SO I'M SURE THAT, UM, IT'S POSTED SOMEWHERE IN SOME ROUNDABOUT WAY.
I'M, I'M SURE WE CAN HAVE IT AVAILABLE.
I'M SURE IT'S BACK UP DURING BUDGET SESSION THAT WAY.
AND MY LAST QUESTION, UM, IS THE MILLENNIUM LISTED ON HERE OR IS IT NOT AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL YET? I, I, I, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE THAT YOU HAD AN ASTERISK ON.
I MAY HAVE MISSED THAT THE MILLENNIUM IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT AND IT LOOKS LIKE I MIGHT HAVE JUST, UH, MISTAKENLY NOT INCLUDED IT ON THIS LIST.
UM, BUT I THINK I DID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF MY, MY HEELS, ONE OF THE ONES I'M, I'M ABSOLUTELY CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND WE DID COST RECOVERY WORKSHEETS ON ALL OF THE PRICING, INCLUDING LIKE CONCESSIONS AND PARTIES ON EVERYTHING FOR THE MILLENNIUM.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S ON THE, THE
[01:40:01]
FIRST SLIDE I WROTE, I JUST DID NOT PUT THE CONTACT INFORMATION, BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE KIM'S EMAIL, SO IF YOU REACH OUT TO KIM AND YOU CAN CC ME, I'M HAPPY TO GET YOU THE PRICING FOR, UM, MILLENNIUM RENTALS.HOW MANY OF THESE FACILITIES ARE FULLY STAFFED? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, I THINK THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL AND HERITAGE FACILITY HAS A VACANCY.
UM, THE CARVER HAS A VACANCY, OLD BAKERY HAS A VACANCY, A MAC IS FULLY STAFFED, THE DOHERTY IS FULLY STAFFED.
THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER IS FULLY STAFFED.
MILLENNIUM IS STILL, AS YOU KNOW, REALLY IN TRANSITION.
SO THEY HAVE NO FTES AT THIS POINT.
EVERY, UM, STAFF MEMBER WAS PREVIOUSLY A STAFF MEMBER OF LEGENDS GLOBAL, THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACTOR.
SO THEY'VE TRANSITIONED AND ARE NOW CITY TEMP EMPLOYEES, BUT WE'RE WORKING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY FTES ARE NECESSARY.
SO I CAN'T EXACTLY SAY IF THEY'RE FULLY STAFFED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD SAY THEY'RE FULLY STAFFED, BUT WE'RE STILL IN DETERMINATION MODE.
WHERE ARE THE, UM, THOSE SHEETS AT THE COST RECOVERY SHEETS AT? SO I WOULD THINK THAT THEY'RE BACKUP BECAUSE COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE EVERY FEE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY THAT THE ENTIRE CITY CHARGES.
SO I'LL NEED TO LOOK BACK AND FIND WHERE THEY'RE POSTED AS BACKUP FOR COUNSEL, UM, AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
AND THEN JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, OUT OF ALL THESE, UM, SO HISTORICALLY, WERE THEY ALL CHARGING FEES BEFORE OR WAS THERE A CHANGE WHEN THEY MOVED FROM MOVED TO ACME? JUST CURIOUS.
SO THE ONLY SITE THAT WAS NOT CHARGING FEES WAS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL AND HERITAGE FACILITY.
THE LIBRARY DOES NOT CHARGE ANY FEES FOR ANY SITE OTHER THAN THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY.
SO WHEN IT TRANSITIONED TO ACME TO ALIGN WITH ALL OF OUR FACILITIES, THERE ARE GONNA BE CERTAIN LOCATIONS WITHIN CERTAIN ROOMS OR SPACES WITHIN THE FACILITY THAT REMAIN FREE AND CERTAIN SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR RENT.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU COULD ANSWER IT OR IF IT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR CANDACE JUST REGARDING HOW IT WENT FROM, WELL, I'M USING THE MAC AS AN EXAMPLE, HOW IT WENT FROM PARKS AND REC TO NOW BEING UNDER ACNE.
DID, UH, DID THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND DUTIES AND ALL THAT CHANGE.
I'M KIND OF CURIOUS LIKE WHAT THAT TRANSITION IS.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK, UH, I KNOW I HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM MY CONSTITUENTS ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT CHANGE MEANS AS FAR AS LIKE TRAINING AND STAFFING AND WHAT THAT JUST OVERALL THAT TRANSITION.
SO REPEAT YOUR MAIN QUESTION AGAIN.
I'M SORRY, MY DAUGHTER WAS SCREAMING AT ME.
UM, WITH THE CHANGE, AND I'M USING THE MAC AS AN EXAMPLE, UHHUH
DID THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS, TITLES, OR ANY OF THAT CHANGE AND LIKE, JUST WHAT THAT TRANSITION'S BEEN LIKE? NO, THERE ARE NO STAFF MEMBERS WHOSE TITLES CHANGED.
THERE ARE SOME MARKETING AND GRAPHICS POSITIONS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON A PATH FORWARD FOR BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND SERVICE THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
SO INSTEAD OF STAFF MEMBERS SPECIFICALLY SERVICING ONE SITE ONLY, THEY MAY SERVICE THEIR SITE FOR SOME TIME AND THEN ALSO SERVICE ACME AS A DEPARTMENT AT SOME TIME.
BUT WE HAVE NOT FINALIZED WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND AS OF NOW, NO ONE'S TITLE HAS CHANGED.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, AND THIS, I JUST THOUGHT OF THIS, SO SORRY.
IN SPEAKING ON MOST OF THE FACILITIES BEING FULLY STAFFED, I WOULD BE CURIOUS AT SOME POINT AND KNOWING HOW MUCH OF THAT STAFFING IS ONLY PART-TIME.
'CAUSE THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING I'VE HEARD FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, WHICH IS THAT THERE'S, THE MAG IN PARTICULAR HAS HAD A LOT OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE ONLY PART-TIME, WHICH DO NOT GET ALL THE CITY BENEFITS.
[01:45:01]
YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY OF HOW WE'RE STAFFING I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT TOO.UH, SO WHEN YOU SAY FULLY STAFFED, DOES THAT MEAN FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES PART-TIME? I THINK UNDERSTANDING THE MAKEUP OF THAT IS JUST IMPORTANT.
UM, PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY REALLY RELY ON, ON THESE SPACES MM-HMM
AND HAVING THEM STAFFED, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE WITH TOP TALENT QUALIFIED AND JUST, UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT AND I THINK AT SOME POINT IT'S GONNA COME UP.
SO JUST PREPARING YOU FOR THAT.
AS PART OF THE CREATIVE RESET, PHASE TWO, WE ARE COLLECTING, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING AN INTERNAL ASSESSMENT ABOUT FACILITY SIZE, BUDGET SIZE, STAFFING SIZES, HOW EVENTS AND PROGRAMS ARE STAFFED WITH BOTH FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.
UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS SORT OF AGAINST OURSELVES AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT ALSO, AS CANDICE MENTIONED, LOOKING AT OUTSIDE PEER FACILITIES AS WELL.
CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE, UM, HAVE A SHARED MISSION LIKE OUR FACILITIES.
SO I AGREE THAT STAFFING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TO CONSIDER IN, IN LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SET.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SLIDES LEFT.
THIS WAS JUST TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT OUR RENTAL PROCESS, BUT WE HAVE OTHER WAYS THAT YOU CAN, UM, ACCESS SPACE WITHIN OUR FACILITIES.
IF YOU COULD JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THERE ARE, UM, FREE COMMUNITY SPACES AT A NUMBER OF, OF OUR FACILITIES, AND THESE ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS DURING, UH, BUSINESS HOURS.
BUT THEY ARE LIMITED TO ONE EIGHT HOUR USE, UM, OR TWO FOUR HOUR USES PER MONTH.
THEY CAN'T BE USED FOR ANY SORT OF COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
AND THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A FEW, UH, OTHER CITY POLICIES THAT COULD APPLY.
IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO HERE ARE THE COMMUNITY SPACES THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND THEIR CAPACITIES.
SO THE ROOMS ARE ON THE SMALLER SIDE, UM, BUT THIS IS AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE'S USE.
YOU WOULD JUST CONTACT, UM, THE RENTALS MANAGER AND THEY COULD HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHEN TO COME IN AND WHEN YOU CAN USE THE SPACE.
NEXT I'M GONNA BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR COLLABORATIONS PROGRAM.
SO FOR, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE PUTTING ON PROGRAMMING THAT MAY ALIGN WITH A SPECIFIC FACILITIES MISSION, WE HAVE DESIGNED A PROGRAM TO COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS CALLED COLLABORATIONS.
UM, YOU CAN REVIEW THE OPPORTUNITIES ON OUR COLLABORATIONS WEBSITE.
UM, THIS IS THE WEBPAGE YOU SEE HERE, AND YOU CAN IDENTIFY A SITE THAT BEST ALIGNS WITH THE MISSION OF YOUR EVENT OR YOUR PROGRAM AND THE AUDIENCE.
SO THE APPLICATION IS POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE AND ASKS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DETAILS OF YOUR PROJECT AND THE TIMELINE AND SORT OF WHAT THE EVENT IS ABOUT.
AND THEN STAFF CONVENE A, UM, SELECTION PANEL THAT INCLUDES ALL, UH, A NUMBER OF THEIR STAFF AND THEIR DIVISION MANAGER AND REVIEWS THE PROPOSALS FOR FEASIBILITY FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND THEN FOR OPERATIONAL, UM, AND COST IMPACT TO THE SITE.
SO, UM, IN RETURN, UH, APPROVED, UH, COLLABORATIONS MOVE INTO JOINT PLANNING.
AND THEN AGNI PROVIDES, UM, MARKETING SUPPORT, UH, TEMPORARY STAFF SUPPORT FOR THE EVENT.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO CO-PLAN THESE EVENTS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A PROGRAM OR EVENT THAT IS FOR A SPECIFIC COMMUNITY AND FEEL LIKE THE MISSION ALIGNS WELL WITH A SPECIFIC SITE, THEN YOU HAVE THIS
[01:50:01]
PROCESS AVAILABLE AS AN OPTION FOR, UM, YOU TO USE.I'M GONNA PAUSE THERE AND ASK IF, WELL, LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ONE MORE SLIDE.
SO COLLABORATION PLANNING INCLUDES DEFINING THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, BUDGETING AND RESOURCE PLANNING, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATION, UH, PROJECT TIMELINE AND DELIVERABLES, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE ALIGNED WITH CITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
I'M GONNA PAUSE HERE AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COMMUNITY USE OR OUR COLLABORATIONS PROCESS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, IF YOU WANNA GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I THINK THIS IS THE LAST THING I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT.
SO, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE TIMES WHEN OUR SITES ACTUALLY HIRE, UH, CREATIVES TO DO WORK ON SITE.
AND, UM, WE USE WHAT'S CALLED A CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT.
SO OUR SITES HIRE ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, INSTRUCTORS, CREATIVE CONTRACTORS ALL THE TIME.
UM, THEY DEVELOP A SCOPE WITH THE CONTRACTOR.
THERE'S A CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT THAT OUTLINES THE TIMELINE OF THE WORK THAT'S GONNA BE DONE, THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AND THE PAYMENT TERMS. UM, WHAT I'VE HEARD HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS NOT EVERY SITE WAS USING THERE, UH, CONTRACTOR AGREEMENTS.
AND THAT HAS LED TO, UM, SOME TERRIBLE SITUATIONS.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE REALLY MADE IT A POINT TO HELP TRAIN ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND HIRING THEM ON THE USE OF THE CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT AND, UH, HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THAT IT, IT, USING THESE CONTRACTS HELPS ENSURE AND PROTECT BOTH OUR CONTRACTORS AND THE CITY.
SO, UM, NEVER, I'M, I'M SPEAKING TO EVERYONE IN THE WORLD EVER DON'T DO ANY WORK BEFORE THERE'S A SIGNED AGREEMENT.
DON'T DO THE WORK, DON'T DO IT.
SO UNLESS THERE'S A CONTRACT IN PLACE, DON'T START, DON'T START YOUR ASSIGNMENT, DON'T START YOUR DRAWING.
UH, ONCE YOU GET THAT CONTRACT IN PLACE, GO FOR IT.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE, JUST LIKE YOU GUYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ARTISTS ARE PAID FOR THEIR SERVICES AND PUTTING A CONTRACT IN PLACE HELPS ENSURE THAT.
AND THEN CONTRACTORS ARE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER AS CITY VENDORS.
UM, REGISTERING AS A VENDOR ENSURES THAT YOU'LL, YOU CAN RECEIVE, UM, COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CITY IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'RE, 'CAUSE YOU'RE REGISTERED UNDER A SPECIFIC CODE OF YOUR SERVICES.
AND IF ANYTHING IS, UM, GOES OUT TO BID, THEN YOU WOULD GET A NOTIFICATION THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK THERE'S MAYBE A COUPLE MORE SLIDES.
JUST SOME EXAMPLE OF CREATIVE SERVICES THAT THE FACILITIES HIRE FOR, UM, MUSICIANS AND TJ SERVICES, ART INSTRUCTION DEMONSTRATIONS, PHOTOGRAPHERS LIVE PAINTING, YOU KNOW, HENA ART AND FACE PAINTING AT ALL OF OUR FAMILY ORIENTED OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, WE HIRE SPEAKING EN ENGAGEMENT SPEAKERS TO ENGAGE AT, UH, YOU KNOW, BOOK CLUBS AND DIFFERENT WORK WORKSHOPS.
WE HAVE MAKER MARKETS, WE HOST WELLNESS EVENTS.
THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN I WANTED TO POINT OUT, JUST TAKE A MOMENT.
SO WITHIN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS GUIDED BY OUR DATA AND OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
ONE OF THE MILESTONES THAT FEEDS INTO OUR KPIS, WHICH ARE KNOWN AS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, IS A, UH, MILESTONE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT USE OF SPACE.
SO ONE OF THE MILESTONES FOR FY 26 FOR ACME IS TO COMPLETE A DEPARTMENTAL INVENTORY IDENTIFYING SPACE AVAILABILITY, RENTAL AND PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES, OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES, AND LONG-TERM REAL ESTATE CONSIDERATIONS TO INFORM FUTURE INVESTMENT IN POLICY DECISIONS.
SO YOU MAY OR MAY NOT SEE CHANGES TO WHAT I TALKED ABOUT TODAY RIGHT AWAY,
[01:55:01]
BECAUSE WE'RE STILL IN THIS GOAL, WE'RE STILL IN THE GOAL OF COMPLETING THIS DEPARTMENTAL WORK.SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
BUT I WANT THIS GROUP TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO REPORT BACK UP INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY ON THIS MILESTONE.
AND THIS MILESTONE FEEDS A LARGER KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR, WHICH FEEDS A LARGER, UM, TOP 25 GOAL FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND HELPS US ENSURE THAT ACME IS, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTING TO AUSTIN BEING AN AMAZING LIVABLE CITY FOR CREATIVES, WHICH WE ALL KNOW WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT THESE GUIDE ACME'S WORK.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON THE LAST PART? UH, I HAVE A QUESTION AND IT'S SPECIFIC TO A COUPLE SLIDES AGO THERE WAS A SLIDE THAT HAD SMALLER ROOMS ON IT MM-HMM
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY THE, THE LARGER, I MEAN, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA SHOW EVERY SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY, BUT JUST CURIOUS WHY THE LARGER ROOMS WEREN'T SHOWED.
SO THE LARGER ROOMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR FREE.
SO THE ONES THAT I DID SHOW ARE THE ONES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE COMMUNITY USE AND THEN THE LARGER ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR TO RENT.
UM, AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH SITE'S SPACE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT IS ON THEIR WEBSITE EXCEPT AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL AND HERITAGE FACILITY BECAUSE WE WERE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL OF THEIR SITES AND POSTING THEM TO THE WEBSITE.
I MADE YOU REPEAT YOURSELF AGAIN.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, LAURA ESPARZA AT ART ALLIANCE AUSTIN, AUSTIN ARTS ALLIANCE ART ALLIANCE, AUSTIN, A THREE AT A THREE, UM, IS WORKING ON TRYING TO UPDATE THE CULTURAL ASSET MAP.
AND SHE HAS SOMEONE WHO HAS SOFTWARE THAT CAN DO IT, NOT, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PAID FOR.
SO THAT WOULD BE A GOOD, UM, COLLABORATION TO GET THAT CULTURAL ASSET MAP UPDATED BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE, THE GROUND PRINT FOR WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
THE CULTURAL ASSET MAPPING PROJECT IS INCLUDED IN OUR CURRENT DRAFT OF OUR STR ACME STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO, UH, INTERNALLY WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UH, RESOURCES BEING ALLOCATED TO UPDATING THE CAMP PROJECT, SO WE'LL DEFINITELY BE IN CONTACT WITH A THREE TO SEE HOW WE MIGHT COLLABORATE ON THAT.
COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, UH, NEVERMIND, BUT IT MIGHT INSPIRE YOU TO KNOW MARJORIE, WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT A RENTAL PLATFORM SPECIFICALLY THAT EVERYONE COULD RENT ALL THE CULTURAL SPACES IN ONE IN ONE PLACE.
AND THAT COULD INCLUDE THE CULTURAL CENTERS.
MAYBE IF THERE'S NOT SOME SORT OF CITY REGULATION THAT PREVENTS THAT FROM HAPPENING.
I KNOW THERE'S AN A LARGER THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT A CITYWIDE RESOURCE THAT WOULD ALLOW BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FACING FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SPACES ARE AVAILABLE TO RESERVE AND OR RENT.
UM, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
YEAH,
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN THE CULTURAL EP MAP.
IT'S GONNA BE AN ACTIVE LIVING THING THAT LETS YOU DO ALL THE THINGS IN ONE PLACE, SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? NOPE.
IS THAT THE END OF YOUR PRESENTATION? I THINK I JUST HAD A SLIDE WITH, UM, MY CONTACT INFORMATION AND MICHELLE'S CONTACT INFORMATION.
IF YOU THINK OF ANY QUESTIONS, UM, I'M HAPPY TO HELP ANSWER AND SHE AND I WILL BOTH BE TAG TEAMING TO DO, UM, PRESENTATIONS TO THIS GROUP IN THE FUTURE.
SO NOW WE HAVE STAFF BRIEFINGS, UH, BUT STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN
[5. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. ]
UPDATE ON THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXED BY JESUS VANEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
JESUS PANTEL CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.
MY PRONOUNS ARE HE, HIS, I AM A LATINO WITH LONG GRAY HAIR
[02:00:01]
AND A SALT AND PEPPER BEARD, UH, WEARING A RED SHIRT TODAY.UM, WITH THIS PRESENTATION, I WILL BE SHARING OUR LATEST HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION NUMBERS FOR WHICH WE HAVE DATA.
UM, SO THE TOTAL HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX COLLECTION IN APRIL WAS $37,672,216.
THAT MEANS THAT OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND COLLECTION NUMBERS FOR APRIL WERE $3,598,544.
SO WITH THESE APRIL NUMBERS, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY 71%, UH, TOWARDS OUR FY 26 APPROVED BUDGET.
AND THIS MEANS, UH, IN THIS SLIDE.
SO, UM, UH, WE DO HAVE A SHORT TERM RENTAL OR STR INFORMATION AS HAS BEEN REQUESTED.
UM, ACCORDING COST AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SINCE APRIL 1ST, 2025, THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE LICENSES FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AGAIN, ST HAS INCREASED BY 19.6% REACHING 2,750 PROPERTIES AS OF MARCH 31ST OF THIS YEAR, 2026.
UH, THIS IS ALONGSIDE SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN STR RELATED, UH, HOT REVENUE AS CAN BE SEEN WHEN STR COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS, UH, WENT INTO EFFECT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF, UH, 2025.
SO, UH, THE FIRST, UH, BIG, UH, BAR THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, UM, THUS FAR IN FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 10 $0.6 MILLION IN REVENUE HAS BEEN COLLECTED, UH, WITHIN SEVEN MONTHS WITH SEVEN MONTHS REMAINING IN THE FISCAL YEAR.
AT THE TIME THAT THIS DATA BECAME AVAILABLE, UM, ST ARE REPORTED BY QUARTER, UM, SO OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER, UH, FISCAL YEAR 26, QUARTER ONE, UH, WAS NOT DUE, UH, FOR INSTANCE TILL, UH, JANUARY 31ST, 2026.
UM, IN OTHER WORDS, THE MONTH FOLLOWING THE END OF THE QUARTER IS WHEN NUMBERS ARE DUE.
UH, SO MARCH, UM, THE QUARTER ENDING IN MARCH WOULD HAVE NUMBERS TURNED IN AT THE END OF APRIL, UH, WHICH CAN BE SEEN ON THIS SLIDE HERE FOR QUARTER TWO, FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
SO AGAIN, ALL THAT TO SAY, UM, YOU'LL BE GETTING THESE, UH, STR UPDATES QUARTERLY, UH, NOT, UH, MONTHLY LIKE I DO WITH, UH, THE REST OF THE, UM, PRESENTATIONS, UH, DURING THE HOT UPDATE HERE.
FOR PART OF OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN ANALYSIS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX CONNECT, UH, COLLECTIONS, UH, SIGNIFICANT EVENTS, UM, IN MARCH, 2026 ARE LISTED ON THIS SLIDE.
UH, WHILE THIS DOES NOT LIST THE FULL SPECTRUM OF TOURISM DRIVING EVENTS, IT HELPS IN ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HIGH REVENUE TRENDS.
AND THEN ACCORDING TO AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPORTS, TOTAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC IN MARCH, 2026 WAS 1,972,346, UH, WHICH REPRESENTS A 6.54% INCREASE COMPARED TO MARCH, 2025.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS OUR MONTHLY PROGRESS TOWARDS THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 OF JUST UNDER $16 MILLION.
UM, OUR HOT CULTURAL ARTS FUND ACTUALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 TO DATE ARE $11,357,337.
AND AS A REMINDER, THE FUNDS COLLECTED IN FISCAL YEAR 26 WILL BE USED TO FUND PROGRAMS, UM, IN FISCAL YEAR 27.
UM, THIS SLIDE HERE, UH, SHOWS A FIVE YEAR QUARTERLY AND TOTAL COMPARISON OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUND.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE CURRENTLY ON PACE, UH, TO MEET OR EXCEED, UH, THE APPROVED FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET, UM, OF $15.97 MILLION, UH, SO FAR THIS QUARTER OR SO FAR THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THEN THIS SLIDE HERE, UH, GOES BACK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SO WE CAN SEE HOW THE CULTURAL HEARTS FUND HAS, UH, VARIED, UH, PRE AND POST COVID, UM, HAS, HAS BEEN, UH, REQUESTED IN THE PAST.
UM, SO 20 18, 20 19, UM, EVEN, UM, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF 2020, UM, IT STARTED GOING DOWN.
UM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, WE GET THE HOT NUMBERS, UM, UM, THE YEAR, THE YEAR BEFORE, UH, THEY ARE GOING IN.
SO YOU CAN REALLY SEE IN 2021, UH, WHEN WE HAD, UH, LESS FUNDS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE STARTED MAKING THE RECOVERY, UM, IN COVID, UM, AND HAVE BEEN AROUND $15 MILLION, UH, SINCE 2023.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WILL SEE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR ME.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY
[02:05:01]
ON SLIDE THREE.I SAW THOSE LAST THREE BARS ON THE RIGHT HAD A BIG JUMP AND THEY WERE LABELED REQUIRE COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS IN EFFECT.
AND SO IS THAT BECAUSE DATA WAS BEING COLLECTED OR IT WAS BECAUSE THE COLLECTION WAS REQUIRED? I, I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THAT'S A PRETTY STEEP, UH, YOU COULD SAY DROP OFF TO THE LEFT.
AND SO IS THAT JUST MONEY THAT'S NOT COLLECTED AND NO, THERE'S NO REPERCUSSION RECOURSE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE, THE GAP.
I HAVE AN INKLING, BUT I WILL DEFER TO LAURA WHO WILL HOPEFULLY THANK YOU, LAURA.
I, I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST JUMPING IN.
UM, SO I GUESS THE BIGGEST, THE BIG THING THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS IT WASN'T REQUIRED AND MANDATORY FOR EVERYONE PRIOR TO WHERE YOU SEE THAT BIG JUMP.
AND SO NOW THAT IT IS REQUIRED AND THERE ARE THE LIKE MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE THOSE COLLECTIONS, THAT'S WHY WE SEE THAT BIG JUMP IN WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
AND SO THE STRS, I THINK JESUS MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COLLECTED BY QUARTER AND SO THE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER COLLECTIONS FROM SHORT TERM RENTALS HAVE TO BE TURNED INTO THE CITY BY THE END OF JANUARY.
AND SO THEN WHEN WE GET THOSE NUMBERS, THEN THAT'S WHY QUARTER ONE SHOWS THE 5.4 MILLION THAT WAS COLLECTIONS FROM OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER OF THE SHORT TERM RENTALS ONLY.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE JUST RECEIVED FOR JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH THAT WE'RE DUE AT THE END OF APRIL.
AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THAT 5.23 MILLION COMES IN.
UM, SO THOSE TWO COMBINES, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE 10.6 COLLECTED SO FAR.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE, WHY WAS Q4 OF FY 25 WHERE WE SAW THE JUMP, WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ALL I KNOW IS THAT LIKE AT A CERTAIN POINT IT WAS MANDATORY AND THEN WE HAVE A BIG SPIKE IN THE NUMBERS, BUT WE SO LIKE TAXES WERE OPTIONAL? NO, IT WAS THE, THE, THE, THE THE, I MEAN, I'M BEING A LITTLE FACETIOUS HERE, RIGHT? BUT IT WAS, IT TRULY WAS THE, THE RELINQUISHING OF THE TAX WHAT DIDN'T HAVE A MECHANISM.
AND NOW THE PLATFORM TAKES THE TAX FROM THE OPERATOR WITHOUT THE OPERATOR HAVING TO SEND IT IN BE SELF-REPORTED.
SELF-REPORTED, THAT'S THE WORD.
SORRY, PEOPLE ARE JUST CLARIFYING FOR ME THAT IT WAS SELF-REPORTED, BUT NOW IT'S MANDATORY.
AND SO I'M, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANYTHING, BECAUSE FISCAL YEAR 25, Q4 IS FIVE MINUTES AGO, IT'S, IT'S NOT 10 YEARS AGO.
IS THERE ANY EFFORT TO COLLECT ANYTHING IN RECENT HISTORY? BECAUSE I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYBODY LIKE INDIVIDUALS TAXES BEING OPTIONAL, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY, UM, LET'S GO BACK IN THE PAST AND TRY TO GATHER THOSE THINGS.
GATHER, GATHER THAT FUND BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS DO NOT HAVE THAT OPTION.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW, I'M GONNA STEP INTO IT RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT IS THE PROCESS? CAN, CAN Y'ALL EDUCATE ME OR WHO DO WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FIND OUT? BECAUSE THAT IS SUCH A HUGE NUMBER THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO ART FUNDING.
WE CAN LOOK INTO WHO THE APPROPRIATE STAFF DEPARTMENT WOULD BE, BUT I THINK COUNCIL IS PROBABLY GONNA BE YOUR BEST OPTION.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR ANSWERING AND TRYING AND I APPRECIATE THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE IN.
UM, THE REASON I ALSO ASK IS BECAUSE ON THE SUBSEQUENT SLIDES, AND I DIDN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, MEMORIZE THE NUMBERS, BUT LIKE IF WE LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT, THAT IMPACT, THAT LOSS IS HUGE, RIGHT? AND, AND SO THERE'S, HOW DO WE EVEN QUANTIFY WHAT IS POTENTIALLY MISSING? UH, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO BEING CONSISTENT WITH EVEN WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WITH THE TRANSPARENCY IN AI PP FUNDING AND THE 2%, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I APPRECIATE THE DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE PAST SOME RECENT HISTORY, BUT THIS BECOMES FURTHER PROBLEMATIC.
SO JUST REGISTERING THAT, AGAIN, I'M PROBABLY PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE, BUT I JUST WANTED IT ON THE RECORD, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT OUR ARTISTS IN AUSTIN.
I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE ART SCENE,
[02:10:01]
BUT I'VE ALWAYS LOVED THE ART SCENE HERE AND I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE OUR ROOTS AND OUR SOUL AND OUR, AND OUR CULTURE.I WILL MAYBE GET OFF MY SOAPBOX NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER
COMMISSIONER ONG, I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION ON WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER CLOSED THE TIMELINE OF THAT.
COULD WE? I BELIEVE IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, SO I THINK APRIL OF 2026 IS WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER CLOSED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS ISN'T A QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE REQUEST OF MY FELLOW COMMISSION MEMBERS TO SPEAK TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT THIS.
UM, WHOEVER'S HERE IN PERSON AND ONLINE, THANKS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF OF BACK COLLECTION, OF COLLECTING BACK TAXES ON.
[6. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor. ]
ITEM NUMBER SIX, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING UPDATE ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAMS BY JESUS PENTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR AND I AM BACK COMMISSIONERS.UM, SO AGAIN, JESUS PENTEL, CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR.
UM, I WILL BE WITH THIS PRESENTATION SHARING UPDATES ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO TODAY I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UM, AS WELL AS GRANT FUNDED ACTIVITIES IN THE FUNDING PROGRAMS, UH, CULTURAL ARTS SPENDING PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY.
UH, SO FOR CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, UM, WE HAVE, UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO CLOSE OUT OUR FY 24 ELEVATE.
UM, WE HAVE ABOUT, UH, 10%, UH, FINAL REPORTS, UH, STILL OUTSTANDING.
UM, SO, UM, UH, JUST AROUND 24, 25 OR SO THAT STILL NEED TO BE CLOSED OUT, UH, FROM THE FY 24 ELEVATE, UH, FOR FY 25 NEXUS.
UM, AND SO FINAL REPORTS ARE NOT DUE UNTIL THE END OF NEXT MONTH, UH, FOR THE FY 25 NEXUS.
AND THEN AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, THRIVE IS A TWO YEAR FUNDING PROGRAM.
UH, SO THO THOSE ARE OUR NUMBERS, UM, ON PAYMENTS, UM, UH, FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN, UH, TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DEEP DIVE ON THOSE, UH, 24, UM, FY 24 FINAL REPORTS, UM, ELEVATE FINAL REPORTS THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN COMPLETED.
UM, BOTH OF THE, THIS SLIDE AND THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WERE AS OF, UM, APRIL, UH, EXCUSE ME, MAY 13TH, 2026.
UM, SO I KNOW SOME OF THESE NUMBERS ON THIS SLIDE HERE ARE ALREADY OUT TO DATE.
WE HAVE, UH, CLOSED OUT EVEN MORE.
UM, BUT AT LEAST AS OF, UH, MAY 13TH, THIS IS WHAT THE NUMBERS LOOKED LIKE.
UM, AND AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, UM, THE FY 24 ELEVATE ACTIVITIES, UH, WENT FROM, UH, OCTOBER 1ST, UH, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
UM, AND THEN THEIR FINAL, UH, REPORTS ARE DUE A MONTH AFTER THEIR FINAL ACTIVITY.
UM, AND THEN IF THEIR FINAL ACTIVITY WAS DECEMBER 31ST, THEY WERE DUE JANUARY 31ST, 2026.
UH, SO OUT OF THOSE 24 FINAL REPORTS, UM, THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN CLOSED OUT, ONLY EIGHT HAVE NOT ACTUALLY BEEN SUBMITTED.
THE REST HAVE BEEN, UM, EITHER HAD AN EXTENSION, ONE HAS HAD AN EXTENSION, UH, THE REST, UM, UM, 11, UH, WERE TURNED IN.
BUT, UH, THEY NEEDED REVISIONS.
SO, UH, STAFF LOOKED AT 'EM AND THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT, UM, NEEDED CORRECTION.
SO WE DON'T JUST, UM, DENY THEIR FINAL REPORT OR DENY, YOU KNOW, THEIR PAYMENT.
WE WORK WITH THEM TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS MISSING.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT THIS IS, THIS IS AN INELIGIBLE EXPENSE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
UH, ONE, UH, WAS RETURNING UNUSED FUNDS.
UH, SO THEY'RE JUST, UH, WAITING, WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE, UH, CHECK BACK FROM THEM SO THAT WAY, UH, WE CAN CLOSE OUT THAT FINAL REPORT.
UH, THEY WILL REMAIN IN GOOD STANDING FOR, UH, FUTURE APPLICATIONS.
UM, TWO HAD, UH, LEADERSHIP CHANGES.
AND SO, UM, THEY'RE CHANGING THEIR NAME, UM, IN SUBMITTABLE SO THAT WAY THEY CAN SUBMIT THE FINAL REPORT.
SO IT'S JUST UPDATING THEIR, UM, EMAIL ADDRESS, UM, SO THAT WAY THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CAN, UH, SUBMIT THE INFORMATION.
UM, AND THEN ONE, UH, WE DID HAVE A, UH, GRAND RECIPIENT WHO, UH, UH, DIED, UH, DURING THE, UH, CONTRACT PERIOD.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON, UH, WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO, UH, CLOSE OUT, UH, THAT FINAL REPORT.
SO JUST TO GIVE, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, UM, INFORMATION ON THOSE 24 OUTSTANDING, UH, FINAL REPORTS.
[02:15:01]
UH, FOR OUR GRANT FUNDED ACTIVITIES, UM, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR ACTIVITIES OCCURRING BETWEEN, UH, THIS, UM, UM, ARTS COMMISSION MEETING AND THE NEXT ARTS COMMISSION MEETING.UM, AND, UH, JUST FOR SAKE OF TIME, I WILL, UH, READ THE NAME OF THE, UM, UM, UH, RECIPIENT, UH, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ALL THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT'S HERE ON THE SLIDE.
SO, UM, UPCOMING EVENTS, UH, BY OUR NEXT ARTS COMMISSION MEETING IS AUSTIN THEATER ALLIANCE.
UH, SAGE STUDIO AND GALLERY AND HOST PUBLICATIONS ALL HAVE SOME UPCOMING EVENTS AS DO, UM, CONSPIRE AUSTIN BATCAVE AND SUNDAY SESSIONS, A TX AS WELL AS UM, AUSTIN DANCE, INDIA INVERSION ENSEMBLE AND PUERTO RICAN FOLKLORIC DANCE.
AND THAT IS MY PRESENTATION ON THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAM.
AGAIN, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT SLIDE THAT EXPLAINED, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
I THOUGHT THE PARAMOUNT THEATER WAS CLOSED.
PARAMOUNT THEATER IS STILL ACTIVE.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S THE AUSTIN THEATER ALLIANCE AND SO IT'S THE PARAMOUNT IN THE STATE THEATERS.
LAURA HAS A MORE DEFINITIVE ANSWER THAN I DO.
OH NO, IT MIGHT BE THE PARAMOUNT CLOSED IS OPEN.
THE PARAMOUNT WILL BE CLOSING FOR RENOVATIONS, YES.
AND SO THERE ARE SOME LIKE FINAL ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT THE NONPROFIT ITSELF, THEY STILL HAVE OTHER ACTIVITIES EVEN WHILE THE BUILDING ITSELF IS CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT SLIDE ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING, UH, GRANTS BECAUSE THAT'S KEY INFORMATION AS WE GO INTO SIX MONTHS OF STUFF BEING LATE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
THANK YOU, JESUS, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
NOW WE HAVE STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING
[7. Staff briefing regarding an update on the ACME Funding Programs by Laura Odegaard, Acting Division Manager, ACME. ]
AN UPDATE ON ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS BY LAURA ODEGAARD, ACNE DIVISION MANAGER AT ACME.UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
I'M LAURA ODEGAARD, ACTING DIVISION MANAGER FOR CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND INVESTMENTS WITH ACME.
I'M GOING TO BE SHARING A FUNDING PROGRAM UPDATE FOR YOU ALL THIS EVENING.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS. SO WE ARE TALKING HOLISTICALLY ABOUT ALL FOUR PROGRAMS THAT WE JUST AWARDED.
SO THIS IS THE AWARDEE STATUS I PRESENTED THIS LAST MONTH, SO GIVING A BIT MORE DETAILS HERE AS WELL.
SO YOU CAN SEE EACH OF, UM, THE TOTAL AWARDEES FOR PROGRAM AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY ARE IN THE CONTRACTING PROCESS.
SO IF THEY HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEIR PRE AGREEMENT.
YET WE HAVE 25 APPLICANTS OR AWARDEES THAT HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THEIR PRE AGREEMENT YET.
WE HAVE 167 AWARDEES WHO HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR PRE AGREEMENT FORM, BUT THEY NEED REVISIONS.
AND THEN THERE ARE 232 AWARDEES WHO ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONTRACTING PROCESS WITH THE LONG CENTER.
AND THAT IS A TWO STEP PROCESS WITH THE AWARD, UM, AGREEMENT ITSELF, AS WELL AS THE FINANCIAL FORM AND VERIFICATION.
SO THEN WE HAVE 420 AWARDEES WHO ARE IN THE PAYMENT PHASE.
AND THEN THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS WHERE AND WHO HAS RECEIVED THE FUNDS SO FAR.
SO OF OUR 717 TOTAL AWARDEES 420 HAVE RECEIVED PAYMENT AS OF EARLIER TODAY, UM, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 59% OF ALL OF OUR AWARDEES.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE DISTRIBUTED JUST OVER $5.5 MILLION SO FAR, WHICH IS ABOUT 23% OF OUR TOTAL FUNDS, WHICH IS JUST UNDER 24 MILLION.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERY, EVERY SINGLE ONE.
I WILL POINT OUT THAT THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, SO THAT'S THE CAPITAL PROJECT, UM, AS WELL AS HERITAGE EVENTS THAT WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AGREEMENTS UNTIL AFTER COUNCIL APPROVED THE THIS FUND.
'CAUSE THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION FUND IS A SPECIAL ONE.
SO COUNCIL APPROVED THAT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND SO EVERYONE IS IN THAT CONTRACTING, UM, STAGE RIGHT NOW WITH THE LONG CENTER.
AND THEN FOR OUR CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE AGREEMENTS WERE BEING REVIEWED BY THE CITY'S LEGAL TEAM.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE LONG CENTER WILL BE HOLDING THE AGREEMENTS FOR THOSE 22, UH, CSAP AWARDEES.
SO THERE WERE SOME DELAYS WITH GETTING THE FINALIZED AGREEMENTS SINCE THE LONG CENTER IS THE HOLDER OF THE AGREEMENT THIS
[02:20:01]
YEAR.THE LONG CENTER HAS THEM RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS WEEK TO BE MOVING THOSE FOLKS THROUGH THE AWARDING, UH, OR AGREEMENT PROCESS RATHER.
ALRIGHT, SO TONIGHT, UH, MY PRESENTATION FOCUSES MOSTLY ON THE SURVEY RESULTS, UM, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR ENHANCEMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO OUR NEXT LAUNCH.
SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE DID A 360 DEGREE PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE HAD A SURVEY FOR PANELISTS, A SURVEY FOR APPLICATION EXPERIENCE, SO OUR APPLICANTS, AND THEN A SURVEY FOR COMMISSIONERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAD 68 RESPONSES FROM THE PANELISTS, 152 FROM APPLICANTS AND SIX FROM COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I'LL BREAK THIS DOWN LATER, BUT THAT WAS FIVE MUSIC COMMISSIONERS AND ONE ARTS COMMISSIONER.
SO APPRECIATE, UM, THE PERSON ON THIS COMMISSION WHO SUBMITTED THEIR SURVEY.
UM, AND WITH ALL OF THESE, THE GOAL WAS TO BASICALLY UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WAS THE APPLICATION DESIGN ACCESSIBLE? WAS IT CLEAR? UM, DID SUPPORT SYSTEMS DO WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO? WAS THE SCORING PROCESS UNDERSTANDABLE? AND WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DO WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE BEFORE WE GET TO THE NEXT LAUNCH, WHICH IS GOING TO BE ON JULY 7TH? UM, SO OVERALL, THE RESPONSES FROM EVERYTHING WERE THAT THE CONTENT WAS STRONG, BUT THE EXPERIENCE STILL NEEDED SOME CLEARER STRUCTURE, SOME MORE SUPPORT TOOLS, AND MORE INTENTIONAL SUPPORT IN GENERAL.
SO I'M BREAKING THIS DOWN, UH, INTO THE MAJOR THEMES FOR EACH OF THESE, AND THEN I'LL DO AN OVERALL, UM, PRIORITIES FOR OUR ENHANCEMENTS.
SO FOR THE APPLICANT EXPERIENCE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAD 78 FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, 57 FROM ELEVATE, 22 FROM CSAP AND 18 FROM HERITAGE PRESERVATION.
THAT, THAT COMPLETED THE SURVEY.
UM, NOT SURPRISINGLY, PROBABLY FOR ANYONE ON THIS DAIS IS THAT THE THREE-STEP PROCESS WAS ONE OF THE, UM, THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAD.
WE ALSO HAD, UM, A LOT OF RESPONSE AROUND OUR COMMUNICATION.
SO THE CLARITY, CONSISTENCY, TONE, DEADLINE COMMUNICATION WAS SOMETHING THAT THERE WAS A DESIRE TO IMPROVE UPON REDUCING THE DOCUMENTATION FOR APPLICANTS.
ADDRESSING LANGUAGE ACCESS GAPS WAS ANOTHER ONE.
UM, SUPPORT OPTIONS, IMPROVING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ATTACHMENTS AND, AND DIFFERENT BUDGET TABLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE ELIGIBILITY RULES, MARKETING AND AWARENESS.
THIS WAS ONE THAT CAME THROUGH FOR ALL THREE, UM, SURVEY TYPES.
THERE WERE ALSO SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT APPLICATION QUESTIONS, SO MAKING SURE THEY WERE MORE RELEVANT, LESS REDUNDANT.
UM, THERE WERE SOME FOLKS THAT HAD ISSUES WITH TECH, UM, AND THEN THERE WANTED TO BE MORE TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE REVIEW PROCESS ITSELF.
THEN SOME OF THE MAJOR THEMES FROM THE COMMISSIONER PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN, CLEAR ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINE UP OR GUIDANCE UPFRONT, SIMPLIFYING THE THREE-STEP PROCESS.
UH, STRENGTHENING REVIEWER TRAINING, IMPROVING THE DEADLINE AND TIMELINE CLARITY.
UM, I WILL NOT GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE A ROLL UP, BUT, UH, AGAIN, FIVE MUSIC COMMISSIONERS, ONE ARTS COMMISSIONER.
AND THEN FOR OUR PANELISTS, WE HAD RESPONSES FROM 60 ELEVATE PANELISTS AND NINE HERITAGE PRESERVATION PANELISTS.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WAS THERE WAS A DESIRE FOR BETTER TRAINING, AGAIN, WITH CLEAR COMMUNICATION.
UM, THE SUBMITTABLE USER EXPERIENCE WAS PRETTY CHALLENGING FOR THE PANELISTS, JUST THE ORDER OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, PIECES OF THE APPLICATION FROM THEIR VIEW.
UM, THERE WERE ALSO CONCERNS AROUND THE WORKLOAD.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF APPLICATIONS THAT, UH, WE HAD ASSIGNED TWO PANELISTS.
UM, AND THEN THE STRUCTURE OF THE APPLICATIONS, THE PANEL DAY.
SO THERE'S A LOT, UM, THAT WE CAN, WE CAN WORK ON AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO HERE ARE THE 10 THEMES THAT WE CAN SEE ACROSS ALL THREE SURVEYS.
SO ELIGIBILITY, THREE STEP PROCESS COMMUNICATION, THE TECH SYSTEM, DOCUMENTATION, TRAINING AND EXAMPLES, THE TIMELINE, DIRECT SUPPORT, RESOURCES, MARKETING AND AWARENESS, AND LANGUAGE ACCESS.
SO THOSE ARE WHAT I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THIS EVENING.
SO FOR ELIGIBILITY, SOME OF THE ISSUES WERE THAT FOLKS STRUGGLED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE ELIGIBLE FOR.
SOME OF THE QUESTIONS SEEMED REPETITIVE AND THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UM, EVEN AFTER THE FACT AROUND MUSIC VENUE DOCUMENTATION OR SPONSORED PROJECT ELIGIBILITY.
SO HOW WE ARE GOING TO, I DON'T WANNA SAY FIX THAT, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING TO ENHANCE THAT, UM, WE WILL BE
[02:25:01]
DEVELOPING A FLOW CHART TO HELP VISUALLY, UM, PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE TO FOLKS AROUND WHAT, UM, WHAT THEY CAN APPLY FOR.THERE'S A TABLE IN THE GUIDELINES CURRENTLY, BUT I THINK HAVING A FLOW CHART MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE QUESTIONS IN THE APPLICATION AND WE'VE REMOVED OR COMBINED THINGS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO TRY TO, TO STREAMLINE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, WE WENT FROM 23 QUESTIONS TO 20 QUESTIONS AT THE $20,000 LEVEL.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING, UM, SOMETHING IN TOWARD THE END THAT ALL GROUPS MUST LIST KEY DECISION MAKERS.
SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP AROUND SPONSORED PROJECTS AND AROUND BANDS.
UM, SO WE'LL BE REQUIRING EVERYONE TO LIST KEY DECISION MAKERS AS WELL, SO WE CAN SEE IF THERE IS ANY CROSSOVER, UM, ON THE FRONT END OF THINGS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, FOR THE LIVE MUSIC VENUES, WE, INSTEAD OF SAYING YOU MUST MEET FIVE OF THESE EIGHT CRITERIA, WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THEM TO IDENTIFY WHAT FIVE CRITERIA THEY SAY MAKES THEM AN ELIGIBLE MUSIC VENUE.
AND THEN THEY'LL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE A ONE-TO-ONE EVIDENCE FOR THOSE FIVE ITEMS FOR THE THREE STEP PROCESS.
THERE WERE A LOT OF DELAYS BETWEEN STEPS.
THERE WERE MULTIPLE DEADLINES, WHICH WAS CONFUSING.
AND THE MANUAL REVIEW OF OVER 2000 ELIGIBILITY FORMS TOOK TIME, TOOK A LOT OF TIME FROM STAFF.
UM, SO WE'RE REMOVING THE THREE STEP PROCESS.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE VISUALLY CLARIFYING THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE APPLICATION, WHICH I HAVE ON A LATER SLIDE TONIGHT.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE AUTOMATING THE ELIGIBILITY REVIEWS AT THE BEGINNING.
SO THERE WILL NOT BE ANY DELAY IN RECEIVING THE FULL APPLICATION IF SOMEONE IS ELIGIBLE.
WE WANT STAFF TO BE FOCUSING ON THE ASSISTANCE DURING THE OPEN WINDOW, NOT ON THIS PART OF THINGS.
WE WILL ALSO ONLY BE HAVING A SINGLE DEADLINE FOR THE ENTIRE, UM, APPLICATION.
AND I'LL SHARE MORE ABOUT THAT AT THE END.
SO APPLICANTS, COMMISSIONERS AND PANELISTS ALL HAD SOME CONFUSION AROUND, UM, THE COMMUNICATION FROM, FROM US.
UM, SO THERE WERE UNCLEAR EMAILS, THE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP NOTIFICATION THAT CAME OUT FROM SUBMITTABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE JUST WASN'T GREAT TIMING.
COMMUNICATION CAME FROM MANY INBOXES AND IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE ACTIONABLE EXPECTATIONS IN THEM.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING ON JUNE 5TH, MY TEAM AT ACME AS WELL AS THE LONG CENTER STAFF, WE'RE HAVING A RETREAT TO MAP OUT ALL COMMUNICATION TOUCH POINTS AHEAD OF TIME AND TO DRAFT ALL OF THE LANGUAGE AND CHECK IT FOR THE APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE LEVEL.
WELL, BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GET TO LAUNCH, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT HAVING ANY DUPLICATION, THERE WILL BE NO TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP MESSAGES FROM SUBMITTABLE BECAUSE THERE WILL NOT BE A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP.
I PERSONALLY AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE,
UM, THE NEXT THING WAS OUR TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM.
SO SOME APPLICANTS WERE UNCLEAR ABOUT NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM.
UM, THERE WERE SOME UPLOAD ISSUES, SOME FOLKS HAD THE SYSTEM FREEZE.
UM, AND LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE REVIEWERS TO FIND THE INFORMATION THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
SO SOME OF THE WAYS WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE CLEAR SIZE LIMIT AND TYPE LANGUAGE.
SO WHAT TYPE OF FILES CAN YOU ACTUALLY UPLOAD VERY CLEARLY AT EVERY TOUCHPOINT IN THE APPLICATION.
WE'RE GONNA SHARE SOME TEMPLATES FOR FOLKS, UM, MORE SO FOR THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND, BUT FOLKS WERE UPLOADING 10 PLUS, UM, ITEMS OF EVIDENCE PER QUESTION, WHICH WHEN YOU COME TO THE HERE AND NOW, WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, WE'RE TALKING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF GIGABYTES OF DATA, UM, BECAUSE OF THESE, THESE UPLOADS OF EVIDENCE.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON THAT.
THERE IS NO TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP, UH, ENHANCED COMMUNICATION WITH SUBMITTABLE.
SO WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH SUBMITTABLE REGULARLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T ANY, UM, SYSTEM FAILURES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHERE THERE MIGHT BE PROBLEMS AHEAD OF TIME.
AGAIN, RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON HOW CAN WE PREEMPT ANY ISSUE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WELL IN ADVANCE.
UM, AND PART OF THAT IS REORGANIZING THE PARTS OF THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
SO THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND ATTESTATIONS ARE AT THE END INSTEAD OF AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE WHEN THE REVIEWERS WERE LOOKING AT THE APPLICATION, THEY WOULD HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN, SCROLL DOWN, SCROLL DOWN UNTIL THEY GOT TO THE ACTUAL PART THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REVIEWING.
SO JUST SIMPLE THINGS JUST TO TRY TO HELP STREAMLINE, UM, SOME OF THE SYSTEMS THINGS THAT WE SAW.
[02:30:02]
UM, AGAIN, DOCUMENTATION.SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES, UH, FOR THIS NEXT ROUND.
UM, IT WAS OCCASIONALLY A SCAVENGER HUNT FOR PANELISTS AND REVIEWERS TO FIND WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR.
THE APPLICANTS THOUGHT THINGS WERE EXTREMELY DOCUMENT HEAVY AND EVERYONE SPENT A LOT MORE TIME THAN EXPECTED.
ON THE DOCUMENTATION SIDE OF THINGS, AGAIN, THIS SKEWS A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARD THE LIVE MUSIC FUND THAN IT DOES WITH ELEVATE, BUT JUST IN GENERAL, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP, UM, MANY, MANY TIMES IN THE SURVEYS.
SO, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE STREAMLINING THE QUESTIONS.
THAT INCLUDES STREAMLINING THE UPLOADS THAT WE'RE REQUIRING, HAVING MORE HELPER TEXT SHARING TEMPLATES.
UM, THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SHARING VIDEOS, LIKE HOW DO YOU COMBINE THINGS INTO ONE PDF BECAUSE A PDF IS THE EASIEST AND BEST WAY TO UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENTATION.
UM, AND ALSO, LIKE I MENTIONED, EXPLAINING THE SIZE LIMITS.
SO THE DOCUMENTATION AND THE TECH ENHANCEMENTS KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND HERE.
UH, PRIORITY SIX IS TRAINING AND EXAMPLES.
SO EVERYONE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PANELISTS WANTED BETTER RUBRIC TRAINING.
UM, SOME EXAMPLES OF THINGS APPLICANTS, THEY WANTED MORE GUIDANCE ABOUT WHAT TO UPLOAD, WHAT THEIR REVIEWERS WERE LOOKING FOR.
UM, THERE WERE SCORING QUESTIONS JUST IN GENERAL WITH EVERYONE.
UM, THE RUBRICS WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE TRAINING FOR PANELISTS AND REVIEWERS.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE A VARIETY OF WORKSHOPS THIS TIME AROUND.
SO NOT JUST THE ONE WORKSHOP THAT IS AN OVERVIEW OF ALL PROGRAMS, BUT HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A DIVE INTO THE BUDGET OR A DIVE INTO ARTIST STATEMENTS.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE WORKSHOPS NOW.
UM, AS WELL AS, UH, HOW TO VIDEOS, SO HOW TO DO CERTAIN THINGS AS WELL AS PROVIDING TEMPLATES AND EXAMPLES LIKE I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
I, SO THE TIMELINE, THIS WAS ANOTHER BIG ONE.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION FROM MANY PARTIES AROUND MULTIPLE DEADLINES.
UM, FOR SOME FOLKS THE TIMELINES FELT TOO TIGHT.
UH, THE LAST MINUTE EXTENSION WAS NOT UNIVERSALLY APPRECIATED.
UH, IT, SOME PEOPLE FELT LIKE IT WAS A GREAT IDEA, SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA.
UM, AND THE PANELISTS FELT VERY RUSHED TO REVIEW THINGS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAD A PANEL MEETING TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF THE CYCLE.
UM, SO WE ARE MAKING ENHANCEMENTS, UH, LIKE THESE LISTED.
SO THERE'S ONLY A SINGLE DEADLINE, WHICH IS ANNOUNCED EARLY TONIGHT.
UM, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE HAVING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND I TALK ABOUT THAT, UM, IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT TO HELP COMMUNICATE THAT TIMELINE, WE WILL NOT BE HAVING ANY EXTENSIONS.
WE ARE PUBLISHING THE DEADLINE AND STICKING TO THE DEADLINE.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE TRAINING PANELISTS EARLIER AND IDEALLY HAVING FEWER APPLICATIONS ASSIGNED TO EACH OF THE PANELISTS.
AND WE'RE STILL, I JUST WANNA PUT IT OUT HERE RIGHT NOW THAT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PANEL IMPROVEMENTS TONIGHT.
I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT NEXT MONTH.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH THE PANEL PROCESS AS WELL, UH, FOR DIRECT SUPPORT.
SO THE SURVEYS BASICALLY SAID THAT IT WAS GREAT WHEN THEY ACTUALLY GOT TO TALK TO CITY STAFF AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY EFFECTIVE, BUT IT WAS EITHER HARD TO FIND OR THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND MANY APPLICANTS DIDN'T KNOW IT EXISTED IN TOO LATE UNTIL TOO LATE.
A LOT OF THE ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS FILLED UP REALLY SOON.
UM, AND ALSO THEY WANTED EASIER ACCESS TO MATERIALS.
SO IF THEY COULDN'T GET A ONE-ON-ONE MEET, ONE-ON-ONE MEETING WITH STAFF, HOW CAN THEY HELP THEMSELVES? HOW CAN THEY FIND THINGS THAT WILL HELP, UM, ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING, UM, AND I GUESS I'LL JUST START TALKING ABOUT IT NOW, UM, WE'LL BE HAVING ACME AMBASSADORS TO HELP CO-HOST WORKSHOPS AND DIRECT COMMUNITY TO AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
UM, SO THE ACME AMBASSADORS AND COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS ARE PART OF, I WANNA SAY IT WAS LIKE THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR IS THE IDEA AND HOW WE HAVE COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THIS COMMISSION HAD THAT THE HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION HAD.
WE'VE HEARD THIS FROM EVERYONE THAT WE WANT COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS BACK.
WHERE WE ALWAYS HAVE ISSUES IS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE, THAT ARE MOST HELPFUL TO OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY ARE ALSO THE ONES THAT ARE APPLYING FOR FUNDING.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T WORK WITH ACME AND YOU CAN'T SUPPORT THIS EFFORT UNLESS YOU SAY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO APPLY FOR FUNDING.
AND WE DIDN'T WANNA PUT ORGANIZATIONS IN IN THAT, UM, THAT DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
SO WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO IS HAVE TWO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
WE'LL HAVE 10 TO 15 AMBASSADORS THAT WILL BE
[02:35:01]
ACME PARTNERS.THEY'LL CO-HOST WORKSHOPS AND SHARE ALL OF OUR THINGS.
THEY'LL BE PAID A SMALLER AMOUNT.
THEY'LL BE PAID $1,000 TO SERVE AS AN AMBASSADOR, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE DIRECT HANDS-ON SUPPORT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO, TO HAVE TIERED APPROACHES TO OUR COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR, UM, APPROACH THIS CYCLE AND SEE HOW THAT GOES.
BECAUSE THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE, WE FOUND IS HELPFUL IS, IS HAVING PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION AND CAN HOST THESE WORKSHOPS.
SO WE'VE MADE A SHORT LIST OF ACNE AMBASSADORS THAT WILL BE CONTACTED THIS WEEK.
UM, THEY, SOME OF THEM HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ON BOARD WITH, WITH THIS.
THEY HAVE, THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT HAVE TALKED TO COMMISSIONS AND TO LEADERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT WANTING A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM.
UM, ALSO AS I MENTIONED, STAFF, IT HAS WAS SO FOCUSED ON REVIEWING ELIGIBILITY LAST TIME AROUND THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE AS MANY ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS AS THEY MAY BE WANTED TO HAVE.
SO NOW THAT WE'RE TAKING THAT PART OUT, STAFF CAN BE FOCUSED ON ASSISTANCE DURING THIS PERIOD.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE HAVING TOPIC SPECIFIC WORKSHOPS AND MORE SUPPORT MATERIALS.
UM, MARKETING AND AWARENESS, I GUESS THIS IS WHERE I ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THE ACNE AMBASSADORS.
UM, BUT THE AWARENESS ISSUES THAT WE HEARD FROM THE SURVEYS AND JUST THAT WE HEARD, UM, WERE THINGS THAT APPLICANTS LEARNED TOO LATE, THAT MULTIPLE PROGRAMS EXISTED.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE LAUNCHED SO MANY PROGRAMS AT ONCE.
AND SO THAT WAS A SURPRISE TO FOLKS THAT THEY, THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR MULTIPLE THINGS.
UM, THERE ALSO WERE ISSUES AROUND JUST MARKETING IN GENERAL, AND PART OF THAT WAS THE TIMING OF THE PROGRAMS. UM, WE DID NOT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE LAUNCHING IN THE SUMMER SO WE CAN MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND START GETTING FOLKS UNDER CONTRACT BEFORE JANUARY, BECAUSE THE CONTRACT PERIOD IS JANUARY TO DECEMBER.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE SOME, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE CREATIVE RESET, AND SO EVERYTHING WAS PUSHED BACK.
AND THEN THERE WAS ALSO AN ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
AND SO THE CITY'S, UM, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE TOLD US THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO MARKET OUR OPPORTUNITIES UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.
AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
UM, AND WE DID THE BEST WE COULD AFTER THAT NOVEMBER 6TH DATE.
UH, BUT STILL THAT WAS, THAT WAS AN ISSUE WE HAD THIS LAST TIME AROUND.
UM, SO TO KIND OF COUNTER THESE THINGS FROM THE LAST ROUND, THE ACME AMBASSADORS, LIKE I MENTIONED, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PROMOTE THE PROGRAMS. UM, THEY'LL BE PAID TO PROMOTE THE PROGRAMS, PROMOTE THE DEADLINES, UM, POINT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR SUPPORT, CO-HOST WORKSHOPS WITH CITY STAFF.
UM, IDEALLY THAT WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF BOTH SECTOR AND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC, UM, GROUPS, AND THEY CAN STILL APPLY FOR FUNDING.
THAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR US, THAT THEY CAN STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.
UH, ADDITIONALLY WE'LL BE DOING MARKETING CAMPAIGNS BEGINNING MUCH EARLIER AND MORE STRATEGIC THAN THIS LAST TIME.
UH, AND WE JUST HIRE, OR SHE JUST STARTED TODAY.
UM, A MARKETING MANAGER, WHICH WE COULD NOT BE MORE THRILLED ABOUT.
YEAH, I PERSONALLY COULD NOT BE MORE THRILLED ABOUT THIS.
UM, SO WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT TO HELP, UM, BE A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR MARKETING INITIATIVES, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND THEN PRIORITY NUMBER 10, UH, NOT SURPRISING PROBABLY FOR THIS GROUP, UH, LANGUAGE ACCESS.
UM, SO THIS IS A MULTIFACETED LANGUAGE ACCESS, UM, PRIORITY FOR US.
SO PART OF IT IS THAT THE APPLICATION LANGUAGE ITSELF WAS AT A GRADUATE SCHOOL LEVEL.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL WORDS AND YOU RUN IT THROUGH HEMINGWAY OR A SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT IS THIS READING LEVEL, THE READING LEVEL WAS AT A GRADUATE SCHOOL LEVEL.
THE CITY'S RECOMMENDATION, UM, FROM OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM IS AN EIGHTH GRADE READING LEVEL, NOT A GRADUATE SCHOOL LEVEL.
AND THAT OBVIOUSLY THEN CREATES MORE CHALLENGES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A GRADUATE SCHOOL LEVEL OF APPLICATION GETTING TRANSLATED INTO MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
SO APPLICATION LANGUAGE JUST IN GENERAL WAS AN ISSUE.
THE TRANSLATIONS WERE FROM DIFFERENT VENDORS AND THAT CAUSED A LOT OF CONFUSION, AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD, UM, WHERE DIFFERENT WORDS WERE USED FROM DIFFERENT VENDORS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE AUTO TRANSLATION, UM, BUTTON THAT'S ON THE C'S WEBSITE, IT WASN'T USING THE SAME LANGUAGE AS SOME OF OUR VENDORS AND SOME OF SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN USING FOR YEARS.
[02:40:01]
AND THAT'S BACKEND CODED ON THE CITI WEBSITE.UM, SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING TO HELP ENHANCE THIS.
SO ALL OF THE APPLICATION QUESTIONS HAVE QUESTION, HAVE BEEN STREAMLINED AND SIMPLIFIED AND ARE ALL AT AN EIGHTH GRADE READING LEVEL.
NOW, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING A SECONDARY REVIEW OF SPANISH TRANSLATIONS AHEAD OF BUILD OUT WITH A COMMUNITY PARTNER.
SO NOT JUST THE VENDORS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH TO GET THINGS TRANSLATED, BUT ALSO HAVE THAT GO THROUGH SOMEBODY THAT WE KNOW, UM, AND PAY SOMEONE TO DO THIS WORK, TO PAY SOMEONE TO DO A SECONDARY REVIEW, BECAUSE THAT IS THE, THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A SHARED SPANISH WORD BANK, AND THIS WOULD GO TO ALL VENDORS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WAS THAT DIFFERENT TRANSLATION VENDORS MIGHT SAY ONE THING, BUT A LIVE INTERPRETATION DURING SOMETHING MIGHT NOT HAVE USED, THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD, THE CORRECT WORD THAT WE ARE USING FOR OUR PROGRAMS. SO WE WANT TO HAVE A SHARED SPANISH WORD BANK.
AND AGAIN, WE WANT THIS TO, WE WANT TO PAY A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO SPEAKS SPANISH TO REVIEW THIS AND SAY, YES, THESE ARE INDEED THE RIGHT WORDS TO USE.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE ALL AGREE UPON.
UM, ONCE WE HAVE THAT SHARED WORD BANK, UM, FOR EVERYONE, FOR THE LONG CENTER, FOR DIFFERENT VENDORS, UM, FOR OUR TEAM, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GET THE CITY WEB, THE BACKEND OF THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
WE'RE AT LEAST ASKING TO SEE IF WE CAN CHANGE THAT BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH CONTROL WE HAVE OVER THE BUILT-IN TRANSLATION TOOL, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN ASK AND SEE IF WE CAN HARD CODE THE WORDS THAT WE WANT FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
UM, THERE WILL ALSO BE A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR.
SO SEPARATE FROM THE ACME AMBASSADORS, THERE WILL ALSO BE A COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR FOCUSED ON SPANISH LANGUAGE SUPPORT.
AND THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDING PROGRAMS, BUT THE ACME AMBASSADORS WILL.
SO SHOWING, JUST SHOWING SOME EXAMPLES NOW.
SO THESE WERE OUR APPLICATION STEPS FOR OUR 2026 PROGRAMS JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE OF THE SLIGHTLY PAINFUL THREE STEP PROCESS.
UM, SO THERE WAS THE INTAKE FORM AND THEN YOU HAD TO WAIT FOR YOUR ELIGIBILITY FORM, THEN YOU WOULD FILL THAT OUT AND SUBMIT YOUR ELIGIBILITY FORM, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY PART TWO.
AND THEN YOU HAD TO WAIT FOR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION.
AND AS WE HEARD, AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD, THERE WERE A VARIETY OF TIMES THAT PEOPLE HAD TO WAIT.
SOME, IT WAS PRETTY QUICK WITHIN 24 HOURS.
SOME FOLKS IT TOOK MUCH, MUCH LONGER TO REVIEW THEIR ELIGIBILITY AND RECEIVE A DETERMINATION.
UM, THEN ONCE THAT DETERMINATION WAS RECEIVED, THEN THEY HAD ACCESS TO THE ACTUAL APPLICATION AND COULD COMPLETE THE DEMOGRAPHICS, THE PROGRAM SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, THE ATTESTATIONS, AND THEN SUBMIT.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE WERE, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
SO WE WILL HAVE THE ACME ELIGIBILITY, AND THIS IS AUTOMATED ONCE YOU GO THROUGH THE ACME ELIGIBILITY.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE YOU LIVE IN THE RIGHT, UM, IN THE RIGHT AREA, YOU ARE OVER 18 YEARS OLD.
IT'S THINGS THAT ARE UNIVERSAL ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO THERE'S THAT FIRST PART OF YOUR ELIGIBILITY FORM, WHICH IS THE UNIVERSAL ACME ELIGIBILITY.
AND THEN YOU'LL GO INTO THE PROGRAM SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AT THE TOP OF THE PROGRAM SPECIFIC IS THE ELIGIBILITY.
AND DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ANSWER THE ELIGIBILITY QUESTIONS, YOU'LL RECEIVE TENTATIVE APPROVAL TO RECEIVE THE ENTIRE APPLICATION.
SO THERE IS NO DELAY BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND HAS ANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT SAY, YES, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO THEN ACCESS THE FULL APPLICATION.
UM, WE'RE ALSO STREAMLINING THINGS.
THEN WE HAVE AFTER THAT PART, THEN THERE ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE ATTESTATIONS AT THE END.
UH, AND THEN FOLKS WILL SUBMIT.
SO I WILL SAY THAT AFTER EVERYONE SUBMITS, LIKE THE FOCUS DURING THE APPLICATION WINDOW IS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AFTER EVERYTHING IS SUBMITTED, WE WILL STILL BE REVIEWING ELIGIBILITY.
WE'RE WORKING WITH SUBMITTABLE RIGHT NOW TO SEE IF WE CAN BATCH FOLKS WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR A SPECIFIC PROGRAM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND HAVE THAT AUTOMATICALLY MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE AND NOT NEED A 100% REVIEW OF THINGS.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT THAT IS, THAT IS ONE OPTION TO SEE IF WE KNOW A NONPROFIT ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN WORKING IN AUSTIN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS,
[02:45:01]
UM, IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR ELEVATE.DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THEIR NINE 90 AND DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THEIR IRS DETERMINATION LETTER AND THEIR VENUE LOCATION? AGAIN, PERHAPS NOT, BUT REGARDLESS, THE ACTUAL ELIGIBILITY, LIKE I SAID, IT'S TENTATIVE APPROVAL TO RECEIVE THE FULL APPLICATION AND THEN AFTER YOU SUBMIT IT, STAFF WILL BE LOOKING AND VERIFYING THE ACTUAL ELIGIBILITY.
SO THERE WILL NOT BE ANY AWARD MADE UNTIL WE ARE 100% SURE THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE ADDING QUESTIONS INTO THE ATTESTATIONS IN THE END PART TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF DECISION MAKERS OF DIFFERENT SPONSORED PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO THAT WILL ALL HAPPEN AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO REVIEW THAT AT THE END.
UH, AND IDEALLY THIS, THIS USER EXPERIENCE WILL ALSO BE HELPFUL FOR OUR PANELISTS AND FOR OUR REVIEWERS BECAUSE THEY WON'T HAVE TO SCROLL THROUGH SO MANY THINGS TO GET TO, UM, THE MEAT OF WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY SCORING AGAINST.
SO JUST SOME QUICK HIGHLIGHTS.
SO THE APPLICATION WINDOW, JULY 7TH TO AUGUST 18TH, JULY 7TH TO AUGUST 18TH, NO CHANGES.
UM, THERE WILL NOT BE AN INTAKE FORM.
THE AUTOMATIC TENTATIVE ELIGIBILITY APPROVAL IS A HUGE ENHANCEMENT FOR ALL OF US.
UM, WE'RE ALSO ADDING SOME QUESTIONS.
I DIDN'T MENTION THIS EARLIER.
WE'RE ADDING SOME QUESTIONS, UM, THAT KIND OF SERVE SOME OF THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ACME SPACE? IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ONE OF THE CULTURAL SITES, UM, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN COMMUNITY SHOWCASES? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ARTS EDUCATION? BECAUSE WE, THE CITY, WE, THE ARTS EDUCATION PIECE AT LEAST, UM, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH A ISD AND MIND POP CALLED THE CREATIVE LEARNING INITIATIVE.
BUT WE HAVEN'T EVER ASKED ARTISTS AND CULTURAL, UM, GROUPS THAT APPLY FOR FUNDING IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE.
SO THIS IS JUST A WAY TO TRY TO GAUGE INTEREST, UM, IN SOME OF THESE THINGS NOT SCORED, OBVIOUSLY NONE OF THESE QUESTIONS WOULD BE SCORED.
UM, ANOTHER THING IS THE CONSISTENCY ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS. SO WE'RE STREAMLINING THE LANGUAGE OF THINGS.
SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW ONE PROGRAM HAS AN INTERIM REPORT, ANOTHER PROGRAM HAS A MID AGREEMENT REPORT AND ANOTHER PROGRAM HAS A PROGRESS REPORT.
LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT WE'RE TWEAKING IN THE GUIDELINES JUST TO HAVE MORE CONSISTENCY ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS. UM, SAME WITH THE APPLICATION, THE WAY THAT WE'RE WORDING THINGS AND THE REPORTING.
SO ALL THE FINAL REPORTS ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS WILL LOOK THE SAME.
EVERYONE HAS TO DO AN EXPENSE DOCUMENTATION FORM.
EVERYONE HAS TO SHOW THE MARKETING THAT THEY DID FOR THEIR PROJECT.
SO IT'S, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD CONSISTENCY ACROSS ALL ACME FUNDING PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN JUST ANOTHER SUMMARY HERE OF, UM, WE'RE MAKING GUIDELINE EDITS, UH, AGAIN, JUST FOR CLARITY AND CONTINUITY.
UM, AND THEN COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS WILL BE 25,000.
THEY CANNOT APPLY FOR FUNDING AND THEN 15,000 WILL GO TOWARD THE ACME AMBASSADORS AND THEY CAN APPLY FOR FUNDING.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE SPLITTING UP THE $40,000 THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR AWARENESS AND ACCESS.
AND THEN FINALLY, I'M PRETTY SURE THIS IS FINALLY, UM, YOU'RE PROBABLY DONE WITH ME TALKING RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED TIMELINE.
SO WHERE WE ARE NOW, MAY, UM, WE'RE WE WILL BE PROVIDING THE ENGLISH APPLICATION QUESTIONS TO THE LONG CENTER THIS WEEK.
AND THEN WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THE SPANISH TRANSLATION PROCESS.
AS I MENTIONED, JUNE IS WHEN WE'LL BE UPDATING THE WEBSITE.
AND THIS WILL INCLUDE THE FULL APPLICATION CALENDAR.
IT WILL INCLUDE LINKS FOR THE APPLICATION QUESTIONS, IT WILL HAVE THE RUBRICS AND SUPPORT MATERIALS.
ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO BE LOADED IN JUNE, WELL AHEAD OF THE JULY 7TH APPLICATION OPEN.
UM, SO THEN IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THE FOUR APPLICATIONS THAT ARE LAUNCHING ON JULY 7TH ARE THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC FUND ELEVATE THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT AND THRIVE.
THOSE ARE THE FOUR PROGRAMS LAUNCHING ON JULY 7TH.
AND THEN THE SINGLE DEADLINE FOR ALL FOUR OF THOSE PROGRAMS IS TUESDAY, AUGUST 18TH.
UH, ALSO IN AUGUST WE'LL BE TRAINING PANELISTS.
UH, SEPTEMBER IS WHEN WE'LL BE DOING THE PROGRAM EVALUATION AND SCORING.
UM, THAT'S ALSO WHEN THE PANELISTS WILL BE REVIEWING THINGS.
SO I SAY IT'S SCORING BEGINS, I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS.
[02:50:01]
SO EACH PROGRAM HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SCORING MECHANISM.UM, BUT THAT'S WHEN THE PANELIST REVIEW PERIOD STARTS, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, THAT EVIDENCE WILL START BEING REVIEWED AND SCORED.
NEXUS OPENS THE OTHER PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE THAT'S MORE ENTRY LEVEL.
UM, AND THEN OCTOBER, THAT'S WHEN WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE THE PANEL MEETINGS AND SCORES ARE FINALIZED.
AND THEN NOVEMBER WE WILL MAKE AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WE POTENTIALLY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE BOTH NEXUS AND ELEVATE THRIVE HERITAGE AND LIVE MUSIC FUND ANNOUNCEMENTS IN NOVEMBER.
UM, DECEMBER WILL BE WHEN WE HAVE THE APPEALS PROCESS.
SO AGAIN, AS A REMINDER TO THE COMMISSION, UM, YOU'LL WANT TO SET UP, UH, THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP PROBABLY IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER AT THOSE MEETINGS.
I WOULD SAY OCTOBER WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE, UM, THE APPEALS WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED, UM, AT THAT MEETING.
AND THEN ALSO IN DECEMBER, THAT'S WHEN THE 2026 AWARDS END.
SO IF THEY ARE ONE YEAR AWARDS, THOSE END IN DECEMBER AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND THEN THOSE FINAL REPORTS WILL BE DUE IN JANUARY.
THERE IS SOME INCENTIVE TO FINISH THOSE FINAL REPORTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO YOUR NEXT CONTRACT FOR 2027.
UH, AND THEN, SO CONTRACTS AND PAYMENTS, THOSE WILL START IN DECEMBER.
IF PEOPLE GET THEIR FINAL REPORT IN.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE A PREVIOUS AWARD, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT, UM, IN DECEMBER AND THEN RECEIVE THEIR PAYMENT SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
AND I THINK I WILL STOP TALKING NOW.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
THAT WAS A LOT OF VERY GOOD INFORMATION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? REALLY GOOD WORK.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY, GIVES ME A LOT OF HOPE THAT WE'RE SEEING IN ACTION WHAT ACME SAID AT THE BEGINNING, WHICH IS WHAT THEY WOULD LISTEN TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID AND THEY WOULD TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO MAKE CHANGE.
EVEN IF WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE, WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT AS WE GO.
AND I, I AM REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK ACME IS DOING AND ALL THE CULTURAL STAFF IN STREAMLINING THIS AND GETTING THIS TO A PLACE WHERE IT'LL BE A, A BEACON FOR ARTS IN EVERY CITY.
AND JUST ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN GIVING Y'ALL HELLA FLACK FOR, UH, ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, BUT I DO REALLY THINK THAT, UM, HOW YOU ALL ARE REALLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT, ESPECIALLY JUST LIKE SOME OF THE, THE FEEDBACK LIKE WE WENT FROM A COUPLE MONTHS AGO AS FAR AS ENROLLING THIS OUT TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, MIKE HAVING TO MEET SOME OF THE, UM, GRANTEES NEEDING LOANS TO LIKE SEEING HOW MUCH ALREADY, LIKE YOU ALL HAVE WORKED WITH THE LOAN CENTER TO DISTRIBUTE FUNDS AND EVERYTHING AND TO REALLY JUST RESPOND, UM, ALMOST IN REAL TIME TO THAT.
SO LIKE I SAID, I I, I DO POINT OUT SOME, A LOT OF THE ISSUES.
SO I DEFINITELY WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, UM, AND COMMEND YOU ALL FOR THE, THE GOOD WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING TOO.
'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY AND IT'S NOT REALLY A FORMULA FOR THESE THINGS.
SO, UM, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
UM, I'M SO SORRY IF I MISSED THIS.
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS APPLIED IN THE PAST, I KNOW HOW TEDIOUS IT COULD BE.
AND THIS ACTUALLY IS VERY EXCITING FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW WE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, UM, THE, THE LATIN LANGUAGE BEING LIKE ACTUALLY HAVING A TRANSLATION, BUT WITH AUSTIN ALSO HAVING OTHER COMMUNITIES, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AMBASSADORS.
WILL THERE BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR NON-NATIVE OR EITHER ENGLISH OR, UH, YOU KNOW, HISPANIC LATIN COMMUNITIES, UH, SPANISH SPEAKING, UM, COMMUNITIES TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE, THE TRANSLATION TOWARDS THE, TOWARDS THE, SORRY, I'M LIKE FADING OFF RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS,
I THINK WE DID SIMPLIFIED CHINESE, VIETNAMESE, UM, MAY, I THINK ARABIC.
[02:55:01]
ARE LIKE THE TOP SEVEN LANGUAGES THAT THE APPLICATION QUESTIONS DO GET TRANSLATED INTO.AND THEN WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE TRANSLATION INTO ANY OTHER LANGUAGE FOLKS JUST HAVE TO ASK US FOR THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
IS THIS GONNA GO INTO BACKUP? YES, IT WILL BE THERE TOMORROW MORNING.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE RIGHT QUICK TO GET THIS LAST TO, TO FOR 10 MINUTES? 'CAUSE WE'RE PAST NINE.
NO, WE DON'T, WE HAVE 10 MINUTES
[Items 8, 12 & 13]
TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AND WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE 12 AND 13 AT THE SAME TIME.'CAUSE THERE ARE ALSO ART IN PUBLIC PLACES AND THOSE ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE THE LAST THINGS ON OUR AGENDA.
SO STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING AN UPDATE ON ART AND PUBLIC PLACES BY JAIME CASTILLO, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES MANAGER.
JAIME CASTILLO, MANAGER FOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES.
I WANTED TO REMIND YOU, THIS IS MY STAFF BRIEFING, SO I'M GONNA JUST WANTED TO REMIND Y'ALL THAT WE HAVE, UH, EXHIBITION OPEN CALLS.
SO THE PEOPLE'S GALLERY AT CITY HALL AND THE CHANGING EXHIBITS AT THE AIRPORT.
THERE'S, UH, 12, UH, UNIQUE SPACES THAT, THAT WE HAVE AT THE AIRPORT.
UH, OUR CALLS ARE OPEN NOW YOU GO TO OUR, OUR WEBSITE, UH, AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV A IP AND YOU'LL FIND OUR ONLINE THINGS.
QUICK UPDATES IS THAT, UH, WE'RE EXTENDING THE DEADLINE.
SO ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE WAS MAY 31ST, WE'RE GONNA BUMP THAT OUT FOR TWO WEEKS.
SO THE NEW DEADLINE IS SUNDAY, JUNE 14TH.
UH, AND JUST ALSO WANTED TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE, WE PREVIOUSLY SAID THE EXHIBITIONS AT THE AIRPORT WOULD BEGIN IN OCTOBER OF 2026, BUT, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED AT THE CALENDAR AND FOUND THAT ACTUALLY INSTALLATION CAN'T BEGIN UNTIL, UH, DECEMBER.
SO EXHIBITIONS WILL RUN FROM JANUARY 27 TO DECEMBER 27.
UH, WANTED TO MAKE Y'ALL AWARE THAT THERE'S A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT RIGHT NOW FOR, UH, ONE OF OUR AIRPORT ARTISTS, UH, S WOLF.
UM, ON SATURDAY, MAY 30TH, THERE'S GONNA BE A PANEL DISCUSSION AT WOMEN IN THEIR WORK REGARDING, UM, THEIR, THEIR WORK AND, AND THE, UM, THE APPROACH THAT THEY'RE TAKING TO THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INCLUDES A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS.
UM, PART PART OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS HIRED LOCAL, UM, UH, LTA LOCAL TEACHING ARTISTS, SORRY.
UM, AND SO, UH, IF, IF WORKSHOPS ARE OCCURRING AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, THEY'RE ALSO OCCURRING, UH, AS PART OF THE PROGRAMMING OR THE SUMMER CAMPS AT THE CARVER MUSEUM, AS WELL AS, UH, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A WORKSHOP AT MEXICAN.
UM, BUT THEY'RE THE WORKSHOP AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER THAT'S HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY.
UM, BUT YOU CAN GO TO TO THAT EVENTBRITE LINK AND YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THE FUTURE WORKSHOPS AFTER THAT.
UM, IT IS CASE SENSITIVE, SO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT A-A-R-C-E IS CAPITALIZED WHEN YOU TYPE THAT IN.
UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THESE, THESE WORKSHOP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS ARE, ARE OCCURRING THIS SUMMER FOR, UM, THE TUNNEL ARTISTS AT THE AIRPORT AND ALSO WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT WE'RE HAVING A, A ARTWORK CELEBRATION.
UH, THERE'S AS PART OF THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE BARGO BATHHOUSE, UH, WE DID HAVE SOME AN A IPB ARTWORK THERE, UH, AND INVITE YOU ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH AT 10:00 AM TO COME ON OUT AND HELP US CELEBRATE ONE OF OUR NEWEST ARTWORKS IN OUR COLLECTION.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE STAFF BRIEFING? BRIEFING FROM A IPP? I SEE NONE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE ARMADILLO WATER TANK IS GONNA BE BEAUTIFUL AND THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD NORTHWEST SOUTHEAST CORRIDOR PROJECT IS GONNA BE BEAUTIFUL.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE TAKE THEM ON CONSENT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND MULATO SECONDS? ANY DISCUSSION? EVERYBODY LOOK AT YOUR BACKUP.
IF YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED AT YOUR BACKUP, WE'LL GET YOUR BACKUP
[03:00:01]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TAKING THE ARMADILLO WATER PROJECT WATER TANK PROJECT IN THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD, NORTH NORTHWEST SOUTHEAST PROJECT ON CONSENT, PLEASE SAY AYE.ANY OPPOSED? SO WE ARE TAKING THAT ON CONSENT.
DO WE ALL APPROVE NOW? WE HAVE TO VOTE
I GET SO CONFUSED NOW WE HAVE TO VOTE.
DO WE ALL VOTE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR ITEMS 12 AND 13 ON THE TWO ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROJECT FINAL DESIGNS.
ALL IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED, SEEING NONE OPPOSED? THOSE FINAL DESIGNS ARE APPROVED AND THEY ARE LOVELY.
PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN THEY'RE OPEN AS YOU DO SO WE CAN TRY TO GET OUT THERE AND LOOK AT 'EM.
UM, AND THAT WATER TANK IS, NEEDS SOMETHING DONE TO IT.
[15. Update from joint Arts/Music Commission Working Group on Urban Core Issues with Commissioners Schmalbach (chair). ]
IS AN UPDATE FOR, UM, THE JOINT GROUP ON ARTS AND MUSIC, URBAN COURT ISSUES.COMMISSIONER SMALL BLOCK IS THE CHAIR.
SHE'S NOT AVAILABLE AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY HAVE MET, BUT WE DID NOT RECEIVE A, A REPORT FROM HER.
[16. Update from Arts Commission Bylaws Working Group with Commissioners Houston, Garza, Keys, and Anderson (Chair)]
ON THE BYLAWS.HOUSTON GARZA, KEYS ANDERSON CHAIR.
AND I SAW COMMISSIONER ANDERSON FOR JUST A HOT SECOND THERE.
DO YOU HAVE A REPORT? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? NO.
NO REPORT ON THE BYLAWS WORKING GROUP.
WE'RE GONNA GET THAT DONE THOUGH.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA GET THE BYLAWS DONE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF ART IN AUSTIN? OH, I WANT TO, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PLUG MYSELF.I, I'M IN MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING AT ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME SEE FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK, IT WAS LOVELY THIS PAST WEEKEND.
THE SUNDAYS HAVE BEEN RAINED OUT, BUT FRI THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, WERE BEAUTIFUL.
SO IF YOU WANT FREE SHAKESPEARE, PLEASE COME.
NO, NO, SHE'S NOT SAYING ANYTHING.
UM, I I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE WE CLOSE, SO MM-HMM
NO, THAT, NO, THAT'S THE ONLY ITEM.
WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE JUST DOING FUTURE ITEMS AND NO, THEY'LL FINISH THOSE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH? SO I HAVE, UM, MAY I? MM-HMM.
SO I HAVE, UM, SENT A NOTE, UM, TO COUNCIL, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, UH, QUOTA READ NEGOTIATION THAT'S GOING ON.
UM, AND, UH, I'VE COPIED THE, UH, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR ON THAT EMAIL.
I HAD REQUESTED, UH, STAFF TO CALL, YOU KNOW, SEND THAT TO REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, WE, UH, HAD THAT UP, UH, AS A POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION AT, UH, THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY ONE OF THE RARE TIMES THAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING WILL CANCELED THIS TIME.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO CONSIDER, UH, ADDING TO THE AGENDA, EITHER AS A DISCUSSION OR HAVING A RECOMMENDATION, UH, READY TO GO.
I'VE SHARED MY RECOMMENDATION OR, OR THE EMAIL THAT I SENT, UH, UM, FROM, UH, MY PERSPECTIVE JUST QUICKLY TO SHARE THAT.
I, I DO APPLAUD WHAT THAT PROJECT IS TRYING TO DO AND THE EMPLOYMENT IT'S GONNA CREATE.
BUT WE, UM, JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, OR I CONVEYED THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT THE, UH, CULTURAL ARTS, MUSIC AND HERITAGE PORTION OF THE HOT TAXES AS THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCEED.
SO JUST, THAT'S JUST THE GIST OF IT.
BUT YEAH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT.
SO WHAT, IT'S CODA RITA, R-I-D-A-R-I-D-A.
SO WE WANNA ADD THE CODER RITA, UH, SITUATION TO THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? COMMISSIONER ANDERSON? DID YOU HAVE, SO BEN? YES.
UM, COMMISSIONER MALDONADO HAD RAISED AN ISSUE TWO MEETINGS AGO ABOUT A CONCERN ABOUT, UM, AN APPLICANT THAT HAD MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS BUT STEMMING FROM THE SAME NONPROFIT.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT CONCERN WAS EVER ANSWERED.
SO I WANNA BE SURE THAT WE GET ANSWERS ON THAT, UH, AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S IN LEGAL AT THE MOMENT, SO WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT GETS ON THE AGENDA.
SO IT'S THE, UM, UM, MULTIPLE AWARDS ISSUE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, IN THIS SAME VEIN, CAN, CAN WE GET, I KNOW LAST MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO
[03:05:01]
HAD BEEN AWARDED MULTIPLE AWARDS AND THEY HAD TO CHOOSE ONE, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OTHER MONEY? UM, AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS SAID IT WOULD BE TOO HARD, TOO HARD TO AWARD IT TO THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE OR SOMETHING, BUT, BUT I THINK THERE WAS A A, AN ENERGY LIKE WILLING TO GO CHECK.I NEED YOUR, I I NEED YOUR CAMERA ON SHARON.
I NEED YOUR CAMERA ON MY, MY CAMERA.
I'M JUST HAVING NETWORK CONNECTION ISSUES.
UH, MORGAN AND LAURA I THINK INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD CHECK ABOUT THE, THE LEFTOVER MONEY THAT'S IN THE POT BECAUSE WE HAD MULTIPLE AWARDEES WHO HAD TO PICK AN AWARD.
THAT'S ANOTHER RELATED THING THAT WE DIDN'T KIND OF HEAR BACK ON THIS TIME.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR BACK IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO AWARD MORE APPLICANTS INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT, UM, UNUSED.
MAKE SENSE STAFF, IF I COULD ASK, UH, UH, I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING PRIVILEGE, SOMETHING FROM THE CHAIR.
UM, TO RESPOND TO THAT REALLY QUICKLY, COMMISSIONER ANDERSON, WE ACTUALLY DID RUN THAT AND APOLOGIES THAT I DIDN'T SAY THE WORDS, UM, IN MY PRESENTATION.
I WAS TOO EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT I DIDN'T ACTUALLY, UM, MENTION THAT.
WE DID LOOK AT THE AVAILABLE FUNDS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE TIED AT ALL OF THE LEVELS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ARTS NONPROFIT LEVELS.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS SO CLOSE, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO DO THE NEXT LEVEL OF TIES, UM, ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS. SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL AND SAY, YES, WE DID LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE, THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH FUNDS TO COVER EVERYONE IN THAT NEXT SCORE LEVEL.
ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER KEYS? UH, YEAH, SO I'D LIKE TO JUST DISCUSS LIKE SOME OF THE RATE OF PAYS FOR, UM, SOME OF THE ARTISTS OR ANY POSSIBLE LIKE HONORARIUMS OR STIPENDS AND, UM, SOME OF OUR CITY RUN GALLERIES IS TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT ARTISTS AREN'T NECESSARILY PAID FOR ANY WORK THAT THEY HAVE IN ANY GALLERIES OR EVEN IF THEY'RE SELECTED FOR GALLERIES IN THE AIRPORT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE DO ALREADY HAVE A STANDARD AND A PRECEDENCE FOR LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES AND PAYING ARTISTS FOR THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, WHICH IS WHY I'M NOT SAYING I, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW MORE INSIGHT.
UM, AND SO WAS WONDERING IF THAT COULD BE UP FOR DISCUSSION FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
SO STIPENDS FOR GALLERY ARTISTS STIPENDS ARE, UM, HONORARIUMS FOR CITY RUN, UM, GALLERIES.
SO FIRST, UM, THE MULTIPLE AWARDS ISSUED, UM, TO BE DISCUSSED NEXT WEEK.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND THAT ONE.
AND THEN DISCUSSION OF STIPENDS FOR CITY GALLERY ARTISTS FROM, WHAT DO YOU CALL, IT'S NOT A SLUSH FUND, BUT RELINQUISH DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND I GET A SECOND.
ANYBODY ELSE? COME ON, WE CAN GET OUTTA HERE.
WELL, UM, EXCUSE ME, UH, JUST OUT OF RESPECT, I WAS ON MY PHONE A LOT, UH, DURING THIS MEETING AND I THINK WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PAY ATTENTION AND YOU ALL MAY NOT KNOW, NOT IN AUSTIN, BUT IN SAN DIEGO THERE WAS A MASS SHOOTING AT A ISLAMIC CENTER.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ON MY PHONE.
SO I'M NOT GONNA APOLOGIZE, BUT I'M GONNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GRACE.
I RESPECT EVERYBODY'S TIME HERE AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WAS ON MY PHONE A LOT, BUT I WAS TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION.
AND I KNOW I DID ASK SOME QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO OWN THAT.
SO THANK YOU ALL AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAD OUR OWN RIDICULOUS SITUATION HERE IN AUSTIN YESTERDAY.
AND JUST TAKING A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS BUILDING PEACE AND BUILDING OUR AND BUILDING COMMUNITY.
I KNOW IT'S LATE AND WE WANNA GET OUTTA HERE, SO I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK TO, TO COMMISSIONER HOUSTON, BUT THIS WORK WE'RE DOING IS IMPORTANT.
COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF.
ANYTHING ELSE TODAY? I THINK WE'RE DONE FOR THE EVENING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
WHAT HAPPENED? UM, TWO TEENAGERS.