HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_ARTAB_09.09.2009Minutes of the Meeting of the
Arts and Culture Board
City of Georgetown, Texas
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Present: Charles Aguillon, Melanie Dunham, Jane Paden, Steve Proesel, Georgene Richaud, Mandy
Solin
Absent: Penny Plueckhahn
Staff Present: Eric Lashley, Library Director, Judy Fabry, Library Administrative Assistant
A. Charles Aguillon called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m.
B. Announcements about upcoming events
• Eric announced that Dar Richardsonwas meeting today with the board of the Texas Society
of Sculptors and that he would propose a permanent rotating sculpture show at the library in
which members of the organization could participate.
• Judy inquired how many Board members would be attending the Council meeting on 9/22/09
so that she wouldknow whether to post the meeting. More than a quorum will attend.
C. Citizens wishing to address the Board. None were present.
D. Consideration and approval of minutes of last meetings. Georgene moved to accept the minutes
of the August Board meeting as they were distributed Steve seconded the motion, which passed
unanimously. Mandy moved to accept the minutes of the August 25 the Budget Subcommittee
meeting. Steve seconded the motion, which made a vote unnecessary.
E. Consideration of and possible action on
1. Report of Budget Subcommittee - Charles Aguillon. Charles explained the three categories
of the budget and the amount allotted to each Grants, 863,000; Support of Public Art in the
Community, $24,281; and Administration, $1500. He also brought up the idea of designating
up to $10,000 of the Arts in the Community category for advertising of community events.
The Board decided to discuss other issues on the agenda before finalizing the budget
proposal.
2. Update on Art in the Square, October 17 & 18 - Charles Aguillon. Charles suggested that
the Board sponsor a large tent where all of Georgetown's arts organizations could have a
table and meet with the public during Art in the Square. He said that Lynette Wallace has
already agreed to donate $2500 from the event to the Arts and Culture Board and that the
Board could use that gift to pay for rental of the tent. He also suggested that the Board might
sponsor the Children's area at Art in the Square, but that H.E.B. is currently considering that
sponsorship. The consensus was that the tent is a good idea and that H.E.B. should sponsor
the children's areaif they will. There was discussion about conducting a survey at Art in the
Square to determine where people heard about the event.
3. Meeting with Paul Brandenburg - Charles Aguillon. Still no meeting with Paul, but Charles
is hopeful that it will take place soon after the meeting with Council on 9/22.
4. Progress report on San Gabnel Park Sculpture Garden - Charles Aguillon. Charles
contacted someone at Texas Crushed Stone and has requested free or reduced prices for
pieces of limestone from their "excess.' He said that if he hasn't had a response to his request
by 9/16 that the Board should go ahead with purchasing slabs of limestone.
5. Report of Summit of the Arts Subcommittee - Penny Plueckhahn. Penny was absent and
Charles said he had not heard from her during the past month. Charles suggested the date of
the Summit be 9/24, but when other Board members suggested that might be too short notice
for a good turnout, he revised his suggestion. to October 22. He also said he would work with
Judy to get emailed invitations to the 9/22 Council meeting out to all of the organizations that
attended last year's Summit We will tell them that the Board will announce some exciting
news that evening. The email also would invite all of the organizations to have a. table in the
Arts and Culture Boardtent at Art in the Square.
6. Plaque for Mules sculpture - Judy Fabry. Judy showed the Board the plaque and said that
Bob Coffee will be installing it soon.
7. Presentation to City Council on September 22 - Eric Lashley. The Board agreed that the
agenda item for the Council meeting should be very brief —just an outline of the topics that
Charles will discuss: the proposed allocations of the budget, with details about the Art Month
lightpost banners and the rotating sculpture exhibit in San Gabriel Park. He also will talk
about the events that will take place during Art Month. Charles and Eric met with Rachel
Slade of the Sun this past week and told her about Art Month events and the Board's current
projects. Charles will ask her to publish her article in the September 23 edition.
8. Potential future projects: arts and culture outdoor events area near library - Eric Lashley.
Eric talked about a portion of the City's Downtown Master Plan that calls for a performance
venue near the downtown Square. He said that Randy Morrow, director of Community
Services, has suggested the area between 7th and 8th and Rock and MLK Streets would be an
ideal place for this. the primary problem is that the County owns the land, has no plans for it,
but seems reluctant to sell it to the City. Eric suggested that the CVB, Main Street, Parks, and
Arts and Culture boards, together with someone from Economic Development, should meet
to discuss this idea. He thinks it would be good for these boards that have so many
overlapping interests to have a proposal for a downtown performance park ready to take to
Paul Brandenburg and then to Council when the economy begins to recover. The Board
members seemed to agree that this was an idea they would like to pursue.
9. Return to budget discussion - Discussion followed about the types of advertising that
would be appropriate for Art Month. Print and online options were discussed and the costs of
ads in the Chronicle and the Sun. Melanie said that ads in the Community Impact are very
expensive and didn't prove to be productive for the Holiday Home Tour last year Mandy
asked about the City building a separate ' landing page' for Arts Month on the
visitgeorgetown.org website. Melanie said that Facebook and Twitter should also be utilized.
Melanie, Mandy, and Charles will make up the Marketing Subcommittee and will meet on
Monday, September 14 at 6:00 to create a proposal to bring to the meeting on the 16th.
Georgene moved that the proposed budget allocations be accepted and that an amount not to
exceed $10,000 be designated, in the category of support for public arts, for marketing of the
arts in Georgetown. Steve seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
10. Items for September 16 agenda -Judy Fabry.
• Report of marketing subcommittee
• Report on sculpture pads
• Update on Art in the Square
• Summit of the Arts
• Presentation to Council 9/22
Respectfully submitted,
gene Richaud, Secretary
Charles Aguillon, Chair