HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-10-2004Auburn Arts Commission
May 10, 2004
MINUTES
Commissioners present: Herman Ansingh, Chair Anne Baunach, Kristen Brock, Paul
Dodsworth, Don Gardner, Bonnie Egbert, Amanda Flanery, Pat Gallagher, Steve
LePenske, Barbie Sharrard, Para Smith
Commissioners absent: Nancy Colson (excused)
Staff present: Susan Gochoel, cultural programs manager, Lori Patrick, cultural
programs coordinator
Visitors: Dave Ellison, Evergreen City Ballet board president; Lynn Hallowell,
Evergreen City Ballet managing director; Pat Pepper, Evergreen City Ballet board
member
Chair Anne Baunach called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
I. Introductions and approval of April minutes
Chair Baunach welcomed two new arts commissioners recently appointed by Mayor Pete
Lewis. Amanda Flanery will fill Commissioner Emeritus Gertie Sprenger's unexpired
term through December 2005. Flanery is a member of Soroptomists International and
serves on the ACAP board. Her husband, Mark Flanery, serves on the Auburn
Symphony Board. Patrick Gallagher fills former Commissioner John Stanphill's term,
which expires in December 2004. Gallagher is a manager at The Boeing Company and
has lived in Auburn for 10 years. He and his family attend many art commission events.
Cultural Programs Manager Susan Gochoel said the mayor also named Sprenger, a
founding commissioner, commissioner emeritus in honor of her years of service.
Visitors Lynn Hallowell, Evergreen City Ballet managing director; Dave Ellison,
Evergreen City Ballet board president; and Pat Pepper, Evergreen City Ballet board
member, briefly addressed the commission during the public-comment period. Hallowell
read a letter addressed to the commission from the ballet's board of directors. Ellison
expressed the ballet's appreciation for the Auburn Arts Commission's support of the
ballet, and reiterated its desire to be included on the commission's 2004-2005 BRAVO!
season with its performance of"Sleeping Beauty."
Commissioner Herman Ansingh moved that the April minutes be approved as submitted.
Commissioner Paul Dodsworth seconded the motion.
MOTION APPROVED
In the hopes that Commissioner Nancy Colson could be in attendance, Gochoel requested
the commission wait to discuss BRAVO!, the second item on the agenda, until later in the
meeting.
(more)
Arts Commission
May 2004 Minutes, Page 2
II. Public Art
Gochoel announced a series of upcoming meetings: 4Culture's public art presentation to
the City Council's Planning and Community Development Committee (PCDC), 5 p.m.,
Monday, May 24, at City Hall in the council chambers. Artspace, a non-profit developer
of artist live-work space, will be in town May 24 and 25 to conduct a series of pre-
feasibility focus groups at City Hall. The city will unveil its gateway design and host a
stakeholder appreciation ceremony, 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 25, at City Hall in the
council chambers.
The commission's public art committee met, Thursday, May 6, to review and begin
revisions to the commission's informal public art policy drafted in 1996. PCDC has
charged the commission with updating its public art policy and drafting a six-year plan
for approval by the City Council, Gochoel said. She will forward notes from the public
art committee meeting to the full commission for review. The committee will continue to
meet to update the policy.
Gochoel reported she and city officials met with the developer and architect of the City's
new public safety building, previously home to the Massey's market and Auburn Family
Fun Center, on East Main Street. The public safety building, slated for completion this
fall, is the site for the commission's 2004 public art project. The City Council favors
preservation of the building's 1950' s-era theme, Gochoel said, and as a result, neon-style
architectural lighting has emerged as a possibility for public art. She reviewed a short list
of lighting artists on Sound Transit's pre-approved artist roster and invited lighting
designer Sidney Genette, of Lighting Designs, Inc., to walk the site with the architect,
construction manager and city officials. Gochoel distributed Lighting Designs, Inc.
portfolio, which includes projects such as the light installation in the Seattle Art
Museum's foyer and the NE 90th Street Bridge in Redmond (a national award-winning
design). She recommended the commission contract with Genette to work with the
building' s architect to design a lighting scheme for the building' s exterior and the
possibility of the interior lobby. The contract is subject to the commission's approval of
the design.
Commissioner Herman Ansingh moved the commission initiate a contract with Sidney
Genette to collaborate with the public safety building's architect to create a lighting
design. Commissioner Paul Dodsworth seconded the motion.
MOTION APPROVED
Gochoel said artist Brandon Zebold has begun fabricating the Lakeland Hills public art
piece, a flame-cut steel sphere. Gochoel will request a studio visit for the commission to
view Zebold's progress.
(more)
Arts Commission
May 2004 Minutes, Page 3
III. 2004 Arts Organization Support Grant
The commission will re-grant a total of $12,000, awarded through 4Culture's (formerly
the Cultural Development Authority of King County) Sustained Support Program. Grant
application packets went out last week. The deadline is 5 p.m., Friday, June 11. A panel
of commissioners will review the applications, 12:30 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 23.
This year, more organizations will be eligible because 4Culture has opened funding to
projects that happen anytime during the year, Gochoel said.
IV. South King County Cultural Coalition
Cultural Programs Coordinator Lori Patrick, elected as temporary co-chair of the recently
formed South King County Cultural Coalition, (SKCCC) reported on the new
organization. Out of King County Councilmember Julia Patterson's March Arts,
Heritage and Historic Preservation Summit, SKCCC was born. The coalition is
comprised of municipal arts commissions; musical, dance and theater groups; museums
and historical societies who have come together around a common goal: to increase the
visibility of and funding for cultural programs in South King County. Potential coalition
projects include a Web site, economic impact study and collaborative marketing plan.
The coalition will meet monthly, the fourth Wednesday, from 1 to 2 p.m. at various
locations throughout South King County. The next meeting is 1 p.m., Wednesday,
May 26 at Burien City Hall.
V. BRAVO!
Gochoel reported the 2003/2004 BRAVO! Season posted record ticket sales of $73,788.
Grant revenue included $4,000 from the King County cultural education grant, $3,400
from the King County Performance Network and $3,200 form Auburn School District
PTA's to help fund the Artisans in the Schools program. In all, 9,140 people attended
BRAVO! performances.
Gochoel distributed the 2004/2005 BRAVO! Season lineup with seven regular
performances confirmed and two BRAVO! Kids performances confirmed. The
commission discussed whether to present the Evergreen City Ballet's performance of
"Sleeping Beauty" as the season's eighth regular performance in April. The ballet would
offer its opening Friday evening performance to the commission to present on its
BRAVO! Series. The ballet will self-present a total of three performances with a live
orchestra on Saturday and Sunday. Gochoel said the commission can offer the ballet a
$10,000 fee and $3,500 for technical costs for a performance of"Sleeping Beauty" as
part of the BRAVO! Series. The ballet maintained it can't present a performance with
live music at that fee but could perform to recorded music. The ballet's fee for a
performance with a live orchestra would be $15,000. In March, the commission's
consensus was not to present the performance without live music unless additional
funding was available. Gochoel reported there aren't funds in the BRAVO! budget to pay
a $15,000 fee.
(more)
Arts Commission
May 2004 Minutes, Page 4
A discussion ensued regarding collaborative marketing and possible ticket-pricing
models to offset the $5,000 gap needed for a live orchestra. Commissioners discussed the
quality of recorded music versus a live orchestra. While the commission agreed it would
prefer live music, it determined a full-length, story ballet would add to the BRAVO!
season lineup.
Commissioner Ansingh moved the commission accept the Evergreen City Ballet's
proposal to present a BRAVO! performance of "Sleeping Beauty" with recorded music
for a performance of fee of $10,000. Commissioner Dodsworth seconded the motion.
MOTION APPROVED
VI. Clean Sweep
Gochoel reported Clean Sweep III is Saturday, June 5. Commissioners discussed
potential projects. Gochoel said Mayor Lewis has approved $1,500 in funding for a
mural on the north wall of the AB Vacuum and Sewing building at 221 Auburn Way
South. Artist Bob Henry, who worked on the Clean Sweep I mural project, will paint a
scene commemorating the site, one of the first stops on the Auburn to Seattle run. Henry
will paint the mural on a board and fasten it to the building on Clean Sweep day.
VII. Other business
Commissioners discussed a dinner at Auguri restaurant in honor of Commissioner
Emeritus Gertie Sprenger following the regular June 14 arts commission meeting.
Commissioner Flanery will contact the restaurant and research menu options.
There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m. The next regular
meeting is 4:30 p.m., Monday, June 14 in the City Council Conference Room at City
Hall, 25 West Main St.