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HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts & Culture Commission Minutes 12.1.25 ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION Meeting Minutes Letts Community Center December 1, 2025 BOARD MEMBERS: Morgan Butts – Chair (4th); Charles Calati – Secretary (At-Large); Shirley Carter- Powell (At-Large); Diane Gardin (At-Large); Mary Toshach (At-Large); Alyssa Turcsak (4th); Stephanie Palaygi (4th); Clara Martinez (1st) CALL TO ORDER: The Chair called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm. 1. ROLL CALL - The Chair called the role. Turcsak was excused. Martinez and Carter-Powell joined the meeting after the roll call. 2. ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO AGENDA - The Chair called for any additions or deletions to the agenda. The Chair asked to add a discussion of the resignation of Martinez to the Agenda under New Business. 3. AGENDA APPROVAL - Calati moved that we add the item to the Agenda. It was seconded by Gardin and approved by voice vote. 4. BOARD MEETING MINUTES A. November3, 2025 Minutes - A motion was made by Toshach and seconded by Gardin to approve the minutes. It passed unanimously. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. The Resignation of Clara Martinez – The Chair read Martinez’s letter of resignation due to her election to the City Council. The Commission thanked her for her service and looked forward to working with her in her new position. 6. OLD BUSINESS A. Priority Setting and annual report preparation – The Chair began the discussion by stating the five priority areas she was proposing based on our conversation at the last meeting: 1. Governance strategy: Auditing the skills, needs, and capabilities of this commission 2. Recruitment: Informed by the strategy work above, how do we increase our numbers thoughtfully and intentionally 3. Communications: Prepare a communications plan that provides a framework for how we connect to the city and to the public, grounded in both the strategy work we complete and a deeper understanding of city communications responsibilities 4. Community engagement: Determine actionable ways to garner feedback, buy-in, and participation from the community in the arts .5. Granting: Enact a consistent granting process from start to finish, for both projects we are primarily responsible for and projects on which we should be consulted. Calati moved and Gardin seconded that the Commission adopt the priorities for 2026 and was approved unanimously. Staff will prepare an annual report for approval by the Commission. B. By Laws/Rules of Procedure revisions and absence policy approval - Calati moved and Palagyi seconded to approve the ByLaws and absence policy. The motion passed without dissent. C. Bridge Art – Staff provided more information about the Bridge Art Project including slides of existing projects. During the discussion, staff clarified that the Art would be located on the bridges on MLK Jr. Blvd. over I-496. Staff will obtain more specific information from MDOT as to any requirements that they may have to be included in any RFP guidelines. 7. UPDATES A. Mayor’s Office – Staff reported on a hearing on Transitional Housing for the Homeless to be held at 5 pm on December 2 at Foster Center which will include the “pods” that the City purchased. Neighborhood grants for arts project are being sought. B. Other - The Art Path project is moving forward and may be reported at the next Commission meeting. 8. INFORMATION A. None 9. STATEMENTS OF CITIZENS All meetings of the Mayor’s Arts and Culture Board shall be open to the public. Those in attendance shall have the opportunity to speak on any issue related to arts not otherwise on the agenda at the end of the meeting and may speak on any agenda issue during the meeting after Arts and Culture board members have had an opportunity to discuss the issue or prior to the board voting on the issue. The Chair may impose a time limit on public comments. 10. ADJOURN – Calati moved and Gardin seconded to adjourn the meeting at 4:20 pm.