HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts & Culture - 2015-07-21
ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
JULY 21, 2015CITY OF KITCHENER
PRESENT:Mark Derro
Danielle Deveau
Shirley Madill
Shantal Myers
Eric Rumble
Dave Schnider
Kristy Smith
Sam Varteniuk
Linda Zensner
REGRETS:Wayne Addison
Judy Allred
D. Morton
Kate Swift
GUESTS:Don Bourgeois, President, JM Drama
Martin DeGroot, Arts Reboot
Lynne Sosnowski, Operations Manager,Registry Theatre
STAFF:Krista Blake, Coordinator, Arts/Culture
Silvia DiDonato, Manager, Arts/Culture
Carrie Kozlowski, Recording Secretary
CALL TO ORDER: Danielle Deveau
1.0Acceptance of agenda
Item 5 (FilmCommissioning Model) struck from agenda, in the delegation’s absence.
Agenda accepted as amended
2.0Declaration of conflict of interest
Sam Varteniuk abstains from Registry Theatre discussion, as he serves as General Manager of
the theatre.
DELEGATIONS
3.0Registry Theatre Strategic Refresh: Don Bourgeois
JM Drama Alumni(an incorporated, registered charity)runs the RegistryTheatre. Overall
structural budgetless than $250,000.
JM Drama runs Registry, pursuant to a management agreement and a lease with the City of
Kitchener (2000).Most of JM Drama’s resources devoted to the Registry Theatre.
Agreement and lease are up for renewal November 30, 2015, at the option of JM Drama, for
a further 3 years, with one additional 3-year option remaining.
Time is right for strategic refresh, in advance of renewal.
Items to consider as part of strategic refresh:
Theatre programming
o
Physical requirements for the building (including addition)
o
Governance
o
Alignment with City’s strategic objectives and Council’s expectations
o
Other considerations: changes to arts/culture landscape in the region; future of other
facilities; aging equipment and building; working at capacity means that customers’ needs
are not met.
Registry is owned by City. Extensively renovated in 2000/2001, mostly at JM Drama’s risk
and cost. City replaced windows several years ago, and maintains HVAC system. JM Drama
responsible for other maintenance.
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July 2015-ACAC Minutes
ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
JULY 21, 2015CITY OF KITCHENER
JM Drama/Registry is debt-free; relationship with City is a factor in the financial and
operational stability.
Registry Theatre mandate: to be affordable and accessible. Maintain low operational cost
structure; use grants and surpluses for funding capital projects, charge rent based on costs.
Rents are substantially lower than other comparable facilities.
Encourages ‘arts and culture research and development’ by providing opportunities
o
for experimentation, development and audience building(willing to incur strategic
losses, although objective is to create an overall surplus).
Collaborates with partners.
o
Strivesfor ‘professional presenting’, which offers enriching experiences for audiences
o
and arts community (via workshops and feedbackopportunities).
Nurtures community theatre.
o
Challenges: overbooked for performances(2 booking requests turned down per week),lack
of rehearsal and storage space, staff working beyond capacity and paid below market rates.
Closing in on last HST exemption. Once registered for HST (over $250,000), costs will
increase 13% for users (ticket prices, rental rates).
JM Drama will update Council about stakeholder consultationplan in September 2015.
JM Drama wants to do what is right for the City, the residents, the arts community and
audiences. Willing to participate in evolving solutions. Seeks a clear mandate that
recognizes and addresses risks.
JM Drama anticipates revisiting ACAC to consult about theatre programming and strategic
alignment as part of the strategic refresh.
On a motion made by Shirley Madill, seconded by Linda Zensner:
“That JM Dram’s strategic refresh for the Registry Theatre be supported.”
MOTION CARRIED
Comments:
Registry hasdone terrific work and achieved substantial growth over the years.
Refresh is timelyand responsible.
Challenges identified are clearly defined.
4.0Arts Reboot: Martin DeGroot
Second ‘Arts Reboot’ took place April 2015.
An ad hoc assembly of arts practitioners focused on deepening connections and facilitating
communication within the arts community.
Envisions the region of Waterloo as a cultural community that is accessible, inclusive,
collegial, professional, stable, vital,and attractive place to live, work and visit.
Seeks to establish a voice for artists and arts organizations, to represent the arts community,
and to develop a mechanism for action and a culture of encouragement.
First event (April 2014) wasfocused on the arts community’s concerns;this one was about
addressing concerns, prioritizing, and taking action.
Priorities based on attendee’s interests and what they want to work on, including:
Remunerationfor artists
o
Peer review and granting
o
Need for a network within the arts community to enable connections.
o
Group developed a draft statement of purpose, vision statement, value statement, and
identified next steps, including establishing the constituency,anddeveloping a formal
structure.
Considering reviving or reinventing the Waterloo Regional Arts Council; want to be regional.
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July 2015-ACAC Minutes
ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
JULY 21, 2015CITY OF KITCHENER
Creative Enterprise Initiative does not fulfill the function of an arts council.
ACAC comments:
Challenging to bring the different factions in the region’s arts community together.
Group could provide educational opportunities. Could invite speakers to share information
on items of interest (for example, a speaker from CARFAC Ontario, an association of
professional visual and media artists could address economic issues facing visual artists.
ACTION: consider if Arts Reboot could be a topic at a future joint meeting of the regional
arts/culture advisory committees.
5.0Film Commission Model: cancelled, in delegation’s absence
DISCUSSION ITEMS
6.0Compass Kitchener and Work Plan: Danielle Deveau
On June 23, Compass Kitchener hosted a meeting to bring all advisory committee Chairs,
Vice Chairs and staff together to find ways to collaborate.
Each committee had to provide three work plan items. ACAC’s are: Arts/Culture Strategy,
Creative Clusters Development, andCommunity Partnerships.
ACAC is already aligned with Economic Development Advisory Committee on strategies for
Kitchener Economic Development and Arts/Culture strategy.
Observations:
Mayors Advisory Committee on Kitchener Seniors(MACKS) is interested in making
o
downtown an engaging place for seniors. Our conceptions of ‘seniors’ needs to shift
to reflect that today’s seniors are active, mobile and vital.
TheEnvironmental Committee expressed interest in speaking with ACAC about
o
collaboration.
Arts/culture could consult with all other advisory committees in the course of
o
consultation for the Arts/Culture strategy.
Which other committees does ACAC wish to engage with?
MACKS, as people often grow into the arts over time, and have the time and
o
resources to partake in the arts.
Kitchener Youth Action and Advisory Committee(KYAAC), to build audiences.
o
Environment
o
Safe and Healthy Advisory Committee, to explore Neighbourhood Matching Fund
o
Grant and its application for community led art projects.
ACTION: Chair and staff to consult on how best to establish links.
INFORMATION ITEMS
7.0Public Art Working Group update: Shirley Madill
Received a presentation from staff about Ping Street, a location-based mobile app, providing
information about municipal services.
Considered how Ping Street could be used to highlight Public Art in the region.
Received a presentation from Neruda Arts about an international muralist project.
Janice Lee, 2015 Artist in Residence, provided an update about her Folk Myths of Kitchener
residency project, as well as information about a presentation she made at the Pacific Rim
International Conference on Disability and Diversity.
Dwight Storring, 2014 Artist in Residence, provided an update on his commission project, a
mobile storytelling unit, called Neighbourhood Voices, which will tour community centres
and other city facilities.
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July 2015-ACAC Minutes
ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
JULY 21, 2015CITY OF KITCHENER
8.0Music, Media and Film update: Silvia DiDonato
In September 2012, Council approved a Music Action Plan containing 28 items.
A number of these action items were achieved: networking events, music conference,
mentorship opportunities, workshop, roundtables, makerspace…
In 2013, the top 10 priority projects were identified.
Currently, music,media and maker space have captured interest, as well as crossover
between digital, performing arts and the visual arts.
ACTION: Staff to provide a comprehensive list of achievements to ACAC.
9.0Downtown Action and Advisory Committee update: no update, meeting cancelled.
10.0Economic Development Advisory Committee update: Shantal Myers
Discussed outcomes of economic development symposium.
Considered the infrastructure required for Kitchener to be considered a ‘Digital City’ for
branding/marketing purposes.
11.0Council Report:nothing to report.
12.0Members’ updates
Registry Theatre: Next to Normal, a musical about mental health issues runs August 6-8 and
13-15. Running a ‘Don’t Come to the Theatre’ fundraising campaign to raise money for an
office expansion.
Downtown:Driftwood Theatre will mount a pay what you can performance of Hamlet at
civic district park on July 28. Group will also offer a workshop at Registry theatre that
afternoon.
ADJOURNMENT: The chair adjourned the meeting at 5:34 p.m.
NEXT MEETING: September 15, 4:00 p.m., Conestoga Room, ground floor, Kitchener city hall
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July 2015-ACAC Minutes