HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts & Culture - 2017-02-21 Minutes
ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
FEBRUARY 21, 2017CITY OF KITCHENER
PRESENT:Judy Allred
Danielle Deveau
Aaron Francis
Shirley Madill
Dave Schnider
Julie Soulis
Lori Thompson
Lydia Workman
Michelle Gnutzman
Sam Varteniuk
REGRETS: Pam Patel
Linda Zensner
STAFF:Silvia DiDonato, manager, arts/creative industries
Carrie Kozlowski, recording secretary
Colin Goodeve, manager, council/committee services, deputy city clerk, finance &
corporate services
CALL TO ORDER: Colin Goodeve
1.0Acceptance of agenda:accepted as circulated.
2.0Declaration of conflict of interest: none.
PRESENTATION
3.0Advisory committees—roles, responsibilities and relationships: Colin Goodeve
Note: this presentation is on the USB stick members received at the January meeting
Committee role:An advisorycommittee. Advise staff and make recommendations to
council as specified in committee terms of reference. Advisory Committees do not supervise
staff, but can advise staff about ongoing activities.
Focus: review issues within area of purview; identify priority issues; promote or update
proposals to strengthen policy; liaise between city and community.
Responsibilities: fulfill the committee’s mandate; develop a work plan; respect due process;
demonstrate respect; give fair consideration to other viewpoints; demonstrate due diligence
and professionalism; conform to relevant legislation; contribute meaningfully and offer
constructive comments; immediately divulge any conflict of interest situations.
Relationship:committee recommendations are made to the Community and Infrastructure
Services Standing Committee by written report, authorized by resolution and passed by a
majority; Council always makes final decisions. Each advisory committee has at least one
council representative participating.
General:Quorum is 5 members. If a member declares a conflict of interest, this does not
affect quorum. No subcommittee can have more than 5 members participating. In case the
committee needs to vote on an item, a tie vote is the same as a loss. An abstention is the
same as a negative vote. It is up to each member to determine if a conflict of interest
exists. However, the member can offer their situation to the committee as a whole to
determine if a conflict of interest situation exists. Committee members may speak to the
media as private citizens, not representatives of their advisory committee or the City.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
4.0Committee chairperson and vice-chairperson appointment: all
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ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
FEBRUARY 21, 2017CITY OF KITCHENER
Sam Varteniuk isappointed Chairperson of the committee, and chaired the remainder of the
meeting.
Judy Allred is appointed Vice-Chairperson.
5.0Cross-committee appointments: all
Lydia Workman is cross-appointed to Public Art Working Group.
Aaron Francis is cross-appointed to Downtown Action and Advisory Committee.
Danielle Deveau is cross-appointed to Economic Development Advisory Committee.
6.0Committee Work Plan: SilviaDiDonato
The committeeidentified the following key work plan items for 2017, based on staff input,
the last ACAC’s recommendations, and committee preferences and priorities. The
committee will scrutinize and advise onthese initiatives:
o Arts action plan
o Creative hub and space for the arts
o Music, media and film office
The work plan items and all presentations and requests for input received by the committee
will be considered through the lens ACAC developed at its last meeting:
To amplify the voices of artists and arts/culture organizations to ensure their role in
the community and economy is valued and validated.
Discussion:
Arts action plan:The arts/creative industries unit will be focused on strategic planning in
2017, as the development of an arts action plan is a priority this year. ACAC will be called
upon to provide advice and expertise during development of the plan.
o The plan will nest under other City of Kitchener policies and strategies, including the
City’s strategic plan, and the economic development strategy, Make it Kitchener. It will
align with the two main themes of Make it Kitchener, with a focus on arts and creative
industries: 1) to createcareer opportunities,and 2) to be a compelling city.
o To date, community input has been gathered through various initiatives, data has been
synthesized, themes have emerged, and a vision has been draftedfor the arts action
plan.
Creative hub:The request for proposals for an operatorofa potential creative hub at 44
Gaukel St. is now open. The last ACAC’s input was considered as the RFP was drafted. ACAC
will be informed on progress, but has no formal role participating in the adjudication process
for the candidates. The city’s purchasing department is running the process. ACAC will have
an opportunity to comment on the staff report and its recommendations prior to
presentation to committee of council.
Music, media and filmoffice:The vision is for thisoffice to be launched as a Kitchener
initiative, then later to become a regional office.
Arts/Culture lens: in advance of any delegations or staff presentations coming forward to
the committee, the presenters will be informed of the committee’s lens (statement given
above), as well as the following three questions:
1.Is arts/Culture a pillar of your project/plan/initiative? If not, why not?
2.How does your project/plan/initiative contribute to the development of the creative
economy in the region?
3.Do you have a plan to pay artists?
Other work plan items for considerationfrom 2016 ACAC:Canada 150 celebrations, how
best to amplify, raise awareness and profile of activities in the arts/culture sector in the
region.
Other itemfrom 2017 ACAC:contemporary music festival.
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ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
FEBRUARY 21, 2017CITY OF KITCHENER
Post-implementation of the work plan initiatives, ACAC could advise on outreach
mechanisms to raise awareness and metrics.
ACTION ITEM:Staff to invite representatives from Compass Kitchener to an upcoming meeting as
this committee evaluates the city’s strategic priorities
ACTION ITEM: Staff to invite special events staff to a future meeting to provide an updateon
availableresources to help community groups hold events
ACTION ITEM: ACAC members to review the ‘Explore Waterloo Region’ calendar of events, and
provide comments to Silvia before Friday, February 24 insupport of the work plan item regarding
amplifying, raising awareness and profile of arts/culture sector activities.
ACTION ITEM: Staff to invite a representative from Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing Corporation
to a future meeting to discuss ‘Explore Waterloo Region’
INFORMATION ITEMS
7.0Key cultural institutions in the region:Silvia DiDonato
Key Cultural institutions (KCIs) are pillars in the regional arts sector.
KCIs in the region are identified as follows: KW Symphony, KW Art Gallery, THEMUSEUM, and
Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery.
Following consultation and a consultant’s report, a need was recognized for a special
streamlined and transparent funding allocation process for the KCIs from the municipalities
across the region.
The proposed new process will involve collaboration betweenWaterloo, Cambridge and
Kitchener, and will not affect any of the municipality’s funding allocations to the KCIs.
April 3: related staff report goes forward.
8.0Council Report: Councillor Schnider
Neighbourhood strategy:approved by committee of Council. Fosters citizen-led, city
supported initiatives to make Kitchener neighbouhoods better, safer, more vibrant, active
and activatedplaces. Increased funding for projects (both short and long term) will be
available throughthe Neighbourhood Matching Fund Grant.
Kitchener digital strategy: A civic innovation lab at Communitechhas been initiated to
generate new ideas and technologies tosolve problems, monitor and generally make the city
more efficient, safer, better.
9.0Public Art Working Group update: Shirley Madill
On a motion made by Danielle, unanimously carried by the committee:
“That 2016 Artist in Residence Sarah Granskou’s commission proposal for a Community
Tree made of felt to be installed at Forest Heights Community Centre be accepted.”
MOTION CARRIED
Background
Although a commissioned artwork wasn’t necessarily planned orbudgeted for as part of the
2016 residency, the call for proposals for 2016 Artist in Residence left the possibility open.
Sarah’s residency project lent itself to a commissioned artwork as a legacy of the project.
Sarah would prepare the tree for installation, and will oversee the installation.
Staff proposes a fee of $2,000 for the commissioned work, same as for the 2015 commission,
and a 5 year limited installation.
PAWG Comments
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ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACAC) MINUTES
FEBRUARY 21, 2017CITY OF KITCHENER
Sarah’s tree will be well-loved by the community. It’s an appropriate and delightful piece
for a community centre location, as the public made leaves for the tree at various events at
community centres across the city.
The lobby of the Forest Heights Community Centre has a mural of trees on the wall, making
this an appropriate location for the installation.
Mosaicist Julie Sperling is the 2017 Artist in Residence. Her project is ‘Climate Change: from
Art To action.
Public Art Project at Bridgeport Community Centre is now underway, with plans for a late
spring installation.
10.0City Updates: Silvia DiDonato:
Includedin previous item.
11.0Member’s updates:
Committee members reintroduced themselves.
Lydia:Participating in a group art exhibition in New York City on March 9.
Michelle: Conestoga College’s Applicationprocess is now open. School of Media and Design
offers 17 programs, including a new 2-year animation diploma.
Shirley:after 36 years, KW Art Gallery currently undergoing lighting renovations in two of its
three exhibition spaces. Current exhibit: The Four Continentsby Kent Monkman. This
exhibition of four large canvases was 10 years in the making. The work is very dense. On
February 23, the gallery will host Feast for the Senses V: An Evening of Art, Food, and Drink.
Chef Shawn Adler of the PowWow Café in Toronto's Kensington Market will draw inspiration
for the evening’s meal fromThe Four Continentsby Kent Monkman.
Judy:Community Players of New Hamburg willpresent Mary PoppinsMay 11-14. Secret at
Woodsidewill be performed at KW Musical Productions Art Centre in June.
SAM:Registry Theatre will host events as part of the Irish Real Life Festival.
ADJOURNMENT: The chair adjourned the meeting at 5:49 p.m.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, March 21, 4:00 p.m., Conestoga Room
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