HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-16 ACAC Minutes
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Arts and Culture Advisory Committee
January 16, 2024, 4:00 p.m.
Pipe Room - 6th Floor City Hall
City of Kitchener
200 King Street W, Kitchener, ON N2G 407
Present: B. Reid, Member
A. Girard, Member
C. Nwene, Member
I. Stefanescu, Member
Councillor D. Schnider, Member
M. Lam, Chair
M. Melo, Member
Staff: E. Rumble, Coordinator, Arts & Creative Industries
K. Varin, Program Administrator, Arts & Creative Industries
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1. Commencement
The Arts and Culture Advisory Committee held a meeting this date commencing
at 4:00 p.m.
1.1Acceptance of agenda
Moved to approve agenda as amended, I. Stefanescu, seconded, C. Nwene.
1.2 Approval of November minutes
Moved to approve October 2023 minutes, A. Girard, seconded, I. Stefanescu.
Moved to approve November 2023 minutes, B. Reid, seconded, C. Nwene.
2.Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and the General Nature Thereof
None.
3.Delegations
3.1 Welcome to Jeremy Dueck, Director, Culture & Entertainment, Economic
Development
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Deferred to February.
4. Discussion Items
4.1Compass priorities draft: Margaret Lam, chair, ACAC
Members gave input on the draft prepared by chair M. Lam from committee
feedback in November. Compass organizes two yearly meetings with chairs and
vice chairs of all advisory committees. During the last meeting, the city's 2023-
2026 Strategic Plan was presented. Committee chairs were asked to solicit input
from each advisory committee about which strategic actions are of interest to
members. Members identified these actions and made notes of ideas that allow
for meaningful contribution.
Compass will synthesize and share gathered input with advisory committees and
advise Strategic Action Managers to follow up.
Action: M. Lam will provide this feedback to Compass by January 31, 2024, and
the final version of the draft will be circulated to ACAC for review prior.
Arts and Creative Industries (A&CI) staff also circulated the draft to the Public Art
Working Group, a sub-committee of ACAC.
4.2 2024 ACAC workplan draft: Margaret Lam, chair, ACAC; staff
Members and A&CI staff identified key topics of importance to include in the
committee workplan for 2024. These are:
Arts & Culture Masterplan input
advocating for fair artist compensation in city programs with a focus on the
Berlin Tower Artspace exhibition program
review ACAC Terms of Reference
support the goals of the city's 2023-2026 Strategic Plan
Member B. Reid shared an update with the committee that she partnered with
artist Sharl Smith to conduct a questionnaire with a selection of visual artists in
the region. This was a survey supported by the A&CI team, as additional public
engagement to inform the creation of the Arts & Culture Masterplan. The final
report of findings will be accessible to the public, but members suggested that B.
Reid can also share at a committee meeting once the report is ready.
4.3 Terms of Reference review: staff
The committee Terms of Reference has not been updated for a number of years,
and Legislated Services requires the terms to be updated this year. This is also
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an opportunity for members and staff to consider if and how the role and the
purpose of the committee has changed. K. Varin asked members to consider the
following during the review:
Mandate and Scope: what is ACAC looking to achieve? review alignment
with current strategic plans – is anything missing?
Committee Composition and Governance: does the membership reflect
ACAC's purpose well? any reflection on the number of members? any
recommendations around chair or vice chair positions?
Appointments, Attendance and Quorum: number required for quorum;
recruitment challenges and clarity; representation on DAC, EDAC and
PAWG
Meetings and Reporting: meeting frequency and timing; reporting to
Council including method and frequency
General: adding any definitions for clarity; other
Action: K. Varin is to share the presentation of these points with the committee
prior to the February meeting. One observation made was the lack of any
reference to culture and the diversity of cultural experience. Members and staff
are to reflect and share further observations and/or suggestions at upcoming
meetings. Staff will invite a representative from Legislated Services to advise on
any changes.
4.4 Vice Chair ACAC position opening: Margaret Lam, chair, ACAC
The position of vice chair is vacant. M. Lam invited members to consider taking
on the role.
Action: Any members interested in filling the position are to email an expression
of interest to K. Varin along with any questions. Voting has been deferred to the
February meeting.
5. Information Items
5.1 Standing items city updates: staff
E. Rumble took the revised 1% Public Art Policy to the Corporate Leadership
Team (CLT) for feedback. For the benefit of the new members, he explained
what the policy entails and the changes he is looking to implement. CLT was
supportive of the edits. E. Rumble will present a report with the recommended
edits, for Council approval at the end of February.
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E. Rumble updated members on the upcoming call for expressions of interestfor
public art stemming from the 1% policy, atthe Mill Courtland Community Centre.
Expansion of the centre has been delayed, thus the call is planned to launch later
this year. It will be a three-stage call for submissions:
open call will be posted to identify 5 artists through a jury process.
these artists will be paid to present site-specific proposals, and 2 to 3
artists will be chosen through a jury process.
a community engagement process will be designed to select the finalist
from the artist proposals selected in stage two.
E. Rumble also informed members that he is waiting on the Service Agreement
from Legal Services to formally commission the artists selected for the KPL
Southwest branch public artwork.
Council has approved an operating budget for 44 Gaukel Creative Hub which will
allow staff to develop programming. The responsibility of some of the services for
the building, such as IT and security, is being transferred to city operations staff.
5.2 Downtown Action and Advisory Committee updates: Annabelle Girard
The committee is also in the process of reviewing their Terms of Reference.
5.3 Economic Development Advisory Committee updates: Margaret Lam,
Jeffrey Paquette
No meeting held in December.
5.4 Public Art Working Group updates: Canan Altinkas
There was no meeting in January nor December. K. Varin informed members
that she plans to review the Artist in Residence program with PAWG. ACAC
members suggested to consider how the program could support building bridges
within the city, availability of space for creation, the possibility of aligning with a
city project, and contemplation of partnerships similar to the 2022/23 residency
partnership with Textile.
5.5 Council report: Councillor Dave Schneider
None.
6. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 6:02 p.m.
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