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HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts & Culture - 2008-02-19 ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, February 19, 2008 CITY OF KITCHENER PRESENT: Jennifer Breithaupt, Alison Burkett, Len Carter, Don Chapman, Paul Eichhorn, Councillor Kelly Galloway, Lawrence McNaught, Sherryl Petricevic, Cheryl York, Jamie Vasey, Carrie Kozlowski. REGRETS: Councillor John Gazzola, J.D. McGuire, Bill Poole, Fitz Vanderpool. 1.0 CALL TO ORDER: Jennifer Breithaupt 1.1 Approval of Agenda A motion was made by Jamie Vasey to approve the agenda as circulated. Len Carter seconded the motion. All were in favour; the motion was carried. 2.0 BUSINESS ARISING 2.1 Approval of January 15, 2008 Minutes rd The minutes of the January meeting require an amendment to item # 2.2 (Council Report), 3 line. The word “operating” has been removed so that the sentence reads, “The City’s 2008 budget will be considered at the February 4, 2008 Council meeting.” In the next paragraph, the closing sentence, “$300,000 has been allocated for this expense” has been deleted, so that this paragraph reads, “The City must advance-plan for the additional Councillors in 2010. This addition will likely be treated as a one-time increase.” A motion was made by Jamie Vasey to approve the minutes of the January 15, 2008 meeting as amended above. Len Carter seconded the motion. All were in favour; the motion was carried. 2.2World Religions Conference Motion on 2008 Grant Request The World Religions Conference has requested a $5,000 grant to offset facility rental costs for its 2008 event. The organization would like to hold the event at the Centre in the Square, with a rental cost of approximately $11,000. In 2005, the conference was held at the Centre in the Square with over 1,500 attending. In discussing the grant request, the committee noted the following: Attendance at the conference has decreased over the past two years, but this decrease may ? be attributed to the conference taking place in a smaller venue (Humanities Theatre, University of Waterloo). The World Religions Conference does not charge attendees an entrance fee. ? In 2007, more financial support was provided for the conference by the City of Kitchener ? than by the City of Waterloo. This may be attributed to the population split. The World Religions Conference is a cultural event, and is therefore worthy of the City of ? Kitchener’s support. If this organization does not receive the grant it has requested, that $5,000 could be used ? to support two to three other arts events. This event is important because it reaches beyond our region. It also supports diversity. ? A motion was made by Alison Burkett, seconded by Len Carter that the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee support the World Religions Conference $5,000 grant application contingent on the group holding its 2008 event at the Centre in the Square. Motion carried. 2.3Council Report: Councillor Kelly Galloway The 2008 budget level causes a 3.71% increase in City taxes. 1 February 2008 - ACAC Minutes ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, February 19, 2008 CITY OF KITCHENER On January 28, 2008, Council approved Ron Baird’s Kitchener Memorial Auditorium public art commission, “The Gathering Tree”. The intention is to have the artwork installed in time for the Memorial Cup (May 16, 2008). 2.4 Public Art Working Group (PAWG) Report: Cheryl York Suzanne Ronald, a member of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC), the Public Art Working Group (PAWG) and the Downtown Advisory Committee (DAC) has withdrawn from these committees. Suzanne Ronald’s departure leaves vacancies on DAC and PAWG. A new PAWG representative will be solicited. ACTION: PAWG to consider request at its next meeting. 2.5 CulturePlan II (CP II) Update: Staff and Members 2.5.1 Sub Comm 1: Community Investment Strategy (CIS): Cheryl York The CIS Phase 1 report will be discussed by Council at a special strategy session on Monday February 25, 2008. It will then be a public document. ACAC is invited to attend the meeting. ACTION: Staff to provide copies of CIS documents for ACAC to review following the meeting. 2.5.2Sub Comm 2: Arts Cluster: Lawrence McNaught This sub committee is organizing a presentation called “Community Mapping: Foundation for Planning” by Greg Baeker on Wednesday, March 5, 2008. This presentation is being made in response to a program offered by the federal government to municipalities in Ontario to encourage a wide variety of community planning projects to be based on a foundation of community mapping, sometimes called "cultural mapping". This process is a way to identify all of a community's assets. The objective of this presentation/discussion is to identify how community mapping can assist us across the region as we continue to plan for the health of our communities. ACAC members are invited to attend. 2.5.3 Sub Comm 3: Cultural Capitals of Canada: Cheryl York The City was not successful in its bid for 2009 Cultural Capital of Canada designation. As a result, Council closed out the 2007 and 2008 Cultural Capitals allocation of $400,000 to capital surplus, but maintained the 2009 capital budget allocation ($267,000) for Cultural to enable the community to leverage private sector support for cultural activities in 2009. The Department of Canadian Heritage will provide feedback on the City’s application. ACTION: Staff to report results of feedback to ACAC when available. 2.5.4Sub Comm 4: Intercultural Accessibility: Don Chapman This sub committee’s direction has been re-focused. Abbie Grafstein will be the new lead. She is involved with diversity planning. A pilot project will involve networking and mentoring to help new artists and artists from diverse ethnic communities. This is separate from the work of sub committee # 6, which also involves networking. 2.5.5Sub Comm 5: Community & Neighbourhood Arts: Paul Eichhorn, Len Carter 2 February 2008 - ACAC Minutes ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, February 19, 2008 CITY OF KITCHENER The City’s Arts and Culture unit is preparing a Call for Expressions of Interest for a review of the City’s Public Art policy. The work of Sub Committee 5 has slowed down so that it can occur in tandem with the Public Art Policy review, and these projects can develop together. Staff noted that ACAC will be consulted as part of the City’s review of the Public Art policy. An ACAC member will be recruited as part of the Public Art policy review team’s steering committee. Len Carter would like to ensure that ACAC will be engaged with decisions involving Public Art as a matter of course. Alison Burkett requested that ACAC have the opportunity to see the call for Expressions of Interest and the project’s Terms of Reference. ACTION: Staff will report to ACAC on the process. 2.5.6Sub Comm 6: Networking, Data, Research, Media: Alison Burkett This sub committee is addressing CulturePlan II recommendations as follows: Develop Arts Portal ? Determine networking opportunities ? Examine audience profile research ? Consider audience development strategies ? Discuss addition of public art collection information to City web site and Arts Portal ? Discuss arts and culture marketing ? Determine arts/culture link with KW Tourism Strategy ? Consider a Kitchener culture magazine ? Consider media relationships and strategies ? Not in scope of sub committee 6’s work: Shared resources for mailouts and weblists ? Public art management guidelines ? Development of central fundraising agency ? Increased funding for Waterloo Region Arts Council ? Industry association for arts and business ? Research and development for film, multimedia, digital media and design ? This sub committee is currently focusing on the following main tasks: improving the Arts Portal (completing the information and considering functional ? enhancements) Market and Audience Research and Development ? Developing an inspirational promotional video to improve awareness, provide ? recognition and enhance our arts and culture reputation 2.6 Memorial Cup Update: Staff and members Prior to her resignation, Suzanne Ronald attended a Memorial Cup meeting, but was unable to establish a relationship between the Contemporary Art Forum of Kitchener and Area (CAFKA) and the Memorial Cup committee. The objective had been to further involve arts in the Memorial Cup event by involving artists in the creation of digital media pieces to be displayed in various venues. 3 February 2008 - ACAC Minutes ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, February 19, 2008 CITY OF KITCHENER Alison Burkett had investigated the possibility of the KW Art Gallery’s student art competition adopting a theme related to the Memorial Cup, as both events take place in May. However, the theme for the student art competition has already been set, so it’s not possible to relate these two events. If the CulturePlan II sub committee 6’s promotional piece is ready in time for the Memorial Cup, perhaps it could be played at the Memorial Cup. If the Memorial Cup organizing committee wishes, an ACAC member could serve on the jury for the student-designed ticket competition it is running. ACTION: If the promotional piece is ready in time for the Memorial Cup, sub committee 6 will approach Kim Kugler, Manager of the Auditorium, regarding the possibility of playing this piece during Memorial Cup events. Councillor Galloway could assist with making introductions. 3.0 NEW BUSINESS AND INFORMATION ITEMS: 3.1ACAC Youth Representative Update: Jennifer Breithaupt Two students from Eastwood collegiate will observe at the next ACAC meeting (March 18, 2008). Until this committee’s Terms of Reference are reviewed, youth observers will not be full-fledged voting members. It is likely that the Terms of Reference review will address the need to have youth representation on ACAC. 3.2Creative Intersections Update: Cheryl York Staff has expressed ACAC’s interest in attending this event, scheduled for Fall, 2008. 3.3Members’ Updates Jennifer Breithaupt highlighted that there are three ways for members to suggest agenda ? items for meetings: email suggestions to the co-chairs or the committee secretary, suggest additions during the approval of the agenda portion of the meeting, or interject items during this part of the meeting, “Members Updates”. Don Chapman noted that a call for Expressions of Interest for the Special Events Strategic ? Plan has been issued. Bill Poole represents ACAC on the committee working on the plan. Don Chapman drew the committee’s attention to the Digital Media project that is getting ? underway. This project is related to the larger Downtown Vitality project. It involves the media cube atop of City Hall. Steering Committee members will meet every other week. An ACAC member is invited to participate. Don Chapman described the activities of the bid committee for Magnetic North, which is a ? 10-day theatrical festival attracting between 10,000 to 15,000 visitors. It would involve 5 theatres mounting two to three performances a day. Approximately 800-1200 hotel rooms would be booked in our area as a result of this festival. The application is due in March, and a decision is expected in June. The following organizations are involved in assembling the bid: Centre in the Square, Registry Theatre, Waterloo Entertainment Centre, King Street Theatre, and the University of Waterloo 4 February 2008 - ACAC Minutes ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, February 19, 2008 CITY OF KITCHENER ACTION: Staff to circulate the Digital Media Terms of Reference to ACAC members for consideration. Cheryl York alerted the committee to the fact that a number of grant applications are ? coming up for consideration (4-6). It was determined that it would be more efficient if ACAC’s grants subcommittee consider these upcoming grants rather than having ACAC as a whole review them. The grants sub committee is composed of Len Carter, Jamie Vasey and Jennifer Breithaupt. More ACAC members could participate in this sub committee, either on an ad-hoc basis, or as additional sub-committee members. To ensure efficiency, it is important that ACAC allow the grant sub committee to make its recommendations without having to review its decisions. Lawrence McNaught updated the committee regarding coming events at the Registry ? Theatre. Sherryl Petricevic described an “externship” program where the Waterloo Regional District ? School Board hopes to connect the classroom and the workplace. Teachers will job shadow employees in various industries to see, first hand, how the education system could better support students interested in entering these fields. The Arts and Culture community is not readily signing on to participate with this program. If any ACAC members are interested in participating, please contact Sherryl Petricevic for more information. 4.0ADJOURNMENT/NEXT MEETING A motion was made by Lawrence McNaught, seconded by Jamie Vasey, to adjourn the February nd meeting. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 18 2008 in the Schmalz Room, 2 Floor, Kitchener City Hall, starting at 4:00 p.m. 5 February 2008 - ACAC Minutes