Arts and Culture Commission - May 15, 2019 Minutes
The Regular Meeting of the Arts and Culture Commission of the City of Fargo, North Dakota, was held in the Commission Chambers at City Hall at 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 15, 2019.
The Arts and Culture Commissioners present or absent were as follows:
Present: Arlette Preston, Deb Williams, Jon Offutt, Mark Johnson, Denise Kolpack, Joe Williams, Tracy Walvatne
Absent: Denese Odegaard, Tracy Jordre
Chair Preston called the meeting to order and welcomed Members to the meeting.
Local poet Christine Hoper began the meeting by sharing poems with the Board members.
Item 1: Order of Agenda
Chair Preston noted the following Agenda items:
- Item 4 will be presented before Item 2.
Member D. Williams moved to approve the new Order of Agenda. Second by Member J. Williams. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 4 presented
Item 2: Minutes: Regular Meeting of April 17, 2019
Member Walvatne moved the minutes of the April 17, 2019 Arts and Culture Commission meeting be approved. Second by Member D. Williams. All Members present voted aye and the motion was declared carried.
Item 3: Commission Engagement Discussion
Member D. Williams expressed her concern that Board Members have become less engaged in discussion since moving to the new City Hall. She suggested reengaging by seeing and hearing live performances. Board Members agreed and expressed their appreciation for close-up art experiences.
Presented before Item 2
Item 4: Presenter: Officer Bloom, Community Trust Officer
Officer Michael Bloom presented his idea of creating a mural at one of the community outreach stations. He explained the mural could be commissioned by local artists and would be designed to engage Fargo youth.
Chair Preston suggested Officer Bloom contact local artist Paul Ide from the Plains Art Museum, regarding this proposal. Member J. Williams added he works with Paul Ide and offered to initiate contact between the two of them.
Planning Director Nicole Crutchfield explained that funding for the mural and other youth programming coordinated by Officer Bloom, is funded from the Kresge Foundation.
Item 5: Report on Minneapolis/St. Paul information gathering
Member D. Williams gave a report from her attendance along with Chair Preston and Member Jordre at this event. Member D. Williams shared ways the Twin Cities solicit information from citizens and funding from Capital Improvement Projects.
Item 6: Update on Capital Project
Chair Preston informed the Board that a survey is available online to provide data to the Arts and Culture Commission for a public art project. Member D. Williams clarified that the survey would help provide the Board and staff insight from citizens on the type of public art desired and placement ideas within the City of Fargo.
Item 7: Update on Performing Arts Center
Chair Preston announced that the Performing Arts Center plans to take over the location of the Civic Center. The project has local support, but fundraising is on hold until cost estimates for the project can be provided.
Item 8: Update on Sodbuster
Ms. Crutchfield announced that Sodbuster is nearly ready to be placed in downtown Fargo after undergoing restoration. She stated the sculpture is planned to be placed on the north side of the library, in the new civic plaza space by the end of 2019.
Item 9: Americans for the Arts Conference
Ms. Crutchfield stated staff is available to assist in registering any Board Members interested in attending the upcoming Americans for the Arts Conference.
Item 10: 2019 Work Plan Discussion
Chair Preston reported that after meeting with staff and refining the plan, five different areas were recognized that directly impact the engagement of the Arts and Culture Commission. Upon further discussion by the Board, the following members expressed their interest in each of these areas:
- Member Kolpack - boosting tourism and finding new ways to evaluate art impact.
- Member Offutt - developing new ideas in the master plan.
- Chair Preston and Member Johnson - discussing ways to engage area developers.
- Member J. Williams - assisting with the Arts and Culture Commission’s online presence.
- Member Walvatne - focus on funding and fundraising.
Item 11: Other Business or Public Comment
Member J. Williams stated the Plains Art Museum is hosting Native American artist Athena LaTocha from New York. He also shared that the Circle of Nations School in Wahpeton is dedicating a restored bison statue on May 16, 2019.
11a. Next regularly Scheduled Meeting June 19, 2019
The time at adjournment was 6:11 p.m.