Civic Arts Commission
Office of Economic Development
Minutes
Wednesday, December 15, 1999
Civic Arts Commission
North Berkeley Senior Center
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Levine at 6:32 p.m.
Roll Call
Susan Levine, Sherry Smith, Jo Ann Schneider, Adam David Miller, Hwasung Lee, Larry
Kelp, Maria Villasenor, Stuart Sidells.
Absent: Joy Holland.
Staff: Mary Ann Merker-Benton
Public Comment
Louis Cunso of Berkeley Poetry Festival presented information on the festival and its
broadcast on radio and B-TV (Ch. 25). Asked for letter of support written to him.
Festival is funded by City Council ($2,000) and Civic Arts Commission ($1,300).
Michael Sturtz and Jessica Sucher from The Crucible offered presentation with slides for
the studio that has held classes for ten months, with 19 part-time faculty, now has waiting
list for some classes. Has outgrown its current home and looking for larger space.
Approval of November minutes
Postponed until January meeting
Chair’s Report
Levine met with Arietta, assistant to City Manager, who asked Commission to hold off
on letter to City Council requesting more staffing until she as opportunity to try to come
up with more staffing.
Action Items
A. In support of The Crucible. Presentation by representatives, no action.
B. In support of Third Annual Berkeley Poetry Festival. Commission will act on request
for letter of support at January meeting.
C. In support of the Arts and Access Community Group.
No action. Levine requests commissioners to maintain contact with arts groups who
do presentations. Sidells will follow-up with The Crucible, Miller with Berkeley
Poetry Festival, and Villasenor with Arts Access.
D. In Support of Public Art for the Public Safety Gates. The City arranges $5,000 for
the art component for back gates with Levine overseeing. Because of the small size
of the project it was not put up for bid. The first choice artist turned it down.
Motion: That Civic Arts Commission allows the project to be commissioned rather
than call for artists because of size of project and time factor. ( motion by Smith,
second by Miller, unanimously approved).
Discussion Items
A. Public Art Committee update. For Addison Street visual arts panels there are 22
submissions (limited to Berkeley residents), with a potential panel to judge
submissions. Sidells and Levine did Public Library walk-through for the artists.
The location for the gates is poor, and is a difficult project to even attempt, hidden
behind book stacks. It can only be seen from inside a tiny back room.
B. Assignment of grant site visits update. Delayed nitl January meeting.
C. Berkeley Cultural Trust meeting update. Commissioner Smith attended
November 30 meeting, the airing of potential problems of formalizing the group
as an official organization, with no conclusion reached, except that it should not
be a formal group. Next meeting is Jan. 19 at noon.
D. Arts Commission openings. Smith reported on the opening left by Holland’s
retirement (Shirek, District 3), saying that we have received suggestions for
replacement from various sources. Smith also announced that Commissioner Lee
(Spring, District 4) is leaving to pursue school work.
E. Process for Public Art Redevelopment. Merker-Benton referred to letter (draft) of
Dec. 10 to City Attorney. Redevelopment Board voted support for the public art
process, but Councilmember Spring directed staff to look into putting up Cesar
Chavez mural as public art in a specified West Berkeley location, ignoring city
process for public art.
Staff Report
A. Status of City Contracts. There is one contract outstanding for Shotgun Players,
starting next month.
B. Cultural Plan update. No report.
C. Grant restructuring update, hiring of consultant. In process now is contract for
Consuelo Underwood as consultant for grant restructuring process. Funding
carryover from previous years of $28,000 may allow for Commission projects held up
for lack of funding. Must be sent by June, including grant restructuring consultant
and spring Public Art Workshop.
D. Retreat. Date to be determined at next meeting.
E. Artist Workshop feedback. Merker-Benton has received much positive feedback.
F. Cultural Facility Definition for Private Development. Merker-Benton reported that
staff discussion resulted in report to be presented in printed form for next month’s
meeting as an action item in January.
G. Goodbye and thank you to Commissioner Hwasung Lee.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.