HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/01/2021 - Minutes
RENTON MUNICIPAL ARTS COMMISSION MINUTES
Tuesday, February 2, 2021 (via Zoom)
Members Present: Amelia Ossorio, Bill Huls, Brianna Burroughs, Christie Randolph, Dave Samek, Evelyn
Reingold, Kaie Wise, Kiley Thornton, Marsha Rollinger, Mary Clymer, Susan Jessick
Staff Present:
Chip Vincent, CED Administrator
Jessie Kotarski, RMAC Administrative Assistant
Guests:
Caren Sumption, 3-year Renton resident, recently applied for a position on the Arts Commission
Lena Lashlee, local artist
Call to Order: Meeting was called to order by RMAC Chair, Mary Clymer at 6:05 pm.
Approval of Minutes: There was no regular meeting held in January.
Announcements/Correspondence:
• At a recent meeting of Local Arts Agency (hosted by 4Culture) several municipalities brought up
concerns around growing vandalism of public art in their cities. Local arts commissions and cities are
asking for recommendations for solutions to curb the growing issue.
o The Commissioner requested a review of murals in the city and the possibility of applying the
anti-graffiti coating to any that do not currently have the added level of protection.
Promotions Committee update:
The promotions committee met for the first time in January and established a plan for maintaining a regular
calendar of social media posts and a monthly e-newsletter. The Committee will create bi-weekly schedules
to ensure regular posting on facebook and Instagram. The positive effect of the regular posting has already
been seen in the increase in engagement and followers on Facebook since the Committee implemented the
plan in mid-January.
The monthly e-newsletter will be sent out the last Friday of every month. Commissioners are encouraged to
send their ideas for articles or art highlights to the promotions committee throughout the month.
Grants Committee Update:
The Grants Committee met to review the guidelines and application proposed for 2021. The program will
open and begin receiving applications in February. The Committee plans to meet every other week to
review grant applications and make their recommendations to the Commission.
The Grants Committee will be offering grants workshops in 2021 to answer questions from the public.
These workshops will be offering virtually via Zoom.
Outreach Committee Update:
The Outreach Committee is working on a program to bring performance art into the
neighborhoods that will abide by current pandemic phasing. These mini performances will be
offered around the city for residents to enjoy safely from the roadside or park areas. Artists will
be contracted to provide the music/performance piece and will be set up at locations around the
city throughout the year. The Committee is still working through the details, but hope to use
this program as a way to better engage with the community and promote connections with the
Arts Commission.
Project Update:
• I-405/NE 44th Project – The process of selecting art for the 405 improvement project is being re-
evaluated. The project team (Brianna, Marsha and Bill) will convene to discuss the direction they want
to take the project and how best to proceed with the engineer team in CED. The Letter of
Understanding with the contractors hired for the project illustrate that $200,000 has been earmarked
for art in the project. These funds will be separate from the project budget for a gateway sign. The
Commission is interested in considering ways to marry the sign design with the art selected for the
project.
• BLM Street mural - A Right of Way permit has been issued for the Black Lives Matter street mural. The
project is currently planned to begin painting in June 2021.
New Business:
The City’s GIS team is currently working with the Commission to build an interactive map of public art
around the city. The map will replace the stagnant page listing the City’s collection and will allow for
users to travel the city virtually to view the city’s art collection, physical locations and learn the history of
each piece. In addition to the interactive map, a layer has been added to the City of Renton GIS data
system that will allow developers and City staff to view the location of public art installations for
consideration when processing permits and making determinations for new developments.
The meeting adjourned at 7:26pm.