HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/02/2017 - Minutes
Renton Municipal Arts Commission
Minutes
Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017
Members Present:
Ben Andrews, Marsha Rollinger, Mary Clymer, Mitch Shepherd, Samantha Goetz-Granquist,
Jerri Everett, Su Gow (commissioner appointment pending)
Excused Absence: Bill Huls, Evelyn Reingold, Adrienne LaFaye, Neil Sheesley
Unexcused Absence: Aaron Blalack
Staff Present: Elizabeth Higgins, Liaison; Jessie Kotarski, Administrative Assistant
Guests Present: Carrie Nass, Neighborhood, Resources and Events Manager, City of Renton
Community Services Department; Diana Hagen, Renton Youth Symphony Orchestra, Steven
Platt, Project Manager, Cosmos Development Company; Kathleen Booher
Call to Order: Meeting was called to order by RMAC – Chair, Mitch Shepherd at 6:03pm
*Carrie Nass provided an introduction and overview of the City’s Neighborhoods Program and
their efforts to promote community involvement making all neighborhoods better places to
live. The program is looking for ways to incorporate more art in Renton neighborhoods and is
seeking assistance from the RMAC to identify opportunities to partner and integrate the City’s
82 neighborhoods through art. Carrie will be attending a National Neighborhood Conference at
the end of May and has offered to return to the Cou ncil and report her findings on how cities
around the nation are using art to build stronger communities. Carrie made several suggestions
for the Commission to get involved in the Neighborhood program:
The Farmers Market is looking for artists (every Tuesday, June through September)
o A booth has been reserved for hands on art projects or demonstrations at
the Market
Encourage more art installations in Renton Neighborhoods
o Grants for Neighborhood art projects are available through the
Neighborhood program
South Renton recently received a project grant for an art
enhancement project
Opportunity for RMAC to have a table at the May 13th Neighbor to Neighbor Forum
Opportunity for RMAC member to serve on Multicultural Festival Planning
Committee (Ben volunteered)
Opportunity for RMAC member to serve on the Grant Review Committee for the
Neighborhood grants program
The Neighborhood Program has offered to help promote RMAC events through
social media and the Nextdoor application
*Diana Hagan, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Renton Youth Symphony Orchestra
(“RYSO”) for receipt of the 2016 RMAC grant of $500. She presen ted a history of the orchestra
and provided an update on the events of the previous year. The orchestra hosts two
performances a year, one in spring and one in fall/winter. The funds gifted by the Council were
used to help purchase music, pay for professional music coaches and fund student scholarships.
Next year, RYSO is seeking additional funds to cover costs to hire an orchestra manager to
oversee the program as a whole, serve as a liaison between the orchestra and the RYSO
Foundation and to assist in recruiting more students to grow the size of the orchestra. There
are currently 12 students in the senior orchestra and 6 in the debut orchestra. Additionally,
RYSO is seeking new Board members to assist in the search for additional resources to support
the program. The next RYSO performance is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 17 at 3pm at Carco
Theatre.
At the end of per presentation, Diana presented the Council with an historic guest book
previously maintained by the RMAC back when she was a Commissioner.
*Steven Platt, shared the drawings for the artwork submitted by Cosmos Development for the
sidewalk in front of the Lofts Apartments on the corner of 2 nd and Main. The art will be
installed within the next 4 to 6 weeks. Elizabeth Higgins has received the digital submission and
will forward to Commission members for further review.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the March 7, 2017 meeting were read and a few
amendments made to spelling errors and the Dragon update on the Western Hotel. The
Minutes [with amendments] were accepted. MSC (Mary/Marsha)
Correspondence & Announcements:
*1% for Arts Budget - The account currently has a balance of $128,626. This is carry-over from
previous years. The Community Service Department will begin adding to these funds. The 2 nd
& Main project will be pulling from this fund.
*Other – Correspondence and event folders were circulated for individual review.
New Business:
*Retreat Review – A letter has been drafted and will be sent to Aaron Blalack thanking him for
his contributions to the Council and notifying him that he is being replaced on the Commission.
Applications from interested parties have been received for the vacant seat on the Commission.
Values were assigned to the Proposed Funding Projects generated at the Retreat. A total of
$53,220 was proposed from this initial exercise. Next steps require the assignment of names to
each project and action items to begin distributing funds. All projects will be required to fill out
the Project Worksheet before funding is approved.
*Grant Program Discussion – RMCA received a grant request from Linda Baker for an LGBTQ
inclusivity project idea proposed at Carco Theatre. The project is in the early stages of design
and the specific requests for support were unclear. The Council denied the request at this time.
Samantha Goetz-Granquist volunteered to reach out to Linda and provide guidance in forming a
clearer project/event.
It was recommended that a sub-committee be formed to discuss the RMAC grant process and
the differences between grants versus GAP project funds. Marsha, Mitch and Jerri expressed
an interest in serving on this sub-committee.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:12pm.
Mitch Shepherd
Chair