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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/03/2019 - Minutes 1 | P a g e RENTON MUNICIPAL ARTS COMMISSION MINUTES Tuesday, December 3, 2019 Members Present: Bill Huls, Brianna Burroughs, Duffy Delgado, Evelyn Reingold, Kaie Wise, Marsha Rollinger, Mary Clymer, Neil Sheesley Staff Present: Jessie Kotarski, RMAC Administrative Assistant Guests: Kiley Thornton, prospective Arts Commissioner Betsy Severtsen, Capital Projects Coordinator, City of Renton Community Services Department Alan Wyatt, Capital Projects Manager, City of Renton Community Services Department Drey Hicks, Neighborhood Program Coordinator, City of Renton Community Services Department Elena Rodriguez, AmeriCorps VISTA member, Benson Hill community Engagement Cassie Welliver, Director, Carco Theatre Call to Order: Meeting was called to order by RMAC Chair, Neil Sheesley at 6:00 pm. Introduction of Guests: Betsy and Alan updated the Commission on the plans to move “Tommy” the turtle to Kennydale Beach Park this spring. Community Services will keep the Commission posted on the timeline for installation. The Commission has made the recommendation that a plaque with the history of the turtle be placed in the park. A motion was made and approved to support the staff’s recommendations to move Tommy the Turtle from storage to the Kennydale Beach Park as proposed in the park plans. MSC (Marsha/Duffy) Elena and Drey presented the Benson Hill Mural project that is proposed for a 190 ft retaining wall on Petrovitsky Rd and 116th Ave SE. The project is designed to be a community engagement piece with the goal of uniting the neighborhood through the creation of an art project intended to beautify and create a sense of pride in the community. Elena has already started working with the community and members of the Benson Hill advisory board to solicit ideas and themes for the mural. The current design proposal would feature a progression of the history of the area from coal mining to the current rich multicultural fabric of Benson Hill. The goal is to complete the mural by Summer 2020. The project coordinators are interested in working with the Arts Commission to find and select the best artist for the project and is asking for assistance from the Commission to better define and structure the project to best fit the art needs of the city. Elena also mentioned a second project she is working on in the Benson Hill area. She is currently working with the neighborhood to create fence art around the baseball fields at the corner of 116 Ave SE and SE 168th St. She will keep the Commission posted as the plans become more solid. Kiley Thornton introduced herself to the Commission and expressed her interest in filling one of the open Commissioner seats. Kiley grew up in Renton and her family is deeply involved in the community and the Renton School district (Kiley has 4 sisters who currently work for the schools). Kiley has a background in nonprofit and grants management and is interested in helping facilitate the organization needs of the Commission. Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the November 2019 meeting were read and approved. MSC (Mary/Duffy) 2 | P a g e Correspondence and Announcements:  Puget Sound Educational Service District Regional High School Art Show – The Commission has been asked to serve as judge again this year for the 2020 Regional High School Art Show in February.  Santa House – The Downtown Santa House is scheduled for Saturday, December 7, 14 and 21 at the Civic Theatre between 1 and 5pm.  Carco Theatre – The Carco Theatre is offering performances of the Nutcracker on December 14 and 15.  Key to Change holiday recital – The Key to Change will be hosting their annual holiday violin and viola recital on December 14 at Luther’s Table in Renton.  Evergreen City Ballet nutcracker performances – The ballet will be at the IKEA performing arts center December 20 through 22.  Aunt Dottie’s Christmas Cabaret – This annual holiday event is coming back to the Civic Theatre on Sunday, December 22.  New Year’s Eve Concert– The New Year’s Eve concert will return to the Civic Theatre on December 31.  Carco Theatre has received a donation of 100 chairs from a local Chinese restaurant that they plan to refurbish and loan to venues in the area for local performances and events. The theatre may be seeking assistance in the re-upholstering of the chairs. Budget Update: A review of the budget revealed current balances remaining in event sponsorship, special projects, sustaining program support and general funds. A total of $52,263 remains for discussion and allocation. On-going Projects, Events & Programs:  Small Business Saturday – The Small Business Saturday event was Saturday, November 30. The Arts Commission hosted a craft table and handed out more than 500 Christmas tree ornaments. The event hosted 12 local artisan vendors at the Holiday market and 13 community groups who offered kid’s activities, crafts and giveaways.  New Year’s Eve Party – Dave and Bill will be hosting the 3rd annual New Year’s Eve Party at the Civic Theatre featuring local bands from 9pm to 1am. The event is free and open to the public thanks to support from the Arts Commission. Committee Reports: Grants Committee – The Grants committee reviewed three applications for 2019 Special Project grants that were submitted by the November 10 deadline. The committee recommends that the Commission award the following grants:  $1000 to support the 2019 Key to Change Holiday violin and viola recital scheduled for December 14 at Luther’s Table in downtown Renton.  $1000 to support the 2019 Evergreen City Ballet nutcracker performances scheduled for December 20 through 22 at the IKEA Performing Arts Center. A motion was made and passed to accept the recommendations of the Grants Committee to support the events proposed in the grant applications received from Key to Change and the Evergreen Ballet with an award of $1000 to each organization. MSC (Bri/Bill) 3 | P a g e Following the presentation of the Benson Hill Mural project and the review of the grant application, a motion was made and approved to support the project with a grant of $15,000 to match the funds for the project provided by the City’s Neighborhood Program in support of the mural. MSC (Mary/Bill) New Business: Carco Music Series – Cassie and Duffy presented their initial plans to organize a 6-performance music series at Carco Theatre in 2020. The series would feature local musicians and musical groups and offer the community the opportunity to experience a wide variety of styles and genres at a highly discounted rate. More information will be coming. Renton Centre for Art – Kaie presented a vision for the “Renton Centre for Art” that would serve as a community arts organization dedicated to supporting artists, promoting involvement in the arts, enhancing community relationships and educating students of all ages. The Centre for Art is something that Kaie has been working on as part of her graduate work and intends to see the center built in Renton. Her presentation outlined the mission, vision, and goals of the project and outlined the timeline for funding and development. The presentation was met with some concerns and questions were raised about the strength of the plan. Disappointment from previous failed attempts to open an art centers in Renton weighed heavy in the commentary. The meeting was adjourned at 7:36pm.