Arts and Culture Commission Meeting Date: September 8, 2025
To: Commission Members
From: Natalie Draper, Library Director
Title
Staff Update.
Body
Action Requested:
The ACC receives an update from staff.
Summary Report:
• Second reading of ordinance 1081 amending city code related to boards and commissions on September 9th.
o This contains the changes to art in public places funding (1% for the arts) discussed at a previous meeting.
• The KCI conservator report is attached. This was discussed at the last meeting and there was interest in seeing the report.
• Staff wish to reiterate how great it has been to collaborate with the Arts Guild to help with project management. This summer at the library has been extremely busy and the status of recent projects would not be possible without external support.
• We will be installing work by Aramis Wells in City Hall later this year, in early December. Staff will work with the artists later this fall to switch the exhibits over.
• John Sterner and Marlena Myles are excited to work with Ten X Ten and the Library to incorporate their artwork into the library’s vision plan for the exterior. The sculptures and augmented reality experience will complement and enhance the goals of the project and the library’s mission.
• Director Draper and Commissioner Woodstrup had the opportunity to meet with John Sterner about the sculpture project and followed that up with a call with Noblewins to learn more about their mural-ready site furnishings made from recycled wind turbines. They might be a good fit for the second phase of the skate park provided there is enough arts funding.
• The library developed a social story, in Tonya Yarmakov’s memory, with artwork by Rocky Casillas Aguirre. Take a look here: https://mynpl.org/socialstory A social story is a social learning tool to make navigating unfamiliar spaces and expectations more enjoyable and predictable for people with autism, sensory processing differences, anxiety, and a host of other ways of experiencing the world. They use visual aids, first person narrative, and descriptive text to acclimate people to new places and situations.
• City budget process update: The Arts and Culture Commission is one of the boards and commissions identified to be eliminated to save costs to the city and Library staff time. Library personnel costs are being trimmed wherever possible to save money without sacrificing positions and the staff time devoted to the ACC, as well as programs like the Living Treasure Award comes out of the library’s budget. The ACC will discuss the transition at a future meeting. Staff are interested in questions from the commission related to this change.
Other projects/programs:
• Poet Laureate
o Recent newsletters attached to this agenda item.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines: