Arts & Culture Commission Meeting Date: January 13th, 2025
To: Arts and Culture Commission Members
From: Natalie Draper, Library Director
Title
Arts and Culture Commission Work Plan.
Body
Action Requested:
The Arts and Culture Commission approves a proposed work plan for 2025.
Summary Report:
To facilitate deeper engagement with Commission members and staff on projects, policies, use of funds, advocacy efforts, and planning without adding additional meetings to an already busy schedule, the Commission adopted a new bi-monthly (alternating months) meeting schedule in December of 2024. We will check-in every year to map out a work plan so that we can plan full meetings and subcommittee meeting agendas accordingly.
• The full Commission meets in Council Chambers on odd months: January; March; May; July; September; November.
• Subcommittees would meet as needed on even months: February; April; June; August; October; December.
o City staff (staff and clerical liaisons, other staff as needed) will be present at all ACC subcommittee meetings
• ACC members would remain available on odd months for participation in subcommittees with the goal of 3 commissioners serving on committees, plus youth members.
o Subcommittee members will select a representative to report back on related agenda items at the following meeting of the full board.
Proposed schedule of 2025 meetings:
Jan 2025: regular meeting
• elect new officers, approve work plan and schedule
Feb: subcommittee
• preparation for April Living Treasure event
• Ice Arena call to artists goes out
Mar: regular meeting
• Commission receives annual Percent for the arts report (staff presents to council after ACC)
• Staff presents Percent report to Council
Apr: subcommittee
• Ice Arena public art review committee (PARC)
• Additional: Living Treasure Award event
May: regular meeting
• Approve recommendations of April PARC, discuss artists on main street (AOMS), appoint AOMS PARC
Jun: subcommittee
• AOMS parc meets to select artists, projects
July: regular meeting
• ACC approves June PARC recommendation; preliminary budget, upcoming projects/priorities discussion
August: subcommittee
• Budget/planning subcommittee meets to work out plan for 2026
• Living Treasure call for nominations goes out
Sept: regular meeting
• appoint Living Treasure PARC, adopt recommendations of budget planning subcommittee
Oct: subcommittee
• Living Treasure PARC meets
• Additional meeting: mandatory training (10/28)
Nov: regular meeting
• approve Living Treasure PARC recommendation
Dec:
• Chair, vice chair, and staff meet to map out work plan for 2026
• Additional meeting: Holiday party
Jan 2026: regular meeting
• elect new officers, adopt work plan
Role of Public Art Review Committees (from the Art in Public Places Policy):
1. PUBLIC ART REVIEW COMMITTEE (PARC): PURPOSE, MEMBERSHIP, PROCESSES:
A. To carry out its public art responsibilities per Sec. 2-358(f), the ACC proposes to establish and maintain a Public Arts Review Committee, which will have the following five responsibilities:
B. Advise the ACC regarding commissioning, installation, maintenance, and decommissioning of publicly funded art to ensure positive impact on civic quality of life and aesthetic environment.
C. Reserves the right, on behalf of the ACC and the City, to approve art and may reject any art that it deems offensive to any race, age, creed, religion, gender or disability.
D. Update and advise the ACC regarding all public art that will be installed in the historic downtown district.
E. Approve the design, installation, maintenance and decommissioning of privately or publicly funded two or three-dimensional art, sculpture or garden-art decoration or installations on city-owned property.
F. Where the parties agree to a cooperative effort, advise private and non-profit projects that will be installing art in locations that will be accessible to and frequented by the public (e.g., the Depot).
2. MEMBERSHIP:
A. A committee of up to nine members shall be appointed by the ACC and approved by the City Administrator.
B. The panel will include two ACC members, a City staff liaison, a Public Works staff member, and panelists appropriate to the genre of artwork and to the location and project under consideration.
C. Panel members may include artists, arts faculty members, architects and department staff related to the project, arts administrators, and two or more at large community representatives, including representatives of diverse groups. ACC will convene PARC on an ad hoc basis when the need arises.
3. SCOPE OF WORK:
A. ACC/PARC will facilitate communication among City staff coordinating public art projects, artists, and public arts stakeholders.
B. ACC/PARC will work closely with the representatives of public arts sites to advance outcomes, goals, and the interests of Northfield residents, businesses, and property owners.
4. REVIEW CRITERIA:
A. PARC review of publicly funded commissions, purchases, or installations shall consider, but not be bound by any one of, the following review criteria in choosing works to recommend to the ACC and the City.:
B. Artistic excellence
C. Does the project represent workmanship of the highest quality?; and
D. Does the project satisfy the parameters of the request for proposals, if applicable?; and
E. Does the project represent a cohesive, unified theme or idea?; and
F. Is the project original, compelling, and creative work?
G. Public involvement
i. Does the project’s development and review include participation by residents, users, community organizations and institutions, businesses, cultural communities, advocacy groups, and students and youth, as appropriate?; and
ii. Does the project facilitate public involvement via community meetings, community surveys, and requests for proposals?
H. Enhancement of community identity and place
i. Does the site, surrounding area, or project provide an opportunity to reflect on the community and its characteristics, including history, identity, geography and cultures?; and
ii. Is the project appropriate for public display?; and
iii. Is the project acceptable to current community standards?; and
iv. Are there opportunities within the project to integrate artwork into the design or function of structures?
I. Community vitality
i. Will the site and project be visible to visitors and residents?; and
ii. Will the project appeal to a broad range of people?; and
iii. Is the project making an effort to build capacity and cooperation between the private and public sectors, artists, arts organizations, and community members?; and
iv. Does the project encourage civic dialogue about art and civic issues? 5. Safety and maintenance of public art
v. What is the plan for maintenance and repair?
vi. Is the piece safe for public interaction?
5. STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION.
A. Recommendations about public art decisions will be made without regard to an individual’s or the perception of an individual’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, domestic relationship status, parent status, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, gender identity, age, or disability, or the use of a trained dog guide by a blind, deaf or otherwise physically disabled person.
B. Each call for artists will be posted on the City and the Arts and Culture Commission websites.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
N/A