MINUTES
ARTS Commission
NOVEMBER 15, 2006
The Sunnyvale Arts Commission met in regular session in the Council Chambers, 456 W. Olive Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA at 7:04 p.m. with Chairperson Harper presiding.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
ROLL CALL
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Commissioners Present: |
Chairperson Wallace Harper
Commissioner Dixie Carney
Commissioner Charlie Fenton
Commissioner Roland Wanigatunga |
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Absent: |
Vice Chairperson Robert Obrey |
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Staff Present: |
David Lewis, Director of Parks and Recreation
Nancy Bolgard Steward, Superintendent of Recreation |
CONSENT CALENDAR
1.A. Approval of Draft Minutes from Arts Commission Meetinof October 18, 2006.
MOTION: Commissioner Fenton moved, Commissioner Wanigatunga seconded, to approve the minutes from Arts Commission meeting of October 18, 2006.
VOTE: Passed 4-0, with Commissioner Obrey absent.
None
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Mr. Ron Evans, citizen, addressed the Commission concerning City policy about placement of banners in front of the Community Center. He was informed by City staff that a banner may be placed in front of the Community Center to promote City sponsored events only. He would like the two resident theatre groups to be able to hang banners in order to promote their shows in the theatre. He stated he became aware of Sunnyvale Community Players through a banner (when the group was co-sponsored).
MOTION: Commissioner Fenton moved, Commissioner Carney seconded, to agendize the City’s Banner Policy for the next meeting.
VOTE: Passed 4-0, with Commissioner Obrey absent.
PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS
2. Promotion of National Arts and Humanities Month (2007)
Chairperson Harper opened the Public Hearing. There were no appearances and the Public Hearing was closed.
Chairperson Harper requested that promotion of national arts and humanities month become a regular monthly agenda item. Commissioner Fenton suggested that this topic be on the June 2007 agenda. Chairperson Harper said he would prefer that it be agendized for the January 2007 meeting.
Recreation Superintendent Steward will provide the Commission with a report on what was done in 2006 to promote National Arts and Humanities Month.
Chairperson Harper would like to arrange for outside groups to participate in the national arts and humanities month. Commissioner Wanigatunga suggested that the groundwork be started early as preparation takes time.
3. Select Representative to Attend November 28, 2006, Council Public Hearing on Potential Study Issues.
Recreation Superintendent Steward provided an overview of the process regarding the Council public hearing on potential study issues. Chairperson Harper volunteered to represent the Commission at the November 28, 2006, Council meeting.
NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS
COMMISSION
Commissioner Fenton said he missed the Columbia Neighborhood Center’s 10th anniversary celebration and artwork dedication and the dedication of building and artwork at the Cherry Glen Plaza. He said it would be a good idea for Commissioners to attend these types of activities to promote the arts.
Commissioner Harper talked about the purpose and meaning of art and distributed an art information packet.
Commissioner Wanigatunga asked if any Commissioner was interested in accepting a speaking engagement at the Sunnyvale Rotary Club in December. Chairperson Harper said he would check his calendar and get back to Commissioner Wanigatunga.
Commissioner Wanigatunga submitted a letter to Chairperson Harper requesting to be excused from two upcoming Commission meetings: December 20, 2006, and January 17, 2007. Determination of Commissioner Wanigatunga’s request will be agendized for the December 20, 2006, meeting.
STAFF
Director Lewis referred to the Commission’s discussion last month about the visibility of the Arts Commission. He said the two recent events: 1) Columbia Neighborhood Center’s 10th anniversary celebration and artwork dedication; and 2) the dedication of building and artwork at the Cherry Glen Plaza - were two missed opportunities for the Commission.
Director Lewis introduced the Recreation Division Report for the period July 1 through September 23, 2006, prepared by Nancy Bolgard Steward, Superintendent of Recreation. He stated that this report is an attempt to provide the Commissioners with periodic updates about the “good things that we do,” as well as information about programs, activities, services, and initiatives that may be of interest. Director Lewis said one of his targeted goals is to better inform the Commissioners.
Recreation Superintendent Steward commented on the Columbia Neighborhood Center’s 10th anniversary celebration and artwork dedication on Saturday, November 4, 2006. The Superintendent provided the Commissioners with an overview of her presentation at the anniversary celebration and art dedication as none of the Commissioners had attended the event. She explained why the Sunnyvale Elementary School District and the City collaborated on this special after-school enrichment program and shared her comments from the November 4, 2006, special event.
“There are a lot of reasons why integrating the arts into the educational curriculum and after school enrichment programs is important. Courses in math, writing and science are considered essential; however, classes in art, poetry, music and theatre are equally important in teaching the “whole” child. Technology helps to develop students’ analytical skills and to apply those skills in a rapidly changing world; arts education helps young people develop the skills that will be required in the workplace and to become productive leaders in their communities. These skills include flexibility, the ability to solve problems and to work as a team, to communicate, be creative and innovative, and to strive for excellence. In other words, the arts help young people connect learning experiences to the real world.
The ability to generate ideas, to bring ideas to life and to communicate them to others is critical to our success in the world around us. In the Art Apprenticeship Program, under the guidance of a professional visual artist, students came together as a team to develop a vision, communicate that vision to others and to bring their ideas to fruition. They had the opportunity to not only learn about different artistic mediums and styles; they also learned about the business side of the arts. This included working with a budget and “selling” their ideas to the customer by participating in presentations to members of the Sunnyvale Arts Commission, District and City staff at various points in the process.
The culmination of this exciting program was the evolution of the students’ ideas into the beautiful artwork you see before you today as they were guided through the public art process by the artist leading the project. The Columbia Neighborhood Center’s mission is to support and empower youth, so the children of our community develop the life skills necessary to be successful in school and beyond and this project did just that. A public art project of this nature also serves as an important expression of community by bringing together students from diverse backgrounds to create an artwork that communicates their vision of the Columbia Neighborhood Center and the students’ place in the world around them.”
Recreation Superintendent Steward explained that the new artwork is now part of the City’s permanent public art collection – a collection of over sixty pieces of art owned and maintained by the City for the enjoyment and appreciation of the public. She also told Commissioners that the lead artist on the project was Melissa Jennifer Duggan. Ms Duggan is a professional visual artist who also works in the Sunnyvale Department of Parks and Recreation as the Program Assistant in the Arts Unit. Superintendent Steward stated that she felt fortunate to have someone on the City staff of Ms Duggan’s caliber and ability to develop and lead the program and is hopeful that this project will serve as a model for other School District/City partnerships in support of after school enrichment programs.
Recreation Superintendent Steward informed the Commissioners that the Council public hearing on budget issues will be held on November 28, 2006, in conjunction with the public hearing on study issues. Commissioners were informed that as additional information became available it would be provided to them and that they may want to identify potential budget issues. The timing is such that any Commissioner wishing to propose a budget issue would need to make their suggestion directly to City Council as an individual, rather than on behalf of the Arts Commission.
INFORMATION ONLY ITEMS
- Recreation Division Report, July 1 through September 23, 2006, from Nancy Bolgard Steward, Superintendent of Recreation
- Open Space and Recreation Sub-Element
- Miscellaneous Items of Interest
ADJOURNMENT 8:30 p.m.
Chairperson Harper declared the meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Nancy Bolgard Steward
Superintendent of Recreation
Parks and Recreation Department
Reviewed by,
David A. Lewis
Director
Parks and Recreation Department
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