Minutes     Virtual Meeting-Jan 11, 2022 6:30pm

Preliminaries 

1. Take roll :

• Members:  Melissa Holland, Michael Spears, Keri, Inka Patel, Angie O’Neal, Charles Clyburn, Bharati Dhruva, Tony Smalls.  City Liaison: Joanne Barr
• Guests:  Mayor Craig Moe, Diane Shipley (Laurel Art Guild), Gen Fraser (LAC public art consultant)

2. Review, vote on accepting minutes from December: Inka accepted, seconded by Keri
3. Conduct business  (mobile phones can download Microsoft Teams App: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/download-app (Call Joanne if issue 301-814-3637)

Business

1. Welcome new member Tony Small (Director of Laurel's Pallotti High School Arts Academy; https://www.tonysmall.org/).  Tony talked about his background in music and education:

• 15 yrs in DC , Boys and Girls Club as regional director – served 13k youth, provided music ed.
• Has composed operas – for Smithsonian and Sultanate of Oman[v1] 
• Chicago area – art educator; Indianapolis – art director of Madam CJ Walker Theater.
• Back into teaching - managing teachers and interested in grants to fund arts organizations.

2. Arts Council Vacancies  - two more to be filled
3. City Updates
   
   1. Joanne promotion (Deputy City Administrator)
   2. Leigha farewell
   3. Façade grant improvement program is open for businesses

4. Tony Small – vision and plans
   
   1. Pallotti High School Arts Academy -> plans to open new theater space to Laurel Community for ground-breaking community theater (may be delayed due to Covid).
   2. Plans for a Feb.  launch of community arts academy for 2-8^th grade and a Saturday academy, STEM-STEAM summer camps, after-school programs. 
   3. Believes in art education. Aims to reach under-served students – collaboration with Peabody Music Institute in Baltimore and other organizations.
   4. Grants:  Interest in applying to 2 Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) programs with rolling grants which could support youth arts.  Also interest in National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants. In addition, the National League of Cities has a $500K challenge grant program for community arts, with application deadline in March https://www.nlc.org/initiative/improving-community-health-and-resilience-through-the-arts/
   5. Many other grant opportunities to explore. (How can LAC help?)

5. Pollinator Mural  (collaboration with L4P – Laurel for the Patuxent)
   
   1. Internationally recognized muralist agrees on Laurel location, site has been selected (Laurel Orthopedics, overlooking Farmers Market Lot)-> must fund rehabilitation of wall of building in order to support a mural.
   2. Proposal for a 2023 mural received from Good of the Hive -> need to raise over $30,000

6. Chandler Robbins Mural – Justin Hayes
   
   1. Local artist Justin Hayes, who grew up in Laurel, developed designs for a mural in Laurel’s Historic District to honor world famous ornithologist and long-time Laurel resident Chandler Robbins (1918-2017). The owner of the Quick-Stop (Main & Fifth) gave permission to use one his wall facing Fifth, which is highly visible from Main. The design features birds studied by Dr. Robbins.
   2. Justin sees possible funding for the mural from various sources, such as the Chandler Robbins Endowment at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Equipment and paint supplies might be purchased at discount and some donated by local sources.
   3. On the legality of implementing murals:  Joanne said that LAC has authority to decide what is appropriate, and can also seek the Historical District Committee’s advice. LAC has the final say to give to the Mayor, who has final approval authority on proposed public art.  Privately funded murals also must get zoning approval and LAC review.
   4. Tony offered that it may be possible to get a grant to compose and stage a bird-themed musical, accompanying the dedication of the Robbins mural.  He also suggested looking into a MSAC Creativity grant.
   5. Joanne recommended submitting the mural proposal,  specific items to be funded, and total funding as a request to city. LAC may or may not get all the money requested.

7. PGAHC (County Arts Council) Public Art Planning Grant
   
   1. Need community input, visioning sessions (business, civic orgs, residents)
   2. Public art survey -> Gen developed separate surveys for businesses, community orgs, and individual residents. The business survey will be distributed by Robert Love using the city’s mailing list for businesses.
   3. Joanne offered that the city also has a distribution list for civic organizations and religious institutions, available from Ana Navarro.
   4. For individual residents, it is not clear how to distribute surveys, perhaps on Facebook. 

8. Presenting to LBOT and to Mayor & City Council – (Michael, Gen, Melissa)

• Mayor Moe joined the meeting. Melissa presented an appeal for funds for public art. The Mayor responded that it is best to go through the Dept of Parks & Rec. (DPR), via Joanne, with proposals for funding for each fiscal year. Those then go up to the Mayor.
• Accordingly, the LAC should prepare a budget for FY23 (Jul 1, 2022 - Jun 30, 2023), including requested amounts for projects like murals. These can be approximate, round-n amounts. No need to worry about maintenance of public art, which is the city’s responsibility (in cases where the city contributed from city funds or escrow account). Also, the city will cover legal needs.
• The Mayor said that since the LAC was formed late in 2017, it takes a while to establish funding. Nevertheless, the LAC has been up and running with volunteer projects, and the Mayor praised these efforts. He said that this is the only committee allowed to get grants and raise funds.  He wants this to be a strong committee.
• Bharati asked how money for LAC will be managed. The Mayor said that money coming from developers will go into an LAC escrow account. The escrow funds can be used as needed and can carry over, but any other city funds, including the annual $2K in the DPR budget, must be used by May of that year.
• Keri asked whether the budget we propose would be met in total, or would be modified. The Mayor replied that proposals may not necessarily be funded at the level requested, or funded at all. He asked LAC to be upfront and then we can negotiate; some proposals might turn into multiyear projects.
• The Mayor was informed earlier in 2022 that Michael, Melissa, and others in LAC would like to present their work and funding needs to the City Council. the Mayor responded that he, not the City Council, controls the budget.  He added that LAC is welcome to attend City Council mtgs. 
• The Mayor noted that implementing murals and other public art is not simple but must go through the Planning Commission, obtain permits, follow regulations etc.
• He also pointed out that the LAC Ordinance requires annual reports to be given to the City. Joanne noted that LAC has always produced timely and thorough annual reports.
• Michael suggested that LAC prepare a comprehensive draft for the Mayor with projects under Public Art, performing arts, and visual arts.

9. Outreach – Keri, Angie, Laurel Art Guild (LAG)

• Keri is liaison between LAC and the Laurel Art Guild, a group of visual artists from greater Laurel, some of whose work has appeared in competitive regional shows.  She introduced Diane Shipley, representing the LAG. Diane addressed LAC’s question of what it takes to have a permanent place for art exhibits:
  • LAG has a long-standing agreement with the County/MNCPPC’s Montpelier Art Center to run a yearly art show. They use out-of-the-box, annually recurring processes, such as (1) a call for artists for the spring juried show at Montpelier and (2) a rising artists show for students around the DMV region. (LAC member Angie noted that her work has appeared in LAG’s Montpelier show.)
  • LAG also has a set of rotating exhibit venues, including a at Morningside House (assisted senior living) mounted in two glass display cases. They contact facilities for permission to exhibit there, although permission isn’t always granted (e.g., Laurel Hospital).
  • Melissa noted that LAC shares LAG’s annual calls and exhibits via Facebook.
  • On question by Tony, Diane said that the art in rotating exhibits like Morningside House is done by LAG members. JoAnne suggested that LAC borrow LAG’s idea of a small rotating exhibit, that might use a rolling glass display case, for city hall.

• Keri offered to connect with restaurants and cafes in the City of Laurel about exhibiting art. Some restaurants on and around Main Street have dome so in the past. JoAnne suggested talking with Love Life Café, a new restaurant that might exhibit local artists.
• Keri said that her artist spotlights continue on Instagram, featuring different LAC members. She hopes to spotlight other artists, such as art teachers at Laurel and Pallotti high schools, possibly through a call to artists.  Some spotlights might go on Laurel TV. 

10. Schools  – Angie

• Angie presented her plan for school art exhibits, beginning virtually, for which she developed an announcement flyer. She will be meeting in a few weeks with Laurel Elementary School’s principal (Ms. Lee) and art teacher (Ms. Skarbak) to plan.  She also has contacted art teachers at Laurel High school and Pallotti High School.
• LAC has previously provided to schools some of the supplies and materials students need to create artwork for exhibit.
•  Angie aims for two cycles of school exhibits- one in spring and one in fall.

11. Upcoming Meetings
    
    1. Tuesday, February 8 at 6:30pm
    2. Tuesday, March 8 at 6:30pm