City of Milwaukee - Meeting of MILWAUKEE ARTS BOARD on 5/9/2023 at 4:00 PM

Agenda #	Title	Video
1.	Roll call Minutes note: The meeting was called to order at 4:05 pm. Members present: Coggs, Morris, DeLind, Flores, Layden, McSweeney, Murphy and Souffrant. Members excused: Fraker, Kosarzycki, Klose, Heding, Tovar, Garcia and Phillips. Ms. Svetic was present as well.	Not available
2.	Review and Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes Minutes note: Ms. Morris moved approval of the meeting minutes from April 11, 2023. Mr. Murphy seconded. There were no objections.	Not available
3.	Public Art Subcommittee Report Minutes note: Ms. Morris said that Jill Sebastian joined the MABPAS meeting and that she will talk about it under the new business section of the agenda.	Not available
4.	Sustaining Grant Update Minutes note: Ms. Svetic said that she shared the information that she will be referencing around with all the members prior this meeting. She asked them to take a look, review it and that she will open the session for questions, motions and suggestions for improvement. Ms. Svetic said that they received 67 complete applications, 66 of those were eligible based on the grant guidelines and criteria and that then were passed on to the review panel. She said that there were first time applicants in the pool which means that this grant is reaching out to new organizations. She added that the panel members had few weeks to look over everything, that the panels members are listed on the memo distributed early [Tyanna Buie (Artist), Paula Phillips (MAB Member), Tina Klose (MAB Member), Melissa Mueller (Graphic Designer), Sally Witte (Retired Arts Administrator) and Fatima Laster (Artist & Gallery Owner) *First year serving on panel]. She continued saying that the panel met virtually on April 24th and that enough time was offered to discuss each application but that no comments were made on every application. She added that the panelists submitted their final scores and comments for each application after the session and that the scores were weighed based on the values assigned by the Sustaining Grant Sub-Committee (before last year's) and that the scores were averaged. Ms. Svetic said that the first three scores (1/10 each) reflect directly the purpose of the Arts Board under the Code of Ordinance: 1. How effectively does the applicant promote the development, enjoyment and support of the arts in the City. 2. How effectively does the applicant promote cultural diversity in the artistic life of the City. 3. How effectively does the applicant promote the formation of artistic projects or programs in response to the needs of the city's communities that have been underrepresented or under served based on race, ethnicity, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geographic or citizenship status. She added that the next criteria was weighted at 1/4 (25% of the overall score) and that it was how effective is the applicant's plan for a self evaluation. She explained that the following criteria was weighted at 1/4 was (25% of the overall score) and that it was the provision of diverse and high quality programs that benefits the residents. She also said that the last two criteria (1/10 each) were the organization feasibility and the evidence of and the way that the organization is proposing to allocate the funds. Ms. Svetic read the organizations that were recommended for funding at the $6,000 level: Florentine Opera Company Woodland Pattern Book Center Arts @ Large Radio Milwaukee, Inc. First Stage Ex Fabula Walker's Point Center for the Arts Next Act Theatre Milwaukee Repertory Theater Latino Arts Inc. Danceworks, Inc. Ko-Thi Dance Company Optimist Theatre Wild Space Dance Company BEMBE DRUM & DANCE Jewish Museum Milwaukee Black Arts MKE, Inc. Marcus Performing Arts Center Art Start, Inc Milwaukee Artist Resource Network ArtWorks for Milwaukee Present Music TBEY ARTS CENTER, INC. Renaissance Theaterworks (RTW) Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Skylight Music Theatre Pink Umbrella Theater Company Milwaukee Art Museum Joy Engine, Inc Betty Brinn Children’s Museum The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Signature Dance Company Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Inc. (MYSO) Milwaukee Ballet Milwaukee Film Historic Milwaukee, Inc. La Familia de Arte, Inc. Sculpture Milwaukee Charles Allis and Villa Terrace Art Museums Milwaukee Chamber Theatre Milwaukee Opera Theatre Early Music Now Quasimondo Physical Theatre Ms. Svetic read out the organizations that were recommended for funding at the $3,000 level: Studio K Flamenco Milwaukee Youth Theatre, Inc. Washington Park Neighbors DanceCircus, Ltd Ms. Morris said that it is a large jump from last year's and asked if there is a particular area where the organizations were scored the highest or lowest. Ms. Svetic said that she does not have that information to the detail but that it can be looked at. Ald. Coggs asked how many applications were from organizations with people of color. Ms. Svetic said that she does not have a quantitative report but that it can be included on the questions for the next year's. Ald. Coggs said that based on her experience, is good to know to who we are giving the money to. Ms. Morris said that just by eye-balling the list, about 25% of the organizations are led by people of color and that it is interesting how the small groups did good this year. Ms. Layden brought up the fact that the averaged score is minimal between the ones that are recommended by the panel and the ones that are not and, that she does not know the answer but that they might need to see how they can seed organizations with people of color. Ms. Morris said that maybe we could have more panelists with experience on the performing arts just to have a better understanding of how these organizations work. Mr. Flores said that this process is working correctly because we are seeing organizations with a large budget next to a small one being funded or not. He added that we have changed the group of underrepresented populations and that it would be difficult to say that we are going to give seed money to groups that are run by this or that type of person. He also said that we would have to open it up to all the groups that we have now in the ordinance. Ms. Souffrant asked if it's possible to have a spread sheet by the fiscal year budget just to see where the groups land and to check what happens next year in order to identify is there is any systematic distribution. Ms. Svetic said that it is doable. Mr. Flores moved adoption of the recommendations submitted by the panel. Ms. McSweeney seconded the motion. There were no objections. Prevailed 7-0-1 (Ms. Souffrant recused)	Not available
5.	New Business Minutes note: a) Ms. Svetic said that she wanted to make sure that the announcement was shared with the members and that the celebration will replace the meeting of June 13, 2023 if nothing urgent comes up. She added that the event will be held at the City Hall Rotunda and that the formal invite is on the way. She also said that she is open to suggestions. b) Ms. Morris said that Jill Sebastian was not contacted about the deaccessioning of the art work at the Wisconsin Center District and that Marti Brooks agreed on $20,000 to partially fund the book to preserve the art work.She added that only 20 pieces will be preserved and that the sculptural elements will be destroyed. She also said that some pieces are going to be incorporated in the new building but that there is no final agreement yet. She said that they are waiting to see what happens. Ms. Morris also mentioned that they talked about how to come up with deaccessioning guidelines - education in the website - and how the Public Art Subcommittee should be contacted if the work is going to get deaccessioned. Ald. Coggs said that removals must be discussed at the board level before it happens. She added that for the future of the public art, language must be included in the contracts about to notify the Arts Board before removal.	Not available
6.	Old Business Minutes note: No old business were discussed.	Not available
7.	Announcements Minutes note: Ms. Morris said that five local artists will be featured on Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships from June 2 to August 6, 2023 at the Haggerty Museum of Art. The meting adjourned at 4:54 pm. Yadira Melendez Staff Assistant.	Not available