Arts Commission

AGENDA ARTS COMMISSION Perkins Room, 2nd Floor Arlington Heights Village Hall, 33 S. Arlington Heights Rd. Arlington Heights IL 60005 June 18, 2025 6:30 PM I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. May 21, 2025 IV. REPORTS V. OLD BUSINESS A. Downtown Public Art Plan 1. Potential Locations 2. Purpose 3. Goals 4. Outcomes 5. High level guidelines VI. NEW BUSINESS VII. OTHER BUSINESS VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT Anyone wishing to speak on a subject not on the Agenda may speak at this time. Please limit your comments to three minutes. IX. ADJOURNMENT Persons with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services, such as an American Sign Language interpreter or written materials in accessible formats, should contact the Health & Human Services Department, at 33 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005, healthmail@vah.com or 847/368-5760. Page 1 of 4  AC 5/21/25 MINUTES DRAFT MINUTES OF THE VILLAGE OF ARLINGTON HEIGHTS ARTS COMMISSION MEETING HELD IN THE BUECHNER CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE VILLAGE HALL MAY 21 AT 6:30 P.M. Arts Chair Seitz-Pagano called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Members Present: Mary Seitz-Pagano, Arts Chair Janet Souter Kristen Walter Erika Cutlip Brian Wolf Gretchen Grassl Leena Joshi Carla McAleer Kate Schwarz Also Present: Derek Mach, Staff Liaison Arts Chair Seitz-Pagano led the Commission in the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES COMMISSIONER WALTER MADE A MOTION, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SOUTER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 16, 2025 ARTS COMMISSION MEETING. ALL WERE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIED. MURAL MOSAIC Arts Chair Seitz-Pagano introduced Ms. Mickey Mantas and explained that Ms. Mantas is going to share a concept for an art project. Ms. Mantas shared a few options for creating a mural. Ms. Mantas explained that the program resembles Mural Mosaic which utilizes ceramic tiles that would be painted by Arlington Heights residents and businesses, then collected and digitized into a piece of art representative of the community. The Arts Commission thanked Ms. Mantas for her presentation. DOWNTOWN PUBLIC ART PLAN The Arts Commission discussed the purpose, goals and outcomes for the public art plan. Commissioner Walter shared a draft with ideas for the public art plan and the Arts Commission discussed the following: Purpose/Vision of the Public Art Program: To enhance and promote public art that supports an inclusive, vibrant, and healthy community, fostering a sense of belonging and cultural advancement within the Village of Arlington Heights, including celebrations of the past, present, and future. 1. Goals: ● To Promote Community Engagement: Encourage participation in art-related activities across all demographics of the Village and to have public art events act as a lever for collaboration between commissions to ignite togetherness to achieve the Village Strategic Priorities 1 of 3 Page 2 of 4  AC 5/21/25 MINUTES ● To Support Village Economic Initiatives: Facilitate creative spaces to enhance life throughout the village, build awareness of the Village as a destination for public art across the greater geographic area, and serve as an economic driver to support development throughout the Village ● To Celebrate Diversity: Reflect the village's diverse history, cultures, and traditions through art to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, emphasizing the creation of a sense of belonging and engagement within the community and the Village ● To Support the Arts Community: Provide platforms and opportunities for local and regional artists to showcase various works and mediums 2. Outcomes: ● Community Engagement: High participation rates across all programs and positive feedback from residents as measured through community surveys and attendance trackers. ● Village Economic Initiatives: Increase foot traffic in areas with public art as measured by business outcomes on specific opening days around public art, and measurement of messaging engagement when social/messaging campaigns are created around publicizing art displays and calls for proposals ● Celebrate Diversity: an increase in diverse representation of attendees in submissions, attendance, and feedback, representing a variety of cultural, demographic, and economic groups (ie: increase in under- represented groups, accessibility, economic, age, gender, etc). ● Support for the Arts Community: Increased visibility and opportunities for artists (regional, local, national), measured by the number of commissioned works and exhibitions, and placement for call to artists in a variety of arts magazines, council announcements, and state publications and listings Part 2: Committee to Complete Guidelines 1. High-Level Guideline Suggestions • The Downtown Art Plan is a Village of Arlington Heights program administered by the Village and the Village’s Arts Commission. The Plan is for art in the Village’s geographic limits to be placed on property owned by the Village or that is to be financed in whole or in part with Village funds. The Plan does not include murals that are to be placed on private property and that are funded entirely with private funds. An applicant for the Downtown Art Plan may apply through the Village Manager’s Office upon announcement of the Downtown Art Plan. All needed permits will be facilitated between the Village Manager and the artist under the umbrella of the Plan. The Village Commission will consider proposals for art that reflects diversity in style and media from artists with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Applications for the Downtown Public Art Plan are initially reviewed by the Village Arts Commission, which will make a recommendation to the Village Manager and Village Board, which makes an advisory recommendation to the Village Arts Commission for a final decision. All art approved through this Plan becomes part of the Village of Arlington Heights public art collection. All permanent or semi-permanent installations must include the artist’s signed waiver of proprietary rights in a form provided by the Village. • Community-Partner Applicants: A project initiated 1) by a group of people who are seeking a project that is related to their community group; or 2) by a lead artist who creates a mural design and leads the design and painting process with a community group. • Artist-Focused Applicant: A project created by the lead artist with the intent of fulfilling the artist’s vision with or without participation from the public or a community group. 2 of 3 Page 3 of 4  AC 5/21/25 MINUTES 2. Funding Criteria The Commission discussed that the funding criteria will be discussed in more detail after potential locations are identified. The Commission also discussed grants as a potential funding option. Commissioner McAleer and Commissioner Schwarz volunteered to evaluate potential locations for public art. Arts Chair Seitz-Pagano explained that the Commission will continue to develop the public art plan at the next Arts Commission meeting. NEW BUSINESS Arts Chair Seitz-Pagano asked if there is any new business? The Commission discussed meeting on Wednesday, June 18 or June 25, 2025. PUBLIC COMMENTS Arts Chair Seitz-Pagano asked if there are any public comments? ADJOURNMENT COMMISSIONER WALTER MADE A MOTION, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCALEER TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:45 P.M. ALL WERE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIED. 3 of 3 Page 4 of 4