Arts Commission

City of Joliet 150 West Jefferson Street Joliet, IL 60432 Meeting Minutes - Final Wednesday, June 19, 2024 5:00 PM City Hall, Council Chambers Arts Commission Commission Members Donna Franks-Tapley Eric Gorder Tom Grotovsky Vince Logan Ron Romero John Simpson,Jr. Peg Stoiber Deborah Summers Ellis Wright Arts Commission Meeting Minutes - Final June 19, 2024 Citizens who are unable to attend the meeting can email comments in advance of the meeting to publiccomment@joliet.gov. 1. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. Present Eric Gorder, Peg (Marguerite) Stoiber, Ron Romero, Vince Logan , Tom Grotovsky and Deborah Summers Excused John Simpson Jr and Ellis Wright Absent Donna Franks-Tapley 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Meeting Minutes - May 15, 2024 TMP-7385 Attachments: Meeting Minutes 05.15.2024 A motion was made by Vince Logan , seconded by Tom Grotovsky, to approve COUNCIL MEMO #TMP-7385: Meeting Minutes - May 15, 2024. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Gorder, Stoiber, Romero, Logan, Grotovsky and Summers Excused: Simpson Jr and Wright Absent: Franks-Tapley 3. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD ON AGENDA ITEMS This section is for anyone wanting to speak regarding agenda items and are allowed a maximum of 4 minutes. It is not a question and answer period and staff, and the Commission members do not generally respond to public comments. The City Clerk has a copy of the public speaking procedures; please note, speakers who engage in conduct injurious to the harmony of the meeting shall be called to order by the Presiding Officer and may forfeit the opportunity to speak. 4. OLD BUSINESS A. Approval of the Poet Laureate Contact for 2024-2026 Draft Poet Laureate Agreement TMP-7452 Attachments: Draft Agreement Staff Liaison Heitner provided an overview of the proposed Poet Laureate contract. Commission Chair Ron Romero asked if any specific events have been designated for the Poet Laureate to attend. Uxmar Torres, the prospective Poet Laureate, responded saying that he and the City's Cultural Affairs Director Lori Carmine, are currently planning out potential events where he can provide his services and are coordinating on press releases. Staff Liaison Heitner also confirmed that the City can use its new Communications Director to promote these events in the coming years. A motion was made by Vince Logan , seconded by Peg (Marguerite) Stoiber, to approve COUNCIL MEMO #TMP-7452: Draft Poet Laureate Agreement. The Page 1 of 5 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes - Final June 19, 2024 motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Gorder, Stoiber, Romero, Logan, Grotovsky and Summers Excused: Simpson Jr and Wright Absent: Franks-Tapley B. Allocation of Up to $7,000 of FY2024 IAC General Operating Support Grant Funds to Support the City Center Partnership Utility Box Decoration Project Utility Box Memo TMP-7451 Attachments: Utility Box Memo Commission Chair Ron Romero provided an overview of the proposed project, which would be managed by the City Center Partnership (CCP), and would use digital artist designs to install vinyl coverings on potentially as many as ten utility cabinets around Downtown Joliet. The proposed utility cabinets that are City owned and operated have been authorized for participation in the project by City staff, provided that the CCP send all potential artwork designs to the City for approval, and that several safety related conditions are met with each wrapping. The expectation is that each wrapping would last about 10-15 years. The areas with the most traffic would receive project priority. The Joliet Arts Commission would pay for each artist's design work that is submitted and approved at a suggested price of $500 per artist and design. The CCP suggested that outreach be made to the guitar sculpture artists from last year for the first iteration of the utility box project, since programming is time sensitive. Romero commented that there is a hope that this could be an ongoing project. Romero mentioned that there would be a juried selection if there are more than ten proposed designs for this year. Commissioner Logan asked whether the City or artist would own the intellectual property rights to the art. Staff Liaison Heitner responded that ownership to the art would likely need to be clarified in the contract each artist would have with the CCP. Commissioner Gorder asked that in the future there be an effort to have an open call for artists on this project. Gorder also suggested leaving certain key spots open for future artists. Commissioner Romero also asked about the possibility of using sponsorships to help fund future efforts with this project. A motion was made by Vince Logan , seconded by Peg (Marguerite) Stoiber, to approve the requested allocation of up to $7,000 of FY2024 IAC General Operating Support Grant Funds to support the City Center Partnership Utility Box Decoration Project. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Gorder, Stoiber, Romero, Logan, Grotovsky and Summers Page 2 of 5 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes - Final June 19, 2024 Excused: Simpson Jr and Wright Absent: Franks-Tapley C. Discussion and Approval of Potential Projects for the Remaining FY2024 IAC General Operating Support Grant Funds Staff Liaison Heitner provided an update of how grant expenditures are tracking and that there could be a need to account for approximately $5,440 to expend all grant funds. Heitner explained that there are complications with the Mikan sculpture relocation project that is causing the potential need to program another project. Commission Chair Ron Romero asked if any extra funds could be banked to later pay the Poet Laureate. Commissioner Stoiber stated she wouldn't support a mural done quickly, but that she would support funding the Poet Laureate project or further contributions to the Walsh sculpture. Commissioner Summers asked if there were any plans for addressing the mural spaces identified in the mural report. Heitner responded that murals spaces under the viaducts near the Slammers Stadium have been removed and that those spaces would be logical places for future mural work. Commissioner Grotovsky asked whether viaduct lighting could be done with any excess funds. Heitner stated he would check with senior staff on the degree of support and feasibility of completing such a project by the end of August. Heitner stated he would also check in with staff and the IAC on whether long-term funding for the Poet Laureate position is a grant eligible expense. D. Update on the George Mikan Sculpture Project Staff Liaison Heitner stated that the Mikan sculpture relocation has a logistical issue in that the Joliet Diocese does not allow non-religious artwork on its property. Heitner stated that staff is looking at alternative options for relocation of the sculpture adjacent to St. Mary Nativity property, but that staff cannot guarantee that this would materialize by the end of August. Heitner stated that he expects to have closure on the situation within the next 1-2 weeks. E. Update on the Community Policing Sculpture Project Staff Liaison Heitner reported that the City's contracted artist for the Community in Policing sculpture refurbishing is working on the sculpture and that the expectation is that it will be completed by August 1st. F. Update on the City Square Sculpture Project Staff Liaison Heitner provided an update on the City Square Sculpture project. Heitner stated that a combination of City staff and Commissioners Gorder and Franks-Tapley will be reviewing the submissions to see which entries meet the intent of the RFP and will proceed to the sub-finalist stage. Heitner stated that the goal was to get a website live in July that would contain the sub-finalist entry information. Page 3 of 5 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes - Final June 19, 2024 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Authorization to Apply for the FY2025 IAC General Operating Support and Youth Employment in the Arts Grant Staff Liaison Heitner explained the new changes to the IAC General Operating Support (GOS) and Youth Employment in the Arts (YEA) Grant and asked if the Commission is still interested in applying for the grant. Heitner stated he would need to check with BiCentennial Parks staff to see if there is interest in applying for the YEA component of the grant. Commission Chair Romero provided additional context on the grant. A motion was made by Vince Logan , seconded by Tom Grotovsky, to authorize the City to apply for the FY2025 IAC General Operating Support and Youth Employment in the Arts Grant. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Gorder, Stoiber, Romero, Logan, Grotovsky and Summers Excused: Simpson Jr and Wright Absent: Franks-Tapley 6. NEW OR OLD BUSINESS, NOT FOR FINAL ACTION OR RECOMMENDATION A. Discussion of Potential Projects for 2025 Commission Chair Ron Romero stated that the Arts Commission should work with other local organizations on coordinating Route 66 centennial projects. Commissioner Grotovsky stated that other cities have done purposeful artwork on certain blocks or corridors and that something similar near the Rialto could be beneficial. Grotovsky suggested perhaps pursuing a community oriented street painting project. Staff Liaison Heitner also mentioned that if there is interest by the Commission in restarting the pop-up art gallery, that the project could be further explored in 2025. Commissioner Grotovsky asked if there is any possibility of the Commission having its own logo. Heitner stated that he would check into that request. 7. PUBLIC COMMENT None. This section is for anyone wanting to speak regarding non-agenda items and are allowed a maximum of 4 minutes. It is not a question and answer period and staff, and the Commission members do not generally respond to public comments. The City Clerk has a copy of the public speaking procedures; please note, speakers who engage in conduct injurious to the harmony of the meeting shall be called to order by the Presiding Officer and may forfeit the opportunity to speak. 8. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Tom Grotovsky, seconded by Peg (Marguerite) Stoiber, to adjourn the Page 4 of 5 Arts Commission Meeting Minutes - Final June 19, 2024 meeting at 6:28 p.m. The motion carried by the following vote: Aye: Gorder, Stoiber, Romero, Logan, Grotovsky and Summers Excused: Simpson Jr and Wright Absent: Franks-Tapley This meeting will be held in an accessible location. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact Christa M. Desiderio, City Clerk, 150 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, Illinois 60432 at (815) 724-3780. Page 5 of 5