Arts Commission

ARTS COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 – 6:00 - 7:00 PM AGENDA To allow public access, anyone may access a meeting by telephone or Zoom. Specific instructions and links can be found at www.norwalkct.org/meetings. Members of the public can call in and listen to a meeting. They will not be able to speak or see any of the meeting participants. Each meeting will use a unique Meeting/Webinar ID. Please find the information using the link above. Members of the public who wish to provide "live comments" will need to register in advance and use the Zoom meeting platform. All participants will be muted upon entering the meeting. To speak, click the “raise your hand indicator” and you will call on by the host of the meeting during the public comment section. Please find the information using the link above. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment are encouraged to submit those via email in advance of the meeting. For these comments to be read into the record, they should be submitted at least three hours in advance of the meeting start time. Please email Maritza Alvarado at malvarado@norwalkct.org to provide written public comment prior to the meeting. I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL III. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IV. ADMINISTRATION a. Approve the minutes of the November 1, 2022 regular meeting. V. NEW BUSINESS a. Review of the West Avenue Underpass and Abutment proposals and selection of preferred artist or artist group. – Brian Kaspr VI. COMMITTEE/STAFF UPDATES a. Budget Committee Update – Nori Grudin & Sabrina Godeski b. Communications Committee Update – Marc Alan c. Infrastructure Committee Update – Brian Kaspr VII. OLD BUSINESS VIII. ADJOURNMENT Page 1 of 1  CITY OF NORWALK ARTS COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING November 1, 2022 I. CALL TO ORDER Board: Chairman Marc Alan, Brian Kaspr, Elizabeth Tardif, Ava Jacobs, Melissa Matuska, Steven Rust, Nori Grudin Staff: Sabrina Godeski Other: Mj Lindo-Lawyer and Josh Lawyer, Colby Burnette, Billy Blanks, Jr., Chris Sainato Chairman Alan called the meeting to order at 6:05. A quorum was present. II. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION There was no public participation. III. ADMINISTRATION Approve the minutes of the October 4, 2022 regular meeting. **** Ms. Tardif moved to approve the minutes of the October 4, 2022 meeting. **** Mr. Kaspr seconded the motion. **** The motion passed with Mr. Rust abstaining. IV. NEW BUSINESS a. Approve the Homefield Traffic Graphic Box. The committee has some concerns about having the Homefield logo on the traffic box. Mr. Burnette and Mr. Blanks assured the committee that they could remove the logo from the design. Mr. Saintano is the artist on this project and he presented a few different examples of his work. Mr. Alan explained that the commission is currently developing the processes for the city in developing public art. He is glad that this is created by an artist as the committee has decided City of Norwalk Arts Commission Regular Meeting 11/1/2022 1 that only original art will be used for the traffic boxes. This is because the point is to give opportunities to artists. ****Mr. Kaspr moved to accept the design of the traffic box without the logo. ****Ms. Tardif seconded the motion. ****The motion passed unanimously. Mr. Alan asked Homefield and the artist to follow up with their timeline for completing this project. b. Approve the Monroe Street Rail Bridge abutment proposal by Rough Edge Collective, Maria-Jose (MJ) Lindo-Lawyer and Joshua Lawyer, in an amount not to exceed $50,000. Acct# 0921 1450 5777 C0792 0922 3760 5777 C0804 0923 3760 5777 C0804 Mr. Kaspr formally recommended Ms. Lindo-Lawyer and Mr. Lawyer to be the official artists for the Monroe Street Rail Bridge. These artists were chosen for their specific storytelling and their dynamic artistic voice. The artists presented a mock up of the design. The commission agrees that this mural will engage the public and add a great deal to the area. Mr. Alan would like the sides that wrap around tie into the overall design. Mr. Kaspr asked if there were any updates to the budget. The artists confirmed that there were no changes to the budget. Ms. Godeski explained the process for getting this project approved. The city is in the process of creating a set of guidelines for projects of this type. Now this state needs to approve it before the city approves it, which may hold up the timeline of this project. Mr. Rust asked if lighting should be included in the proposal to the state. The commission agrees that this should be included. ****Mr. Rust moved to send this design to the Common Council for approval. ****Ms. Tardif seconded the motion. ****The motion passed unanimously. City of Norwalk Arts Commission Regular Meeting 11/1/2022 2 C. Review of Norwalk Public Schools Project Proposal - Heidi Alterman. Ms. Godeski described the project that Ms. Alterman would like to see happen. Each school would contribute to a public art work that is displayed in a public place somewhere in the city. One location being considered is collaborating with the MLK Corridor on the fence project. The Arts Commission would participate along with the MLK Corridor Commission. This is in the preliminary stages and hasn’t been approved by the Board of Education yet. There is a possibility that this project could hang in the People’s Gallery in City Hall. The commission will consider options and discuss the idea further at the next meeting. V. COMMITTEE STAFF UPDATES a. Budget Committee Update – Nori Grudin Ms. Grudin gave an update on the budget. All the expenditures were expected and are covered. Some money that isn’t allocated yet will be put towards the Art Speak event. There is about $33,000 not yet allocated that can be put towards the People’s Gallery and other upcoming events. Mr. Rust explained that the lighting for the MLK corridor has been donated and has been installed so there will not be any further expense associated with this project. Going forward, the commission plans to ask for the same amount of money from the Council as last year, however, to justify this, the budget from this year should be spent. b. Communications Committee Update – Marc Alan 1. Review and authorization of the Art Speak event. Mr. Alan sees the Art Speak event as not just an opportunity to speak about the Arts Commission, but to speak about the impact of arts in all aspects of life, for example, education, mental health, etc. It’s an opportunity to bring in a variety of speakers on all different topics relating to the arts. There are so many topics that could be covered that a once a year event isn’t enough. Mr. Alan would like to do this twice a year, with a variety of topics covered in each one. City of Norwalk Arts Commission Regular Meeting 11/1/2022 3 Ms. Tardif asked if this would overlap with the programming put on by the Cultural Alliance. Mr. Alan feels the difference is that the Cultural Alliance deals with all of Fairfield County, Art Speak would focus on Norwalk specifically. c. Infrastructure Committee Update – Brian Kaspr The updates on the Monroe Street Rail Bridge and lighting for the MLK Corridor were covered above. VI. OLD BUSINESS Ms. Godeski gave an update on the Dancing Girl sculpture and the Dragon Boat. The Dragon Boat was approved and is all set. The Dancing Girl was originally going to go to Cranberry Park, but the Council now doesn’t want it there. Since the Commission has accepted the donation, the Council suggested it be placed in the Art Park near The Vines until a permanent location can be established. Ms. Jacobs told the committee about a meeting on Nov 14, 2022 at the library at 5:00 about the final Wall Street design. VII. ADJOURNMENT ***Ms. Matuska moved to adjourn the meeting. ***Ms. Tardif seconded the motion. ***The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:30. Respectfully submitted, Amy Chaple Telesco Secretarial Services City of Norwalk Arts Commission Regular Meeting 11/1/2022 4  Norwalk Arts Commission Budget Summary Dept Account Summary Original Balance Expenses PO Transfer In/Out Balance 011450 5221 Printing & Duplicating $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00 5225 Secretarial Services $ 2,100.00 $ (550.00) $ (950.00) $ 600.00 Telesco Secretarial Services $ 1,500.00 $ (550.00) $ 950.00 5235 Membership & Dues $ 100.00 $ 100.00 5237 Advertising $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00 5258 Other Professional Services $ 7,800.00 $ (2,750.00) $ 5,050.00 5286 Business Expenses $ 1,500.00 $ (535.60) $ 964.40 5298 Other Contractual Services $ 500.00 $ 500.00 5329 Other Operating Supplies $ 1,500.00 $ 1,500.00  Capital Accounts Summary of YTD Expenses and Account Balances Description Department # Pro.# Original Balance Expenditures PO Avail. Bal. MLK Blvd Art 0921-1450-5777 C0792 $ 50,000.00 $ 40,500.00 $ - $ 9,500.00 PO: Julio Pardo $ 16,500.00 $ 16,500.00 $ - $ - Req: Studio 162, LLC $ 26,500.00 $ 26,500.00 $ - Arts in Public Places Program 0922-3760-5777 C0804 $ 25,000.00 $ 2,000.00 $ 23,000.00 Arts in Public Places Program 0923-3760-5777 C0804 $ 50,000.00 $ 50,000.00