Meeting Summary
Present: West, Steiner, Wright, Tabach-Bank, Wagner
This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details, so verify against the official recording and the transcript.
At a glance
Public Art Ordinance Advocacy
- A representative requested the commission remind City Council to apply the Percent for the Arts Ordinance to upcoming development projects.
- The commission acknowledged the ordinance's importance and agreed to advocate for its application with City Council.
Strategic Review of Arts
- Staff proposed conducting individual interviews with commissioners prior to a group meeting to gather insights on future arts direction.
- The commission acknowledged the plan and noted the staff member's return from travel in late September.
2027 Arts Grant Timeline
- A proposed timeline was approved as a template, setting application availability for September 1 and a submission deadline of September 30.
- Applicants will be offered flexible presentation dates on either September 17 or October 15 to accommodate schedules.
- The schedule accounts for potential City Council approval delays due to the election cycle, with final votes expected by February.
2027 Arts Grants Ad Hoc Committee
- The commission established an ad hoc committee to review grant applications and provide community expertise alongside the full commission.
- Committee members will be selected by the chair based on criteria including diversity of expertise and a balance between local artists and professionals.
Grant Rubric Modification
- A "plus factor" category was added to the rubric to allow flexible extra credit for new applicants without assigning fixed bonus points.
- The specific point value for this criterion will be determined by the ad hoc committee's discretion during the review process.
Staff and Council Liaison Updates
- Staff reported that a delayed Public Art Fund report is scheduled for completion by September following a second public records request.
- The commission agreed to prioritize resolving the copyright policy issue that has prevented audiovisual use in grant presentations.
- The Council Liaison recommended reporting to City Council once a month rather than at every meeting to maintain engagement.
Commissioner Reports and Comments
- Commissioners discussed various initiatives including a county-wide arts calendar, restoring the Matilija Fountain, and creating a comprehensive stakeholder database.
- Concerns were raised regarding ticketing fees at Libby Bowl, with suggestions to explore direct box office sales or increased oversight.
Full summary
Call to Order and Roll Call
- The meeting was called to order by Chair West. A roll call confirmed the presence of Chair West, Vice Chair Steiner, Commissioner Wright, Commissioner Tabach-Bank, and Commissioner Wagner. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Approval of Agenda
- A motion was made to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded. No discussion occurred. The motion passed unanimously.
Public Comments
- Gail Childress, representing Ojai Studio Artists (OSA), addressed the commission. She thanked the commission for past grants and reminded members of the Percent for the Arts Ordinance, which mandates 2% of development costs over $1 million and 1% under $1 million be allocated to public art. She requested that the commission remind City Council to apply this ordinance to upcoming projects, including a park behind City Hall and tiny homes for the homeless. She also recommended that Ojai artists receive the first notification regarding opportunities for public art installations. Childress invited commissioners to an OSA exhibition opening at the museum. Commissioner Steiner acknowledged the importance of the Public Art Ordinance and agreed to advocate for its application with City Council.
- Nusa Newsome Hall addressed the commission regarding an upcoming strategic review of arts in the Ojai Valley. She proposed conducting individual interviews with each commissioner prior to the group meeting to gather deeper insights into the future direction of arts in the community. The commission acknowledged her plan and noted her return from travel in late September.
Consent Calendar: Approval of Minutes
- A motion was made to approve the minutes for the April 16 and July 16 meetings as written. The motion was seconded. No discussion occurred. The motion passed unanimously.
Discussion Item: Arts Grant Submission and Timeline
- Commissioner Wright presented a proposed timeline for the 2027 arts grant cycle. Key dates included applications becoming available on September 1, an ad hoc committee presentation to the public on September 17, and a deadline for completed applications on September 30. The commission discussed the feasibility of the timeline, noting it was tight but achievable.
- Discussion ensued regarding how applicants could present their projects. Commissioner Wright suggested allowing applicants to present at either the September 17 or October 15 meetings to provide flexibility. The commission agreed to communicate this option broadly via social media and the application website to ensure all potential applicants were informed, rather than emailing only previous applicants. A sign-up system was proposed to manage presentations across the two dates.
- The timeline also outlined that applications would be distributed to the ad hoc committee on October 9, with the Arts Commission receiving recommendations on November 19 for a vote. The commission noted that City Council approval typically occurs in December but could be delayed until January or February due to the election cycle. A reminder was included that grantee reports for the 2026 cycle are due by December 31.
- A motion was made to approve the proposed timeline as a template for future use, with dates adjusted annually. The motion was seconded. No discussion occurred. The motion passed unanimously.
Discussion Item: Establishment of 2027 Arts Grants Ad Hoc Committee
- The commission discussed the formation of an ad hoc committee to review grant applications. Members noted that while the full commission reviews and votes on recommendations, the ad hoc committee provides an additional layer of community expertise and thoroughness. It was confirmed that the committee chair selects members based on criteria including diversity of expertise (artists, administrators, educators) and balance between local artists and arts professionals.
- A motion was made to establish the 2027 Arts Grants Ad Hoc Committee. The motion was seconded. No discussion occurred. The motion passed unanimously.
Discussion Item: Grant Rubric Modification
- Commissioner Wright presented a proposed modification to the grant evaluation rubric, suggesting a "bonus points" category for new applicants to encourage first-time participation. The commission discussed whether this should be formulaic or flexible. Concerns were raised that fixed bonus points might artificially inflate scores for untested applicants.
- The discussion shifted to creating a "plus factor" category described as "flexible extra credit for a new applicant." It was proposed that the specific point value be left to the discretion of the ad hoc committee, indicated by an asterisk in the rubric, rather than assigning a fixed number of points. This approach would allow the committee to consider new applicants holistically without rigidly altering scores.
- A motion was made to accept the attached rubric with the addition of a "plus factor" criterion, described as flexible extra credit for new applicants, with the point value designated by an asterisk to be determined by the ad hoc committee. The motion was seconded. No discussion occurred. The motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Reports
- Chair West: Reported on a meeting with County Arts Coordinator David Yoshitomi regarding the county's economic evaluation of the creative economy and a new county-wide arts calendar initiative. He noted the importance of using surveys rather than audits to gather data on grant impact for future funding requests.
- Vice Chair Steiner: Reiterated the importance of the Public Art Fund and the Percent for the Arts Ordinance. She expressed concern regarding the restoration timeline for the Matilija Fountain and emphasized that arts have intrinsic value beyond economic metrics. She also noted the need for the county to share financial responsibility for arts programs serving county residents.
- Commissioner Tabach-Bank: Discussed efforts to bring live performances from Los Angeles to Ojai, noting the challenge of securing venues.
- Commissioner Wagner: Reported on developing a comprehensive database of arts and culture stakeholders in Ojai, building upon existing visual artist registries. She noted that funding would be required to create and maintain a website for this registry.
Staff Liaison Report
- Bridget (Staff) provided updates on future agenda items, including the September 17 ad hoc committee review. She addressed the copyright policy issue, noting it has prevented the use of audiovisuals in grant presentations for a year. The commission agreed to prioritize fixing the policy with the new city attorney and potentially presenting the issue to City Council.
- Regarding the Public Art Fund report, Staff explained that a second public records request had been received. Due to the Finance Director's extended leave, the final report was delayed but is scheduled for completion by September. The report will be posted on the website for transparency once finalized.
Council Liaison Report
- Leslie (Council Liaison) attended the meeting. She commended the commission's deliberation on the rubric and noted her participation in a "State of the City" video regarding public art. She suggested incentivizing grantees to conduct audience surveys to gather impact data. She discussed the potential for integrating the creative economy with the city's regenerative economy and fire resilience plans. Regarding the copyright issue, she offered to assist in finding legal resources. She recommended that the commission report to City Council once a month rather than at every meeting to maintain engagement.
Commissioner Comments
- Chair West: Mentioned a mentor program connecting art professionals with youth, noting it has not been active since the pandemic but has budget support and community interest. He expressed anticipation for the strategic review interviews.
- Commissioner Wright: Raised concerns regarding ticketing fees at Libby Bowl due to Ticketmaster's algorithms and suggested exploring options for direct box office sales or increased oversight.
- Vice Chair Steiner: Noted upcoming events, including a Film Society screening and the OSA exhibition opening.
Adjournment
- The meeting was adjourned.