Next Meeting
May 23rd, 2009
No comments
| June 1, 2009 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
Monday, June 1, 6–8pm at Central Arts Gallery on Congress
Categories: action alert, events
Archive
Archive for May, 2009
Meeting Notes 5/18/09
May 21st, 2009
No comments
05/18/09 Creative City Meeting Notes
Attending: Michael Schwartz, Jodi Netzer, Patrick McArdle, Josh Schacter, Robin Olson, Tony Novelli, Lin Cohorn, Vitas Sakalas, Irene Janulis, Karen Falkenstrom, Thom Lewis (contacts are below)
Introductions and setting agenda items
1. Transient Rental Surcharge (Hotel or Bed Tax)
Need for dedicated source of funding for TPAC is clear. Previous bed tax (ala 1980s) mentioned, and the several failed attempts over the years to re-direct it from the general fund back to Arts & Cultural agencies, as was originally intended. Tony urged us to look towards potential successes.
Karen said her understanding is that city hotels (and some council members) are opposed to the tax because it will only affect CITY hotels, not county ones (including the big resorts). This creates unfair burden, makes the city less competitive, etc. Suggested a discreet meeting with hotel owners/managers.
ACTION ITEMS:
Karen will check in Roberto on desirability of meeting with hotels, and let him know Creative City is available to support TPAC.
Meeting with hotel folks is subject to the above item.
2. Merging Creative City with the TPAC “group”
The TPAC group is basically the list of attendees at the meetings led by Hildy Gottlieb. The overlap with CCity steering group is significant. Gottlieb was contracted to conduct three forums for arts and cultural workers, to discuss the economy, and articulate vision/goals for Tucson, and strategize some first steps. There was to be an additional meeting, or meetings to continue this work but it was cancelled.
All supported merging with the TPAC group in theory. What are TPAC’s expectations of the Gottlieb group/effort? We want to explore a fiscal sponsor for CCity, eventually offering such things as emergency assistance grants to artists, etc. We will want to discuss some sort of public awareness/ad campaign
ACTION ITEMS:
KF will, when calling on item 1, see what are TPAC’s expectations for the group they convened.
Fiscal sponsorship and ad campaign were tabled for future meeting.
3. www.CreativeCity.org (website, email, listserv, etc.)
The website is up (using Wordpress) and there is a lot of potential for adding tools. We need experienced bloggers, facebookers, twitterers, etc. to consult with and take charge of some content. Our database needs to be set-up to accommodate accuracy and completeness as CCity grows. It would be good to have list sign-up automated on the web, as well as the ability to send to the whole group. Google, Yahoo were also mentioned as group managing interfaces.
ACTION ITEMS:
Tony and Jodi will review previous meeting notes on what we want the website to include.
All of us: If people have examples of info “portals,” sites that serve mainly as a gateway to other sites/resources, please email them to Tony & Jodi.
Tony will check in with his Wordpress guru pals to see if our current site can accommodate all that we want it to.
All of us: blog on
4. White House update
Michael attended meeting in D.C. on 5/12. Perhaps Michael can write up a more detailed account of his trip, but in short: arts leaders from all over the country met with the Office of Public Engagement (new name for Office of Public Liaison). There’s a press release at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Launches-Office-of-Public-Engagement
Apparently, the OPE wants to “struggle with” grassroots organizations, in a good way, meaning listen to our ideas, debate, grapple with solutions, etc. There was discussion of CETA (see note below*). I clipped in this excerpt from the Community Arts and Murals website:
“The meeting was facilitated by Community Arts leaders Arlene Goldbard, Caron Atlas from the Pratt Center, Claudine Brown of the Nathan Cummings Foundation and arts organizer Billy Wimsatt. White House “hippster in chief” Yosi Sergant was instrumental in arranging this meeting. This was an opportunity to begin a conversation with the White House on how community artist organizers can contribute to the economic recovery of our nation.”
There was talk about this being a “Summer of Service,” which Michael described as modeled after the WPA, but without the money. Uh oh! A few of us thought it sounded suspiciously like artists being asked to give it away again, but we’ll see. We might also “get a gold star” for mobilizing behind the effort. Assessing Tucson’s cultural assets in order to better report on them and gain more nat’l footing was mentioned, and will undoubtedly show up in later discussions.
NOTE from Michael: I wanted to clarify what I intended by “assessment”. Yes we need to do an inventory of what cultural resources exist, but I meant we need to have evaluation systems that are more comprehensive than just looking at the metrics of our work. I think it will help our work if we engage in national conversations about best practices in community based cultural development, community arts and arts education.
ACTION ITEMS:
All of us: Please report all interesting programs and projects on the Community Arts Net website, http://www.communityarts.net. This will help put Tucson on the nat’l radar.
All of us: Spread the word and ask your peers to report to CAN also
Karen will call ACA and clarify what, if any, recovery funds have been received, and, if so, how can we access them.
*Comprehensive Employment and Training Act
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (or CETA, Pub.L. 93-203) is a United States federal law enacted in 1973 to train workers and provide them with jobs in the public service.
The program offered work to those with low incomes and the long term unemployed as well as summer jobs to low income high school students. Full time jobs were provided for a period of 12 to 24 months in public agencies or private not for profit organizations. The intent was to impart a marketable skill that would allow participants to move to an unsubsidized job. It was an extension of the Works Progress Administration program from the 1930s. The Act was intended to decentralize control of federally controlled job training programs, giving more power to the individual state governments. Nine years later, it was replaced by the Job Training Partners
5. Well, then, let’s have a party!
Tony’s idea, in the face of budget woes, lay-offs, etc. is that we desperately need a party to celebrate ourselves as artists and community organizers. July 3 at the Rialto is the current plan. We just need to raise at least $300–500 at the door (sliding scale) and have some fun. We could make a lot more. Additional funds raised could be banked, used to support Summer of Service projects, etc. All were in favor.
NEXT MEETING DATE is Monday, June 1, 6–8pm at Central Arts Gallery on Congress
PARKING LOT (items for next meeting)
The idea of having a bank account led to possibly identifying a community bank that will become the Arts bank.
ATTENDEES 5/18/09
Tony Novelli anthony.novelli@gmail.com 360-8858
Josh Schachter joshsch@cox.net 622-8194
Patrick McArdle pjmcardle1@me.com 661-5197
Michael Schwartz mbsarts@aol.com
Jodi Netzer netzer@voicenet.com 791-9359
Thom Lewis thmlws@aol.com 981-8003
Karen Falkenstrom karen@tucsontaiko.org 481-8003
Lin Cohorn Lin457@juno.com 859-445-6455
Rebecca Olson raolson@flash.net 888-8162
Categories: meeting notes
BRAINSTORM: WHAT IS CREATIVE CITY?
May 17th, 2009
No comments
Creative City notes 4/13/09
Michael
jodi
Lynne Cohorn
Rebecca Olsen
Susan Silverman
Tony
Brodrik McGill
Check out http://www.culturalrecovery.net
Updates on national scene… some progress
Creative Cloud
Capes
ACA got it’s money
Mark Stern from University of Pennsylvania is coming out, has been doing studies on financial impact of the arts
Nathan Cummings foundation is funding rurally, and want to do more, though there needs to be training to move people into alignment with these opportunities.
WHAT IS CREATIVE CITY?
Visioning statement (draft): “creatively matching resources with opportunities toward healthy and vibrant community”
Content for website:
• Job Listings
• Mission
• Education, outreach
• creative services we provide
• DVD or books to help people get started
• Inspiring links about how we model community
• core theme and break out groups
• Placemaking guide
• Gallery – Play Space
• Work Parties – unleashing the Creative City brain on some organization – creative challenges
Paperworks?
Do a Living Library piece – interactive and talking
Permaculture trainings – become part of green jobs training center
Tony- Creative Commons, send boilerplate for MS paper
BRAINSTORM:
Creative City is the Commons
What is the conclusion here…
a coalition
forming a consortium?
advocacy
listing jobs
directory
services we offer
channeling information on the national arts scene – connecting people to opportunities
environmental
TONY – I’m here to protect something I care about, and that is the identity of Tucson that is dynamic and cool – UTNE Salon ideas, podcasts, Foxfire press books, arts based living libraries, interactive stations -
BRANDON – loss of the Muse has caused a disaggregation of the “flowers” that were there… it’s now spread out, and perhaps it can be reformulated into a bouquet. Learn who is in the community and how to plug in.
SUSAN – the earth is changing quickly around us, and artists have a role in helping us address climate change, food, energy, self-sufficiency and sustainability issues, localization. Creativity makes this possible. This is a possible model project … has brought together artists and environmentalists to collaborate in schools to increase livability and create a cultural connection… build upon environmental movement.
REBECCA – is a refugee of another folded arts center – creativity is the most human thing about us – all creation is creative – creativity is what unites us, what thrills us – art education is about creative problem-solving – Susan Boyle on YouTube singing in Brit American Idol… set her soul aflame – this is what happens when people have opportunities = they can be come more than who they think they can be, overcoming obstacles – together they can bring something into being that couldn’t be before – subversive, seditious, rebellious, somewhat out of control – wants to foment creativity – bookmaking – papermaking – WATERSHED MANAGEMENT GROUP IS CONSPIRING WITH THE ESPERANZA SUPPORT FOR HOMELESS VETERANS – LANDSCAPING AND WATER HARVESTING – BENEFIT DINNER – R DID A PORTRAIT THERE -
LYNNE- was drawn to Tucson the same as Tony – Tucson has been sitting, waiting, sucking up all of this energy – it is very collaborative, groups are generous with sharing – very attractive and alluring – has both adult and child creative opportunities – we need to engage ADULTS and not pass on the responsibility to the children – can’t just fund and focus on children… we need to recognize creativity in every part of our lives, it is part of the mundane – artists are not OVER HERE, they are everywhere, we need to see the creative capacity in everyone – refugee resource center for creative types – I need someone to help me organize these things – creative challenges to city council…. spin art – fundraiser – Art Van Gogh Go – Rebecca has a website called Art Wheel… CC is not trying to do a great big thing… maybe it’s small pods of ideas where people come together – Creative Kudos – Focus on an organization to focus our creative energies on them – found objects – Civic Garden Center in Cincinatti – provides 16 weeks of training FREE on topics for limited seating -
JODI – unlocking the creative spirit is the key to actualizing a creative collective consciousness to move us forward into a better future – activate potentials – arise and persist. The precious things in life are to see someone unlock themselves, and to see it happen in relation to important issues – CC can be whatever it wants to be – model projects – CC is an umbrella – creative ad campaign for the intrinsic value of the arts – not institutionalized – tying into cultural relevance – necessity, as Earth citizens – find connectivity amongst everybody through a creative string – CC could be a resource, education tool, an online community, an offline community, a place where artists and organizations and businesses can connect and be a resource to all people – bring in politicians to help them understand how arts enliven and invigorate the culture of Tucson, and help us understand their work so that we can be effective in the way we help – Tucson could be a model city – CC is an idea that can be modeled anywhere – it can be as expansive as it wants to be and is in a place to figure out what that is – it is a state of mind – if we believe we are creative then we are and will be, and others become so – be sensitive and aware to not just pose as a cultural creative – its about process, and the end product is the result of that process… – peer support group – dance theatre camp – The Field: everyone presents their work in progress and gets feedback – Central Arts does this? – don’t get too spread out in terms of advocacy – Creative City begs it being a model – define what CC wants to be a model for – branding – strategy -
MICHAEL – affinity group – people with shared values around creative production – loves that Tucson DIY thing, as the source of innovation – the desert lends itself to that – Tucson is northernmost part of Mexico – Barrio Libre, a movement that developed culturally – spirit – exploration cluture- off the grid of American culture – commercialism didn’t get here the same way as other places – oldest continually inhabited city – there is a community that allows for innovation and exploration more than other places – Let’s try that. Let’s go for it – Gaia is calling – Artists help us know what is next – advocacy and education – familiarize with the gatekeepers – CC function – Native Seed Search – Sanctuary Movement – Earth First – COMMUNITY – There is a lot of unexplored territory in participatory projects – architecture > storytelling, visual arts, dance etc… lots of room for innovation – training people to do service based learning and arts projects – getting people started from scratch – basic consultation – training apparatus (TRAIN THE TRAINER) – green arts training center – there are pockets of students thinking about this – MICA – Maryland Institute College of Art – national convening in Monterey – community arts has become institutionalized – good and bad – MICA where are we going, how do we create degreed training programs for people to reach out with… amazing success stories – this coalition started with an idea of integrating the arts into a green job training center – the arts are under attack – we need to defend and support it – TWIST THE THREADS TOGETHER – MAKING A ROPE – WEAVING – the arts experience is a problem solving skill – wants a peer group to do a community center project with – music mural, music garden, building project – murals on cisterns – Broadmoor arts tour this Saturday – Festivals -
NEXT MEETING: Refine mission and vision statements.
AZ Legislature gunning for the arts!
May 7th, 2009
No comments
Take 2 minutes to SUPPORT THE ARTS NOW at http://capwiz.com/artsusa/az/home/
Arizona’s Legislative Leadership recently released a fiscal year 2010 state budget document which would reduce the state arts budget by up to 75% within one year. Similar reduction percentages have not been proposed for other state agencies.
THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP PLAN:
· Eliminates an ongoing appropriation to the Arizona Commission on the Arts of $1.58 million.
· Sweeps the remaining $14.653 million from ArtShare, once a $20 million statewide arts endowment.
· Offers a mere $300,000 in a one-time “operations offset” – not nearly enough to match federal arts funding to which Arizona is entitled.
The current proposal follows fiscal year 2009’s midyear action, making the single largest budget reduction to the state arts budget in history: reducing the annual appropriation by $423,000 and sweeping $5.347 million from the ArtShare Endowment, an endowment developed in a 12-year public/private funding process.
TO PUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET REDUCTIONS IN PERSPECTIVE, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL:
· Reduces the amount of support the Commission can provide to nonprofit arts organizations, schools and community centers by up to 80%.
· Jeopardizes 50,000 private sector jobs and arts education programs reaching 1.7 million youth.
· Costs Arizonans $2 for every $1 reduction because federal arts funds require a state match.
· Means that in fiscal year 2010, the Arizona Commission on the Arts is being asked to return a sum THREE TIMES GREATER than its annual operating budget. This, after returning an amount greater than its entire fiscal year 2009 operating budget during the midyear budget cuts.
OUR PROPOSAL: The arts industry is willing to support a 25% reduction to the Commission’s annual appropriation. The ArtShare Endowment has already been cut by 25% and should not be reduced further.
A 75% budget reduction is unacceptable. Additional sweeps of ArtShare are unacceptable. Further cuts affect real jobs and real people throughout Arizona.
TAKE ACTION: Tell your state legislators to consider a reasonable budget proposal that doesn’t devastate the Arizona arts industry.
Contact your state legislators by phone and email. Tell them that if the proposed reductions are enacted:
· Up to 50,000 private sector jobs across Arizona could be in jeopardy.
· 1.7 million Arizona youth could lose arts education programs in their schools and communities.
· Local economies would lose critical tax revenue generated by arts activities in cities and towns.
· Local businesses and vendors would lose essential revenue generated by arts businesses and patrons.
Would additional employment figures and examples of Commission support help you make your case to save the arts? Determine your legislative district and access district-specific fact sheets on the Arizona Citizens/Action for the Arts website at http://www.azcitizensforthearts.org/resources.html under “Find out How the Arts Impact Your District.”
Communicate with your legislators using pre-written messages developed by Arizona Citizens/Action for the Arts by visiting the following Arizona Citizens/Action for the Arts page:http://capwiz.com/artsusa/az/home/.
Forward this info, and ask your network to take action! Thank you for your support.
