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Home My WebLink About2024-01-08 24-059 OrderCITY COUNCIL ACTION Council Meeting Date: Item No: Responsible Dept: Requested Action: Summary Committee Action Meeting Date: For: Against: City Manager City Solicitor Finance Director Map/Lot: Introduced for: Order Committee: Action: Staff Comments & Approvals Date: Item No: Assigned to Councilor: 24-059 JANUARY 8,2024 ANNUAL REPORT of the CULTURAL COMMISSION for the Calendar Year 2023. Per the City of Bangor Code, Chapter 23, Article III, "Commission on Cultural Development," § 23-20, Meetings; annual report; quorum: "The Commission shall meet at least quarterly and, prior to December 31 of each calendar year, shall prepare and submit to the City Council an annual report outlining its activities during the preceding twelve-month period." The Commission on Cultural Development's mission is to promote the development of Bangor as a regional arts center that nurtures the artistic and cultural expression of its diverse peoples, and is authorized to assess Bangor's cultural needs; to develop and maintain a comprehensive arts and cultural policy based on a 5-year vision statement, assuring that plans and policies are developed with consideration of the needs of the community's future adults, providing them with additional incentive to remain or return to Bangor. Commission members for 2023: Aubrae Filipiak, Chair (resigned September; moved out of Bangor); Hollie Adams, Vice Chair (acting Chair from September onwards); Nina Earley (acting Vice Chair from September onwards); Jane Bragg, Cody Clark, Kal Elmore, Tristan Greenlaw, Barbara McDade, Margaret Rieley, Lovern Stockwell, Kelly Chenot (started in December to fill vacancy), Dina Yacoubagha (City Council). Grant Subcommittee, Chair Jane Braqq Prior to opening of fall application cycle, made edits to the grant application and scoring rubric and received approval on these from the full Commission. Reviewed fall applications and made recommendations to the full Commission. • Spring 2022 Grant Awardees - Total awarded $6,031.25 • Bangor Beautiful, Inc. -$5,000 requested; $4,000 awarded for their large bee-themed mural project in downtown Bangor, at 49 Park Street, during the summer of 2023. The mural will be painted by Matthew Willey as part of his global mural project entitled The Good of the Hive,which has a goal of hand-painting 50,000 honeybees (the number in a healthy, thriving hive). The project also includes an outreach component to encourage people to take action to help save the bees and will serve as a showpiece to inspire the creation of future public art in Bangor. • Maine Academy of Modern Music (MAMM) - $5,000 requested; $1,500 awarded to retroactively support their Bangor Girls Rock! Concert that was held on May 13th. Funding will be applied towards the instructor fees for Bangor area musicians that were hired as program instructors and performers at the event, administrative costs for the event, concert promotion, and rental fees for the Gracie Theatre. • Linda Packard - $1,000 requested; $531.25 awarded for expenses for her solo show at Bangor's Zillman Art Museum, which will include 20 oil paintings. • Fall 2023 Grant Awardees — Total awarded $13,000 • Bangor Public Library - $2,000 requested and awarded for their exhibit of 12 portraits from Robert Shetterley's "Americans Who Tell the Truth" series and related activities, including a workshop with the artist and a screening of the documentary Truth Tellers with a reception. The exhibit will also include a display of selected community-created portraits. 24-059 JANUARY 8,2024 • Bangor Symphony Orchestra - $5,000 requested and awarded for support for free outreach concerts in Bangor to bring the power of music to the unsheltered community, and to raise awareness of the needs of this community and how people can make connections with them. This is part of the Paths to Dignity project. • Penobscot Theatre Company - $5,000 requested and awarded for support for production of My Story Is Glukabe, which will showcase Penobscot language and culture, as well as Dramatic Academy students. Funds will be used for artist travel and to underwrite the Dramatic Academy student participation. • Christopher Packard - $1,000 requested and awarded for reimbursement of materials & supplies purchased for the Bangor Authors Book Fair & Literary Festival, to be held at the Bangor Public Library. ARTober Subcommittee, Chair Hollie Adams Eight nominations were received from community members for the Bangor Arts Award. A five-member jury selected Rebecca Krupke as the winner of the $1,000 award presented at the opening reception held at the Penobscot Theatre Company on October 1. Bangor Ballet dancers provided entertainment at the reception. In addition, the ARTober subcommittee employed the services of graphic designer Klarizza Clark to design promotional materials and create social media posts. In 2024, the subcommittee plans to discuss recommendations such as redistribution of funds typically reserved for the opening reception. Cultural Assets Subcommittee, Chair Aubrae Filipiak (resipned September); Chair Tristan Greenlaw (as of September) - Finalized installation of canoe sculpture at Davis Brook Stack by Wabanaki artist Steven Hooke and held dedication event - Continued work on edits and additions to the asset list. - Began working on edits to the story boards, including coordinating with City staff 2024 Work Plan 1. Review applications and make recommendations for Spring 2023 and Fall 2024 grant cycles 2. Establish ad hoc committee to work on creation of Bangor arts calendar, in coordination with Justin Russell of Sevents 3. Review use of ARTober funds and assess if adjustments should be made 4. Continue to review cultural assets and development of Story Maps. 5. Address other issues as they may arise or referred by City Council. To be approved by the Commission on Cultural Development on January 5, 2023. IN CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 8, 2024 CO 24-059 Passed ��:,w�,��° '" .�� °,„�,��"��,°��*°.�� CITY CLERK