05-13-2015 (Public Arts Advisory) Minutes Public Arts Advisory Board
LCITY OF WYL,IE
Minutes
Special Called Meeting
May 13, 2015 — 5:00 p.m.
Wylie Municipal Complex
Council Chambers/Conference Room
300 Country Club Road, Bldg. 100
CALL TO ORDER
The Public Arts Advisory Board meeting was called to order at 5:10 p.m. by Chairman Anne Hiney.
Board members present included: Lynn Grimes, Lisa Green, and Margaret Boyd. Board members
Gaynell Reed, Britt Volker, and Kathy Spillyards were absent.
Staff present included: Mindy Manson, City Manager; Carole Ehrlich, board liaison; and Craig Kelly,
Public Information Officer.
• Discussion regarding the proposed 2016 JazzArts Festival (JazzArts Fest). (C.
Ehrlich, PAAB Liaison-Board)
Staff/ Board Discussion
City Manager Mindy Manson addressed the board and explained the Motel Tax Fund. She stated that
approximately $62,000 per year is deposited into this account from Occupancy Tax paid by the hotel in
Wylie. She noted that of the annual deposits of$25,000 and $20,000 are deposited into the art fund to
offset costs for the JazzArts Fest and the Wylie Arts Festival respectively.
She explained the fund had approximately $120,000 as a current balance; however, the unused
balance after funding for 2016 could not be replenished if used. She noted that between the Bluegrass
on Ballard which funds $10,000 - $15,000 and the two events for the Public Art Fund, most of the
annual funding which can be replenished each year has been used annually.
Craig Kelly stated that he had approximate numbers for which the board had requested at the last
meeting to increase recommended funding for the JazzArts event. It included:
• Additional advertising in the Dallas Morning News Metro sections, Dallas Morning News Guide,
Connection Magazine, The In and Around magazine, Wylie News, and the Observer. Also any
additional advertising suggestions to increase attendance.
• Additional staffing — police, fire, and public works/parks
• Requesting the Wylie ISD facilitate the school bands, judges, and fees associated with the ISD
bands
• Security for the Friday night set up of vendors
• Proposed costs of contracting with Uptown Jazz Inc. for stage, lighting, sounds, entertainment,
and his services during the event
• Additional signage for the event area
May 13,2015 Wylie Public Arts Advisory Regular Meeting Minutes p a c 2
• ATM machine for visitors use
• 2 light towers for early morning set up and take down in the evening
• Increase the number of extra T-shirts to 60 for sale in 2016
• All other associated costs for the event
Kelly noted that these items were hard to pin down due to the number of times the City would advertise
in each area. He reported the additional funding would be at least $6,716, but could run as high as
$14,178.
Anne Hiney reported the numbers of attendees was down this year from last and felt that perhaps the
JazzArts Event, featured as a family event, was not suited for Wylie. Other concerns noted included:
the lack of adult activities which would bring in evening crowds; Jazz genre might not fit for this event;
lack of fine artists signing up for the event; the numbers were down by half from 2015. Board member
Grimes commented that Uptown Jazz Inc. didn't seem to pull any crowds in as well. Public Information
Officer Craig Kelly reported the visitors he spoke with got the information from the Dallas Morning
News NeighborsGo section of the paper. He did not think partnering with the CBS radio station was of
much help in drawing visitors to the event.
Musician Ray Baker spoke to the board regarding the event and Jazz in general. He stated that Jazz
has lost popularity, partly due to awards show not covering the Jazz awards in prime time television.
He noted that Jazz has been a staple of American Music for years and wished to see the board
continue to create events that promote Jazz.
Liaison Ehrlich addressed the board stating the mission of the Public Arts Advisory Board was to
promote visual arts of all disciplines. The board was established to, among other things, promote and
encourage public and private art programs, to further the development and awareness of, and interest
in, the visual arts, to create an enhanced visual environment for city residents, to commemorate the
city's rich cultural and ethnic diversity, to integrate the design work of artists into the development of
the city's capital infrastructure improvement and to promote tourism and economic vitality in the city
through the artistic design of public spaces. Having performing art like Jazz included in the events is a
bonus but not what the board was commissioned to achieve.
Board members discussed making changes to the event and requesting funding for 2016. Board
member Grimes stated she preferred to wait a year and try and create an event that would draw larger
crowds. She stated this would give the board time to perhaps request funding for 2017 with a new
design to the event. She requested to skip a year in funding to have time to create such an event.
Board member Boyd stated she would like to make those changes this year to provide the event in
2016.
After some additional discussion direction was given to staff to request $25,000 to the Wylie City
Council to fund the 2016 JazzArts event. Liaison Ehrlich reported she would include the action to
recommend in the next agenda for consideration.
REGULAR AGENDA
1. Consider, and act upon, approval of the Public Arts Advisory Board minutes from
the April 22, 2015 Regular meeting. (C. Ehrlich, PAAB Liaison)
Board Action
A motion was made by Vice Chair Grimes, seconded by board member Boyd to approve the minutes
from the April 22, 2015 PAAB meeting. A'vote was taken and the motion passed 4-0 with board
members Spillyards, Volker, and Reed absent.
May 13,2015 Wylie Public Arts Advisory Regular Meeting Minutes P a e 3
ADJOURNMENT
With no further business before the board, a motion was made by board member Boyd, seconded by
board member Grimes to adjourn the meeting at 7:14 p.m. A vote was taken and the motion passed 4-
0 with board members Spillyards, Volker, and Reed absent.
•
ne iney, Chair
•
Car e Ehrlich, retary