Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
June 17, 2024
1 CITY OF MANHATTAN BEACH
MINUTES OF THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
June 17, 2024
Location: Manhattan Beach City Hall and Hybrid (remote) format: by teleconference (Zoom) City Hall: 1400 Highland Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
A. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Tokashiki called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.
B. PLEDGE TO THE FLAG
C. ROLL CALL
Present: Dohner, Padnos, Karger, Colmey, Patterson, Vice Chair Karger
Absent: None
Staff present: Parks and Recreation Director Mark Leyman, Senior Management Analyst Linda Robb, Recording Secretary Rosemary Lackow
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – May 20, 2024
It was moved and seconded (Patterson/Karger) to approve the May meeting minutes as submitted.
The motion passed unanimously by voice vote: 6-0
E. CEREMONIAL - None
F. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION (3-Minute Limit) - None
G. GENERAL BUSINESS
1. Work Plan Item Discussion
a. Utility Box Beautification (Phase III). Chair Tokashiki noted that Phase III is on hold. Director Leyman welcomed commissioners Colmey and Padnos and updated that staff is working towards bringing a contractor on board to help with this and other projects and will hopefully have progress to report next month.
b. Murals Update. Chair Tokashiki noted several murals have been installed, citing the one at “Rocketship Hall” which looks great; more are being installed soon.
c. Sculpture Garden. Director Leyman confirmed this project is still paused until staff resources are in place.
d. New Art Initiatives – Commissioner Karger summarized the background on the Commission’s development of a Downtown Art Walk project with a focus on skateboard deck art, in collaboration with downtown businesses. Updating, she noted she discussed the concept with Jill Lamkin, President of the
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
June 17, 2024
2 Downtown Ma nhattan Beach Business and Professional Association (DTMBPA) ; Ms. Lamkin has indicated that the downtown merchants are not interested out of concern that they would not get enough of a benefit (e.g. added traffic in the stores, more sales) to justify the very large effort that would be required.
Ms. Lamkin suggested perhaps an event just at Metlox could be done, however in discussing with the staff, this would require a large amount of city resources.
Commissioner Karger discussed this with Director Leyman and Recreation Supervisor Brinkman and it was suggested that the Commission explore alternatives and perhaps revisit the concept of a citywide art tour of existing installed artworks.
The Commission discussed a few alternative concepts and acted as follows:
• City Art Tour: (Tokashiki) As many new artworks have been installed recently, it may be a good time to update and enhance a public guide to art in public places throughout the city. A digital and paper pamphlet would be developed with map, showing locations of all art installed in the City with information about each work and artist and QR codes could be installed at each artwork site. The main effort would be to pull together a full updated list of city artworks. Once established, perhaps this can in the future be offered as a Dial-a-Ride bus tour with the assistance of volunteer docents.
An exploratory committee (Karger, Tokashiki, Dohner). was formed to work out the concept of a City Art Tour and report back.
Commissioner Tokashiki also mentioned that staff, recognizing that the Culture Brewing Company has been very supportive in displaying art, suggested that and the Commission could go back to Ms. Lamkin and suggest that if a small group of businesses are similarly inclined, the City could be a resource for finding artists.
Commissioner Karger will contact Jill Lamkin and suggest the city could be a resource for artists for downtown businesses that want to display art.
• Poet Laureate of Manhattan Beach: (Patterson). A Poet Laureate would appear and recite poetry at certain important public events, work in poetry groups and promote poetry including working with the schools— more of a performing arts initiative . It was agreed that more information about a Poet Laureate program is needed including how to set up.
An exploratory committee (Patterson, Colmey, Padnos) was formed to obtain more information and report back.
• Free Expression Camp: Commissioner Padnos described a camp program he has developed for students to learn how to express and advocate for themselves through the arts. He will be implementing in underprivileged areas this summer, working with some nonprofits and suggests that this curriculum could be applied to the Manhattan Beach community. The Commission discussed, liked the concept but needs to understand how this would translate to a city program, and, importantly, what resources would be needed from the City as a work plan item.
Commissioner Padnos will explore this concept more including what city resources would be needed and report back.
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
June 17, 2024
3 Director Leyman cautioned that any new initiative that would require additional city resources or a budget allocation will require approval from the City Council as a Work Plan amendment and this may mean that new projects may not be able to be implemented until next year.
H. STAFF ITEMS
Cultural Arts Division updates – Director Leyman reported:
• Cultural Arts Manager Recruitment: Recruitment opened today through mid-July. This position has a new title, Cultural Arts Senior Recreation Supervisor. • City Arts and Facility tour: tentatively is scheduled for Monday July 29th, meeting and leaving from the Art Center on Manhattan Beach Boulevard, 4-6 p.m.
• RLA Arts Assessment: Staff expects this project, a full accounting of the City art collection, to be wrapped up in a week or two; the final report and accounting will be presented to the Commission possibly in September. RLA will also be returning with a plan, also funded by PATF, to maintain the collection.
• Exhibits: “Plus One” at MBAC will conclude June 30th. The annual community exhibit will follow; the opening reception will be July 26, 5-7 p.m.
• Murals update: Recently completed: Civic Center Fire Station and Marine Avenue Park (Pamela Wall Fitch) and the Charles Bragg “Sunbath” seal at the 34th Street stairs. Charles Bragg will soon start another mural at the pier comfort station.
• Concerts in the Park: kickoff June 30 with 9th Annual Salute to the Troops, Satin Dollz band. • Shakespeare by the Sea: July 18 - Cardenio and 19th - Henry the IV – in Polliwog Park • Ceramics Studio: the new kiln install is expected to be done late August; Open Lab is open a few daysa week.
• Council chambers AV improvement: July 15 will mark the last meeting of the CAC in the council chambers for a few months. All city commission meetings in August have been cancelled. • PATF balance: C urrently balance of $1,650,844.63; $ 895,891.94 allocated and $754,992.69 is unallocated. There is no worry that funds ($176,000+-) expiring this year will not be allocated by the end of the year.
• City Council: at tomorrow’s meeting the council will be directing staff regarding the Digital Wall Display project for the City Hall lobby. The city is having a hard time finding bidders to construct that project.
I. C OMMISSION ITEMS
Chair Tokashiki welcomed Commissioners Colmey and Padnos.
SRM Robb gave a brief synopsis of the Brown Act, noting that, with six commissioners no more than three can be present and discuss any commission business; the new Commissioners will receive training arranged through the City Clerk.
The new commissioners gave self-introductions. Marie Colmey is an attorney and painter and strong supporter and advocate of the arts and community collaboration. Anthony Padnos is a senior at Mira Costa with a passion for debate and art; he has a large social media following for his art videos posted online and developed an art project for the “Young at Art” school art program.
J. ADJOURNMENT
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
June 17, 2024
4 At 4:45 p.m. it was moved and seconded (Karger/Colmey) and passed unanimously by voice vote, to adjourn the meeting to 4:00 pm, July 17.