Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 16, 2026
1 CITY OF MANHATTAN BEACH
MINUTES OF THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION
March 16, 2026
Location: Manhattan Beach City Council Chambers
Hybrid (in-person/Zoom)
1400 Highland Avenue. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
A. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Karger called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
B. PLEDGE TO THE FLAG
C. ROLL CALL
Present: (6), Rosenberg, Tokashiki, Colmey, Torrey, Vice Chair Patterson, Chair Karger.
Absent: (1) Dickey
Staff present: Senior Recreation Supervisor (SRS) Eric Brinkman, Senior Management Analyst (SMA) Linda Robb, Recording Secretary Rosemary Lackow
D. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
It was moved and seconded (Rosenberg/ Patterson) to approve the agenda, (no change) . Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote 6-0-1 (Dickey absent).
E. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Cultural Arts Commission Minutes - Regular Meeting: February 18, 2026
It was moved and seconded (Tokashiki/Rosenberg) to approve subject to revision proposed by Colmey as noted below. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote: 6-0-1 (Dickey absent).
Revised paragraph G(c) (Public Art Master Plan Revision) to read:
c. Commissioner Colmey updated: the committee i s meeting, has narrowed a list of potential community members. It is anticipated that the community member selection process will be completed and the PAMP kick-off initial meeting will be scheduled towards the end of March, with a goal of a final recommendation to be presented to the council in late March/April 2027.
F. PUBLIC COMMENTS – None
G. GENERAL BUSINESS
2. Cultural Arts Commission Work Plan for 2026/2027. SRS Brinkman, with input from the Commission, provided brief updates as follows.
a. New Art Initiatives
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 16, 2026
2 i. Public Art Brochure. Chair Karger led discussion about the art tour held in January and possible tweaks. Consensus: best group size would be 8-10; for next tour on the east side there will be less topography and walking distance, so possibly more can be accommodated in each group; groups would embark from the Manhattan Beach Arts Center .
ii. Poet Laureate (Patterson, Colmey, Torrey) Commissioner Torrey and Vice Chair Patterson noted additions/revisions to the draft prospectus including:
1) Insert two simple program goals: 1) (to) create a forum for expression of ideas; 2) educate and promote the poetic form.
2) Deliverables: Vice C hair Patterson suggested a menu of items ( bulleted below); list not meant to be specific strict recipe to follow, but a menu of suggestions. • Youth: school poetry/art workshop, or summer camp;
• Teens: MBAC class, involving Shannon’s high school group and/or the MB Poetry Circle (through Parks and Recreation Department Older Adults programming); • Families: poetry component incorporated into a city exhibit opening or a small event at historic “red house”;
• Seniors: specific event, coordinated with the MB Poetry Circle; • Specific significant community events: PL invited to recite a poem (e.g. booth at Hometown Fair, or at Veterans’ Day celebration etc.).
It was agreed that there should be a minimum (4) deliverables and perhaps the Poet Laureate be asked to keep a log perhaps in first year, of accomplished activities and what worked or what might be done differently.
Chair Karger recalled that the prior discussion set compensation dollar amounts: $8,000 for two years plus $5,000 for materials.
SRS Brinkman recalled also that the committee suggested that the laureate be required to create at least 2 original poems to be made part of the city’s permanent collection.
Regarding discussion with LA County Public Library, SRS Brinkman reported: the teen librarian is very interested, the County has given some options to work collaboratively while they cannot take on a whole new program they will assist to bring to market with some staffing and allow use of library space.
SRS Brinkman clarified that oversight of the program would be the responsibility of city cultural arts staff.
Commissioner Patterson reported that *pages* bookstore expressed interest in participating and she feels that there is still a lot of community enthusiasm for this program.
SRS Brinkman directed the next step: he will work with the committee which will gather info and revise the prospectus so that it has a clear scope of work, citing examples: “Create one piece of programming for youth”, or “Create two writings”. The revised document will then be brought to the Commission.
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 16, 2026
3 b. Memorial for the Fallen (Tokashiki, Torrey, Karger): SRS Brinkman updated: 21 submissions are received of which 90% are qualified. Most have memorial experience; 50% are from California (but none “local”); others are from central US or New York. T he next step will be for the APPC to review the submissions – after which a “short list” will be recommended which will come before the CA Commission which will review and in turn make a recommendation to City Council which will vote on a finalist and approve funding.
c. Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) Revision (Colmey, Rosenberg) : Commissioner Colmey updated, noting that two excellent community members have joined the committee; there is a high energy and enthusiasm.
SRS Brinkman informed that he will be exploring funding for one PAMP consultant through the General Fund, not the Public Art s Fund (PAF). This is due to the city legal counsel ’s recent opinion that only “works of art” – such as Bruce’s Beach (vs. a “plan”, such as PAMP) can be funded through the trust fund as the enabling ordinance is currently written. If a General Fund allocation (simple approval process) is not approved – the project will be implemented in-house by staff. A public hearing on a narrow revision of the PAF ordinance, requesting a change to allow the fund to cover performing arts is scheduled also at tomorrow’s City Council meeting.
Commissioner Colmey expressed gratitude for staff going for funding and emphasized that the PAMP needs to address how city artworks (all of them) will be maintained and the kickoff date for the project still is expected to be by March 31 st. The committee will continue its public outreach (can be tied into the art tours).
d. Bruce’s Beach Public Artwork (Karger, Patterson): SRS Brinkman gave a brief update with a proposed 8-step timeline: (1) Contract execution - end of April, ’26; (2) Design development - end May. ‘26; (3) Finalize Design - end of July, ‘26; (4) Plan check (5) Fabrication – end of Dec ’26; (6) Packing, shipping, delivery – end Jan ’27; (7) Installation, oversight - end March, ’27; and (8) Dedication of artwork - April 2027. Due to the nearby storm infiltration project, the dedication may be held off until 2028, possibly tied to Juneteenth. The artist (Banks) can provide programming services for the eventual dedication.
3. Cultural Arts Work Plan Fiscal Year 2027
SRS Brinkman updated that Director Leyman brought the 2027 Work Plan (as recommended by the Commission) to council recently, adoption scheduled for May 19th. There were no significant questions or issues raised by the City Council. The next Work Plan will include utility box beautification (under Olympics related items).
H. STAFF ITEMS
Cultural Arts Division updates (2027): SRS Brinkman announced:
• ACE (Annual Community Exhibition) applications window is 4/6 - 5/15. Can be submitted either digitally on the city website portal or physically at City Hall and Joslyn Center. • Events:
March 21st, 22nd: 3-hr Easter Bunny Glaze Lab - MBAC
Spring class registration: 3/2 residents / 3/16 non-residents
Manhattan Beach Cultural Arts Commission
March 16, 2026
4 April 3rd Jasmine Baetz, Visiting artist series – Live Oak Ceramic studio & MBAC March 25, April 29, May 20: Raku program - evenings
Recording Secretary Lackow announced the SBCCOG General Assembly, March 26th “Let the Games Begin – How Sports and Entertainment are Shaping the South Bay”, at Westdrift Hotel, MB. One panel will be discussing community art issues; a free event, all encouraged to attend.
PAF budget update: SRS Brinkman updated: Public Arts Fund has not changed: balance of about $1.6 million, about $1 million allocated and about $600 thousand unallocated. A windfall of new funding is expected with projects “in the works” such as the High Rose residential development (Highland/Rosecrans) and Fry’s site on Sepulveda.
City Council updates:
• March 17 (tomorrow) City Council public notice on Public Art Trust Fund Ordinance revision.
Staff is proposing that with this change, city costs for performances (Concerts in Park, Shakespeare in the Park, etc.) could be funded through PAF.
I. COMMISSION ITEMS
Vice Chair Patterson announced the Fiddler on the Roof production at the Manhattan Beach Community Church.
Commissioner Tokashiki noted that the Home Town Fair Committee is still looking for volunteers for the Fair Board; interviews the week of 3/24; can apply online.
Chair Karger noted that the commission will be dark in August and December due to scheduling conflicts.
J. ADJOURNMENT
At 5:16 pm Chair Karger called for adjournment, with no opposition, to April 20.