001Hello everybody. >> Hi Patty. >> Hi John. Hi Mary. Hi Chris. >> Hi. Sorry I'm stuck in traffic. I'll be uh able to show my face in about 10 minutes. >> No worries. There's a ton of traffic. meeting. Uh, today is Wednesday, January 14th, 2026. Our first meeting back in the new year. So, welcome and happy new year to everybody. Excited. I'm glad we pushed this a week. It was last last week was um tough transition into work vibes, that's great. Um we are holding this meeting electronically. Um but our but similar to inerson meeting um we do welcome public comment. Um if you are interested in providing a public comment uh please visit the uh website the an arbor.gov gov website um to look up the meeting ID for today's meeting um and you
002may join via the Zoom link. It's also being broadcast on CTN channel 19. Um we'll call the meeting to order tonight at 7:03. Uh you'd be welcome to call order. roll Chris if you'd like. >> Uh, not a not a problem. Uh, we'll now call roll. Uh, Commissioner Thief, >> uh, present in Grass Lake. >> Okay. Commissioner Kotarski, >> present in Ann Arbor. >> Commissioner Leonard. Uh, >> Commissioner Leonard, you are muted. Um, present from Ann Arbor, Michigan. >> Thank you. Commissioner Buford >> is it's Buffford. Chris, I'm sorry. >> Buffford. Buffford. Sorry. [laughter] >> It's okay. Uh, President Ipsili Township. >> Commissioner Neil, >> present in Ann Arbor, >> Commissioner Carter, >> present in Chicago, Illinois. Council member Harrison >> present in Ann Arbor. >> Commissioner Jordan >> present in Ann Arbor. >> Okay.
003And with that we do have Corum. >> Wonderful. Well again welcome everybody. Um we have two items on our consent agenda. The approval of the agenda and the approval of the minutes from our last meeting in December. Um, do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as it stands? Allison and John, thank you. Uh our first order of business tonight everybody is election of officers and um what I would like um as the chair I would be interested in running again or just maintaining this role. Um but I do want to open it up to other commissioners um if there is an interest um that we should then move forward with a vote. So um is is it appropriate right now Chris just to um ask for a motion to approve that the
004office do we need to wait for Sarah Fuller to be present? I know she's on her way. I think to vote her in as vice chair, we have to wait for her to be here. But >> maybe we could maybe we could move to the next item in business and come back to election of officers. What do you think, Chris? >> Yeah. >> Or that's okay, John. >> Okay, let's wait for Sarah to arrive. Um, next order of business is the Golden Paintbrush Award. Uh, it looks like you guys have been pretty busy. We had some we [clears throat] had three judges that submitted the their finalist. Uh Jamal, do you want to just report on that for us? >> Yeah. Uh so big shout out to Curtis Wallace, um Lisa D. Russell, Chloe Crower
005from Creative Wash and all. They uh put a lot of time and energy into this. Um our two others that we asked, one never responded and another uh respectfully declined to be judges. So, we did have three judges that went through all the uh 2025 nominees and we have their votes. Um Chloe mentioned that due to her connection to Creative and the A2AC u submission that she didn't feel comfortable uh judging that um based on I guess the connection to Creative. So, um, yeah, I have their finalist votes for winners. I don't know how we want to do this. They all gave three there and they ranked them. Uh, their top three. Um, so yeah, I could just read through those. Is that the >> Yeah. >> way to go through. >> Uh, what? >>
006Did they all select the same top three? No, only because only because Chloe did not want to do the A2AC thing. Um, so her her third choice is different. Her top three is different based on that for for one one of her selections. >> Okay. But if you took that A2 AC and and valued it as two votes opposed to three, would it have been the third? You know what I mean? as far like way it >> uh well I I mean I guess I can't really say because she didn't she didn't she didn't do it. So say that again. What are you saying? >> Well so if you took all like normally you would factor the three votes and average it by three. If you took the two votes and average it by two
007would it have still turned out to be the third winner? >> Third math's not my strong point but I think it could be Yeah. [laughter] >> Third choice. third choice. And don't we usually do three to five winners? >> Yeah. So maybe you just do the three she picked and then all three that they picked too and then the third she picked fourth or something. I don't know. >> Here. Jamal, would it help if I share my screen and uh and share what you uh sent via email? >> Sure. Yeah. >> Yeah, let's do that. >> Let's do that. Let me know if you guys are able to see it. Joel, how many um nominations were there total? >> 10, I believe. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah, cool. So, this is Curtis's um this would
008be Corridor of Colors. This was his third choice, so >> he actually sent his scorecard. Um and so this one ended up with 66.25. It looks like Yeah. >> Yeah. The other what you mentioned that he the other two scored way higher than this one. >> Yeah. So he if it was up to him he would only do top two but if we are doing top three this was his his third choice. >> Okay. >> Quarter colors. >> You can see his his kind of rationale >> in the comments. I hadn't heard of this one, so I looked it up. It's pretty cool. >> Where is it? >> Where's it at, Alison? >> It's at the University of Michigan Hospital. >> Oh. [clears throat] >> Um, if you just Google corridor of colors Ann Arbor,
009it comes up. It's like a tunnel between connecting buildings and then the glass panes have kind of like quilted colors and stuff. It's pretty cool. Cool. It's >> an interesting space to find public art, I think. it what Ellison it's. It's an interesting space to find public art. >> I think from from his comments the the biggest takeaway uh for him grading it the way he did is because of just the the lack of accessibility. Um so I think that's why this was his third choice. I mean, technically the building is a public building. You could walk through, but you're only going to go you're intentionally going to go through that building. You're not going to necessarily go there to see the art. But >> cool. And then um we can go to his next
010page, Curtis's next page, Chris. So the power art boxes, this got a hundred. Um, >> okay. >> So, this was his pop choice. [snorts] Pleasing to the eyes, vibrant colors, several artists involved, wiring ideas. >> Cool. >> And we can go to his third choice. Well, third page. >> Yeah. Second choice is is the A2AC planters mural with a 93.25. And where's Oops. Where's that one at? Planters mural. Did you look that one up, Allison, or No, >> they're on fourth street. >> Nice. >> Oh, really nice. Yeah. Oh, planters mural. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're great. >> Mhm. Love those. >> Oh, and in case anyone is curious, this is how the the hospital looks like. >> Corridor of colors. Yeah, that's very cool. >> Cool. That's Curtis. Um, [clears throat] one of
011the other two. Chris, >> excuse me. >> I said we could check out one of the other two judges. >> Yeah. >> Uh, let me just >> I think I only have that one. Um, >> okay. >> The other one you I think you included it in the email, right? It wasn't an attachment. It was just >> Yeah. >> Here, let me let me see if I can >> [snorts] >> Um, I guess. >> Excuse me. >> Uh, here. I think I got it. Let me just pull it up. Okay, I just copied and pasted. Okay, there you go. Thank you. Yeah, this is Lisa's. So, they both had the power bar power art boxes as number one. Um, they flip-fpped the other two. Um, Lisa's second choice was the corridor of colors. While that
012was the third choice choice for uh Curtis, you can see her rationale here. So she talked about the creativity and the craftsmanship of the power power our art boxes. The visibility of it format is durable and long-term maintenance. Number two with the corridor colors creative expression the colors the patterns. So, she didn't uh kind of take any points away for the location and accessibility. Then her third was the A2AC murals, the planners we just looked at. >> Okay. >> And correct me if I'm wrong, Peggy. Before when we gave out these awards, we didn't like rank them. We just gave out a certain amount, right? Yeah. You're on mute, Peg. >> We just gave them out. We did not rank them. So, they they were Yeah. And then Jamal, you mentioned a thank you. It
013seemed like we sent them a very nice kind of fancy thank you with the golden paintbrush logo, thanking them for judging, but if you think a gift or something else is appropriate, I know everybody's time is valuable, so >> No, no, I think that would be great. Uh I think that'll do. that that would suffice. >> And I don't know, Chris, do you have a file with golden paintbrush things? Like, no. >> No, [laughter] I I was kind of >> He does now. >> I do. [laughter] >> What about Cuz that was all done through um wasn't it the marketing department or whoever we work through on that? >> Here, let me reach out to uh our communication specialist. Uh okay. Robert Keller to see if he maybe he has uh some information >> because
014we worked a lot on it. It was it was very pretty. >> I think each time they were honored at a city council meeting though, so there should be record of it and so we should we should probably have record of every year the winners on our website ideally and like have that historical record. >> Yeah. >> I think the question is do we have the certificate that we're g because we we present the certificate. >> Yep. that was created in house. So, somebody should have it. >> Okay. Yeah, I I'll go look that up. >> Okay. Well, and kind of I don't know, just via text, Mary and Sarah and I were throwing around the idea of making um awards by literally just like taking clay and stamping the manhole covers and making them
015awards um that way as opposed to having Masawi to do tile do like old casts. Um so we can resurrect that conversation if people think that would be a cool way of doing the awards this time around. Yes, I agree. >> So, we have one more >> one more. Yeah. And Chloe just sent it right before probably about an hour ago. Um or a couple hours ago. Her document is a little extensive, so I don't think we need to share that whole document. Chris. Um, I put her top three choices in the email that I sent though. Um, so maybe you could just copy and paste her one, two, three, um, like you did uh, for Lisa's. >> Okay, I see it here. Give me one sec. >> Did they align with the other ones
016that we check that were already selected? >> No. So, there was a little variation. Um, now I'm realizing so she did not have the power art boxes in her top three. So >> I'm wondering if she didn't have power art in her top three because that was managed by Creative. >> That's what that's what I thought Jamal said earlier. Yeah. >> Yeah, >> that is it. Um, I think hold on, maybe I'm getting confused. Earlier you had said A2 AC, but I think what you meant was the Yeah, the power. That makes more sense. >> Correct. Thank you. >> So, she did not have the corridor of colors. That's the one she didn't have in her top three. Um, that that was the difference between hers and the other two judges. >> Um, so she
017had murals at the bridge and then the dragons everywhere all at once. And that was these are in her or that is a ranking order um as far as how she scored them. >> Is murals at the bridge is that the Heron underpass? >> Um >> murals that bridge. Is that what she was referring to or is that a different project? >> Um I can go I'mma read it. Um >> is that the welcome bridge we did? Murals at the bridge is large scale public art project focused on transforming under underpasses and bridge. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Where is dragons everywhere all at once? >> Um let's see. I'll find that and read that. >> And when she puts A2AC murals and planters, is that for their mural program or I I guess
018I'm lost there. Confused. I think the title included it was confusing the title that was um nominated. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I can speak to the dragons. >> Okay. >> Project. >> Hi Sarah. Hi everyone. >> Hi. >> I'm glad everyone is home safe. Sorry for being late. Um there's a lot of snow and it's Michigan. But yeah, it's the um the dragons was kind of it was a performance. >> So um something >> Oh, that was Yeah, that was the one you were part of. Yeah, your mom was or >> Yes, that is her project and the the dragon is coming to life um in in fun ways too. There's something actually being built, a sculpture um that can also be something that's danced, but this was a uh a performance um piece
019with uh at the art museum, the UMA um art museum. So um yes, cool. So do we need a motion to forward these nominees for approval? Is that the next step? Well, we would have be the ones approving it. I think basically there's five that have been brought to the forefront. We can just decide if we want all five or just >> I move that we I move that we give all five of them an award. >> I'll second that. >> You're here. >> All those in favor? >> I I >> All those opposed. [clears throat] >> Wonderful. Well, good work you guys. Good work on the >> Jamal did most of that work. So, thanks Jamal. >> Thank you Jamal. Sarah signed us up for doing Sarah >> pottery >> things of the manhole
020covers. So, we're maybe not when it's freezing out, but >> later. >> I have access to clay. >> I know. [laughter] >> We can do that. >> I know. Do we have a timeline? like are we trying to like give these awards in March or February or March or is there a typical timeline or well the would the award winners attend a city council meeting right and I don't frankly I don't know if um if the awards need to be presented at that meeting um right it it could be a recognition and then awards um physical awards come later. >> Could How soon can you have that uh physical award Sarah done? >> Um if we're going to do the manhole covers. Yeah. I mean uh >> winter. So if if we're going outside and
021doing that, it could, you know, and then >> well, I suggest that we we give the award and some kind of document uh that the mayor gives at a council meeting and whenever it's convenient, Christopher could find a uh a short agenda where we could sneak in and get a lot of uh a lot of um um time and then let them know that there's going to be uh a unique first time uh award uh and talk about the manhole covers, but it needs to be in spring when we can get better better uh uh weather. So, that's what I recommend. >> Okay. Um so, Chris, you just texted me just that we need to clarify who the winners are. So, there were five. It looks like there were five total that were um >>
022I just I just emailed it to everybody. >> You did? Okay. Thanks, Jamal. Appreciate that. All right. Rad. >> Um Mary, [clears throat] >> could we go back to the election? And if you'd like, would we need a motion? I'd be happy to make a motion to open the nominations for the officers. >> Okay. if if you'd like because you're going to be nominated. Uh I could I could sort of handle that uh myself. >> Mhm. Okay. >> The acceptable acceptable. All right. >> I move that there the nominations for officers. Um is there a second? >> A second. >> Peggy second. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Now we have uh nominations for chair and vice chair. Uh I would like to nominate uh Mary Thief
023for chair. Uh is there a second? Uh Allison second. Are there any other nominations for chair? Seeing none, uh all those in favor of Mary Thief's continuing be our chair signify by saying I. All those opposed. We now have Mary as another chair for another year. Uh I would like to move Sarah Fuller be our vice chair. Uh is there a second? >> A second. >> Peggy seconds. Uh are there any other nominations for vice chair? Seeing none, uh all those in favor of Sarah Fuller being our uh new vice chair for the next year signify by saying I. I. I. >> All those opposed. Sarah, >> are you good with that, Sarah? [laughter] >> Okay, >> excellent. >> Great. All right. Well, thank you everybody. I I'm so I feel so honored. >> You're
024doing a great job, Mary. >> Thank you for serving. >> And Sarah, >> thank you all for serving. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Wonderful. Well, [clears throat] so back to our golden paintbrush. Do you do you guys think we should go ahead and do a different award this year? Sarah, you were always kind of in charge of the Mattowi tile one. Do you want to do the >> I think this is unique and special. I mean, I I can I can always I have some like tile panels that we could use, but I think that this really ties the city to the award and um and I I think it's special and I think it's worth um you know, I think it's worth taking the time to to do this. I think this is a
025great way to tie in a uh public art commission project um golden paintbrush. So, I think this is a great idea, Allison, and yeah, I think we should do move forward with this. >> Good. So, Chris, you'll set up um um a city council meeting when we can present >> just like a paper award. >> We should do it twice. We'll do a paper award and then when the plaques get done, we could even go back and present those again. >> Yeah, I can I can set that up. >> Good bang for our buck or something. So, the next steps for that, do we who who sends out a congratulatory email to the people that won? How does that how does that get does that go from the mayor? Does that get sent from us?
026Does that >> I thought it came from the mayor, but I'm not 100%. >> Okay. >> So, we kind of move it forward and for approval and then the City Council has to [clears throat] approve these nominees and then they get notified. Is that correct? Okay. No, >> I don't think so. >> I don't think they have to approve it, but Chris, can you track down who gives them like notification and invites them to the city council meeting? Yeah, I can I can make sure that it's on the uh uh city council agenda and I can also facilitate with getting uh uh connecting with the assistant manager to the mayor and seeing if uh he can uh assist in sending a formal letter of congratulations. Uh Jamal, do we have the addresses? And if so,
027is that something that you can send me? >> Uh that I don't know of. Um, >> and I recommend also Jamal that you have a brief description and a reason and I think you can just take from the judges. The judges have >> been quite articulate about it. So, the mayor has something that he can say about each of those individual uh pieces of art. and uh um any of that. >> Yeah, that I I can get I can get with Chris on that. But I don't know about any contact information though. >> The only one I can think of that we wouldn't have contact is the University of Michigan one maybe because one's the art center obviously power artist is creative. The other one's Mary. >> Who nominated that though? The quarter of color
028whoever nominated it but that might >> but they're not the ones getting the award the university or whoever. >> Yeah. the artists or the installers or producers of that are getting the award. >> So the other one and um >> Christopher could contact the university and say the city wants to give an award to the hospital and who should it be, you know, maybe find out. >> It might be the gifts of art program or something. [clears throat] >> Yeah, I can I can do some digging on that and report back to you guys next month uh during my updates. Yeah. >> And then Chris, do you can you also facilitate getting thank yous out to our judges or did you want some help doing that? >> I'd be happy to do that. I mean,
029coming from the chair, I would be happy to do that. >> So, um, Jamal, maybe you can just give me Curtis and I don't know if Curt, you know, just their updated emails and I'll just send a nice email and copy all of us. I don't know. Should I >> [clears throat] >> Yeah. >> And if you find any type of a formal thank you in the archive biles, Chris, you could let Mary know. Like I don't know if there was some type of a letter head created or what. >> I mean, I can send a card. >> No, you can just send the email, but I can look too. I'll look and see if I have anything in my files, but I don't think I did. I think Venita had all that, and I
030don't know where she kept it at. So, >> but the city must have it if it came from the city, right? >> Yeah, I I'll look through Venita's uh files and uh and see see if I can find it. >> Okay. Thanks. Well, good work. Good work. Um on the Golden Paintbrush Award, everybody, >> it's exciting that we're keeping this tradition alive. Anything else before we move on? Any other comments or thoughts about the paintbrush? Well, our next order of business is um our bylaws. Every January, we have the opportunity to make adjustments to our bylaws. Um we can also at this time um propose a motion to keep the bylaws as they are. Um we can make changes throughout the year. It just requires a um city council vote. Um but I don't know
031if folks if there was anything in the bylaws um that caught your attention that needs to be updated or changed. The last time we had an add amendment to our bylaws is when Ali was our Ali Ramoi was our city council liaison. We had a line in our bylaws that excluded uh actively working artists. um from participating in in city projects. Um and we actually Ally helped us um change the language around that so that we can that we can have people on our commission that also um v for city projects. They just have to um sit out of any discussion or voting. So that's the last time we had a bylaw changed. Yes, John. I make a motion that we uh we accept the bylaws unchanged for the next year. >> Okay. Um we
032have a second for that or or Allison and I'll second that. Okay. Very good. Yeah. And if if folks, you know, especially some of our new members, um take a look, you know, just review our bylaws. This is, you know, these are this is our charge. And um you know certainly certainly some of these some of this language could become outdated maybe even um into the future with some of our initiatives. So we can just keep an eye on that. >> Are we going to vote on that motion? >> I think we did. I think >> um I think we did. Sorry, I just see thumbnails here. I can't really see everybody. >> Did we vote on that motion? Um, oh um, all in favor? All in favor? Thank you. Sorry, guys. Um, any opposed?
033Okay. Thanks. All right. The motion passes to keep our bylaws as is for the rest of the year. All right. Moving on to um some of our information that maybe has a little discussion around it. Um we are looking at our um to do to update our annual plan and um I have I have our 2025 2026 plan and goals right here in front of me. Um it's was that the correct document that I sent Allison? you were asking um Chris had sent out the not the plan but the what did you send out Chris? You sent out the >> Yeah, I sent the 2024 annual report. Uh >> the report. Okay. But it's the plan that we need in February. Okay. Um, so >> yes, >> we have yet to Yes. So, I mean,
034I I feel like I can update this document if we I guess we would have to maybe make sure that the working groups are set for this year. Um, you know, if there's any shifting of working groups at this time. I can just read through who's on what working group if that's helpful right now and if there's people that want off or want to add. Um >> I think since this document we changed some of the working groups um >> ready. I mean obviously because like Sophie's included in this and she's not here anymore but >> right so right now I have on the capital improvement or the CIP group I have Sarah Allison myself and Jenna and then we have David Esau Esau as a non- voting member um is there anybody that needs
035to hop off or I think we have the maximum amount in that working group is that correct there's for >> here. I think >> is this the document being referenced? >> You can. Yes, you can have um commissioners and David's not a commissioner. So, we could add somebody from the commission, but >> Well, we have Sarah, Jenna, Allison, and >> Oh, Jenna's on it, too. Yep. >> Jenna, I'm gonna forward an email to you that I sent out earlier. >> So, Chris, yes. Okay. So, and then I have on the communications and outreach working group. That's kind of like um that's our Instagram account. That's we've talked about connecting uh with youth artists. Uh we've talked about having a um a group of advisors, non-voting advisors or mentors to the Annabra Public Art Commission, things
036like of that nature. Um, right now I have Jamal, Marionetta, and Sarah Fuller on that working group. Um, would anyone like to jump on that working group? There is room in the communications and outreach going once. >> So, if we're looking at the same sheet, do do you need to be removed then, Mary? >> Yeah, this is not updated. I have what I have in front of me is current, but it's my notes. So, I don't I would have to up Yeah. Are we updating this together in real in real life? >> Is that what's happening? >> Yeah, we can. >> Oh, okay. Great. Well, then remove Sophie and >> can't she still be on it as non voting? >> Oh, yes, she can if she still wants to be. >> I don't Has she
037been active at all? She met with us on Golden Paintbrush. >> Yeah, >> she did. Okay. >> I think she wanted to do that. I could text her real quick and see. >> But Golden Paint is under special projects, right? >> Yes. >> Right. Yeah. >> So, I don't know. >> But she did say she wanted to stay involved as a non- voting member. >> But maybe we should reach out and ask her. But >> yeah, I'm cool with staying on. continue to pro promote the Annabra Public Art Commission. Um Chris has done a great job of updating the website. Uh Jamal has done a good job of getting our Instagram going. Um we haven't explored. We can keep some of these things on here. Inerson public art tours. Um continuing to connect with the
038library. summer games. Is there anything else in the >> communications? I don't know why I had a note of connecting with youth artists, but that's something we always talk about. >> For communications, have you guys ever set metrics? So, for example, let's say we want to increase our social media presence by, I don't know, something simple. Maybe 50 followers in 20 uh 26 or um maybe that's something that could be useful. >> Yeah. Yeah. Mhm. Using our using our um socials to promote public art in the community. Mhm. >> Yeah. and maybe maintaining a strong relationship with the city's communication department as well for >> sending out a press release about Golden Paintbrush or trying, you know, just trying to get some coverage and M live or, you know, other uh media coverage. Yeah. especially
039as we move into our mini grant, you know, we'll be needing this particular working group to really help us promote that with the city and um the public Um I like Christopher's idea about metrics. Uh it's the difference between an aspiration and something that can be measured. Uh so if there's a way that we can include as Christopher has suggested metrics into our goal so that we can we can we can say we actually achieved something that to engage the youth or however we want to do it. Uh but that's that's just my I like what Christopher said. I agree. I don't think we have to necessarily come up with the metrics tonight, but as you're working on the document, Mary and Sarah, maybe you come up with plausible metrics. >> Doesn't have to be
040to everyone, but at least something in there we can claim to have achieved at the end of the year. >> Goals, >> right? Goals. Okay. Yeah. Anything else for communications working out? Um I guess as this, you know, if we do get this mini grant rolling in 26, there'll be outreach to schools. There'll be outreach to um other nonprofit organizations. I guess just broader community outreach. I mean, does any of this include fundraising or like if that's any efforts to do with any of that? >> The um there is a very >> separate there's a separate group. Right. Right. Right. Okay. Good. [laughter] >> I thought so. I wasn't sure. >> But you're welcome to join. >> John would like to join. >> Sure. [laughter] Happy happy to >> John the fundraising work group working
041group is really fun. We actually meet at the pub. >> Okay, >> that's a requirement. [laughter] >> Well, it seems like the right one then for me. >> Yeah, I think some of these things can stay. I mean, I would like to I I mean, I in the goal of um supporting and collaborating with local artists, arts organizations, spaces that bring awareness to the public to the commission and forge strong relationships within local artists. I mean, to me, that all still feels aligned. communicate with local and statewide arts and cultural organizations to draft a draft a statement of cultural freedom of expression in ways that might protect the nature of arts. Well, we kind of we did sort of do that when we created our statement um to support public art to support arts funding
042in the state of Michigan um when that was being threatened earlier in the year. We did um I think we So that actually would be something that we would put in the report, you know, as a deliverable. >> Yeah. Here you could kind of say like continue to support these efforts, right? >> Yeah, exactly. >> Great. I'll work on some of the language later. >> Sounds good. I can help with that. Chris, um are we ready to move on to the fundraising group then? And so, um John, you are interested in uh obviously um >> I accept the nomination. Sure. No [laughter] problem. >> Excellent. Welcome I think Fong would be gone. >> Yep. Yeah. Fong Fong gets removed. Mhm. >> Which leaves another opening if anyone wants to join us. >> This is going
043to be exciting you guys as you do the first round of mini grants. I think >> I agree. >> That's a really great PR thing for us. Yeah, there seems to be a synergy between uh the communications and fundraising, I think, in a way that I was suggesting previously. >> True. That >> uh do you guys have some uh data on how much uh the fundraising uh group was able to um obtain in like let's say 2025. I think that information might be uh something that we can capture. >> Yeah. Is there a picture of anybody with a giant check that we can put up? >> We haven't raised any money recently and that would go in the report, not the plan, but >> um right now the big um things we've been working on
044is developing the grants. So taking the money we fundraised in the endowment and actually like facilitating something with it. Mhm. >> We could also work with the outreach community like to do promoting that you can put money in the endowment, but >> I think getting the grants launched um that would be a natural next step once we award those grants and and see what comes to fruition. is right now the whole mini grant vibe is that being held under the fundraising work group is that what I'm understanding there's I mean it's kind of an all commission collaboration at the end but the mini grant program development execution okay [laughter] >> yeah well it's under a hold by this is the first open application window for mini grants to support public art projects is already on
045here Yeah. >> Okay. Um we had talked about collaborating with a third party to um help host the granting. So maybe just a note about continuing to research the best way to promote and share the information. >> Yeah. I'll have to figure out administration and Okay, very good. Well, we'll be moving moving forward on that this this this month. Um, for sure. Um, nominations and leadership. Right now, that's John and I. Um, I think that we have a full commission, so we don't have any openings. >> Oh, wait. This is different. Wait, fills and maintains. Oh, yeah. We have nine members. Is that accur correct? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. Special projects. Um, if anybody wants to join special projects, that could be helpful. There's anybody. >> I thought maybe Jenna. Was Jenna, were you
046interested in this special project? >> Yeah, I was. Yep. Happy to join. >> Great. Well, you the special projects you guys just did your big golden paintbrush push. >> Yeah, but maybe there'll be something else come along. You never know. Sophie said she would like to stay on special projects as a non- voting member, but that you could take her off the other one. Was that outreach communications? Okay, they can remove her from there. And she says hi to everybody. >> A nice say hi back. I will >> apologies. Uh just to clarify, I'm removing uh Sophie from here. >> no, not special projects from the other one up higher. Was it uh out >> communication? >> Yeah, communication and outreach. So you got to Yep. Great. Thanks, Chris, for clarifying. All right. Future planning
047cycles. What is that? Vision for sustainability. Oh, okay. Future plan. Vision. Where is this vision for sustainability and art projects in the city? [laughter] What is that? I don't know if that's referring to Is that referring to your document, John? >> I don't I don't think so. I I don't know what uh >> was that the document >> for the city overall? >> Ahu. Yes, Sarah. Yeah. Yes. When they were soliciting u feedback from residents and commissions. Yes. I think that that has I think that's closed now if I'm correct. I >> Right. I think so. Yeah, we could >> take that off now. Yeah. >> Future planning cycles removed Christopher. >> Okay. This whole thing. >> Yes. >> Okay. Very good. Well, um Chris and I can work on that the fine-tune the language
048and send it to everybody to have eyes on. Um, but that will go to city council, correct? Right, Chris? That'll go >> Yes. By uh February 1st. So, we what we can do is we can um ma make these changes and then uh send it forward to uh the group for one final review and then we can send it to city council. But I do believe it requires a motion. So we may just send it a little past the February 1st. So it will be the first Wednesday of February for the second city council meeting since I think it requires a motion on the on the final draft of this document. Right. >> Historically we have been late with this document and there has been zero issue with that and we've also usually submitted this
049document with our CIP recommendations all together. Yeah, >> we don't have to do that, but um >> we definitely don't have our CIP recommendations together yet. So, >> yeah. And at least as far as the CIP goes, uh that was one of the attachments I I included. Uh I think a good uh at this time, it might it might be good for you guys to just kind of review the CIP. I don't believe there were many notable changes to it. Uh I did speak with uh the person in charge of the the CIP before she went on maternity leave. So >> um she said that most of the changes were um um very finance related and there weren't many projects that uh she thought uh um made sense with uh public art. But >> it's
050in your attachments. Uh I think we uh you guys can go over that way on February. uh I can bring uh I can ask Kayla to attend the uh the public art commission and we can have a a conversation but I believe those typically happen with the the work group. Correct. The work group will meet with Kayla Coleman to kind of finalize. >> Okay. Yeah. So I can at least facilitate uh the the setting up of that. So, I'll I'll coordinate the uh the subcommittee group to to meet with uh Kayla and kind of talk about the the CIP. Uh but at least for now, just kind of go over it and see if there's any areas where you guys think uh it makes sense to uh pursue uh some public art integration. >> Okay.
051And did you say she went on maternity leave? >> Yes. Yes, she did. Uh she should be coming back uh I I think quite literally the first week of February. >> Oh, okay. So, it works out nicely. [clears throat] >> Okay. Thank you. All right. Well, let's um unless there's anything any [clears throat] other feedback on that document, uh we can move on to communications. Um Chris, do you have any updates, any staff updates for us? >> Uh nothing major. Uh I've just been begun my uh research on uh p uh public art integration. Uh I I remember I had in my notes last time that you guys wanted to entertain the idea of uh uh proposing changes to chapter uh 24 of the city code. So I've just been uh doing some research on
052how exactly that that would look like. Uh but once I have more, I'll uh I I'll bring something to the to the commission. Okay. Thank you, Chris. >> Yeah. >> Are there any just um commission communications, any events or any fun things coming up that we could put on each other's radars or, you know, since we are live right now to the community? Are there any announcements people want to share? John, >> uh, were we going to cover this, uh, public art plan that I proposed? >> Yeah, I don't see it. Is it on the Is it under business? Did we skip it accidentally? >> Um, >> yeah, I I I think it's ahead of communications if >> I'm reading it right. >> Yes. Yes, it is. Let me I'm pulling it up. >> Oh,
053staff report and updates. Oh, ahead. Oh, you're right. My apologies. um okay so John take take it away take it away >> and just introduce it and uh I suggested this at the last meeting that a part of our our goals for this coming year might be to um to create a public art plan and and I know the language gets a little confusing it's not the public art commission's plan but it's It's a public art plan. It's a vision document. It's like uh vision zero, the the document that basically says Ann Arbor wants to have zero pedestrian fatalities by 2030 or whatever. So there are a number of of um various activities within um um the city uh that uh that has these vision documents. And I was suggesting what you're seeing now uh
054scroll by are just examples. >> Uh so the the document that I'm imagining uh introduces concepts uh and uh definitions and strategic processes for public art um and how it can be thoughtfully integrated into um the uh urban design of Ann Arbor. So um uh the first step is educating people that you know what is a gateway project for example and and how can public art be a part of public transportation and what is a public art park and are there different kinds and what do they look like that sort of thing. So um so that what I'm imagining this this is a this is a large project. It would entail several years to actually develop. Um and it's ongoing. Uh the the first part is educating people. What are bus shelters? What would they
055look like if they were public art? What about uh we're going to have a rail station? What about installations uh in the in the rail station? Uh so um you know people don't normally think of these kinds of of uh things as public art and you'll see now public benches. I mean I I I love these books as benches uh that are in Europe and you can see a lot of the very creative ways of engaging uh creative design. Uh so uh the first step is to inform residents and we're educating staff and elected officials and probably us. I learned a lot putting this thing together. Playgrounds. I mean there's no reason why we can't have playground equipment be creative and why not have an an a senior playground for exercise stuff. So these ideas
056we can introduce um you know we can't have everything and so we need to educate people of the options and the possibilities and and how they benefit a community. And so I've offered some suggestions. So this isn't a document that's I just put these things together to stimulate to show you what kind of I imagine. Here's bike racks. There are very different kinds of bike racks and um they they they do um they uh engage the space and this is this is uh um um placemaking uh so and and wayfinding as a way of public art. So what I suggested is that we um decide whether we would like to start this process. Uh the first step being uh informing residents we this can be the draft and we can add to it and change
057the uh the verbiage and change the pictures and everything and maybe get u an interest from people. So the city would put a survey out online and and invite people to engage it and would you like to see more of this or or you know have you thought of this and if you were prioritizing and and we could find some way of of uh gauging uh public input. Um, and this couldn't this might be several sort of surveys, but at least we could also then after the survey is completed, after people I have an idea about the options, we could then take the art commission kind of on the road for discussions. We could have our meetings in various places around the city to talk about this public art plan and um and find a
058shared priority. And again, it's not going to be just one meeting. Uh here's here's manhole covers. You know, when we first proposed manhole covers, the people that came up to me and said, "What are you nuts, John? You know, manhole covers is art." And you know, trying to describe the Japanese, you know, they you're just crazy. This is sewers. We don't have art on sewers and certainly not in the streets. uh and bike paths, you know, we we have now bike paths that um you know, when we first suggested it, I I talked with uh um Craig Hoopy and he said, "No, you can't have anything in the bike paths." And so, well, maybe we could. There's no question that we could if the community wants it. um shade canopies. You know, these are some
059wonderful examples of of just getting shade and as the planet's warming, this is going to be an important necessity for urban design and Ann Arbor, I'm sure, is going to develop it in some way and just be creative about it. So that uh first we educate people of the options. Uh second, we have an extensive discussion and with the idea of creating policy to memorialize the community's priorities that could entail a map, all kinds of other things that then could be uh integrated uh with the uh uh city's documents. So that's the idea of a public art plan as a vision document. major cities all have these uh that you know uh villages and small communities like saline may not uh that well I think it might be time for Ann Arbor to think about
060uh we do want a public uh um a uh art park uh maybe more than we want uh uh furniture. uh we do want playground and more than we want other things. So um so that's the idea. Uh this was proposed uh a few years ago and there really wasn't an interest in the commission uh nor in staff. So you know I just let it pass. I thought well maybe we'll bring it up again and see if anyone else uh is interested in it. Did you put this document together, John? >> Yes. >> It's amazing. I love it. >> Well, thank you. Yes. >> Great. I mean, I think it's definitely in line with our bylaws as far as like making recommendations and other assets of our bylaws. So, it's if I think if you
061can get a panel of group people together to work on it with you, John, so it's not just you. >> Yes. It will not be just me. I want you to know that right now. like I somebody else has to go I like this and take the lead. I I did this 10 years ago. I I put this this is a good blueprint, but I can't I can't be the only one doing this. So, I'm going to take a a second seat. And so, if anyone wants to step in, leadership is what I'm looking for. I am not interested in leading this. This is a massive project. Actually, this should be led by staff. This should be led by Christopher. I'm not putting it on you, Christopher. This is something that should come from staff
062with the input of the art commission. >> It shouldn't be the art commission driving this. This is a document, a public art plan that the, you know, that the city administrator and all the staff have to say we need one and use these experts on the commission to help us. So, >> so, so how about we do this? I I cannot speak on behalf of public service and I also can't speak on behalf of the city. What I can do is I can at least speak to my supervisors and see if there is a an interest and kind of gauge that interest and then uh report back to you guys. Uh so just just to make sure that I'm understanding at least the vision is to create something kind of like vision zero where it's
063a plan for how the city of Ann Arbor aims to pursue public art. So maybe if the goal is to increase public art in the city by 2050, then there will be some metrics and there'll be some some kind of a plan that the the city can reference back. Um, okay. Let's >> there there was a a preamble to this and I will send you and it lays out exactly what you're asking for so you can use it. >> Yeah. Yeah. If you could send that to me, uh, that would be great. Uh, let me uh let me do some research and see see what I can uh bring to bring to this commission. Okay, >> great. >> Thank you, John. >> Go ahead, Jenna. >> Oh, I was just going to say that I
064I think it's a great idea and I'd be happy to be part of it. I'm not I'm not volunteering to lead it. I agree that I think it should come from the city and that's how I've experienced these types of plans in my professional life, too. It's coming from the city perspective. But I if we move forward, I'd be happy to be part of the committee that's reviewing. So, >> well, Jenna has experience with this kind of thing. So, so great, you can help guide uh Christopher that this is really city planning, you know, I mean, uh uh that are you a are you an urban planner, Jenna? That an architect or >> landscape architect? >> Exactly. Exactly. So this Jenna, you know, makes uh uh places out of spaces. So uh and that's what
065the city wants to do. That's exactly what the DDA uh is uh uh is doing. Great. >> Well, what's happening with Liberty Plaza? I mean, another way to do this is also like pilot something, right? where we have like, you know, a strategy around where this could occur because having a kind of encyclopedia of methods and ideas is great and I'm not against it, but I certainly think having like a place to suggest something occurs. I mean, the bike path is a good idea for sure. [snorts] Um, but if you can pilot something right and make it happen, then there gets more velocity to to it actually occurring. >> I mean, that that was the argument. That was the argument that most commissioners said, "We're not interested in this big plan, John. We want art.
066So, let's get a piece of art and we'll choose it and we'll put it on that street." Well, that's fine. But if it you know you don't build a house with with with without kind of plants and you know that you know you might build a shed that way but if this you really want something to be integrated with into the into the city's infrastructure you've got to get the transportation department you've got to get all of these departments first of all educated to the possibilities. Um, you know, the um, uh, Craig Hoopy, you know, told me had he knew that there were interesting kind of handrails or lights, he would have suggested them for the bridge across uh, State Street on Stadium Boulevard. He just said, "I never knew." Well, that's that's one big
067gaping hole in it that you know that people just don't know the options, the possibilities and residents don't even know that. You know, the argument was, you know, benches, they're not art, John. What are you you nuts? I mean, the same thing with manhole covers. You got to be crazy, John. How you got >> Well, I mean, we still have that problem with like crosswalks. We've we've >> exactly froze crosswalk art several times. and fight back against that. But I think that's what we do with our CIP committee is we basically suggest enhancements where there can be enhancements and this committee could back that work up by showing examples and things that other cities >> Yeah. No, I I totally agree that. I'm not saying I just you know there's the old adage of you
068can bring a horse to water but you can't make them drink. So that's why I was saying is there like a place where we could show these things in action somehow? Unfortunately, the action is going to be have to be in other cities because we don't have we don't have any funding. So, we can't we can't make any projects happen. We can only re >> I'm surprised about I'm surprised about the manhole covers. I mean, that's a pretty well doumented strategy, you know, through multiple cities where that's occurring from New York to Tokyo as John pointed out. >> So, anyway, I think look, being a strong advocate for art is what we're trying to do for sure. I'm all for all of that. I just when there are things occurring in the city, there's momentum,
069right, to do something. And I think trying to advocate where something is happening as well as doing this in tandem with this, I think is a strong play. >> Um, I like >> I see documents go I see documents going to a file and then there's they not they're not nothing's happening with them. >> So, you know, to me it's like can you >> join our small group? You've not This is the second time you've nominated. Sure, John. I'm >> Exactly. Exactly. >> Here, if I may, I think it will also be useful for this commission to hear from uh uh some city staff such as our transportation manager. Uh so that you guys can get an idea of what our engineering group looks at. Uh we don't want to discourage you and we don't
070want to make it seem like we're just saying no, no, no. uh but the uh our our engineering team and our transportation team have um have limitations to it. So I know like uh for example Allison mentioned the crosswalks a lot. Uh the the direction I was given or the information I was received is that due to uh state regulations and how a crosswalks needs to be uh illuminated with uh um reflective lighting it it becomes a safety issue. So a lot of the the I think the difficulty in the next uh phase of this would be kind of um trying to maneuver th those two right feasibility with uh with the one for public art for example um uh the street light idea to to my knowledge the city only entertains uh uh the
071implementation of street lights uh when they're tied to a safety concern. So it's not so it's again a lot of it is just kind of changing uh some some of the way we think about stuff but I think this commission would benefit a lot um but uh by having some of those uh conversations with uh some of our more technical staff so that um we understand the the parameters uh and the guard rails that uh where we can work and kind of use that to uh facilitate more public art integration. Yeah, and we've we've talked to them a few times about the crosswalks and I'm happy to have another conversation with them. It's and if it's a Michigan thing, maybe that's the case, but you see them across the nation of crosswalk art. So, um,
072it's feasible. Maybe not in Michigan, which would surprise me. >> Detroit has it. There's a big picture of Detroit intersection. So, Detroit's doing it. It's not Michigan, it's Ann Arbor. So yeah, maybe it's just a conversation around what they they need to maintain and what we can actually make achievable, but totally open to that conversation. >> There's a lot of supporting data that actually art increases safety when it comes to cross there. So there's I [laughter] >> there's data, but um >> there's a whole Bloomberg study. There's a whole New York study on crosswalks. Yeah. On ground. >> We had this conversation last year. What's happening now though? I do think just though it would be a really good idea for us to meet with city staff and have this discussion again. >> Yeah. >>
073So, how about I try to invite um our transportation manager to kind of speak cuz at least a lot of the the um the recommendations that were brought up were kind of transportation in nature. When we think of, for example, street lighting, that's transportation. when we think of bike lanes, when we think of uh uh perhaps a potential partnership with the ride to see if the ride would entertain public art and bus stops, right? I know that uh other municipalities uh kind of have um um some form of uh art as John uh pointed out. So there there is avenues, but it's just trying to uh see what's feasible and what can kind of withstand the the test of time, right? I I think maintenance is uh is probably what uh city staff are looking
074for. Making sure that it's something that we can maintain and it's not something that um yeah >> we add fountains to your book, John, I'll do it. We need a f We need a whole fountain page and then I'm done. >> I agree. >> Totally agree. Well, thank you for your input on that. Sounds like we have some action items going forward. John, thank you for um sharing that document and preparing that. It's Are there any other member communications? Any any anything from the commission? Any Yes, Allison. Um I will share that we are doing an artist conference for the first time. The guild's putting on an artist conference in April, April 21st through the 23rd. Um primarily the events will happen on the 22nd where we'll have sessions and educational sessions, but there will
075be networking opportunities on the 21st and a mock jury on the 23rd. So um check out our social media for more updates about that. But that's a new offering for artists locally that we're pretty excited about. >> Cool. I did want to say the um fire station project is in the the final stages of uh selecting someone. So uh that's going to be really exciting uh to see that finished project. And that's from CIP. Uh started with CIP. So um that's a great example. >> Sarah, are you or someone from um the fire department going to present to us about that once it's selected? >> Um yeah, I I think maybe um Hannah um >> Okay. >> at the art center, she she spearheaded the entire prog uh project and organized everything. I know the
076um Chief Kennedy was really excited about the project too. So um I can reach out and see uh if someone would be interested in doing that because I know we'll have um our final candidate soon >> or collection soon. Yeah, >> that would be great to circle back and hear about that again. I'd be really interested. >> Yes. And then the other project is the elevating history mural project that the DDA is putting putting forward. Um I am representing um our group on that panel. There were 26 I think there were over 250 applicants from across the nation. They whittleled it down to 26. And um it is probably one of the most challenging jury assignments I've ever had. There is just absolutely astounding work that I'm looking at. And to think that some of
077these muralists could come here to Ann Arbor and grace us with their incredible just blows my mind. Not to mention um at least six Detroit artists apply uh have made it into that final selection and um just really blowing my mind. So um those submissions or my my top six and the rest of my the committee I'm working with are due tomorrow. Um so I guess we'll be getting updates on that in the coming months as well. So that's very exciting. That's um slated to begin the execution of the murals I believe is in 2027 if I understand correctly. But um getting that process going three large locations including city hall um would get one of these murals. The back of the fire station downtown um and um the parking garage, the Maynard parking garage.
078Those are the three locations. Any other updates from the commission members? Any anything else happening that we should be aware of in the coming months? Um, okay. The next order of business is reports from working groups. I feel like a lot of um working group reports were kind of woven into tonight's meeting. Um I'm not going to go group by group, but are there any is there anything that anybody would like to add to the conversation that we didn't already discuss this evening? No, the CIP Allison sent out an email. We're going to be scheduling a meeting. We're going to be reviewing the CIP. Um, and we'll be working on our annual plan fundraising workg group. We are going to re-engage the Annabber Community Foundation to kind of find out where this um fund, the
079money that we're able to draw from um how we can actually extract that money from the community foundation, get it into a bank account in at the city, and then um really begin planning that miniigrant process. Anything any other updates from working groups that we haven't heard yet tonight? Any new agenda items for next month before we adjourn that folks can think of? Um we'll be working on the plan. We'll be um wrapping up the CIP recommendations. Uh, we've got the Golden Paintbrush Awards moving forward to city council. Anything I'm missing that we could that we need to be kind of continually working on? Okay, you guys want to hang out longer or you want to adjourn? >> Ajourn. >> Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> I make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second.
080All those in >> favor I >> I. >> Anybody that wants to just hang out on Zoom. [laughter] Okay. Um, thank you all for coming tonight. Um, really enjoying having Jenna and John, new members on our commission. Thank you guys so much. Uh, we are scheduled to have our next meeting. I think it's February 4th, Wednesday, February 4th. And, um, anything pops up between now and then. Congratulations to our new chair and vice chair. >> We need emojis. >> I want to send like a a celebration emoji. >> Yes. Yes. No, this is boring bloom. There's no emojis. >> M. You just make an announcement on, you know, the Insta. >> There it is. There it is. >> Wow. The flashing raising hand, John. Wow. >> Wow. [laughter] Wow. Well, I appreciate you all for
081coming, Cynthia. Good to see you. >> Good to see you all. >> Yeah, good to be with you all. Thank you, Chris, for your hard work. And um Jamal for all and Peggy, all you did on the paintbrush award. >> Um good. We are adjourned. Have a nice evening everyone. >> Thanks everyone. Bye. Good night everyone.