HomeMy WebLinkAboutArts Commission minutes 101314FROM: Orange County Arts Commission
SUBJECT: Monthly Meeting
DATE: October 13, 2014
LOCATION: OWASA Community Room, Carrboro
MEMBERS PRESENT: Katherine Dickson, Brian Finch, Doris Friend, Geoffrey Hathaway, Tim Hoke,
Bronwyn Merritt, Joy Salyers, Devra Thomas, Scott Van Manen
MEMBERS ABSENT: Lindsey Alexander, Tinka Jordy, Emily Lees, Deb Hepp, Ashley Nissler, Kathleen Ponder
STAFF PRESENT: Martha Shannon
Meeting called to order at 6:30 PM
Topic A
Topic B
Topic C
Topic D
Discussion Point: Review of September 2014 Minutes
Decision /Vote(s): Brief discussion of minutes.
Action Item: Minutes approved unanimously.
Discussion Point: Director's Report
Decision /Vote(s):
Staff is working on getting Carol Hewitt to be our guest presenter for the November 21, 20144 Artists'
Salon to talk about the business /marketing side of the arts. Martha Shannon will be out of the office
beginning November 6th for at least 2 weeks for medical reasons. Martha will not be at the Arts
Commission's November 101h meeting at the Orange County Public Library (137 W. Margaret Lane) in
Hillsborough. November 201h is the Fall 2014 arts grant deadline. The 2015 Piedmont Laureate Selection
Committee will meet at 3 pm on Monday, November 3rd at the Durham Arts Council.
Action Item: None.
Discussion Point: Nominating Committee
Decision /Vote(s): Nominating Committee member Brian Finch presented their slate of new officers
( Devra Thomas - Chair, Lindsey Alexander — Vice Chair, Katherine Dickson — Secretary).
Action Item: New slate of officers approved unanimously.
Discussion Point: CHOCVB Liaison, Ad Hoc Committee Updates
Decision /Vote(s): Devra Thomas reported for Deb Hepp on the most recent Visitors Bureau board
meeting. The Visitors Bureau has a new sales director. They are no longer going to be paying rent to the
county on the building. The results of their market research study showed that Orange County is a
destination for mid -week business and summer leisure travelers. Their plan is to continue digital
advertising, with more diversity in ads. County Manager Bonnie Hammersley was in attendance. Town of
Carrboro has launched a new website. Their next breakfast meeting will be on Wednesday, October 15 th
Topic E
Topic F
at the Carolina Inn. The Marketing Committee reported that Festifall went well. The new brochure is
about the grants program, and two posters at the Festifall booth showed grant recipients in action. Many
people stopped, signed up for the OCAC mailing list.
Action Item: None
Discussion Point: Old Business /New Business /Post -Board Mini - Retreat
Decision /Vote(s): Conversations with elected officials about what the OCAC does, what we'd like to do to
serve more, what we may need to do that more effectively — such as an alternative funding model - have
begun. After the mid -term elections, there will be a new County Commissioner (replacing Alice Gordon,
who did not run for re- election). Devra Thomas and Doris Friend met with Commissioner Bernadette
Pelissier (who has been thinking creatively about a farm /arts connection). Deb Hepp has met with
Commissioner Penny Rich. We should continue to make them aware of the entire scope of what we do.
OCAC board members should keep track of their meetings with Commissioners. We will schedule a retreat
for the spring now that we have a full board. The first Bluegrass Festival at Moorefields was a success. The
Jazz Festival the following weekend also went well. Geoffrey Hathaway will be out until January for
medical reasons. Orange County resident Jaki Shelton Green was inducted into the 2014 North Carolina
Literary Hall of Fame on October 12, 2014. She was the very first Piedmont Laureate (in 2009). The Public
Art and Advocacy discussion at FRANK gallery on October 23rd would be helpful for OCAC board members
to attend. The ArtsCenter has an Interim Executive Director, Noel James.
Action Item: None
Discussion Point: Calendar
Decision /Vote(s): Our next board meeting will be on Monday, November 101h from 6:30 -7:30 pm at the
Orange County Public Library (137 W. Margaret Lane) in Hillsborough.
Action Item: None
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM