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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-18-2022; 4-c - Orange County Arts Commission One Year Update on Eno Arts Mill 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 18, 2022 Action Agenda Item No. 4-c SUBJECT: Orange County Arts Commission One Year Update on Eno Arts Mill DEPARTMENT: Orange County Arts Commission ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Katie Murray, Arts Director, 919-245-2335 PURPOSE: To receive an update on the Eno Arts Mill project on its one-year anniversary. BACKGROUND: The Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) opened eleven (11) artist studios occupying 3,000 square feet at the Eno River Mill in March 2020. In May 2021, the OCAC was granted permission to lease an additional 7,000 square feet of space adjacent to the existing studios. The combined spaces, referred to as the "Eno Arts Mill," occupy 10,000 square feet of space, including a gallery, classroom, seventeen (17) artist studios, a conference room, and the OCAC offices. The grand opening of the Eno Arts Mill was October 1, 2021. Three hundred residents attended and enjoyed an "Artist Preview" exhibit of all studio artists as well as open artist studios, live music, food trucks and more. In the last year, the Eno Arts Mill has already become staple of the Hillsborough community and Triangle arts community. Through the payment of artists and by drawing visitors to Hillsborough, the space has made a significant contribution to the local economy, as demonstrated in the chart below. It has also provided a welcoming and safe place for all types of people to experience the arts. Several highlights of the first year of programming include: • April 2022: Home?An Artistic Exploration of Affordable Housin_p in the Triangle. This Triangle-wide exhibit was a partnership with the Housing Department and featured 100 works of art by 54 artists, as well as 16 poets who read their selected works during the exhibit opening. In addition to works focusing on the unaffordable housing market, many works focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. This powerful show received Triangle-wide press and introduced many new artists and patrons to the Eno Arts Mill. • July 2022: Building Bridges. An Exhibit of Latin-American Artists in the Triangle. This Triangle-wide exhibit featured nineteen Latin-American artists. The opening event featured Grammy-nominated musician Joe Troop with Larry Bellorin as well as Takiri Mexican dancers. • Diversity and accessibility: The OCAC believes the studio artists, staff, and leadership need to reflect the community in order to be a welcoming space for all people. Growing a diverse group of artist-tenants has been a priority of OCAC, with diversity not only being defined by demographics, but also career level and medium. This intentionality has resulted in 44% of artist tenants identifying as a member of a marginalized community. 2 38% of tenants are people of color. The Eno Arts Mill is one of the only accessible art studios in the Triangle, and in the last year, three studio artists have been wheelchair users. • New partnerships: The Eno Arts Mill has allowed the OCAC to forge new relationships with organizations in the community. The Art Therapy Institute (ATI) established a Hillsborough office in the Eno Arts Mill and has offered programs including free kids' activities during our First Fridays openings, and camps and classes taught by ATI staff, including a LGBTQ Teen Arts Collective. The Mill has provided the Orange County Artists Guild a home for two annual shows in December and May. In addition, the OCAC has collaborated with the Housing Department on two exhibits and hosted a departmental meeting in the gallery. ENO ARTS MILL FIRST YEAR IMPACT: October, 2021 through September, 2022 Number of artists paid for work sold, classes, performances, or services 125 Amount paid to artists for work sold, classes, performance, or services $48,179 Number of artists exhibited 212 Dollar amount of work sold (Oct-Dec, March-September) $18,980 Number of people hosted during First Friday openings 2,400 Number of people hosted for classes 232 Number of youth hosted during Summer Camp 2022 77 Number of youth scholarship recipients during Summer Camp 2022 12 (16%) FINANCIAL IMPACT: Despite the economic and social benefits to the greater community, the Eno Arts Mill was not able to host programs during six months of its first year. The lease for the space began in July 2021, although construction and up fit continued through September, making the space unsuitable for the public. In addition, the Omicron uptick in January, February, and most of March prevented the OCAC from hosting classes, openings, and all other public programs. The Eno Arts Mill generated $116,990.03 in revenues during FY 2021-22, and $145,141.81 in expenditures, resulting in a loss of $28,151.78 in its first year of operations. The Orange County Arts Alliance, the 501(c)3 arm of the OCAC and the fiscal partner with the County for the Mill operations, was able to pay $13,862.98 of collected revenues towards this loss, resulting in a net loss of $14,288.80 for the County in FY 2021-22. While staff is confident FY 2022-23 will prove to be more financially solvent, a primary challenge identified during the first year was providing affordable programs and spaces while ensuring the project is self-sustaining. The rent, supplies, and Mill staff are offset by revenues, which include gallery sales, studio rent, and classes. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goals are applicable to this item: • GOAL: FOSTER A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT REJECTS OPPRESSION AND INEQUITY The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race or color; religious or philosophical beliefs; sex; gender or sexual orientation; national origin or ethnic background; age; military service; disability; and familial, residential or economic status. The impact for traditionally under-served populations and geographic location is a part of the grant evaluation criteria across all of the Commission's grant categories. 3 • GOAL: ENABLE FULL CIVIC PARTICIPATION Ensure that Orange County residents are able to engage government through voting and volunteering by eliminating disparities in participation and barriers to participation. • GOAL: ENSURE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY The creation and preservation of infrastructure, policies, programs and funding necessary for residents to provide shelter, food, clothing and medical care for themselves and their dependents. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: There is no Orange County Environmental Responsibility Goal impact associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends the Board receive the update and provide any comments or questions.