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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Approve a Recommendation from the Cultural Affairs Commission to Appoint Katy Krantz as Culver City Artist Laureate for Calendar Years 2023 and 2024; and (2) Approval of Related Artist Laureate Agreement
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Meeting Date: January 9, 2023
Contact Person/Dept: B. Christine Byers / City Manager, Office of Economic and Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/04/2023); Culver City Arts Foundation (01/04/2023)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (12/22/2022)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve the Cultural Affairs Commission’s (CAC) recommendation to appoint Katy Krantz as Culver City’s Artist Laureate for a two-year term beginning January 2023 and ending December 31, 2024; and (2) approve a related Artist Laureate agreement.
BACKGROUND
The Culver City Artist Laureate Program was developed by the Cultural Affairs Commission with input from Dr. Janet Hoult (appointed Honorary Artist Laureate) and formally established by the City Council in March 2018. In January 2019, the City Council appointed Alexey Steele as Artist Laureate for a two-year term, ending December 31, 2021. On May 24, 2021, the City Council considered a recommendation from the CAC and passed a motion extending Alexey Steele’s term for a third year in light of the extenuating circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
DISCUSSION
The program overview and guidelines were reviewed and updated in the summer of 2022 with input from the CAC Artist Laureate Subcommittee (Tania Fleischer and Jeannine Wisnosky Stehlin), representatives of the Culver City Arts Foundation (program partner), Alexey Steele and staff. Changes included:
• An increased stipend for the Artist Laureate ($10,000 per year from the original $4,000 per year);
• Up to $10,000 in funding for supplies and related costs;
• Adding language that the incumbent serve as an advocate for the arts across disciplines;
• Changing the review criteria from three to four, adjusting their descriptions and how each is weighted.
The applications for the 2023 Artist Laureate appointment were released on August 29, 2022. Outreach included the City website where there is a dedicated Artist Laureate section, several GovDelivery e-blasts reaching almost 9,000 recipients, as well as related social media postings. Applicants applied online through the City’s website; seven applications were received by the deadline of 5:00 PM on October 10, 2022.
An independent peer panel was recruited to review the applications, comprising distinguished professionals in the relevant artistic disciplines:
• Chase Anderson-Shaw - Kirk Douglas Theatre Manager
• Mary Daval - Vocalist and dancer
• Shona Gupta - Business and technology sector professional; Culver City Arts Foundation Board Member
• Heather Moses - CCUSD Arts Coordinator
• Joes Segal - Chief Curator and Director of Programming, The Wende Museum
Panel review of the applications began October 27, 2022 and was completed by November 9th. Each panelist scored all seven applications and ranked their top three candidates. The CAC Artist Laureate Subcommittee also reviewed the applications.
Applications were scored based on the following criteria:
• Artistic Quality - 40 points total
• Community Impact - 35 points total
• Artistic Activities - 15 points total
• Cultural Equity - 10 points total
The four highest scoring applicants were invited to interview with the panel on November 30, 2022. These were:
• George Kahn - Musician
• Katy Krantz - Visual Artist
• Rachel Schinderman - Writer
• Alexey Steele - Visual Artist
In attendance at the panel meeting on November 30th were the five-member panel; CAC Artist Laureate Subcommittee; Christine Byers, Cultural Affairs Manager; Lee Lawlor, Performing Arts Associate; and, Alicia Ide, Former Artist Laureate Program Coordinator.
Each of the five finalists provided a 15-minute presentation addressing the topic below followed by questions from the panel, staff, and subcommittee members:
As the next cultural ambassador for Culver City, how would you engage with the community across artistic disciplines?
At the conclusion of the panel meeting, the unanimous recommendation from the panel to the CAC Artist Laureate Subcommittee was that Katy Krantz was best suited to become the next Artist Laureate. The subcommittee supported the panel’s recommendation.
Katy Krantz
Katy Krantz, a Culver City resident for more than eight years, is a visual artist focusing on ceramics as well as an arts educator. She has an MFA in Painting, a BA in Studio Art and a BA in American Studies. She has completed installations under a public agency’s public art program, at schools and on private property. Her practice focuses on handmade ceramic tile that involves the direct participation of the communities in which the murals are located. As Artist Laureate, Ms. Krantz envisions undertaking a socially engaged project in Culver City allowing for more hands-on art activities in the community.
The exact scope of what the Artist Laureate is expected to accomplish during their tenure will be addressed in more detail with the CAC Artist Laureate Subcommittee and staff after the City Council makes a final decision.
At its Regular Meeting on December 20, 2022, the Cultural Affairs Commission passed a motion (4-0, absent, Ehsaan Mesghali) recommending the City Council appoint Katy Krantz as Culver City Artist Laureate for 2023 and 2024.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The two-year Artist Laureate Program budget is $30,000. $20,000 of this is for the Artist Laureate stipend and is intended as compensation for their time and will be divided into two equal annual payments. Up to $10,000 is allocated for reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses. Culver Arts has committed to paying half of the stipend total which will be forthcoming in January. The total $30,000 will come out of account 41311200.619800 (Cultural Trust Fund).
ATTACHMENTS
1. 23-01-09_ATT 1_Artist Laureate Program Overview and Guidelines
2. 23-01-09_ATT 2_Katy Krantz Application Materials
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Approve the Cultural Affairs Commission’s Recommendation and Appoint Katy Krantz as Culver City Artist Laureate for Calendar Years 2023 and 2024; and
2. Approve the related Artist Laureate agreement; and
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.