10/5/2022 - Meeting Minutes ERIN MENDENHALL to LORENA RIFFO JENSON
MAYOR C'' iT`` c` DIRECTOR
DEPARTMENT of ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Salt Lake City Art Design Board Meeting
October 5',2022
5:00—7:00 pm
Webex Online&Finch Lane Gallery
MINUTES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE PENDING APPROVAL
PRESENT: Tiffini Porter Meggie Troili Alejandro Moya
Michael Mcjia Angela Dean Colour Maisch
Jen Lopez
Staff Members
Renato Olmedo-Gonzalez,Public Art Program Manager
Felicia Baca,Arts Council Director
Brenda Alavez,Public Art Program Coordinator
Makaylah Respicio-Evans,Public Lands Planner
Todd Oberndorfer,Visual Arts Program Coordinator
AGENDA
I. Call to Order,Welcome, and Introductions
Ms. Meggie Troili called the meeting to order. Mr. Todd Oberndorfer introduced himself as the new Visual
Arts Program Coordinator for the Salt Lake City Arts Council.
11. Approval of August 29'h,2022 Minutes(Action)
Mr. Michael Mejia motioned to approve the minutes as written and Ms.Angela Dean seconded.
111. Poplar Grove Park—Finalist Presentations
Mr. Renato Olmedo-Gonzalez briefly summarized the commission design criteria and artwork goals to the Art
Design Board to keep in mind while listening to the finalists' presentations.
Ms. Felicia Baca clarified that the purpose of today's meeting would be to select an artist for recommendation
to the Mayor and that it would not be necessary to also select or recommend a back-up for the Mayor.
Mr. Richard Landvatter and Mr. Beto Conejo were the first artist team to present their proposals. Mr.
Landvatter was selected from the Pre-Qualified Artist Pool and would be working with Mr. Conejo
collaboratively while also acting as a project manager since Mr. Conejo is an emerging artist not currently
represented in the artist pool. Both took turns expounding their connections with the community and their
artistic styles and vision. They primarily wanted to highlight Chicano and lowrider culture, strong cultural
elements present in West-side communities, and engaging with the larger through their work.
Roots Art Kollective("RAC), an artist team made up of Mr. Luis Novoa,Mr. Miguel Galaz, and Mr.Alan
Ochoa,were second to present to the Board. All three members of RAK had special connections to the Poplar
Grove neighborhood and focused their proposal on using imagery reminiscent of the natural surroundings of
the area as well, as focusing on introducing pickleball to a community that has not historically been interested
and/or aware of this particular sport.
Mr. Olmedo-Gonzalez presented the last finalist, Mr. Bill Louis. He informed the Board that Mr. Louis was
unable to attend in-person due to scheduling conflicts,but he had provided the Board with a video presentation
of his proposal. In the video Mr. Louis touched upon his inspiration being his Polynesian background and a
goal to celebrate the diversity and culture of the neighborhood. This would be evoked through the vibrant color
palette and bold imagery.
IV. Poplar Grove Park—Recommendation to Mayor(Potential Action)
After listening to all three finalists' presentations,the Board deliberated on the pros and cons of each
artist/artist team.Mr. Alejandro Moya led by sharing his opinion that RAK had the strongest conceptual
proposal. He also indicated his preference for RAK based on their creative community engagement component
that focused on getting the community interested in pickleball and tennis instead of simply having a one-time
celebratory event.Ms. Angela Dean also indicated that RAK had thought of the hangout space—an area within
the project site that could allow for further artistic interpretation—more thoroughly than other proposals. Ms.
Tiffini Porter and Mr. Mejia likewise agreed that RAK had the most creative ideas for soliciting feedback and
utilizing the community engagement component as an opportunity to activate the community in coming back
after the project is completed and utilize the space as intended.
Ms. Porter motioned to recommend RAK to the Mayor for the Poplar Grove Sport Courts Mural Project. Mr.
Moya seconded the motion.All other members voted in favor.
V. Love Your Block presentation
Ms. Katie Riser, Special Project and Volunteer Program Manager from the Mayor's Office,along with her
colleague Mr. Chimalli Hernandez-Garcia,presented to the Board on the purpose and initiatives of the Love
Your Block program. Ms. Riser explained that this program is designed to bring together residents and city
staff to provide grants for citizens wishing to make a difference in their community. Currently,this program is
only focused on the westside of Salt Lake City as it is a historically overlooked and underfunded location. The
grants are only eligible to residents or property owners of that area.
Ms. Riser also informed the Board that there are currently four projects that have been awarded grants for their
projects and these will provide insight into how to improve moving forward.
The next cycle of grants will be open in mid-December and run through the end of January.
Mr. Hernandez-Garcia provided visual examples of Love Your Block funded projects in other cities in
California including projects that have involved public art such as murals.
Ms. Baca indicated an interested in supporting this program through spreading the word on Love Your Block as
resources as well as providing best practices for paying any artists involved with upcoming projects.
VI. Public Comment
None.
VII.Other Business/Adjourn
Ms. Baca informed the Board on efforts from the city and Mayor in relation to Fleet Block. Art healing
sessions and mental health services have been provided to the families affected by police violence and as
plans for the space where the current Fleet Block murals stand move forward,the Mayor has been reaching
out to keep the families updated. The Fleet Block murals were a grassroots initiative by a collective of
anonymous artists on a currently vacant city property; following the nationwide protests for racial and
social justice that began in the summer of 2020,the space has become a center for healing and gathering
for the community. The Salt Lake City Arts Council, along with the Mayor's Office,would like to keep all
these things in mind for the future of this space.
Mr. Olmedo-Gonzalez updated the Board on the successful celebration for the Glendale Gather Blocks.
120+people from the community attended this event at Glendale Park. Mr. Olmedo-Gonzalez also
reminded the Board that they would be discussing the Capital Improvement Project("CIP") site selection
process in next month's meeting. City departments would present potential sites for funding to the Board.
The goal will be to select three of these sites for future public art projects.
Ms, Colour Maisch motioned to end the meeting and Mr.Michael Mejia seconded the motion. All
members voted in favor.