Alameda Public Art Commission Meeting - June 25, 2025
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Alameda Public Art Commission Meeting - June 25, 2025
The meeting was called to order at 6:11 PM. Commissioners present: Chair Rush, Vice Chair Platzboomer, Robert Ferguson, Lisa Martin, and James Mark. Staff included Walker Toma, Dwayne Dahlman, and Jack Denham Conroy. The meeting addressed the approval of previous minutes, public comments, and the review and selection of 17 grant proposals for the 2025 Cultural Arts Programming RFP. After a technical delay in scoring, the commission successfully calculated weighted scores and voted to fund eight grants, increasing the total budget by $10,000.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes from the January 22, 2025 meeting were approved unanimously by all five commissioners.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Rachel Campos de Ivanov (Radium Runway) announced upcoming events: the "In Plain Site" photography gallery (May 9–June 1) and a fall 2025 big top tent for a performing arts center.
- Jennifer Radikovich (Rhythmics Cultural Works) thanked the commission for grants and promoted the "Rising Seas" series at various waterfront parks from May to September 2025.
- Gabriel Duncan (Alameda Native History Project) described the successful first year of the Acorns Project, including public workshops and community partnerships, and requested support.
- Lani Sabino (Halal Makana, Polynesian Cultural Arts Center) expressed gratitude for the grant opportunity and highlighted the project's alignment with the city's equity goals.
- Malaya (speaker, no organization stated) thanked all artists and urged the commission to increase future funding.
- Dan Cloison (volunteer) supported both Rhythmics and Halal Makana.
- Ryan Lalone (local artist, via remote) supported the Alameda Haunts 20th anniversary and the Acorns Project.
Discussion Items
- Scoring Process: Staff initially discovered that the weighted scoring spreadsheet was incorrectly applied, delaying final decisions. After a brief recess, the commission manually calculated scores and proceeded with discussions.
- Grant Applications Review: Each of the 17 applications was introduced by a lead commissioner, with discussion of strengths and weaknesses. Key topics included budget clarity, community reach, equity, accessibility, leverage of other funds, and local preference. Notable projects included:
- Radio Day by the Bay (California Historical Radio Society): Strong event but criticized for a superficial budget and high marketing costs.
- Plain Air Paint Out (Frank Bette Center): Praised for tradition but criticized for limited inclusivity and confusing budget.
- Alameda Haunts Contest (Funita Alameda Productions): Highly inclusive, 20th anniversary, but some commissioners questioned its cultural arts fit.
- Alameda Walls of Culture (Bay Area Mural Program): Ambitious mural project with programming, but concerns over budget, venue permissions, and duplication of existing efforts.
- Into the Looking Glass (Art Push): Immersive media experience, but lacked artist selection details and had equipment-heavy budget.
- Rhythmics in the Park, Unity Fest (Rhythmics Cultural Works): Widely praised for community impact, strong leverage of funds, and multiple events.
- Halal Makana Biennial Hoike: Strong cultural performance, but limited public engagement beyond observation.
- Circus Bella at Radium Runway (Radium Presents): Enjoyed by families, but noted as not unique since it occurs elsewhere.
- Deep Dive Under the Waves (West End Arts District): Highly praised for innovation, placemaking, and collaboration with Radium Runway.
- Whispers of the Sanctuary (Alameda Civic Ballet): Original ballet, but limited venue capacity and low leverage of funds.
- Alameda Food Bank Forever Home Mural: Considered ineligible due to lack of programming; commissioners expressed desire for a separate mural grant program.
- Healing Heels Presents Read the Room Festival: Strong accessibility but weak Alameda connection and unrealistic timeline.
- Words That Make a Difference – Brown v. Board of Education (Unity in Marin): Timely topic but budget issues and repeated performances elsewhere.
- Acorns Project (Alameda Native History Project): High potential, strong community engagement, but slim budget and organizational capacity concerns.
- Food Bank Players: Modest request, popular community theater, but low outreach and no leverage.
- Creative Art Program (Art Push): Free workshops for children, but high cost per child and small reach.
- Drawing on Earth: Simple chalk art project, but incomplete budget and vague venue.
Key Outcomes
- Budget Increase: The commission voted to increase the total funding pool by $10,000 (from $60,000 to $70,000) to support additional projects.
- Grants Approved: The following eight grants were approved (four at $10,000 and four at $5,000, with the $10,000 increase used to fund two additional projects):
- Rhythmics Cultural Works (Unity Fest) – $10,000
- Alameda Haunts 20th Anniversary – $10,000
- Deep Dive Under the Waves (West End Arts District) – $10,000
- Radio Day by the Bay – $5,000 (adjusted from $10,000 request)
- Whispers of the Sanctuary (Alameda Civic Ballet) – $5,000
- Alameda Food Bank Players – $5,000
- Plain Air Paint Out – $5,000
- Alameda Native History Project (Acorns) – $5,000
- Next Steps: The recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council for final approval. The commission also noted the need to improve the use of the Submittable platform and to consider a separate mural grant program in the future.
Meeting Transcript
There you go. All right. Okay. Yeah, try it out. All right. This meeting is being recorded and watched by many folks. Most I've seen in the small room for a while. Can you check the number of remote participants? Yes. Four. Yes. We'll go with four. All right. We currently have four remote participants. For those who are remote, please make sure you're using the most current version of Zoom. An updated web browser, certain functionality may be disabled if the apps or browser are not updated. You must register using the link at the top of the agenda. Click raise hand when you wish to speak upon an item and click unmute once you've been called on to speak. You may also submit written comments by emailing me, Walker Toma. Hello, everyone.gov, but we also have access to Jackie's email for people usually email. All right. So if if you're if you have emailed uh a public comment and uh you sent it to Jackie Kobiya, who is your usual host here, um I would ask that you resend that to WTOMA at Alameda CA.gov, and then I will check my email to see if it comes in during the meeting. Uh comments submitted during the meeting before the conclusion of public comment section will be read into the record. And my meeting, my email address is also on the meeting's agenda. I'm not sure that's true, but okay. Uh if a remote participant is having difficulty, I suggest you call using the number 669 444 9171 and meeting ID 896 42081044. This information is also on the top of the meeting agenda. People participating via telephone have to press star nine to raise their hand and star six to unmute for in-person participation. Hello. A speaker slip must be submitted to speak on in-I think the second we have more somewhere. There's some in the middle. All right. So if anyone wants to speak on an item, please submit a speaker slip. We will do that. Uh if the commissioner would like to speak, please physically raise your hand and the chair will acknowledge your request. The chat function has hopefully been turned off on the Zoom meeting. And now it's your turn. Okay, uh, the meeting is now called to order. The time is 6 11 p.m. All right. Uh I'll do a roll call for the record. So uh Chair Rush. Present. Uh Vice Chair Blasboomer. Here. Uh Robert Ferguson. Here. Lisa Martin. Here. James Mark.
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