OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Leesburg Performing Arts Commission Meeting - March 26, 2026

Town Council & Commissions — Thursday, March 26, 2026
BodyLeesburg, Virginia
SessionTown Council & Commissions
DateThursday, March 26, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:30:12

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Our uh performing arts commission meeting for March.

0:07

Uh I call this meeting to order.

0:10

I'm gonna read the title six demographic survey announcement.

0:13

The town strives to provide equal access to services regardless of race, color, national origin, or English proficiency to help us assess our communities needs.

0:23

The town would appreciate members of the public completing a voluntary and anonymous demographic survey to access the survey.

0:30

Please scan the QR code on the counter.

0:36

We have almost everyone.

0:39

Mark will be absent today.

0:47

Can I hear a motion to adopt this agenda for this evening for this evening?

0:52

So moved.

0:53

Thank you.

0:53

Can I hear second?

0:55

Second.

0:55

Thank you.

0:56

Those in favor.

0:58

Aye.

1:00

Six zero zero six zero ones.

1:04

We have zero.

1:06

If they're absent.

1:08

Yeah, yeah.

1:09

The tie is if they're third.

1:13

Okay.

1:14

We do have the minutes from February.

1:16

Uh does anyone have any comments on those minutes adjustments?

1:21

Only that it should say meeting minutes, not meeting agenda at the top.

1:26

Thank you.

1:35

I'm assuming you're you're using the agenda that just type it in.

1:38

I don't know, but probably.

1:40

Yeah.

1:41

I think I can't be 30 minutes.

1:43

So we'll make that adjustment.

1:45

Any other adjustments.

2:27

We have a motion to accept the uh meeting minutes stands, the word agenda and replacing it with minutes.

2:38

Great, thank you, Audrey.

2:39

Do I hear a second?

2:40

Second.

2:41

Thank you.

2:41

All those in favor?

2:43

Aye.

2:44

Six, zero, zero.

2:48

We do not have any petitioners this evening.

2:56

Next, so we'll move on to chair comments disclosures.

2:59

Next meeting, uh, I've invited Mary Sellers to our meeting to do a little bit of a presentation on the direction the county is going with the performing arts.

3:10

She is overseeing that um in her position with the county government.

3:15

And also is a I believe she's steering the county's um drive to have a performing arts center in the Ashburn Sterling area.

3:28

So I've invited her to speak to that so we can learn a little bit more about that and build that relationship with the county as well.

3:36

Uh additionally, I attended on Monday the um work session with town council.

3:44

Uh they were discussing budget and uh our performing arts budget.

3:50

Uh there were questions around why we were we were asking for our budget to basically double in a year.

3:56

Uh I clarified those questions and um I believe Kate, right?

4:02

The from my understanding is that it got put into the budget based off of the town.

4:07

So our budget request has been fulfilled for next year.

4:12

Has the budget been passed?

4:14

It was passed on Tuesday night.

4:15

Great.

4:16

So we do have the $13,000 request that we uh put in that to ask for.

4:23

Um it looks like uh I've CC'd all of you on the conversations that I'm having with council, but it looks like I am gonna have to go before them in April to talk about how we'd like to spend out the rest of the money.

4:41

Um I did get a little bit of insight, perhaps just by sort of observing some of the comments in the budget discussion.

4:51

There are two sticking points.

4:53

One is that they don't want the performing arts commission to turn into a producing organization, but rather a support organization for arts companies that are already producing work.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Arts And Culture████████████████████████████████████████40%
Procedural████████████████████20%
Parks and Recreation██████████10%
Community Events█████████9%
Historical Preservation███████7%
Public Engagement██████6%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Budget Equity Analysis██2%
Freedom Of Information Act██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Leesburg Performing Arts Commission Meeting - March 26, 2026

The Leesburg Performing Arts Commission met on March 26, 2026, at 1:00 PM. The meeting covered budget updates, a proposed capstone recital program, a performing arts directory, and long-range planning. Key decisions included approving a June recital event and starting a call to artists.

Discussion Items

  • Budget Update: Chair reported that the FY2026 budget request of $13,000 was fulfilled by Town Council. Council expressed concerns about the commission becoming a producing organization and advised against direct scholarship awards, suggesting a nonprofit intermediary.
  • Parks and Recreation Survey Data: Kate from Parks and Rec presented survey results showing performing arts theater as the top unmet facility need and cultural enrichment programs as second priority. The data is part of the 20-year master plan process.
  • Capstone Recital Proposal: Marjorie proposed a capstone recital for high school seniors pursuing arts degrees, replacing the previously planned talent show. The event would be a call to artists paying performers directly for services, avoiding scholarship issues. Motion to hold a June recital at Ida Lee Park all-purpose room passed 6-0-0-1 (one absent). A subsequent motion to authorize creation of the call to artists also passed.
  • Performing Arts Directory: Peter volunteered to chair a committee to create a directory of performing arts organizations, venues, and vendors. The Loudoun Arts Council's existing directory may provide a starting point.
  • Old Isaac Walton Park Feasibility: After a site visit, members concluded the space is unsuitable due to gymnastics use, structural issues, limited parking, and concrete floors. The item was removed from the agenda.
  • COPA Grant Partnership: The commission voted to reach out to the chair of the Council of Performing Arts (COPA) to discuss a joint adjudication of the Virginia Commission for the Arts grants, which are currently split between visual and performing arts. Motion passed 6-0-0-1.
  • Long-Range Strategic Plan: Peter proposed developing a strategic plan. The commission agreed to schedule a retreat in July, with members to submit available dates at the April meeting.
  • August Court Days Revival: The chair researched the historical event (1977-2005) and suggested partnering with the town's 250th anniversary committee. The chair will contact Laura Christensen, director of Bulch Library, and bring a proposal to the next meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the March agenda and February minutes as amended.
  • Voted to hold a capstone recital in June 2026 at Ida Lee Park, with a $3,000 allocation for performer payments and $800 for technical support.
  • Authorized the creation and dissemination of a call to artists for the recital.
  • Established a committee (Peter as chair) to develop a performing arts directory.
  • Removed the Old Isaac Walton Park feasibility study from future agendas.
  • Authorized the chair to explore partnership with COPA for grant adjudication.
  • Planned a July retreat to focus on a long-range strategic plan.
  • Next regular meeting: April 23, 2026.

Note: The transcript had occasional unclear vote tallies; all recorded votes were 6 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions, with one member absent.

Meeting Transcript

Our uh performing arts commission meeting for March. Uh I call this meeting to order. I'm gonna read the title six demographic survey announcement. The town strives to provide equal access to services regardless of race, color, national origin, or English proficiency to help us assess our communities needs. The town would appreciate members of the public completing a voluntary and anonymous demographic survey to access the survey. Please scan the QR code on the counter. We have almost everyone. Mark will be absent today. Can I hear a motion to adopt this agenda for this evening for this evening? So moved. Thank you. Can I hear second? Second. Thank you. Those in favor. Aye. Six zero zero six zero ones. We have zero. If they're absent. Yeah, yeah. The tie is if they're third. Okay. We do have the minutes from February. Uh does anyone have any comments on those minutes adjustments? Only that it should say meeting minutes, not meeting agenda at the top. Thank you. I'm assuming you're you're using the agenda that just type it in. I don't know, but probably. Yeah. I think I can't be 30 minutes. So we'll make that adjustment. Any other adjustments. We have a motion to accept the uh meeting minutes stands, the word agenda and replacing it with minutes. Great, thank you, Audrey. Do I hear a second? Second. Thank you. All those in favor? Aye. Six, zero, zero. We do not have any petitioners this evening. Next, so we'll move on to chair comments disclosures. Next meeting, uh, I've invited Mary Sellers to our meeting to do a little bit of a presentation on the direction the county is going with the performing arts. She is overseeing that um in her position with the county government. And also is a I believe she's steering the county's um drive to have a performing arts center in the Ashburn Sterling area. So I've invited her to speak to that so we can learn a little bit more about that and build that relationship with the county as well. Uh additionally, I attended on Monday the um work session with town council. Uh they were discussing budget and uh our performing arts budget. Uh there were questions around why we were we were asking for our budget to basically double in a year. Uh I clarified those questions and um I believe Kate, right?

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