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Record of Proceedings

Leesburg Commission on Public Arts Meeting - August 4, 2026

Town Council & Commissions — Tuesday, August 4, 2026
BodyLeesburg, Virginia
SessionTown Council & Commissions
DateTuesday, August 4, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 57:30

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:04

All right, I'll go ahead and call the order at 5 30.

0:09

All right.

0:10

We are one member down.

0:12

So this is full.

0:15

But our quorum doesn't change because that's seven.

0:18

So we're still at four for a quarter.

0:20

All right.

0:20

So approval.

0:21

Do I have a motion to approve the agenda for tonight's meeting?

0:26

Motion to approve.

0:28

Have a second.

0:31

And then all in favor.

0:33

Aye.

0:34

Opposed.

0:35

Me.

0:38

Okay.

0:40

And then do we have a motion to approve the meeting minutes from June?

0:49

So I wasn't here.

0:50

I can't vote on the list.

0:51

I'll make a question.

0:52

Oh, wait, one second.

0:54

Yes, Linda found something.

0:56

The art in your yard.

0:59

Did we say one to three at the meeting?

1:02

She has written down 12.

1:04

I had 12 to 3 in my notes.

1:07

Well, but it will not matter because we have some updates on that.

1:10

So um yeah, we had to can we have to all get into it.

1:15

Right.

1:15

Yeah.

1:16

So all right.

1:17

So umette made the motion.

1:21

Do we have a second for the minutes?

1:23

I'll check it.

1:24

All right.

1:24

And then all in favor.

1:27

I when you can't vote on that.

1:28

Oh, that's right.

1:29

Sorry.

1:31

Automatically.

1:32

Yeah, thank you.

1:33

All right.

1:34

Okay.

1:35

So we have a lot to catch up on.

1:38

Got a lot.

1:38

I spent a couple minutes since I've been here.

1:41

So we just basically have to like update all the stuff that's going on.

1:46

Um we have so we'll start with a calendar.

1:49

Um we have a calendar call to artists that's going to go out in September.

1:53

We are waiting for IT to uh build us a database uh platform situation.

2:00

So they stop coming to our email and we miss them and we can't figure out if we've got them all and it's kind of a mess when we have concurrent calls artists.

2:08

So um I met with IT today.

2:11

Um it's been a long conversation coming.

2:14

So hopefully we have that by the end of this month.

2:17

And as soon as that's ready to go, I'm going to put out the call to artists.

2:21

It's going to be the same as last year.

2:23

We're gonna look for 14 images, um, and then with a couple backups.

2:28

But as soon as that thing is ready to roll, I don't know what it's gonna look like yet.

2:31

I'll give you a chance to all like test drive it and we'll we'll see how it all comes in.

2:36

Hello.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Arts And Culture█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████26%
Procedural██████████████████18%
Public Engagement███████7%
Technology and Innovation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Leesburg Commission on Public Arts Meeting - August 4, 2026

The Leesburg Commission on Public Arts (COPA) met on August 4, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 6:28 PM. The meeting covered routine approvals, updates on multiple arts programs, budget and sponsorship decisions, and planning for upcoming events. One member was absent, but quorum was maintained (4 of 7).

Discussion Items

  • Agenda and Minutes Approval: The agenda was approved unanimously. Approval of the June meeting minutes was delayed due to a discrepancy over the listed time for the Art in Your Yard event (notes showed 12–3 PM vs. 1–3 PM in minutes); the minutes were approved after noting the error would be resolved.
  • Calendar Call to Artists: Staff reported that a centralized database for artist submissions is being built by IT and expected by end of August. The call for the 2026 calendar will open in September, seeking 14 images with backups. The deadline for artist selection was set for the November 2 meeting to allow printing. Printing costs may exceed $5,000, requiring a future vote to go out for bid; otherwise, printer Canterbury would be used.
  • Raflo Park Sculpture Exhibit: The Friends of Leesburg Public Arts (FOLPA) will cover the full $5,000 cost for five sculptures after sponsorship efforts failed to secure funds. Plaques and directories need to be updated. A temporary directory will be printed using Canva files. The exhibit ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Friday, August 6 at 6–6:30 PM at Raflo Park; a location near the bridge was suggested for better visibility and shade.
  • Art in Your Yard Date Change: Due to zoning issues with the planned gravel lot for sidewalk sale vendors, the event was moved. A motion passed to reschedule Art in Your Yard to September 12, 2026 (10 AM–6 PM), coinciding with the Leesburg Sidewalk Sale. Artists will commit to specific time slots (e.g., 1–3 PM) to be published on a map.
  • Airport Mural: Funding is still short; Kuhn Aviation has offered to cover the full cost if directly asked. Staff will proceed with the ask. The mural will be displayed indoors at the airport.
  • Crossroads Sponsorship: COPA voted to sponsor the Crossroads event (September 18–19) as a supporting organization. No additional funds are needed as $500 was already budgeted and encumbered in the prior fiscal year.
  • Pollinator Sculpture at Fox Ridge Park: Staff identified three proposed sites. Next steps include a site walk with Parks & Rec Director John Cleves, a presentation to the Parks Advisory Commission (PAC) by the September meeting, then Town Council approval. A call to artists would follow in October, aiming for installation by spring 2027. Estimated cost: $8,000–$12,000.
  • VMFA Visit: The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts mobile exhibit visit failed because the bus generator broke and the artworks require temperature control. The museum left after an hour. Staff will explore a fall date or link with next year's air show.
  • Love Your Mother Event: The final Love Your Mother event was held successfully; COPA expressed gratitude. The organizers are ending the program.
  • New Artist at Visit Loudoun: Photographer Philip (uses film cameras) will display black-and-white works at Visit Loudoun through September, with demonstrations during First Friday (September 4).
  • Art Exhibits at Airport and Town Hall: New exhibits go on display September 1. Artists may hold open houses; COPA will need a member to greet during setup.
  • New Member Recruitment: Member Tira resigned due to attendance policy violations. The vacancy falls under Council Member Patrick. Interested applicants should use the town's online form and notify Patrick.
  • Future Meeting Date: The next COPA meeting was moved to September 14, 2026 (Monday after Labor Day) to avoid conflicts.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved: Meeting agenda (unanimous). June minutes (approved with corrected time).
  • Motions Passed:
    • Reschedule Art in Your Yard to September 12, 2026 (10 AM–6 PM) – unanimous.
    • Sponsor Crossroads event (no cost) – unanimous.
    • Schedule next meeting on September 14, 2026 – unanimous.
  • Funding Commitments: FOLPA to cover $5,000 for Raflo Park sculptures. COPA to ask Kuhn Aviation for full airport mural sponsorship.
  • Directives:
    • Staff to finalize artist submission database; issue calendar call in September.
    • Staff to coordinate with Parks & Rec for pollinator sculpture site walk and PAC presentation.
    • Staff to update directories and plaques for Raflo Park.
    • Apply for Loudoun County arts grants (up to $250,000 per grant; applications open August 12).
  • Next Steps: Tira's seat to be filled via Council Member Patrick. Future grant writing will be explored.

Meeting Transcript

All right, I'll go ahead and call the order at 5 30. All right. We are one member down. So this is full. But our quorum doesn't change because that's seven. So we're still at four for a quarter. All right. So approval. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda for tonight's meeting? Motion to approve. Have a second. And then all in favor. Aye. Opposed. Me. Okay. And then do we have a motion to approve the meeting minutes from June? So I wasn't here. I can't vote on the list. I'll make a question. Oh, wait, one second. Yes, Linda found something. The art in your yard. Did we say one to three at the meeting? She has written down 12. I had 12 to 3 in my notes. Well, but it will not matter because we have some updates on that. So um yeah, we had to can we have to all get into it. Right. Yeah. So all right. So umette made the motion. Do we have a second for the minutes? I'll check it. All right. And then all in favor. I when you can't vote on that. Oh, that's right. Sorry. Automatically. Yeah, thank you. All right. Okay. So we have a lot to catch up on. Got a lot. I spent a couple minutes since I've been here. So we just basically have to like update all the stuff that's going on. Um we have so we'll start with a calendar. Um we have a calendar call to artists that's going to go out in September. We are waiting for IT to uh build us a database uh platform situation.

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