All right, let's start.

I call the meeting to order at 602.

Um I have on my list.

I know all your names, but I need the list.

Okay, but Susie Merhar.

Yeah.

Basic Rathbun.

Yeah.

Joe Medwood.

Um and Stephanie Spade absent, too.

Thompson absent.

All right.

Um item three approved minutes from the meeting on February 11th.

I motion to approve in the minutes.

All in paper.

And now we could have oral communications from the public.

Nobody there.

No.

And then we go on to upcoming agenda topics.

Topics that come to mind.

Look at all right.

No.

Then item six, unfinished business.

Uh six one capital improvement program and other public art project dates.

Public art strategy, community engagement update.

So we have a number of exciting public art projects updates.

So these are the capital improvement projects that are um have been in the works.

Um Evelyn Park, Villa Jakita Park, um Shoreline Boat House.

So we're working, um continuing to work with all the artists.

Um looking up arts on butterfly replicing a galile.

Um this is just the rendering that um so it may not be another butterfly, just noting that.

Um yeah, I think we already commented on that, yes.

On his panels and then James Den on the bench paneling.

Um continuing to work with them on the design and um for um the avan park and village.

The installation is still um CBD right now, so as we uh get further in the design process, then we'll figure it outdated on when that when the timing is for installation on these projects or the shoreline boat house.

Um the project is set to be uh completed by November, December, and the art installation will happen um right at the tail end of that.

So I'm expecting installation by the end of the year.

Um maybe giving a little bit of a confidence into January of next year, but um, but we're expecting for the R to Shoreline Boat House to be installed by the end of the year.

Will he submit the uh a draft, like a more final draft?

Yeah, so um, I mean he doesn't technically have to he will we'll continue to work with staff uh or he'll continue to work with staff on the design.

We do have a meeting schedule um to do a site visit of shoreline with the shoreline manager um and one of their team members who's uh heavily involved in kind of the ecosystem at Shoreline, and and they'll be able to give some pointers on um the flora and fauna to include in in his panel.

So um he's gonna be prepping the design.

I think um I think it'll be through early summer.

We should have a sense of what that looks like later.

So I'm happy to share that when we do get that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'm glad he's back on board.

Uh I have a quick question about the Evelyn park because I've sorry being late.

Last week.

Uh and I wonder if you could find out where it would go.

The the third third of the park is completely landscaped and down, right?

Has a has two play structures, has benches, has has uh yeah um vegetation everywhere and chat, but there is a there's a lawn strip that faces Evelyn.

Like that's just lawn, and I'm I was just wondering, does it go there?

Because it feels like the rest is over, and I kind of seem to remember where we wanted to put it is kind of in the corner in the back corner, one of the back corners, so towards the housing, not towards the street.

Yeah, exactly.

And there's no way that it can go there because there's a tree planted there and a play structure really close by.

Um I don't think we can double check.

That will be that seems to be misaligned with what we decided, so we should probably check that.

Well, and they they may have made uh an executive decision to put it in a place that does make the most sense with how you know that that completion of the patch looks like might be designated for that.

I think if we can see it from the street, you know.

Oh no, I it's not that I'm against put it on that long thing, but it's not where we said, so we'll be good for that.

Yeah, yeah, I can double check.

I honestly can't remember.

I remember the talking about the path would be added for it, but yeah, I'll double check.

So it's good.

I have a question about the feature park.

Yeah, is that a render look like it'll be in black and white?

No, it'll be the colorings.

That's just an example of uh one of the benches that he's done.

Um so better vision of what the product final product would look like.

Uh but it'll be uh super colorful, uh yeah, super colorful packages.

And then there were like little images, I think that is.

Yeah, yeah.

So he's working with the Mountain View Historical Association and Club Australia.

Um copyright questions right now.

So the image will stay black and white.

What was that?

The images will stay black or white.

Um, I'm not sure.

I think in his rendering, they appear more colorful to me, and they have a hue over it.

Um so yeah, I think they're I think the photos range from like the 1940s to present day.

Um so the older photos are definitely in black and white, but uh so I but I think I think they'll all have a little bit of a hue to them.

Yeah, um another update.

Um so the ballar beautification project.

Um, we've talked about this at the last meeting, but um we've you know been working with the artists.

Um trying to um revive the the project and and bring it to life.

And um we are looking at um at least one of the artists is going to install starting by the end of the month.

Um so as we finalize the schedule and and location, um, we'll be publicly sharing that information, inviting people to come out and talk with the artists and and watch them.

And um, I think the installation is gonna be a little bit staggered too.

So there's gonna be kind of continuous activation downtown, which will be really fun.

Um, but just a refresher on um the artist um renderings and where they're gonna go.

They'll they'll be at the the two bullards at the the two white ballards at the inside of the fencing on the petmall.

More exciting news Fernanda Martinez.

Um she is going to start installing her mural.

Um we're tentatively next week, adding tentatively to all of these.

Um, but um we're we're looking at next week.

I think she's gonna start going out and sketching it out and um and and start painting at least by the end of next week, I think it should be.

Um and again for this, we'll go out and get some um photos and and videos of her as she's starting to then share and invite people to come and just engage with her, and she's really excited about that too.

Um, we're still working with Arumo.

Um, she has had a really busy spring schedule, and so um I think it's it's looking like her art will be done a little bit later, but continuing to work with her and check on our schedule and see when we can put that done.

Very excited.

So Fernanda's art that's going into the it's the maintenance restroom building that's closest to the tennis court and uh magical bridge playground.

What time line did Harula agree to work with this?

Um well the the project's been delayed quite a bit um for a number of reasons.

The contractor state licensing board and and Senate Bill um or the uh going through that process of exempting muralness.

Um so I mean originally it this was to be done last year, but we weren't able to do that.

So um we're still just trying to work with her and um just make sure we can get out then Dream Depot art.

Um this is another thing that um we're looking at installation later this month, and uh we're really busy end of the month.

Um so looking at installation at the end of this month.

Um so contractor will go out and do the installation.

Um we're still working with VTA.

Um checking on there's a number of people we want to um invite to do um celebration and ribbon cutting and um so we're working on scheduling that out.

I think it would probably be about a month after the installation is done.

Um but keep everyone posted when it's up.

I think for viewing, we're very excited about this.

So Kristen, will you hand will you send out um like any announcement announcement so we know like if this happens between now and the next meeting, like so we can go check out?

Definitely okay, great.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

As soon as we um like so Bernanda, she should be installing next week.

There were a few things that she was waiting on um to to figure out exactly what day, but as soon as we know, I'll I'll send out an email to everyone.

Same will go with the ballards, um go with this.

I I probably wouldn't recommend going out while this is being installed.

Um there filling holes and sounds exciting, but um construction site at that point.

But then you're on the ballards getting one, grab some lunch, watch the art be installed.

Yeah, not there, not there.

Let's just do it like that.

I'm wondering if this wouldn't be an opportunity to bundle all three and make this a bigger thing.

Yeah, yeah, I think you know, maybe tied to our art strategy, and uh and I think it's not March, unfortunately, I think it's April, but we got something from SV Create, right?

If the CD wants to make it an art mom, you you kind of get their support, how you publicize that or something like that.

Yeah, but I think that's April, not March.

Yeah, but I feel like since people haven't heard much from us, right?

This will be such a good opportunity.

Well, this is happening.

This is happening, this is happening.

Bundled up some more.

Yeah, definitely.

Um, and uh was gonna let um the group knows at the end, but um we are um the mayor agreed to do a proclamation to support the art, it's arts culture creativity month for the month of April.

And so we're presenting the proclamation to um community school of music and arts.

Um just in recognition of um the work that they do and the education they provide to people of all ages.

Um so yeah, so the council is recognizing that, and uh we plan to have some kind of social media posts related to it too.

Um California Arts something, but they they provided a whole um kind of social media package um around and how how to celebrate it.

So we can start celebrating in March.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, even more bundling could go on the way.

You you were just saying like this the contractor, the artist is doing something.

So will that end up being like following the April, uh, the mass of April.

Um so it that should only take a few days to actually put up on the building.

Um if they are able to get it done, that we're looking at getting it done at the end of March.

Um I was waiting to confirm with the contractor their availability this week.

Um, but they they gave an estimate of end of March.

Um but then the ribbon cutting celebration that'll come probably about a month later.

There's cords which is gonna be the end of April, yeah.

Yeah.

Because it's printed panels.

So it will be not painting, right?

Yeah, so it'll be in April in Art, Arts Culture and Creativity Month.

And that is um just an update.

Um the latest exhibition is uh with Stanislav uh Chenning.

Um the title of her exhibition is Variations on Classics.

So she just installed her work yesterday.

It looks so pretty in the lobby.

Um the framing's really beautiful and looks really really good.

Um her pieces are all really big too.

Um so go check that out.

It's open from Wednesday to Saturday, noon to three, um, and one hour before public events.

Any other questions?

Yeah reception was fantastic.

I know this later, but just wanted to say that.

That was so good.

Yeah, we had um I think over 90 people 85 ticketed um plus and yeah, some more.

We heard super good feedback.

Like people were like, oh, how can we have this every month?

This is so cool.

We're so proud about new tests.

So definitely looking at how we can bring those a year.

We're exploring staff capacity and CPA now and then like with the artists, right?

Yeah, and W did a great job.

Yeah, team.

Yeah, everybody, everybody's pick a number.

That was that was really fun.

Very lively, you know, all these different things.

Very engaging.

Yeah, yeah.

People really didn't get the message about microphone etiquette.

Everybody wanted to grab it.

All right.

Um next is public art strategy community engagement update.

Um, before I open up the presentation, we have Amanda Ross in on the call.

Um with us from Art Builds community.

So um I'll go ahead and get into the presentation.

Um I'll tag Amanda in when I need some help.

So just um before we get started, so tonight really is uh an update on what we heard from the community, the survey results, the vision board exercise, um general feedback we heard through conversations and stakeholder engagement and uh the workshops.

Um we wanted to provide kind of well really the specific feedback that we got, but also a little bit of a higher level um overview of kind of the themes of um themes from the conversations that we have with Steve.

So there's a refresher on the timeline.

Um so we've we're finishing up and you know, giving the update on the synthesis and emerging um from the outreach.

Um we've already started to um draft and refine the public art strategy.

Um the VACs strategy, community outreach, um of our staff and and team members who will certainly be helping them at the final product, and then uh we're looking at tentative adoption in fall.

Um we'll at the end of the presentation we'll have a little bit more specific steps into the mic.

Okay, so numbers uh numbers of the outreach.

This we all like we were all shocked how how well it went and um how how many um people we got to respond to and um participate in our activities in the survey um through 10 events, so that's the uh pop-ups, the workshops, the stakeholder meetings.

Um we had over 360, over 300 surveys filled out, um the 3,000 little dots put on those vision boards, um, and overall had around 700 people participate and all for activities, some pictures from the events, obviously monster batch the baby is leaking the is not a participant.

Is it what they be a participant?

Yeah, that's we're taking that feedback seriously.

Oh wait, did we check the American citizenship?

Um, it was just joking on recent we showed this at the last one of our last meetings, but uh I'm just a quick image of of the vision board.

Um it's it's interesting as you look at the responses from the survey and the vision board exercise.

Um they kind of align, but there's a little bit of differences.

Um so from the vision board light is the most um enjoyed type of art or the the preferred type of art.

Um as people looked at that.

You can see the age the age of people who responded, it's mostly people under the age of 18, but there is a good variety.

Um that's just the nature of kind of the um the pop-up events that we were at, and they're family friendly and family oriented.

So there are a lot of kids in the age of 18 there.

Um functional art is a second um second preference, uh followed by gateways, temporary art's pretty close, um, and then interactive people apparently least interested in the images of of the interactive art.

And then for the theme, so the image there were images on the vision board that showed examples of um kind of art theme, so cultural, historical, natural environment, family oriented and technology.

Um, so cultural, um preference, uh family oriented um was the second preference followed by natural environment, and then a similar age responses.

So um our community put in a lot of work to create this fun little Google map.

Um let me see if I can pull up shows where people put pins on the board.

What is the focus is really downtown, um Ringstorf Park, which is interesting given that there is already quite a lot of art there.

Um, but I think that I think it shows how um well visited attended it is and then I think it was Questa Park, or at least I got the third I don't think has any but doesn't have any public art, yeah.

And these the vision board it um really does align back to the survey results, which I think the top uh some of the top results.

So I think it was downtown and parks were at the top two survey.

Um so the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Mountain View.

Um so I kind of equated some of this to um to the vision board as people are looking at thinking using genes, which cultural uh and the theme of culture was the number one for the vision board, similar to what people think about when it's about mountain view, um family oriented was another and natural environment for the vision board, which kind of goes it was a little bit different for how people responded to the survey, um, but it might just go show people are seeing these images as they were filling out the vision board and so how you think about mountain view versus when you see it an example of some kind of how you might respond to we put in a few examples um or a few of the responses for the write-ins, and it's not all inclusive of uh provided for write-in responses, but we get the um when we have the final document drafted.

This all of the write-in responses will be included as an appendix.

Um so we'll be able to go through those.

But um, this is kind of a it's more of a summary, right?

Yeah, these are um the top four that we saw most consistently um from the other write-in um options that people provided.

So when you do look at that, uh when the report is completed, you'll likely see these common four areas.

So, where would you like to see art?

Um again, similar to the uh vision board exercise, so downtown Mountain View is a top top contender, um followed by parks and trails, um, and then transit areas, um, and near civic center followed by near civic center plaza and then shopping systems.

This is one where we actually pulled some of locations out for the other writing option, just so that you all are aware in Stevens Creek, Prominente Creek Trail, um, Westmid Sports Center, utility boxes, those are kind of common in the responses that we saw as well.

Type of art.

Um so people are really interested in murals, um, then sculptures, functional art, um, then it's kind of close from there.

So I guess sound people are really don't want sound or um, but it is interesting, like the light and production are is pretty low on the list too, um, versus the vision board, like seeing the images of the light arts, really fun and cool.

Um, but when you can call it indirect if the actual picture was interactive too, because people look on those thoughts.

So I think it's always important to see the pictures that were used because it gives you a little bit of a more differentiated impression because that was also an interactive piece.

I think people can't if they just see it, they don't they don't have a vision what it could be.

Yeah, they may think it's annoying annoying and like lasers.

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Um interesting.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, and then what do you think um the role of public art in Mountain View should be?

Um so top response, buggers kind of tied is providing opportunities for people to experience art that enriches their lives.

Um I think is um really similar to the um the mission that the VAC created for the strategy.

Um and then our economic development team's personal favorite is bringing a sense sense of whimsy and delight um to everyday spaces.

Um and then supporting the growth of the local arts.

It's uh striking that almost, I mean, all of them are pretty similar, at least the the last five.

Yeah, kind of interchangeable.

Yeah, this one's always a little tough for people to um respond to, and um, we give them an option to choose more than one because of that tug and pull on what role public art really does does have in a city.

I'd also say, like in all the slides that we've been looking at, when you think back about what the council priorities are for the city, so of the 25, 27 um priorities, they they they align with with these what how people are responding, right?

That um recognizing that the city of Mountain View is culturally diverse and making sure that it's a safe place for community, um being really um thoughtful about uh public space and understanding the history of of um of um the city of Mountain View, and then recognizing that it is a it's an innovative um an innovative city that's all constantly consistently trying to make sure that there's economic um opportunities for businesses.

Um and that's my words, not theirs that I'm using based off of what I read.

Uh so I I think that there is a great tie-in between what you as VAC has come together has put together for us as we've started this project, what the council really sees for the city without thinking about art, right?

Because they probably weren't thinking about art, and it really does tie in, and then what the community members have provided us in their responses to the surveys, both through visual dots and through um through checked off surveys.

So just wanted to provide that input.

Okay, just a little uh problem who responded.

So most mostly residents, and I think this was another one that was kind of a multi option question, but there were a lot of write-ins too where people kind of responded that they were a resident, but a past resident, or they visit there but visitors funny how people decide to do that, but then the age range.

Um it's a little bit more even on the survey, a lot less people under the age of 18 in their early 20s, but I think the the vision boarding between the vision boarding and the survey, we've got a really nice range of responses.

Okay, so this is a summary of um some of the feedback that we heard at the artist stakeholder meeting.

Um so just point some things out here.

I'm sort of streamlining the public art processes, I'm doing perceptions and events for exhibitions, I'm supporting growth of local artists, and facilitating network, uh networking and um vendor search was specific.

Another thing that came out of that conversation was public insurance, and just kind of going through city processes, um using art as a conduit of connection.

That was a big point of discussion um during the meeting, and um making sure that art is representative of different people in the community and that it um is a tool to help bring together.

Um maybe artists were um Amanda, did we have like 20?

Yeah, it was around 20.

Yeah, yeah.

It was pretty good, and I think I think everyone in the meeting spoke too, which with a big can be hard sometimes, but um we had a chance, I think, to talk with everyone.

Um then people, I think most people had um some connection back to Mountain View, whether they had applied for um a project or participated in the exhibitions or um have done a public project.

Right.

Yeah, but I think the the conversation was really positive, which was really good.

Um and I felt like everything the artists were saying, we we understood we're in alignment with um and so that that was um really yeah, I feel that they had um room to speak their mind, you know, on things that maybe they've been frustrated with, right?

Um, and I think that's always an important um space to create for artists in situations like this.

And so it was great to to hear them speak up about the permit process and what's happening behind the scenes and wanting to wanting more of a connection with the staff liaison, right?

So things of that sort that happened kind of um even the behind the scenes from BAC, right?

Because it's staff that's working on that side of things.

So to hear kind of where they would like to see changes um was incredibly helpful uh when it comes to to uh specific parts of of recommendations and and um and policy and process.

Okay, so just um we've shown this slide before, but just bringing it back up again.

Um taking all of all of the feedback from the community and seeing um you know what what value can it add to the uh um kind of goals and action items that the VAC created, and then how do we make sure that those goals and action items are things that we feel um staff have capacity to be able to and not just capacity, but um really looking at like the legality of it and and yeah, so um with other plans and work plans and strategies.

What were the other three stakeholder meetings?

I did it before the other suite, yeah.

We met with um the downtown business association, um the um developers stakeholder meeting developers, and um we we did speak with community school of music and rights too.

Okay and staff, right?

Yeah, and staff, yeah.

Okay, so this is kind of a uh high level look at how um what the feedback looks like, um kind of the direction it's it's taking us and and where how we're thinking of including the feedback in the strategy.

Um you know, I think I have I was asked the question on what from the community outreach differed from the visual arts commission strategy, and I don't think there was anything that was substantially different for in conflict with um the strategy that the VAC put together.

Um so yeah, I think it's it's just reassuring that the community goes similarly uh and really wants to see just nicer program.

So we can walk through these.

Um I'm gonna kind of go back and forth between two documents as I go through these summaries and then maybe I'll I'll have you help me help fill in the um any blanks that I'm missing or if there's any other comments that we have on on these items.

But so as we're looking through oh go ahead.

Well, and I just I just want to um just note about the public art reach piece.

I think for me it's been really exciting to see how much the community wants to engage.

And so I really applaud the VAC's effort to engage with the community as part of this process because clearly the community's been hungry to tell us about all the stuff they want from art.

So I think it's been just a really nice part of the development of this public art strategy and um and all clearly I mean all the numbers of people who participated.

So it really um I think it really further strengthens all the work that's all the elements that are coming together for the ultimate creation of the strategy.

I think it also kind of reinforces my council.

So let's re look at the strategy.

Yeah, but we revised and bring the community in to the conversation.

Oh, which is great.

Okay, so I'll start walking through these.

And um, yeah, Amanda, if there's anything you want to fill in, please um just jump in.

Um so first thing making the program workable, um streamlining it.

This is talking about the operations of how we're working with artists, the contracting process, um it's overall reducing administrative barriers.

Um we talked about mural permits at the artist stakeholder meeting and and what that looks like.

Um we've heard from the we heard from the community, um, we heard from the VAT and we feel it too.

There needs to be uh some improvements on this general operations and delivery.

Um looking at um so evaluating artists' economic sustainability.

Um so this is something this is related back to um compensation.

Um what are the fees for artists to participate in our program?

Um looking at like burn fees, insurance, um how you know, are we making sure that what we're getting artists is also reflecting kind of what what they're having to pay to participate for the first one for open streamlined?

Did they give us some uh suggestion how streamlined?

Um if I heard that correctly, I think it I heard did they give you asking if the artist gave suggestions on how to streamline?

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

So yeah, so some of them provided examples of other experiences they had in different cities.

Um and I think for them their biggest concern was a consistent um uh maybe check-ins.

What and when I say consistent in this, it doesn't mean like weekly or or even monthly, but rather the stability of a bi-monthly or something of that degree where there was a a would you agree, Kristen?

What that you heard the same thing that they really were looking for that um connection with staff to make sure that there was an understanding of how a project was moving forward.

Yeah, yeah, there were comparisons with Palo Alto, which has a team of five people as part of their public art for four and a half or five people as part of the public art program, and um so they're able to um reach out and ask yeah, and to me the word is not streamliness, it's more transparency.

Oh, sure, yeah, yeah.

And I actually think we have in the description and um in the memo.

Um I mean, I think we say cost transparency in here, but I think yeah, transparency is part of that.

Yeah, okay.

Yeah, yeah.

So um the city council did approve the other week, the addition of uh an art staff, a bull-time art staff.

So um, yeah, they're having a single person focusing solely on arts will certainly add value and um time to to be able to manage the um the communication and kind of interaction with the city and to be that the solely liaison.

But as is our process, like the cough artists, whatever these are fine, yes.

Um the strategy is gonna definitely provide some feedback on how to maybe better streamline it just based on the best practices that we are aware we know of in the field on a national level, and that's something that we'll be working with Amanda and Christian on as we as they review the draft once we turn that in at the end of the month.

Okay, yeah, and this is this summary is again it's a high level kind of look at um the feedback.

I'm thinking too deep for that.

No, it's okay.

It's good questions though, good questions, but yeah, but yeah, and I I mean I think the call for artists, the the process came up um during the artist stakeholder meeting.

Um I I can't I actually can't recall what was that about it.

If you do Amanda I don't recall right now, I'm sorry.

Um I think process in general.

I mean, I think we may have asked the question on uh well, actually, no, I've asked artists in the past.

Um if there's other programs that they've worked with instead of call for entry that they preferred.

There's so many out there.

I honestly haven't been able to get the answer.

So but I think that's gonna be part of the research that it's done.

Um okay, so so we talked about um operational streamlining, um looking at fair pay, um compensation for artists and just um really I think supporting um I guess growing the arts ecosystem, so supporting um art artists' economic mobility uh would be part of that.

Um so some of the feedback we heard at the stakeholder meeting um when we're looking at like growing an arts ecosystem, um similar to how we provide support to just um our forefront business owners and businesses and commercial spaces across the community and um sending them to resources like small business development center, being able to provide some of that similar type of support and helping especially emerging artists learn how to go through processes with cities or artists who are getting into the public art realm um after practicing and you know doing different practices previously, just being able to provide um more um hands-on guidance or facilitating um some sort of working up with uh possible idea, like uh every year or twice a year we do a webinar toward webinar towards all the either in working or and explain to them how how do we select arts to to include them in the process, so it has some transparency to them.

I mean show them the back end of how we look at the cafe's interface.

Yeah, I like that idea.

We've talked about um, I mean, we've we've done some outreach with businesses on um just how to how to participate in the public RFP process that's been a little bit more of a general um outreach and doing that, but I think doing that with artists.

Yeah, how do we score um okay?

The next one is so encouraging private space space activation.

Um so Amanda mentioned council work plan items.

Um I know this is a council work plan item.

This is something we talked about at the um with the visual arts committee and at the meetings and um up in the strategy too.

Um so finding ways to partner with private property owners or businesses and holding some sort of activation to support us.

And then investing in expertial programming.

Um so just uh one thing because I knew if I don't say I forget.

Um recently I saw at Los Altos high, which is considered public or but the city doesn't own them.

It's the probably the school district.

They had a huge mural, and the principal was like called a um they guess they pay the for the material and the artist can too for them as some of the art major student possible something smaller assignments in this huge mural.

So school maybe like a because they have the wall, they have a huge wall and entry, yeah.

Yeah, I think community murals is something we've heard from um in the outreach too.

And I think that would actually be a part of this, like experiential programming and looking at ways to do uh and like a temporary art activation or um it would be kind of maybe an event or inviting students or something.

Um you have to always imagine.

I'm just saying that's the space, like where do we start?

Okay, maybe like that's one access point is yeah, yeah.

And then aligning infrastructure or art and infrastructure integration.

Um so again, something we talked about and something we heard from the community, like adding in that functional art, uh making sure that if we're you know we're getting a public art piece for capital improvement project, the design um is done, art design is done at a similar time as the capital the project design, and I'm just trying to make it more seamless integration with those things.

Is that also the functional art that should be science making crack benches, etc.

mindset, yeah, yeah.

And then um, so using art to create identity and belonging.

So this is really art as a place making tool.

Um suggestions we heard were like painting, um crosswalks, bike lanes, uh, um shading and seedings.

So this is kind of going back into functional too.

But um then using art as a tool to help people react along, um, reflecting all the different communities in Mountain View, the history of Mountain Ventelling Story and specifically uh we heard stories that include talk um or discussion about displacement in the community too.

Um committing to excellence and quality.

Um so this was um one thing we heard.

Um so just maintaining high standards for artistic quality, making sure installations are durable, appropriate for um the site.

Some of the comments around this talked again about some functional arts.

I think that came up quite a bit.

Um but yeah, and trying not to have things like pop art.

So we've talked about and I'm sure the visual arts committee has as an action item in the thread key.

Um creating it like an inventory of the art and um having more balanced look at how we're um commissioning art and um how we're selecting it for different areas of the city.

So planning for maintenance and cleanliness.

Um so just integrate integrating long-term care and cleanliness plans um into the lifecycle of all art pieces.

Um I think we've heard some comments um about art pieces that uh are not in good shape and um and you know we need the city needs to adopt policies around how we're handled.

And that's something that we will also have as part of the appendices.

So I think around maintenance.

Out of curiosity, is that something that we have now?

Well, we don't have we don't have a maintenance policy for art.

No.

Really, the only policy that we have around art is the percent for art policy.

Um I guess the donation.

Yeah, there's the um the policy on accepting gifts to the city, so how how we accept donations from private.

Yeah, and we'll be we'll also be providing an append appendix item on uh donations and gifts as well.

So and those are obviously will be samples of ones that um this staff can either move forward with in the quickly or in the long run.

So are we going to look at uh wasine the budget, the percentage that five percent whatever it is?

We need to like come up with uh a percentage for maintenance, what we're talking about, not necessarily not necessarily so I think we know yet.

I think we'll be looking at there's a number of different art art is located in a number of different locations, some are located in parks, you know.

I think we'll be looking at looking holistically at what the needs are and where where the funding is, it's possible we'd have to identify new funding or find a variety of things in the public art strategy.

Yeah, right.

Um I think Amanda, maybe you can talk about this a little bit.

Um but I know in in the VAC strategy there there is a you identified um the creation of a like a public art fund or something, and I'm going to send our books community and I have talked about that extensively, and um being able to build in you know, we have um there's a variety of capital improvement projects.

Is there a way to that part doesn't make sense in all of them?

Is there a way to be able to use some of that funding for maintenance?

So it wouldn't necessarily be designating five percent of a budget towards maintenance, but it would be you know, maybe there is a bucket of funding that's um coming from other projects where it may doesn't make sense to be able to then maintain and update art that is now either broken or uh something you know, something needs to be addressed if it's yeah, exactly.

Yeah, you're absolutely right, Kristen, is that it's really identifying where funds we can be pulled that can be pulled uh from to to put into the public art fund that would support maintenance, ongoing maintenance and potentially um collect collection, you know, depending on on how we move forward with it.

So I think that one is like getting a little in the leaves on that one, but that will be much more um part of that.

Actually, we're gonna have some of that conversation tomorrow when we meet with Kirsten.

So you're thinking like going from a um project by specific funding to have a pool of funds that are no however did we find how to use those funds across the city.

Yeah, yeah, that that would be one way to be able to do that.

I think the pool could make better sense because each art will cross very differently to maintain some just dust it off, but then I'm thinking that butterfly someone have to get on top of it to dust it off.

I think it also has a deal with locations, right?

Because not every location at a CIP project occurs makes sense for public art, right?

And so if we if there is an understanding from the city, um you know, internally the the pulling from from certain projects that is a certain threshold, budget, a budget threshold, um, and putting into a fund and then using that fund to maybe determine down the line will we will do a public art project based from the public art fund that was derived from the CIP projects.

Yeah, it kind of just flows in that way.

So um that's what we've been talking about um with with Christian.

Yeah, then um the last um again, these are just themes.

Um so how these how these themes are then integrated back into the strategy, there's gonna be a lot more detailed information.

Um we're literally pulling items from the VAC strategy right now.

Um trying align everything.

Um so the last thing in here is building awareness and making public participation easy.

Um so we heard from people as we did the pop-ups, there are a lot of people unfortunately who had no idea about anything.

Um they've seen the public art in the city, they don't know what it's from, or yeah, they yeah, so there isn't um a broad understanding of what the study of Mountain View public art program is and how it exists and lives in in the city.

Um just doing more public awareness, uh this could be branding, um it could be uh you know how we engage with the community and and put information out and about art and celebrate art and uh and making um participation in making participation and how we select art to yeah, and it's uh you know, opportunity for opportunities to even um start future um VAC members, um, you know, encourage them to be at these meetings since they are public meetings, um, you know, experiences like that.

The city has a those festivals, those gatherings, a German market.

I don't believe we ever had a boost in any of these VAC.

So that's one way to do it.

Yeah.

Do you have any other questions on these?

I was I was just wondering um those 10 points.

That does this kind of the most important overlap from the C strategy or kind of the first.

I think it's things you identified, or how is that weighted?

Um I we haven't weighted it, honestly.

Um it hasn't been this hasn't been weighted.

Um I think this is just the best way we could summarize the feedback that we got.

Um I'm sure there's some feedback that might not be bucketed into these items, but um, but this was the best way.

We have a higher level emerging trends.

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Yeah, and I know as we as we continue on and and finish up on the final document, there's gonna be things we're looking at maybe a little bit differently too.

Um but but this is uh you know, as we finished up, um kind of summarizing all of the feedback, these are the things that we gathered.

Yeah, but I I think it to me it's just exciting to see how in alignment everyone is.

And again, like Amanda said, like how excited the community is and whether or not they knew what the public art program was.

People have opinions on art in the city, and they were very eager to share them.

And uh it's fun to hear all um all the feedback and fun to start looking at how how this all comes together too, and how we take back and just build on what you've already put together.

It's really reinforcing, right?

I mean, we did best practices, right?

Our strategy is a compilation of best practices of what we could find.

So I think that still stands, but it's still it's so great to see kind of okay.

This is where we should put the spotlight on, right?

This is this is uh if people really identify they don't know, don't have the whole picture that they're sort of agreeing or enforcing or what we came up with, yeah.

Absolutely, right?

Yeah, um yeah, I think it's great because it shows that like the entire city is is in agreement, right?

Um, and in regards to like those who that we were able to reach out to and be at all those locations that typically the public art program has not been present at.

Um and and then also being present with with council members whenever they would show up at tables and and um in those kind of experiences.

And you know, just based off of um, I know we've said this before, but um Barbara and I working on this in 2019, it sounds like this is the time that this was supposed to happen, that it was not supposed to happen in 2019 initially when we first started this, that there needed to be this more in-depth from from you all from the VAC um to kind of do what you do and show the city and council that this that we need to go to that next step.

And so I think really um that's all to say that it it's come full circle, at least for me.

And and I really I really am so happy that we've gone to the point where we are and that we've been able to speak with the people that we've had because we weren't able to do that in 2019.

Um, and and that along with with those outside of City Hall and inside City Hall, it's been such a positive response to moving forward and how the suggestions we have provided um on how to move forward, whether it was staffing or financial um uh steps have been have been um been positive for us.

Looking at nine steps, um so we're we're in the process of uh putting this draft together and um and again really taking the AC strategy seriously and um and thinking about how we can make sure that um because you you did include all of the best practices, honestly, just making sure that um the things that are in in the final document are things that um the different groups in the city are practical too.

Um so we are working really hard to bring us back to the arts committee.

Um and so this will be um at the June meeting, we'll have um the draft for you to review.

Um we'll go over and take comments and feedback uh work on refining the strategy from there over the summer.

And um we are on the council agenda tentatively October.

So it should plan June.

Yes, yeah, June's gonna be a lot night.

Would it make sense to do another uh strategy subcommittee meeting?

Yeah, we're gonna we can do that so that we're kind of aligned.

If you do that, I would recommend that uh we have that already going.

Yeah, okay.

Because it would be Chesse, Regina and me, but since Jesse's not Jesse's not here, but not here anymore.

It's the two of us with them.

Yeah, yeah, we'll um yeah, we'll look at it.

Yeah, yeah.

Any other comments, questions?

Great work.

Yeah, I like the the presentation earlier for all these outreach.

Each slide is that we drive out of their timeline for when this release.

Yeah, it was really good.

Thanks so much.

Thank you.

Thank you so much at every outreach event within a lot of hours.

You you guys have made it easy for us because you you you you had the blueprints already there for us to kind of move forward with.

We just had to make sure that it moved forward.

Yes, so that was great.

So that was great.

We appreciate it.

But you added the ability to reach out to the community.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Bring it all.

That's the part.

We weren't able to do.

So it's great to be able to do that.

And then everybody's singing the same book, same call, which is even more with the line.

I love it when it happens like this when it's a team effort because instead of there being roadblocks.

Do you know the art person um art coordinator?

Will that person come in and during this process, or is that probably something happens after the strategy?

Yeah, we're we're not 100% sure yet.

Um they're still HR is doing their HR work, and um, so I think we'll learn more and probably because that will be potentially important or interesting, how that person be in or at what point that person go slower than we will probably go much slower than I can imagine right now.

The biggest milestone is having the position approved and funded by council.

So that's a huge win.

That's a big tremendous and they'll have this plan to as a you know, as a as a as a uh book to use as a benchmark as they go along, right?

And that's really what the plan's for, right?

For them to check off, okay.

This is the next thing, this is the next thing.

So to say to recruit talent for this position.

Yeah.

Oh, this is gonna be an exciting position to have.

Yeah.

So you get you'll get talent more.

It all looks up.

Yeah, the multicultural festival is coming up in May.

Any chance of us starting at the first booth there?

Something worth looking into.

I I think I will be out of town for that.

So yeah, so I'm not sure if we'll I'm not sure if we'll be able to have the new person here.

It's a staffing thing.

It's a staff.

Yeah, it does become a staff capacity, and we want to be we need to have materials prepared and you know, so I think right now, you know, our focus is on getting the strategy together, but certainly one of the action items can be outreach and you know.

Prioritizing a couple events to be at.

Yeah, it's a good idea.

Yeah, that is.

So moving on to new business.

Which could be actually, I think I went through all my public art staff added.

Um is art focus creativity month, and uh present approximation to the community school physical arts.

Um, and do some more social media pushing around for that.

Um other updates.

So the LAT 12 portable housing project, we have the ad hoc committee was selected for this.

We haven't heard anything yet from the developer on the public art component of the project.

Um not to say that it's not moving forward, but we have haven't seen they have closed off the um the site, and they are starting to do some work.

There will be a groundbreaking ceremony in May.

Um I expect their this team is kind of fully engaged in getting those things done, and um so we'll probably be a little bit behind schedule on what that public archival looks like, but it's still going to move.

It's uh the LA 12 affordable housing project is in the parking lot, right?

And then um other exciting news.

So um uh last night, the city council approved some updates to the facade improvement program.

Um we were uh we did have a mural component to the facade grant, and um it was a project that would be approved through um the grant.

Um because it would be using public funds on private property and so they would have to follow that process with the exemption now.

Um we asked council last night to um one increase the amount of funding that the city is contributing to projects.

Um so instead of a 50% match, um we requested an increase to a 75% match from the city.

Um so business property owner would be only 25% of the cost of the facade project, and we asked to create um a standalone mural grant um to be able to market it separately, um work with people a little bit differently.

So through this, we um are actually going to be able to work with an artist.

Um they they would need the sign off of a business and property owner, but an artist could come in and apply.

Uh I'm understanding that some business owners don't want to deal with the the paperwork of it, they're running their business.

Um so if an artist is interested in putting a mural up downtown, um, they get the sign-off from the business owner, the property owner, then um we can provide them with a grant update for that.

It's fully funded then.

Um yeah, so we have um, I think it was about um 120,000 in the project or the um the brand funding bucket.

So yeah.

And how much can a business get?

Um it's up to 15,000 dollars, yeah.

And that would be 75% of their project costs.

Yeah.

Certainly smaller projects, we've done smaller projects, yeah.

But that's the maximum.

Yeah, that's exciting.

Yeah, very exciting.

Yeah, one of council's directions was kind of focusing on placemak, like opportunities for place making and um, and so I think this would be a key component of having different shopping centers and commercial areas.

So with murals, I've seen in a couple of cities, like in Seattle murals, but they're on frames.

So we can change them.

So it's not like we've frozen, it's it's a it's uh it's an easel or gallery where large PDs were hung up and changed it off.

Yeah, I saw a couple of recently because they've installed uh murals like outside's uh bookstore and that's why that have an expiration date or two-year expiration.

So the idea is you're putting something up and then it'll still stay there, but it will be renewed over a period of time.

That I thought was really really good because a lot of us come experimental and yeah, again, at least gets renewed over a period of time.

So paint over it.

So it's just again it's using the buildings as a gallery wall.

Yeah, then we always get new art every single year.

Yeah, exactly.

Exactly.

So it's different steel, yeah.

And it doesn't need all the maintenance either.

Thank you.

And I assume we wouldn't anticipate having like a supply issue, like it would I don't know what the precedents are, like we would want to have enough people that would want to be making new murals, I assume.

I just want to I just want to caution you not to discuss items that aren't on your so we're we're getting into a little bit of uh discussion territory, but we can take that idea just and note it down.

Yeah, we'll put it up there.

I know it's so hard when the ideas are good.

Um I have a question.

I take a weekly hike in shoreline at shoreline and started at the kite lot and then walk out into the bay, and we noticed two new trails.

Well, one old trail that got fixed because the bridge now connects back to shoreline, and we always take that one trail that just ends with the bench, like in the middle of the bay, but parallel to that is also a new trail, completely new newly made that kind of loops around back into shoreline, not the bridge, but through the bay.

So two new trails actually, and one new trail and a new bridge.

And I was wondering if we shouldn't shouldn't have been contacted when that was uh because now they're done, and I couldn't really find much on the city website about us trails, and I was I was just wondering like isn't that a CIP project we should maybe know about or maybe not, but I was just wondering because the brand new and I don't know if they've even officially they're open, but officially dedicated or something, but yeah I'm not sure about that.

have been contacted when that was uh because now they're done and i couldn't really find much on the city website about our trails and i was i was just wondering like isn't that a c ip project we should maybe know about or maybe not but i was just wondering because they're brand new and i don't know if they've even officially is that they're open but officially dedicated or something but yeah i'm not sure right trail you're talking about um just described it it's it's hard to i cannot because i think more about them i was i think i was at the opening of that because it's it's you know when you walk towards sunny veil from the pack kite lot yeah and then out into the bay there is a weird system there so it could be that it's fun it's not funded by city it's it's Stevens Creek Trail actually it's the continuation of Stevens Creek Trail uh so when it passed Google right when it starts going into the bay that there's an old part of the trail and there's a brand new trail right parallel to that plus there's a new bridge that because there's a third trail that just loops back to Shoreline Park and immediately doesn't go out in the bay does go back to the golf links and everything and that was really muddy and a bit treacherous to pass in the past and now there's a brand new like a round bridge like a learns like this um there which is also brand new yeah we'll ask about it yeah I was I was just wondering it's just not funded through City or there are yeah exactly yeah I mean I I just saw that since since I just saw that's wondering that's if that's the case but yeah that could be that it's not a CIP.

Could I inquire about what is the status with the Chase bank for is it no happening that's happening now.

Isn't that the 700 Alchemina is it is a 700 Chase bank on short uh euro El Camino and the uh gastro yeah that and the bike not the bike shock anymore it's the gingle furniture store I see the signs as moving sale so they're moving so we that project is coming before council later so those are two different projects yeah the two projects they can go the one on this the downtown side of El Camino yeah the furniture store furniture store that one I believe is going to council later spring we don't we I don't know the status of the Chase Bay project and I believe it's still moving forward but yeah but we I don't know any of I don't know otherwise um but I don't know yeah Chase Bank was even update and I was approved and went to council a few months ago so the preserving Euros and actually the email the archers the Stanford archers in that so the the developer listen uh usually feedback and took action to preserve them both the murals and the archers or the theme of the arch we can provide a link to the downtown updates that are provided to the downtown committee on some of these development projects yeah because it did come up into our discussion yeah it's private private didn't we not talk about the mural on the on the facade they didn't know they uh the people who audience came to us they did public outreach on their own yeah okay but but we're not entitled to gotcha yeah it costs some members to support okay well for did hear and change their edit well okay so new business number seven we just number nine we had nine oh great judgment seven's still stuck there oh heck it stopped it stopped again I think the clock I think it oh it looks