Metro Arts Commission Meeting – October 23, 2024

The Metro Arts Commission convened on October 23, 2024, at 10:00 AM. The meeting included public comment, committee updates, a lengthy discussion on grant criteria and community engagement, and approval of the Community Arts Leaders of Nashville (CALN) program. Key speakers included commissioners, staff, Metro Legal, Nashville City Councilmember Styles, and the executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission (MHRC).

Consent Calendar

• The minutes from the September 26, 2024 meeting were approved by voice vote (all in favor).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Davy Tucker (Executive Director, Metro Human Relations Commission) urged the commission not to approve any criteria or allocations today, arguing that the conciliation agreement settling a Title VI claim had not been followed “to the letter nor the spirit.” He requested that commissioners educate themselves on the complaint and the agreement before moving forward.
• Councilmember Styles (District 35) provided procedural guidance, emphasizing that council prefers a single, cohesive grant plan covering both operating support and Thrive, and that meaningful community engagement must occur before legislation is introduced. She warned that “vultures are circling” for unallocated budget funds.
• A representative of MHRC (later in the discussion) stated that separating Thrive from operating grants would not be supported, as Thrive is integral to achieving equity under the conciliation agreement.

Discussion Items

• Public Art Committee (PAC) Update – Commissioner West reported that no PAC meeting was held in October due to projects closing out or in design development. A three-page handout of current and upcoming projects was distributed.
• Budget & Administrative Oversight Committee Update – Commissioner Watts reported the committee met September 17. Topics included FY24 closeout, FY25 budget work, audit updates, and conciliation meetings. Staff identified and began updating administrative procedures. A motion to dissolve the committee was raised but not acted upon.
• Grants & Funding Committee Report – Commissioner Jester reported that the committee met earlier in the week and voted to recommend approval of funding criteria, but with conditions: a plan for community engagement and legal review. As of the meeting, Metro Legal had not been given sufficient time to review; community engagement was lacking. Commissioner Lefkowitz expanded on the need for transparency, noting that a process outlined in August by Tessa Ortiz Marsh (Metro Legal) had not been followed. She proposed a series of steps including scheduling committee meetings, widely disseminating guidelines, and creating data visualizations.
• Grant Criteria & Thrive Working Group – Interim Director Dr. Coleman provided context: the proposed allocation splits $3.2 million as $2.3 million for General Operating Support (GOS) and $900,000 for Thrive, based on last year’s Thrive level. He noted the Thrive working group (part of the conciliation agreement) must present a plan by January 5, 2025. The group is considering fiscal agent models but has not defined the program. Legal counsel Tessa Ortiz Marsh clarified she needed a one-week buffer to review final policy for legal sufficiency; she had received the scoring rubric and selection panel criteria only the evening before. Discussion revealed that the commission had not yet decided the allocation split between GOS and Thrive—a policy decision the commission must make.
• CARE Committee Report – Commissioner Hardin reported the committee lacked quorum at its last meeting but is close to finalizing an equity definition. He suggested CARE could host community engagement sessions for the grant process.
• Community Arts Leaders of Nashville (CALN) Program – Restorative Arts Manager Josiah Golson presented the CALN program, which provides paid internships at Nashville arts organizations for undergraduate students, prioritizing Pell Grant recipients. Funding comes from a separate restorative arts line item ($88,100 in the current budget). Fifteen host sites applied; the fall semester was paused due to Metro Arts’ transition. The request was to approve criteria, applications, and move to council for spring 2025 implementation.

Key Outcomes

• Grant Criteria Deferred – The commission effectively deferred action on the grants and funding committee’s recommendation to approve funding criteria. No formal vote was taken; continued discussion and submission of questions to staff were agreed upon. The plan will return after legal review, completion of the Thrive working group plan, and actual community engagement (not just a plan).
• CALN Program Approved – A motion to approve funding and operations of the CALN program for internships from January 1 to June 30, 2025, was made. An amendment to stipulate that these funds are separate from the operating/thrive grant program (coming from the restorative arts budget) was adopted. The amended motion passed on a roll-call vote: 11 in favor (Kurtz, Lefkowitz, Jester, Kuleo, Nichols Phillips, Rosenbloom, Wade, Watts, West, and others), 0 opposed.
• New Staff Introduction – Fred Adam was introduced as the new part-time senior finance person. He will assist with financial accountability, audit findings, and staff training.
• Next Steps – Commissioners were asked to compile questions on the grant criteria and submit them to staff and legal. The working group will continue meeting on Thrive. The CARE committee will work on finalizing an equity definition and may host community engagement sessions. Metro Arts must also submit a financial report to council per the budget ordinance to release grant funds.