Sacramento Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Commission Meeting – June 14, 2021

The Sacramento Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Commission met on Monday, June 14, 2021, from approximately 2:05 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Steven Winlock. Key actions included approval of consent items and two major public art programs, along with strategic discussion on the use of American Rescue Plan funds for the creative sector.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (May 10, 2021): Passed by motion (all in favor).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Caller 1 (District 6): Expressed support for mural locations and youth involvement but voiced concern about the lack of well-known local artists in lead roles, urging greater representation of local talent.
• Caller 2 (José Lat): Criticized the selection panel for not choosing any Chicano lead artists, citing a pattern of exclusion and questioning the cultural competence of the panel. Requested transparency with scoring sheets.
• Caller 3 (Mar Bay Atala, Gardenland North Gate Neighborhood Association): Thanked staff and Councilman Harris for advancing a mural in District 3 but expressed disappointment that the lead artist did not have lived Chicano/Mexicano experience, given that over 60% of the community is Chicano/Mexicano. Suggested including community members on future panels.
• Caller 4 (Alison Cagley, Friends of Sacramento Arts): Promoted an advocacy campaign to encourage school districts to include arts education in their Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP), directing people to their website.

Discussion Items

• Community Murals Sacramento Program (Item 2): Staff presented a pilot program funded by the Creative Edge plan, selecting 10 lead artists and 27 assistant artists (39 total, corrected from 34 in the staff report) for murals across all eight council districts. The selection panel reviewed 136 applicants using a rubric evaluating artwork quality, mural experience, community engagement experience, and comparative ranking. Staff noted that teams were curated internally to foster learning and collaboration. Commissioner Andrea Lapor served on the panel. Some commissioners raised concerns about the lack of Latino lead artists and the need for diversity in lead roles. Public comment echoed these concerns. The motion passed 5–2 (Cruz Naranjo and Luisa Lavula opposed).
• North 12th Street Gateway Project (Item 3): Staff presented a three-phase project along the North 12th Street corridor, funded through a housing project (Marisol Village). Phase 1 includes murals by the local collective Trust Your Struggle; Phase 2 is a gateway sculpture by artist Vicki Scuri, selected from 170 applicants by a panel that included tribal and city representatives. The designs follow a “metamorphosis” theme and were developed through extensive community workshops (including with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians). Commissioner Cruz Naranjo questioned the continued outsourcing of lead roles to non-local artists. The motion to approve Vicki Scuri passed 5–2 (Cruz Naranjo and Luisa Lavula opposed).
• Creative Economy American Rescue Plan (Item 4): Megan Van Voorhis presented synthesized commissioner responses to five guiding questions on how to use potential ARP funds. Themes included job creation, capacity building, equity, arts education, and neighborhood-based investments. Commissioners shared additional ideas: building a solidarity economy, supporting organizations of color (e.g., Latino Center for Art and Culture), reopening venues, public safety downtown, and using data to drive decisions. Staff will synthesize feedback and present a proposal at the July meeting.
• Director’s Report (Item 5): Megan Van Voorhis noted the FY22 budget (recommended $2.6M) includes funding for professional development, grantmaking, cultural equity investments, and operating support. She emphasized the importance of data analysis to understand funding distribution across districts.
• Chairperson’s Report (Item 6): Dr. Steven Winlock highlighted the Healthy Heart collaboration and encouraged commissioners to engage with council members.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the selection of 39 artists for the Community Murals Sacramento pilot program (5–2).
• Approved the selection of artist Vicki Scuri for the North 12th Street Gateway Project (5–2).
• Received and filed the Creative Economy American Rescue Plan oral report and Director’s/Chairperson’s reports.
• Commissioners directed staff to synthesize ARP discussions into a concrete proposal with funding estimates for the next meeting (July 2021).
• Commissioner Steven Winlock requested a culminating celebration for the mural program, which staff confirmed is planned for December 2021.