San Leandro Arts, Culture and Library Commission Special Meeting - April 17, 2025

Note: The agenda, minutes, and transcript all indicate the meeting was held on March 19, 2025, but the instruction for this summary requires using the date April 17, 2025. This discrepancy is noted here.

The Arts, Culture and Library Commission of San Leandro held a special meeting at 6:31 PM in the Main Library Trustees Room. The meeting was called to order with seven commissioners present (Chair Scotland, Vice-Chair Miller, Commissioners Cassidy, Ridsdale, Smith, Velasquez), achieving a quorum. The session included the election of officers, approval of a participation in the Game of Shrooms event, and detailed reports from the Arts Endowment and Grants committees.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the February 18, 2025 meeting (7 ayes, 0 nays).
• Approved the March 19, 2025 agenda (7 ayes, 0 nays).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Election of Chair and Vice Chair: Commissioner Cassidy nominated Vice-Chair Miller for Chair, but she declined. Cassidy then nominated Chair Scotland, who accepted and was unanimously elected (7 ayes, 0 nays). Commissioner Ridsdale nominated Miller for Vice-Chair, which she accepted, and she was unanimously elected (7 ayes, 0 nays).
• Game of Shrooms 2025: Chair Scotland presented the worldwide non-commercial art hide-and-seek event scheduled for June 14, 2025. Commissioners expressed support for participation, suggesting a scaled approach (e.g., library-only for the first year, youth focus). The library staff expressed willingness to support the event using existing budgets. A motion to officially participate in Game of Shrooms 2025 was made and carried (7 ayes, 0 nays). Further details on commission involvement were deferred.
• Arts Endowment Committee: Commissioner Cassidy reported on a meeting with Mayor Gonzalez and Council Member Bolt regarding a city ordinance to support the arts. The committee decided to research existing ordinances in similar-sized cities (e.g., Alameda, Emeryville) and bring examples to a future meeting.
• Grants Committee: Vice-Chair Miller and Secretary Sherwood presented a comprehensive review of the 2024 Arts and Culture Grants Program. Key statistics: 28 individuals/organizations applied, 12 grants were awarded (4 nonprofit organizations, 8 individual artists), totaling approximately $78,000 (up from $20,000 in the prior cycle). Estimated impact: 1,400 active participants/attendees and an estimated 90,000 people reached via passive exposure (e.g., public mosaic). The committee discussed challenges faced by grantees, including budget underestimation, promotion difficulties, and reporting requirements. Ideas for improvement included clearer budget templates, earlier reporting deadlines, better photo/video documentation requirements, and offering orientation sessions for new grantees. The subcommittee noted that they had already revised the application for the current cycle to include more detailed budget narratives and expectations.
• Commissioner Introductions: New Commissioner Stephanie Smith introduced herself, expressing interest in contributing to the city's arts and culture. Existing subcommittees (Arts Endowment and Grants) were promoted; Commissioner Smith expressed interest in joining the Grants subcommittee.

Key Outcomes

• Election results: Brody Scotland re-elected as Chair, Alana Miller as Vice-Chair (both 7-0).
• Game of Shrooms: Commission voted to officially participate in the June 14, 2025 event (7-0). Staff will coordinate with the library and bring further participation options to the commission.
• Arts Endowment Committee: Will research model ordinances from other cities and present findings at a future meeting.
• Grants Program: The 2024 review was accepted; lessons learned will inform the 2025 cycle. Grant recommendations for the current cycle are expected at the April 16, 2025 meeting.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:51 PM (7-0).