Welcome to the January 2026 Arts Commission regular meeting.

Effective October 17th, 2023, public comments may be made in person or in writing.

If you would like to view the meeting remotely, you may do so in one of the following ways.

YouTube Live, Comcast Cable Channel 28, Ross Moore Channel 26, Astound Channel 2031, and ATT Uverse Channel 99, or live stream online on the city's website.

Roll call.

We'll call Commissioner Perlman here.

Commissioner Dresser.

Here.

Commissioner Clauber.

Here.

Commissioner Tespay.

Here.

Vice Chair Magnani.

And Chair Baltazar here.

And I'd also like to acknowledge who got to meet her, but Chris Farrow, our new department director, is also in the audience tonight.

Welcome, Chris.

Move on to public communications.

This portion of the meeting is reserved for comment on items not on the agenda under the Brown Act.

The Commission cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed, request clarification, or refer the item to staff.

Do we have any public comment tonight?

No commenters.

Moving right along to the consent calendar, it's the next item on the agenda.

Does any commissioner have questions on any item on the consent calendar?

I think not.

If there's no commissioner questions or comments, um, do we have a motion?

Okay.

Is there any public comment?

Okay, then next we just need a motion.

I move that we approve the consent calendar as reported in our um from October 2025.

And do we have to accept the community arts annual report at the same time?

And accept the community arts annual report for year end 2025, same time.

And I second that.

Okay, roll call.

Uh Commissioner Dresser.

Yes.

Commissioner Clauber.

Yes.

Commissioner Perlman.

Yes.

Commissioner Tesfay.

Yes.

Vice Chair Magnani?

Yes.

And Chair Baltazar.

Yes.

Motion carries.

Great.

Consideration.

Next on the agenda is an item for the commit for commission consideration.

It is item 4A.

Consideration of the Heather Farm Park Aquatic and Community Center.

Revised public art site locations and selection panel.

Thank you.

Good evening, Arts Commissioners.

Mariah Nelson, public art manager.

Nice to see you all.

Happy New Year.

As you'll recall, at our last meeting, which was October 2025.

For the required public art project in association with the new construction at Heather Farm Park of the new Aquatic and Community Center.

Since the initial request for proposals was first published in October 2024, there have been changes that have occurred regarding viable art sites.

And staff now needs approval for a modified list of viable art sites for proposals from artists.

Additionally, in October 2023, an artist selection panel was formed to review and recommend artist proposals for the Heather Farm Public Art Project.

And due to the extended period of time, it's now been two and a half years, or a little bit more, a new selection of panelists is required for this revised public art proposal RFP to go out.

So we will need that.

So that's on whoops.

Let's see.

What's the next so here are the arts commission recommended actions for the evening as was stated review and approve revised potential site locations for public art at the new Heather Farm Aquatic and Community Center and the surrounding park areas as recommended by staff and the public art committee, and for the public who is not familiar, the public art committee is comprised of two arts commissioners, and also approve a new recommended panelist with alternates for the Heather Farm, pardon me park public art project.

So we'll do a quick overview.

I think this might look familiar to you.

Here is the site that we'll be discussing tonight.

And so we've already approved one project which you're familiar with.

That is HOTASUSE' Poppy, which will be taking which will be inside the new atrium of the new building.

So that is moving forward.

We're in contracting with them, and this is taking a part of the required budget.

Here is the site that we will be focusing on tonight.

So this is aerial view of primary art sites one and two.

The way that staff and the arts public art committee would like to draft the RFP, is to suggest in the RFP that there is one primary location for public art.

And the primary location would be either it's marked there, it's hard to see one or two.

So one is the lawn at the northwest corner of North San Carlos Drive at Heather Drive, right there on the corner.

It's an approximate hexagon shape, which could support one large project or a series of smaller works on the lawn.

So it's right there.

With the new swimming pools that are being put in and the picnic sites that are going to be moved.

If you look at the top two left picnic stations, those two are going to have to be moved to closer to the parking lot and the street, Heather Drive.

So there will be some work taking place there to accommodate for the two swimming pools that are being brought in.

And site number two, which we'll go into further, is there are there is some underground power there that would have to be moved.

Again, some irrigation.

But those are those are doable projects.

So here's a different view of primary site number one.

You can see there's trees that line it, kind of dotted with trees, but in the space it's actually a a decent space for art.

And here's an aerial view of that.

This is um the traffic site lines are in red.

And then this is the site across the way that um we just walked out to with the public art committee, and um this is a slightest little knoll area that's right at the back of the tennis courts.

And here is an aerial view of that space.

And another view of it from here.

You can see um the flags that came out.

So these flags, the red ones indicate red is for electrical underground, and the white is for the irrigation.

So now that we've covered the outdoor sites, um, another these were the this is the building.

These are the plans for the new building, and as you'll see in the center inside the building is a planned project for Hota Sousa's poppy, which is moving forward, and the exterior site that was approved at um one of the earlier meetings for site approval, that's still it's here, and we're asking for reapproval after going through all of the other viable sites.

Um, this is still a great contender.

We would like this to be listed as a secondary site.

So for the RFP to make it clear for the artists, the outdoor sites would be the primary locations to propose art.

So one or the other of those two, this is a secondary and optional site.

Um, and here is a rendering from the architect, and this is the wall.

If you'll remember, this is the wall where it would go.

It's the exterior wall to the changing rooms, it's a very long wall, which could support a great public art project.

So the windows face this, but then what you can't see from this rendering is where it wraps around, so like where the people are walking, that's a whole long wall.

Yeah, um, so I'm gonna go back because we're not whoops, I don't know how to use this thing.

Okay, so does anybody have any questions for clarification on the sites?

Yes, can you talk about the red site lines on both pieces of both pieces of property site location two and site location one?

So this is just site location two.

This is the one that is right up against the tennis courts.

Right, can you go back where you have the um red triangles drawn?

Just understand what that means for sight lines.

I imagine traffic did traffic put those in.

Yes, so traffic put these red sight lines in.

So this is just it'll show you where the if there were art proposed there, it could not go to the very, very corner where the street sign is, and that is just so that for cars turning right.

And would you go back to the other primary site location I get to the one?

So this cuts into a little bit of the hexagon-ish area.

This is not the right thing.

Right.

Right, you're in the park, you're on you're on North San Carlos and you're heading out to Ignatia Valley Road.

So this is so the tennis court is in the bottom, yeah, across, and then the ball fields are to the right, and then to the left, uh, is the all abilities playground.

So this is like if you're driving off Ignatio Valley Road, you're you turn left onto North San Carlos, and this is what you'll be looking at.

And if you turned left onto the street, Heather Drive, that's what takes you to the tennis courts and the little and the parking lot for the um right and for the swimming pool and the all abilities playground, correct?

We have a piece of art right now, right?

That was just recently renovated.

Correct.

Not too far from here.

Yep, it's much so it's um right at the intersection of where Heather Drive meets the parking lot to the swimming pool and the all abilities playground.

So it's closer to that end.

Do you know if that R piece will be staying there in the reconstruction?

Um so in the reconstruction, yes, it should be it won't be affected by the construction at all.

It's close enough to this side, you know, this end of the park, so there's no conflict there.

Um perhaps that could be a future consideration is moving that piece to a more prominent location somewhere else in the city, which was a discussion that came up when we met with the public art committee um representatives, so um, but yeah, it'll be staying there for the time being.

So those site lines that are kind of marked in red, that doesn't mean like those trees are gonna have to be removed in order to no, they just don't want any large scale artwork in that area in the triangle, I guess.

Correct.

Okay, so it eats into a little bit staff had gone out, um, measured, and that was what we had determined as a viable site with regards to landscaping and space and maintenance, but then when traffic went out, they informed us that a little bit of that would be eaten up.

Um, it still leaves a really great size to support a public art project.

So are we tonight then deciding between this space right here and the one the diamond one right across uh right next to the tennis court?

Is one or the other or both?

It could well I think that that's going to be up to the artist, but it I think the way we would like to draft the RFP would be these are the primary locations.

It's one of these exterior um lawn areas or the landscaped area, and we would leave that up to the artist to decide how or where they would like to propose, and then an optional secondary location would be that long exterior wall on the building.

So what we are trying to avoid is having an artist propose just the long exterior wall on the building because we have we have a budget of approximately 716,000 dollars, and we don't know what on you know they would propose that would meet that budget requirement.

So we would rather see a primary piece or multiple pieces out here.

But how is an artist supposed to read that?

If it were me, I'd think, well, it looks like the wall is a losing proposition.

So forget about that.

What do you call it secondary?

I mean, I think that yeah, it's it's hard to know what an artist would it's like in our mind, they could do a prominent piece here that doesn't eat up the whole entire budget, and then maybe something that echoes that piece on the wall.

It could be a 3D sculpture of some sort, and it really depends on the material they're using and the size they create their working.

If they're gonna propose something for the wall, you would also expect they would propose something for one of the other two sites.

Correct, and that will be made clear in the arc.

Correct, yeah.

I think we were using the terminology when we were out there as a companion piece that the wall would be a companion piece potentially to one of these sites, or the artist could decide I want to put a piece on both of these corners, right, that go with each other, and not do anything with the wall, and the wall could be eventually a mural down the road with our mural funds, so correct.

So editorializing priority sites as external with the wall as secondary, given the artist pool that you know you're going back to.

We're we're still sticking with that.

Am I getting too far ahead?

No, um, because a lot of those eight of the ten finalists, there's at least five that work in really expensive fabrication mediums.

So I don't I can't imagine them coming back and saying, I'm gonna do a sculpture and a wall.

Um, but I guess we'll just find out when we get there.

Right.

Well, are any of those eight even muralists?

Not muralist, but um if you look at all of their sites, they all have experience with doing freestanding sculpture as well as work that has been mounted on to walls in buildings.

So I think that from the list of eligible artists, they're all fully qualified and able to do both kinds of work.

It's just a matter of um what they choose to do.

Photo of site two, just so we can see how much is left for the art.

Yeah, okay.

I I really think that's great, but what did the city say?

City works say, how much of that space can be used for art?

Like where does where would the art piece be?

Like on top of where the plants are now?

Yeah, it seems like where the plants are.

Yeah, so plant- whoops, that's a good one.

So yes, these plants would have to be removed, potentially removed, yeah.

Okay.

Um, yeah, and then there are underground um power lines that connect all those lights, and there is irrigation also.

So there this would eat into our budget a little bit because we would have to pay to potentially move some of those things, and it's unknown how much that would be at this point.

The other question I have is with regard to site number one.

I don't know if you guys have been able to look into how much that corner is used by people who picnic there and who use it with their friends, family, lots of kids.

I see going there.

So can you talk about that?

Sure.

Um, I think yes.

So the park is super super well used, as everybody knows, whether it's right, like birthday parties or um community gatherings, sporting events.

Um, it's hard to, I mean, we don't I couldn't find any photos recently.

I think it's a little bit different in the use since our last meeting.

P you it's not quite as busy at that corner and intersection as it might be in the summertime when people are picnicking outside.

Um a lot of the activity um takes place closer to the picnic tables, which you can kind of see where they are.

Yeah.

And we wouldn't want to, I mean, that this is definitely something that we would include in the RFP to so that the proposing artist would understand the use of the space, and who knows what they may propose.

It could be something that is doesn't take up a huge footprint but is rather goes up high, or maybe it could be something that provides shade.

Um, we are not art directors, so we don't really want to tell them what to propose, but I think that the more information the artist has, um, the better a proposal they can they can give.

Um, but it's hard yeah, I don't yeah, cool.

Thank you.

Is there any irrigation or trees or plants we'd have to move at site one?

Good question.

Yeah, so the there is irrigation there.

No plants would need to be removed, no trees.

Um, but they will be reconfiguring some of the irrigation there um already, so that won't eat into our budget because that's part of a bigger project that's going to be taking place with other structures that are moving.

And will those picnic tables stay, or are they up for change also?

The picnic these picnic tables right here, I have not heard of them moving.

I think they're gonna stay.

It's those larger picnic stations that have those big umbrellas.

They're about 20 feet in circumference.

Like the two of those will be moving closer next to the playground.

Closer to on the other side of the playground.

Hey, Mariah.

So what you're saying is that public works and transportation is good.

What might have to happen here if art goes here.

Yes.

Two, um, we're talking about no trees need to be removed from this primary site location one.

But could some of these trees be pruned a little bit?

We saw them with no leaves on them.

And you can see how much um they cover even as part of your trapezoid here, wherever this location is.

Yes, we we have a good working relationship with our maintenance team, and we can definitely recommend that trees be pruned.

Obviously, we defer to them and their expertise, and we would want to ensure that the trees you know are healthy and keep going.

Um we wouldn't want to cut them back so far that it would risk something happening to the tree.

I think it will be equally important for the artist to know that there are these trees here and that they lose their leaves, so that whatever they're proposing can handle all the leaf litter that's gonna come down.

Yeah, that's a great idea.

In this next iteration of the RFP, how are you?

I I really think the three sites is really important to these people potentially throwing their hat back in, given how much time we've already spent with them.

Um why are we not being more prescriptive or engaging community to tell us what these corners of the park mean to them?

Because if I was an artist in in those shoes, I would want to know at this point.

Okay, you've we what happened, why am I being asked to come back?

Why are these the sites versus the previous sites?

How does community feel about these sites?

And in order to design for this area, for example, knowing that you know you could see a couple different seasons of photos to see how the space is used so that people aren't plopping down rinse and repeat art that's like a part of the body of their work, but truly designing something for Walnut Creek.

I know we I know we err on the side of like open everyone come with your huge ideas, but is it time now to start to redirect people to the things that we think our community needs?

Um I think it's a great conversation to have, and I think that the more information we can provide in the RFP would be helpful.

Um, at this point, I don't know that we would go out to the community like we did, for example, with Nigel's mural out at Tice Valley.

Um I think it's um a little ship has sailed kind of vibes okay.

Well, I mean, even the survey that we took years ago, like at this point, we want to reinvite them back in and be excited to work with Walnut Creek, even though they might have rejection to redirection.

But how do we get them excited about designing work for this?

I I mean, I I think that it's um the approach the way I would like to look at it is like this.

We have one exciting project that's moving forward, and this is an opportunity to approach it as a whole new project because we have new sites because some of those old sites are no longer viable.

We have a new budget, quote unquote, from the original budget, and um it's a great opportunity for a new proposal to come in.

So I would like to approach it with this like new energy: here we go, new RFP.

Let's do a fresh start, let's learn from the mistakes of last time and um help.

I think already we're on a better path because we have less sites, and we have more information about these few sites that we can share with these artists, and we can definitely look into.

I mean, it's a heavily heavily used park.

So I don't know if one of you maybe has an idea on how to express that to the artists to take into consideration.

We do ask, I would think that any artist at this caliber would take the time to try to research and understand this community and understand this park and get a good sense for the walnut creek.

And so I would these, I think these artists that we have, they're all super professional, and I would trust that they would be able to present something that would be feasible and doable.

Yes, and so we go through right now.

The current flow is still go back to those eight, see if they say yes or no.

If we determine that there's too few that are interested, we're writing this so that it doesn't have to go through another revision, it could go out as an open call.

Yes, that would be ideal.

If all of the eight eligible artists or artist teams say no thanks, um, then it would be we would have to do um a new call, but but ideally with these parameters materials that we're designing right now.

I'm sorry, like using this new refreshed focus.

Correct.

Thank you.

Yes.

Mariah, when do you when would you like to get the RFP out?

And piggybacking on Sarah's question, um, is there a minimum number of artists that say yes, I'd be interested in applying?

What we say great, we don't need to open it up to any other artists, or are we saying if like only two artists say I'm interested in doing this?

We're only gonna look at two artists.

Where are we gonna draw the line here?

I think I think that is the line.

What if we only have one artist, but we or this commissioning body has already selected those eight, so those are the eligible eight.

So I think that in order to be equitable and fair, we we open up that invitation to those eight artists or artist teams, and if we only have one, then let's see what they give to us.

And if it's great, great.

And if it's not, then at that point we would have to move forward with opening up a new call.

Okay, we need to go through.

When would you like this to go out?

Um this spring.

So as soon as soon as possible.

Like ideally, ideally as soon as possible.

Right.

Seems to me the big difference between now and then is that uh originally we had we picked sites, we didn't know what we might get.

Now we know who's gonna be applying to work on these sites.

Did you is that part of the site selection process that you had?

We know these guys would would be interested in sites like this, or is that just beyond not at all?

Okay.

I never I guess have no idea if they're interested or yes, but that was not part of it.

It was just really more of what are viable sites after after all of the changes that have taken place.

So some of it's landscaping, some of its signage, so um that's really the main determining factor in the change sites.

I have one more question on tangential but important.

Um, so 700k approximately correct.

It's probably fair to say 150K in electricity and lighting and plant removal.

So are you going to tell them it's actually a 500 or 600,000?

Do you think you can editorialize that at all, like in terms of the nature of the number versus its actual reality?

I think that it will be important that we put in there the there's a contingency, and um so some of the funds should be set aside for that just in case of any unknowns or variables.

If I think that it will be important for us if the commission chooses tonight to approve both of these outdoor sites to move forward as potential project locations, that I will definitely like to get an estimate ahead of time so that we are going into this with a real understanding of is this really a viable site and how much will it cost?

And um, I would like to give the best parameters possible to the artists so that they really know what they're getting into.

So there's no or hopefully less surprises.

Thank you.

Just to clarify, primary site location two, there's really not many plants here.

The plant removal would take me a half hour, but you're cheaper than the city.

The power weeder.

It's the power it's power lines, which could be an issue.

I want to move to primary site location one as I'm looking at this photo depth here.

Is it possible that the artist could also say, I like this site, I'm designing art for, but I want the grass removed from my site.

I'd like to have it on.

I mean, is that can that be in the mix also?

Yes, I don't see why not.

We would um and it depends on what they want.

If they're uh if they envision their work going on a cement, you know, pad, that's fine.

That obviously will come out of the budget.

Can you tell tell us tell me why we need to give them three sites as opposed to us deciding where we want the art as well so that there is when artists come back with their proposals, there isn't a disparity between oh, I like this, but it's on this spot versus that other spot, and so it's not really we're not really measuring what they're proposing, you know, apples to apples.

So why why can't we decide that?

Uh as a well, I think we've done the preliminary work where we've checked with the building, we have that one site as a viable site.

We met, we walked around, we've met with different departments in the city to determine that these are two viable sites.

All of that is to say, as a commissioning body, if you vote to not approve these as viable sites, and it's you know, somebody wants to make a motion to say we only want one viable site for consideration, that is up to this commissioning body.

I I have a question on when these decisions are made on when you're seeking for the sites.

I was out there today and um for site number when I saw site number two, um, that was exciting to me because just the way you pull into the um, yeah.

I know we're cutting into it uh and it's not gonna be full.

Thank you.

Nope, the other one.

Um, so I know we have enough space for um whatever they need to do with it, and um, but the opportunity to give for the art to be visible is right off when you first, so that makes sense.

Um across the street, um, I'm just trying to understand how these decisions were made.

Um, not so much.

I know that there's another piece of art that we just discussed that's on the same field, but to me this seems to be more it attracts more attention as opposed to the site number one.

Uh but as I drove down uh Heather Drive, is it okay?

Um why wasn't the site considered across from the skating rink?

I know that we are as we renovate this, it's gonna be a busy area.

I know that area at the top is not as busy, but I feel as though they may not be as many removal of things that we need to be concerned with, but it still provides an ample you know space for art and visually where it will sit.

Like it resonated with me, but I just wondered uh how these decisions were made in terms of the way the sites were picked.

Does that make sense?

Are you referring to the the skate park?

So if you were to continue on Heather Drive, the skate park that's at the end there.

Yes, yes, across right across from it.

I took a picture of it.

There is a nice uh little area similar to this.

Is that adjacent to the Clark Swim Center on that side of the street?

So there'll be a whole separate planning process for what happens to the Clark Swim Center site.

So my professional recommendation would be that uh we not make assumptions that art would be able to go there and stay there, because there's gonna be substantial uh work done to that area.

And maybe one day in the future.

If there's another public art project in our future, then that could become a site, but um today there's many things that might change.

And I would add that when we went out to look at the site, we were really just looking at primary site number one, and we looked across the street and saw this site right here, and we're like, why not this site?

It seems like it has such good visibility, there's no trees in the way.

You can see it both coming and going from Heather Drive and San Carlos, and it looked like minimal work needed to be done.

Of course, we didn't know what was going on underground, so we added this site while we were out there.

And this site would not take away from where people are using to picnic and um because when families gather it it can get kind of crowded on that lawn.

A friendly reminder, we're in commissioner questions time, as we're we're diving a little into comments.

Um so if there's any further questions on sites, there's then still the panel um portion to discuss and get your questions about before public comment.

So further questions on sites.

Should we advance into um I I just don't think I got an answer to my question?

But the question was why can't we pick the site that we want?

So if the if us commissioners with staff, we've all looked at this, uh why do we need to leave it up to the artist to pick the spot versus we pick the spot?

So as Mariah shared, as the body that approves the sites, it is within your authority to approve only one site, if that is your commission's vote to do that.

Any other questions?

Oh, yes.

Let me fast forward or am I rewinding?

This is a new remote control for me here.

Uh okay, so almost there.

So artist selection panel, which I believe you are all familiar with the fact that in accordance with the city's public art master plan, um, all municipal public art projects are required to have a panel assembled, and the panel should be comprised of five to eight people, and this includes a city council member who shall be appointed, an arts commissioner who is appointed, and a community member who resides in the city of Walnut Creek, one arts professional, which would be a gallerist or an art advisor or art consultant or a curator, and then one professional artist.

So professional artist being somebody who has realized a project in the public art world successfully.

Um the last time, let's see, uh at the October 2023 arts commission meeting, um, at that time, Chair Manuel appointed Commissioner Baltazar to the Artist Selection Panel and Commissioner Dresser as the alternate, and um Commissioner Baltazar has been the Heather Farm Commissioner Liaison at at the time of appointment.

Um as is customary, liaison appointments will be made at the April Arts Commission meeting, and um that's at that time that the chair would appoint the commissioner to serve on the panel.

So um ideally we assemble a panel and then we have the proposals coming in and we will um be able to have those panelists review the proposals and provide their feedback and comments.

So again, I don't know.

I think you have that all.

Do you have any questions about the panel?

Yeah, I do the the three that are already on here, Jennifer, Linda, and Judy.

Who chose them?

Staff, we have a we have a list of eligible arts professionals, people that work in um in the arts world.

Some of those people are actually municipal um arts people that are familiar with um how city structures work.

Um Jennifer, the first one on there, she's the public art um director for BART.

And these are all people who have served on different city panels within California and have experience and understand the process, and do they know they've been selected?

And do we know if they if they know how they said yes to being selected?

So we have not reached out to them because first we need commission approval that this is an okay list, and once we have that, then we reach out to them.

Um they are aware that they're in a pool, and so I don't think they would be shocked or surprised if we reached out to them, but we haven't reached out to them for this specific project.

To clarify, today you're looking for approval on the recommended composition of this team, so city council, arts commission, we're not approving these people.

Just approving the the right, just in general.

Well, the composition is determined by the public art master plan, so that doesn't change.

So we do need somebody to fit each of those roles.

If that makes sense, and then these are just some of the names.

Okay.

I think we're saying the same thing, but okay.

I just because we can't approve Jennifer if Jennifer doesn't know she was invited.

Correct.

So this is like we put her there, we put a couple of alternates just in case she's not available.

So to clarify, you are approving the names listed there as panelists, and staff cannot reach out to those panelists until you approve.

So they'll go to Jennifer.

If Jennifer is unavailable, uninterested, then they will go to the alternates that are listed.

Understood.

Thank you.

Any questions?

Of course, me.

Um why can't we just keep what we had before in terms of the panel?

So, due to the extended period of time, that is just it's just a very long time has passed.

And it's if we're gonna treat this like a new project, we are going to assemble a new panel.

Any further questions?

If you'd like to invite public comment, at this time I'd like to invite public comment.

We have someone in the can you come up to the podium, please?

It ha they can't hear you otherwise.

Our thousands watching this stream right now.

And if you could state your name and city of residence.

I've been a docent of the Bedford Gallery since 2011.

I'm so happy we put Carrie's work out in our community.

But also having been in print media and the business world, I always take into consideration financial aspects as well.

I was just curious, the 716,000, is that all that money going divided among certain artists, or what does that part of the budget cover?

I'm curious.

We can have Mariah address that question.

Thank you.

So that is for one.

I don't know where you are.

I have to speak into the microphone so I can be recorded.

That is for one artist or artist team.

That is the budget not to be broken up.

Public art requires bigger budgets because of fabrication costs and all of the people involved in a public art project.

It's not just an artist, it's also the engineers, the fabricators, the shipping, and the installers and the equipment that is required.

So that is why the budget may sound very large and robust.

For a public art project, it's actually pretty it's substantial but standard and maybe even small compared to the thousands.

Right.

Right.

Yeah, yeah.

So it's just it's a big team that it takes.

Say, hey, what do we care about art too?

Thanks.

Thank you.

Actually, that does give rise to another question.

Uh the first time around we split the budget and got three proposals.

So it sounds like what you're saying here is that we're not going to split it this time.

We're going to take one proposal only.

Correct.

Okay, that wasn't clear, so appreciate you.

Yeah.

Thanks.

Commissioner comments at this time.

I I think this is very well prepared and thoughtful.

Um, and we've we're having to do this again, that it's better when you do it again because now we've learned.

Still concerning to me is all of this is great preparation, but then what happens when the artist creates something and it's not quite what anyone here had expected or you know, um or wanted in terms of scale or in terms of um you know fit for the community, etc.

So what how do we manage that, right?

And um Walnut Creek has some really beautiful um public arts sculptures, but there is one in particular that comes to mind, which is just a mile or so down the road from there on the corner, which I I don't think is um or brightest uh sculpture, but so how do we prevent that from happening, you know?

Um, how do we win uh as a community?

It's a great question.

Um, that is why we assemble a panel of artist professionals, and we also have community members that weigh in.

Um this is always the challenge with municipal projects, right?

Because you're using taxpayer dollars and people are more than welcome to come here and make their public comments, and we try to engage as many people as possible to make it um, you know, to try to get representation and feedback and perspectives from the widest body that we can while at the same time moving forward, you know, the saying too many cooks in the kitchen.

Um this is not a private corporation.

Um Emily and I like to joke, if this were like the Mariah and Emily show, we would it would be really different, right?

If we were paying with our own money, so we can't really compare ourselves to a private company that has their own funds and decides what they're gonna put on their property.

Um so that is just kind of one of the challenges.

Um and also great exciting things about municipal public art is that we kind of have to just um trust that we may be making some of the people happy some of the time, and some people are not gonna like it.

That's the other thing with public art.

Um I think I mean I can name a couple sculptures in the city that some people love them, some people hate them, and I think that either way that is a sign of a successful art project, um, just eliciting some sort of response from someone.

So absolutely, but that's not really what I'm asking.

What I'm asking is what's the process for um taking a look?

Uh will there be like uh uh what is that called uh a pre-a model made that the panel can take a look and say, oh yeah, this is exactly what we were thinking this artist would do.

Do you know what I mean?

Yes, I understand.

Once it's done, we either love it or hate it or middle.

That's great.

Um, the more the merrier in my opinion, but how do we win?

Well, that process will not that part of the process will not differ from the last time.

So the last time we did invite artists to propose their projects, they come up with the renderings, they design, we did have one of the artists do uh maquette with little models, um, which, you know, we didn't see here, but then the panel reviews and makes a recommendation, and then at that time it's presented to the whole arts commission.

And at that time, if everybody is in agreement that they absolutely do not like the project, don't think it's a good representation of the city or a good use of the space, at that time then the commission would vote to not approve and not move forward.

I think you comments, yeah.

Um you guys have done a great job, and I I like all three of those sites.

Um that said the uh the mural site, the wall site uh makes me nervous that the whole process because on the one hand we're not gonna uh split the money uh because we want to get high impact.

On the other hand, we're kind of inviting uh a lower impact by doing that.

So I I don't know how the others feel, but that that piece makes me nervous, uh although I I would love to have something on that wall because otherwise all we got is a wall.

Um, yeah, I mean I I hear I hear what you're saying that that this is a a recipe for disappointment, but you can't anticipate what you're gonna get.

You have to just put put it out uh in in such a way that you get encouraged people to, you know, make take their best shot.

And I think these two sites, too.

Is it um one and two, look to me like they're chosen with high impact in mind?

Um the the smaller site um is definitely you know, looks monumental to me and has opportunities there, which I think an artist would be quick to to find.

The other side uh also has the uh potential for uh having something more interactive because people use that at lawn.

Um, so I I don't know.

I I I I think you've done everything you could at this stage to encourage uh good response from these eight artists.

Um but I would I would I would seriously question whether whether we're um doing the right thing by including that mural site just for that reason.

I appreciate that, and I think that I mean we can use the same answer for what um Commissioner Clauber was asking before that as the commission, it is up to somebody to make a motion if you would like to change that and move it from one three to one site or two, um, and then and then vote.

Before we make a motion, is there additional comments?

Um, thinking out loud, I really like your suggestion that we remove um mural site and have that for a later project.

Um, and we'll have money for that.

And this makes it way much easier.

Primary site one and two, I definitely am leaning towards primary site two because there's no trees in the way, but I understand that we could get a great project for primary site one that is interactive.

I so want the RFP to be so clear is so I don't want to say clear, but really speak to the usage of the park, the fact that we have trees that are in the way, dropping leaves, that there's picnic tables nearby, so there's no question about what gets submitted as a proposal that that artist had no idea where that art was gonna go.

So I'm I'm comfortable taking out the uh mural site and having two sites remaining as long as the RFP is very clear about what that artist might be getting into at either one of those sites that site.

If somebody said I only want to pick one site, I probably could go along with you as well.

So um things that I'm pondering for the commission are just uh the constraints in which we're gonna design this new RFP that has multiple layers.

So it's like reach out to this artist's candidate pool to determine if that candidate pool is something we can pull from.

It's uh writing an RFP that potentially could go past that so we don't lose momentum.

Let's say we have eight artists that are extremely busy and they're not going to put throw their hat in again.

Can the materials we create actually move forward with an open call?

So, similar to Jill, I echoed the statements of we should be collaborating in any way to help you all design and write that.

I also just want to note the composition of the selection team, similarly to the previous candidate pool and to the diversity of the final candidates, like in order for us to get new and refreshing things, we need to have new and refreshing voices, and that is not to say the arts professional and just again who is on the list at Walnut Creek, how often are we refreshing that?

How can we bring new voices into the city to build new audiences around public art?

And in general, we did have a large open call response, and I wonder if in there, considering this budget is now just a portion of almost a million dollars with some constraints around space and uh costs for planning.

Is there a pipeline that's in those hundred and something folks?

Is there a middle section that we could start to think about building a list of emerging artists that we can go out to?

Um and and there is power and economic development in that, and I just I have these times where we we butt up against um the process, and and so how do we make a process that can be more fluid so in the future when we have to take three steps back, you have a bench of folks that we we didn't go through all the people that were rejected.

Um then I I actually am more inclined to choose site two and keep the wall, and I I keep the wall because this is a really large budget for us.

It's the largest that we've seen.

There are really innovative ways to wrap a wall now.

It doesn't have to be a very expensive mosaic, doesn't have to be spray paint.

I mean it can be printed and applied, and I worry because our mural fund is at zero, that will we truly ever have more money in that fund?

And so if we take the wall out, does it do us a disservice?

So just just trying to wrap my head around those things.

Let me ask you a question.

Do we have a new mural fund as of 2026?

Yes.

So I just wanted to clarify on that.

Our mural grant is used for this year, but we have set aside from the public art fund monies for a mural.

So that can be a separate project that is realized.

There, there are funds there for after the building is built.

And then hopefully we will have even more money in the public art fund so that as a commission, we can get approval to set aside additional funds for a mural.

Does that does that answer your question?

So approximately number because now we're in large public space, big wall, you know.

Nigel Sessman, you have an idea of what things cost to get certain kinds and calibers of artists versus like what we're doing with the mural grant that is much more of an emerging artist situation.

Correct.

Um I'd be curious to know that budget before I took that wall out.

So the mural fund, we did set aside funds, but we were when we did for this particular building, we were also thinking about one of the inside walls for a mural.

So it's not a huge budget for that interior wall.

Um that is a conversation that we can have regarding the public art funds to do another exterior project if that's the direction that the commission would like to go in.

Um, I also would like to clarify that correct, it could be a mural on that wall, or it could be a 2D sculpture on that wall.

So it doesn't necessarily have to be paint, and it doesn't necessarily have to take up the entire wall.

Um, so there are definitely options for that wall.

But whatever happened in the context of this proposal for that wall takes away from what the artist could give us on those other two sites.

Yes.

That was my point.

That is correct.

They have to figure out how to split their their budget.

Thank you.

To hear everyone's perspective and uh commentary, it definitely makes your brain turn.

So does staff have uh an opinion on what's smart to do from uh uh you know a practical perspective?

Like what do we what's your opinion?

It this is a tricky one because I think they're all three of the viable locations that we have discussed.

I think that they all three would make for great sites, and I can envision personally, like you had said, um, you know, the the bigger lawn area lends itself to maybe some more interactive art.

So is that something like could it be shaded?

Could it be something people are climbing on and um be a boon to the picnic area, not something that's like, oh, in the way, but like, oh great, the parents are picnicking and the kids are interacting with this art.

So um I have that in mind.

Um I also like the idea of something just given the limitations of the space right across the street.

Um, I could see something going up there that it doesn't lend itself to so much interaction, uh, but does maybe, you know, get the attention of people coming in and out of the park.

Um, I love the idea of a wall sculpture on that big long exterior wall, but I also am not an artist.

Um, and so I am always excited to see what artists propose because I think that they're the experts at coming up with really exciting ideas, and um, then it's just kind of I I like I like the part where we go, yeah, that would work, or no, that doesn't work.

So it this is a tricky one, and that's why we have this wonderful commissioning body here to think think through this challenging process and come up with a a solution.

Um, this is a comment.

Um we already have a park with where kids can go play in the playground it would just it's so overdone this is all my opinion um where you have art that turns into a swing set and you know kids climbing all over that's um I hope we don't get that um so that's it and I agree with you we have so much there's such a huge playground we don't need to have another play area at the end of the park all right here we go I'm gonna try it I'm gonna try it I'm gonna try if we could do this uh I'm gonna move that we approve site two in the wall and the recommended artist selection panelists that's it just site two so in front of the tennis courts and the wall in the building and ix out the third space on the park grass and while we're at it approve the recommended artist selection panelists I get that I second that as well thank you that's actually very clever I commend you for that okay sorry motion second okay um we are voting on approval of site two by the tennis courts and the exterior wall of the building and the recommended panels uh chair baltasar like do I want to do I do we appoint the panelists now no that's April right the uh arts commission rec um representative will be appointed by the chair in April and until then it's the person who was previously laid yes the current Heather farm liaison okay so I is the tennis court would it remain there after the renovation is that a solid thing so that there's once this art is up we don't have to worry about a renovation happening behind it or anything like that is everything as we see it today.

Well I can't guarantee forever and ever there are no current plans for renovations on the tennis court side so any artwork that will be going in site two we wouldn't have to be concerned about being tampered by any projects around the surrounding area maybe possibly in the you know later in life but at the right in the farm if there were some major renovation of the tennis center right then that might come into a conversation but there is no plans at this time for a renovation of the tennis center um versus the Clark Swim Center side where we know there is a master planning process that will go okay so we have a motion and a second um chair Baltazar yes Commissioner Dresser yes Commissioner Perelman yes commissioner clobber yes commissioner testway yes and vice chair Magnan.

Yes.

Motion carries.

All right.

Thank you.

Okay.

Next on the agenda reports on projects.

Hello.

Here I am.

Um that's okay.

This is this will be short and sweet.

Yeah.

All right.

So these are just a couple of updates.

Okay.

All right.

So as we were talking about here we are back at Heather Farm Park at the other end of the street.

So this is right by the parking lot and Heather Drive.

This is the recently restored Bruce Johnson sculpture strata.

And it looks gorgeous.

The um it was actually the artist is no longer living.

His one of his assistants came out to do the work who worked with him side by side for many years.

So he um really has obviously an appreciation for the artist's work and a sense of how the artist would like things.

So he did a great job at getting rid of the parts that were compromised and um re nailing with its all copper nails and really securing it so that no uh moisture could get into the piece, and um it's been freshly patinaed.

Um I love this piece, so I'm happy to see it being cared for and um this piece was acquired by the city uh to commemorate its 75th anniversary for people who don't know back in 1989, so it's a nice piece, and um this is happy news to report regarding our public art walking tours.

Um so in the last fiscal year of 20 we had well from July 2024 through June 2025.

We had you know, we had determined that we would probably net $600 uh for our public art walking tours, and it's gone up, and you can see that here we are not even completing this fiscal year 2026, and we've already exceeded last year's fiscal year in um earnings for public art walking tours, and we really have to thank our marketing team, they've really been making big efforts to get the word out, they've tried different strategies, we're kind of trying to target different groups.

This was from a dog public art walking tour where people were welcome to bring their dogs.

It happened to be raining on that day, um, but this is one cute dog that joined the public art walking tour, so we thought we would share this this photo, and um so that's great news.

I'm just happy to report that people are out and about and discovering it.

I've gone on a few, and it's really nice to like wear my baseball cap and be incognito.

Our docents do a wonderful job at doing the tours, and it's just really fun to see the people that come out for the tours.

So it's just such a great asset to this community that we offer this program.

So that that is it.

Any any questions on these things?

That's great.

I thought when you put that slide up that you were gonna tell us that uh that piece was gonna be fixed.

Oh, I wish I could be telling you that that piece were fixed.

That is um an ongoing challenge.

So that's the challenge when we have privately owned public art.

I think that the city we do a great job if um maintaining our own collection, getting other people to maintain their collection is a different beast.

Yeah, but I will keep you posted.

Thanks.

At this time, I invite staff to provide presentations.

So I'm gonna go through our lecture standard strategic plan and then I'll roll into some additional announcements.

Uh for the record, even though I've been sitting here, Carolyn Jackson, general manager, Leisure Center.

On our Strat Plan, just one update for tonight, which I'm thrilled to say we finally filled the technical coordinator position that was part of our strategic plan.

Back from 2022, which is helping us plan for and execute the headliner series and the more complex center rep projects.

So Taylor McQueston joined our team at the end of October.

And it is wonderful to have someone in a leadership role really able to focus on how we make those events as successful as possible and as efficient and cost effective as possible.

So next time you're at a headliners event, you might see Taylor running around taking care of everything for the day.

But it's been a journey to get that position filled, and we're happy to have her.

So if there's young people in your life, it's a great introductory concert that uh Peppa Pig and family learn all about an orchestra, right?

And what comprises an orchestra, and it's a fun interactive day.

So that's February 14th.

February 20th, uh Anna Gastir will be with us, uh famous from SNL as well as Wicked and other things.

So she has a cabaret concert that she does.

February 21st, one of our SF Jazz concerts, Madeline Payrault.

And February 28th, we're bringing back Mariachi Herencia de Meiko, who was here in 2023.

Uh a really phenomenal uh Mariachi group, uh, all fairly young folks, uh really pushing the boundaries of Mariachi.

And from Center Up, next up is Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, and that starts March 29th.

I'm also going to, on behalf of Miley, give you a couple of updates from Center for Community Arts.

Um spring classes uh registration will begin on February 18th.

So if there's one that you're eager to get into, make sure you mark your calendar.

And summer camp registration is already open.

Um, so be planning for your summer for all the kids in your life.

Um and then preschool uh registration will open on February 18th as well.

There's a couple special events coming up on March 6th, is Teen Art Night at Shadowlands Art Center, live music, art making food, um, including music from local high school bands.

Family Art Day will be Saturday, March 14th, an outdoor free fun-filled family event where uh you'll get to experience a variety of things, including painting, crafting, or uh just having fun with color for our little ones.

And on March 28th, a special fundraiser event uh with the Community Arts Foundation and Synergy Theater.

Um, it'll be Diamonds and Detectives, and it will raise uh money for scholarships.

It's an immersive comedy experience that puts you in the thick of the action.

Uh tickets include entrance, of course, um cocktail hour with light refreshments uh and the immersive theatrical experience.

So tickets are on sale for that.

It's March 28th.

And that's all.

Good evening, Commissioners Emily Enders, Bedford Gallery Curator.

Um, so actually, I think everyone was at the opening, which I very, very much appreciate.

Um, so we opened Viola Fry Foundations uh earlier this year in January.

Um it's probably our biggest, well, since I've been curator, um biggest curatorial endeavor to date.

Uh we worked on it for many, many months just like everything else.

Um, but there was lots of research involved, and we were very grateful to have the support of the Artist Legacy Foundation.

Um, and Cynthia DeBas and Daisy Holman Murray, Murray Holman, sorry, um, are coming back on March 12th for a cocktails and conversation event from 5 30 to 7.

Um, so if you want to learn a little bit more about the Artist Legacy Foundation and also Viola, um please come to that as well.

We're having an industry night on February 20th.

Um, we are going to put Viola on the road.

Um, so this is a very, very big undertaking for us.

Shipping ceramics is terrifying, but we're gonna crate them and pack them very well, and it's gonna be great.

Um and so we are having this industry night on the 20th.

I see your face, Jill, it's gonna be okay.

Um to kind of come together and have a really wonderful night together to celebrate all things by Olaf.

Um and then we are closing Viola and early um April, and then we'll open in late April with Innocencio Jumenez Chino.

Um so that will be the artist's first ever retrospective.

He is an Aztec artist, and he's coming.

So we are now in the uh thick of getting um an artist here from Mexico, um, and he also is not an English speaker, uh, so we're having to hire a translator, um, which has been really wonderful and really great.

Um, but he actually speaks a different dialect um of Aztec, so that has to be translated into Spanish, and then the Spanish has to be translated into English.

Um so we're kind of currently in in the throes of that.

Um, so another research-heavy um exhibition, but also an opportunity to share the last 50 years of the artist's work with um our community, and that show will also travel.

Um, and then as far as traveling is concerned, we did have rediscovery Native America uh kind of have a soft opening in the city last fall, um, but it's at its first travel venue in Reading, Pennsylvania, and that opens in the beginning of February.

Um reclaimed is open in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Let's see.

Personal political just opened.

We had basically all of our traveling shows open within the last two months again, so um pretty busy travel season as well.

Any questions?

Thanks.

Great.

Um are we are we at seven?

Okay.

Uh commissioner announcement and brief reports on activities.

And maybe we can save Yasmini for the end.

Okay, okay.

Let's go there first.

I got a couple of things.

Um I've been working with this um organization called Living New Deal.

Um that's uh does New Deal stuff.

They're on a campaign now to preserve the Walter J.

Cohen building in Washington, DC, which is targeted for a program called Aggressive Destruction.

I'll let you imagine who put them on that list.

Um, this building has is so rich in 1940s era murals that it's been called the Sistine Chapel of the New Deal.

Uh, they're I mean they're everywhere, they're huge.

Public can't see them.

The building's been closed for years, but then the movement is to a preserve the building and be reopened to the public.

A lot of people are talking about this would be a good place for for an actual New Deal museum.

It's right off the Capitol Mall.

But anyway, it's uh it's a long uh uh slug because uh the administration is determined to tear it down.

Um can't imagine why they don't like it.

Um and then um speaking of efforts to resist our uh or suppress our history um in my role with the Walnut Creek Library Foundation.

Um we're bringing uh a film called the Librarians to the library on Thursday, February 5th.

This is a documentary made last year.

It's won a lot of awards, it's gotten a lot of critical acclaim, and it's really hard-hitting about what's going on around the country in terms of uh uh uh book banning, book burning, intimidating uh boards of education and uh and librarians and and really focuses on how uh librarians and school teachers are have become these inadvertent uh first responders in the in the battle to preserve democracy and and free speech.

It's a it's an amazing film and and uh it's free.

It's February 5th.

I encourage everybody to go.

And finally, speaking of things that everybody needs to see last night I was in Napa and they've got this thing going on called the Napa lighted art festival where they they bring in installations for like uh weekends in January and February and I can't tell you how exciting it is to be wandering around downtown on a Sunday night with like hundreds of families and and people just checking out this amazing art interacting with this stuff um and uh I I just bring it up because I want it for Walnut Creek.

So look at you guys to add on to that I've been to this festival the last couple of years.

I think it's ingenious that Napa came up with this during the quiet months for restaurants for January and February because it brings so many people downtown.

And every year they have different artists and they have I think they try to keep the sites pretty consistent so that with the eight or ten sites you know you're where you're gonna walk um but I thought about that too for Walnut Creek.

The difference is is that after the earthquake in Napa they were able to redesign the downtown and create that river walk and so they're able to kind of imagine art sites and start from scratch for those art sites which we don't have the luxury of doing I will transition into I don't have much going on except for to say I'm excited to tour the Viola um fry show and we don't have that many tours as I look to Sasha I really want some more high schools to come we um I just saw that Heritage High School who I think is from Brentwood signed up at the last moment for tours this week and next week and all I can imagine is that their art teacher must have come to the opening or somehow heard about the show on social media and decided I have to bring my students to the Bedford so that was kind of unusual we usually don't get schools from Antioch getting drive not from Brentwood having to get parents to drive them into Walnut Creek to see a show for high school students.

So if you have any high school students in your life or know of them please encourage them to talk to their art teachers see if they can get them into the Bedford for this show because I think it's particularly impactful for Ice for high school students.

I can email the art teachers at Northgate I'll try to convince them to come.

But also um I don't have that much going on Northgate drama honors has a show called the Winter One Acts this week Wednesday, Thursday Friday if any of our thousand viewers want to come to that it's gonna be really cool.

I'm in that calm there.

I'll add that we hosted um um MLK freedom party at desired effect in pleasant hell for community we hosted um a ordained Buddhist monk uh from Plum Village her name is Sister June Hamamoto she's also an origami master she told the story of her family's experience in the United States for three generations in interment camps she talked about how origami and the paper folding has existed over hundreds and thousands of years and we also practiced in heart making as kind of a collective care ritual for all of us to come together considering the tremendous amount of chaos that the United States is going through um I think also just naming the twin cities right now in Minnesota we've got like lots of controversial things but humanity at risk and people's lives being taken um so just you know Renee and Alex and Julio and reminding Walnut Creek like their city council members, their commissioners have been standing up and really exercising leadership as leaders in their cities to figure out solutions um while they are under this attack by the federal government.

And you know, we live in a beautiful, quiet little town of Walnut Creek, but we should not assume that these things cannot happen here and how the city might prepare, not it's law enforcement only, but the collective people who are who are working in the city, who are working with volunteers across commissions, like we need to be ready in the event of anything can happen these days, and so just just voicing that I steadily raise my hand to be a part of any way that staff here at the city might be thinking about those contingency plans or preparing what does an emergency look like when it's in this context.

So this evening is our last evening with the Asmini.

We want to thank you for your many years of service, and I hope you feel proud of the many projects that you've had a hand in, including Heather Farm.

So we are gonna give you time to say some words, and if any other commissioners want to add, um then we have a little gift for you as well, but we'll give you time to speak.

Keep back my tears, um, been quite teary lately.

Um, so where is my here?

Clean X.

So I'll read this, try to make it brief, um, and then at the end, I'll ask for a moment of silence, maybe just a minute.

Um, so after eight years of service, my appointment to the Walnut Creek Arts Commission comes to a close.

It has been a deeply meaningful experience, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have contributed and just as importantly to have learned.

When I first joined, um, eager to understand uh how public art moves from concept to reality in a municipality with a wealthy and educated demographic.

I um gravitated toward what I like.

I immersed in myself in research studying successful mural programs in other cities, and I'm proud to have been part of bringing Walnut Creek's own mural arts program to life.

The public private partnership model is off to a strong start, um, though it still needs more marketing and publicity TLC to reach its full potential as I've been harping on that before.

Um, and I um hope um that continues for sure.

And um that said, it took me some time to fully grasp the unique structure of or commission, um, the specific questions we're empowered to ask the subcommittees that are in place and the special panels convene for special projects, and I admired um how this highly structured process uh that is complex, but somehow um it made it was made last chaotic through the professionalism of the people involved, and I have been consistently inspired by the dedication of city staff watching you guys and the folks who are no longer here.

Um put the pieces together often with limited resources, is really a master class in public service.

When art happens in our community, it activates the energy that brings people joy.

It's profoundly and rewarding to be part of those winning moments.

Um, so I learned a lot from um my fellow commissioners.

Um I saw Emily Anders rightfully rise to her current position as curator at the Bedford Gallery, and she and her team bring a wide wide range of conceptually rigorous exhibitions to the city, bridging contemporary themes with historical art forms for a lush, artful series of art encounters where one finds new narratives explaining the cultural weight of visual arts and traditions.

And so I want to mention him here still, even though he's gone.

And then he I think really came to shine for me when the city had that rebound program, and he wrote he wrapped his arms around that.

And then because of that, we had um uh this this amazing, all these, I think it was at least eight murals that were put up during that time during the city of Rebound program.

So that was really impressive.

But it is Carolyn Jackson's leadership that has impressed me as nothing short of transformative.

Yep.

Um she has shouldered a Herculean workload with grace, vision, and tenacity, elevating every facet of the center's resident programming.

From curating the dynamic presentation series to stewarding the acclaimed center repertoire company from overseeing venue rentals to robust educational initiatives, Carolyn has ensured that the Leisure Center remains a vibrant cultural heartbeat in our region.

To me, they're like a show, but really they are testaments to what's possible when artistic excellence meets strategic stewardship, so your skills are rare and deeply admirable.

This is not a day to to forget my water at home, really.

Any of that?

Yes, that was great.

We usually have a big thank you so much.

Um, with that, um, you know how I am.

Um, I feel there are uh two important items that I think are key to our collective growth as a community that is diverse and believes in human rights to celebrate their life, um, no matter their heritage, their gender, nationality, or religion.

So, first to accelerate the impact of the arts in Walnut Creek.

This is just my opinion and uh an observation.

I strongly recommend elevating the arts program as a singular pillar of economic development beyond a nice to have part of the parks and rack department.

Uh public art is not merely a recreational amenity, it is a powerful economic driver and a core component of a vibrant, attractive city.

Placing it within an economic development framework, would align its mission with a vision for growth, investment, and placemaking that feeds the soul of our community as much as it does our local economy.

I think this goes to what um Peter, you were mentioning about Napa.

We should be able to be the city that is the art spot in all of the Bay Area.

I don't see why not, and I hope that's in our future.

We're on the way though.

Um, and second, and most importantly, I must speak to a silence that has weighed heavily on my heart.

Over the past eight years, we have faced historic challenges together, devastating droughts and fires, a global pandemic that claimed countless lives, and an unprecedented housing, health care, environmental, and economic crisis.

In this forum here, we have acknowledged these events.

We have talked about them.

And we have sought ways for arts to help us process and heal.

Yet for over two years, and still going, we have watched in silence, as or nation has enabled a relentless genocide against the Palestinian people.

They were painters, sculptors, art teachers, photographers, gallery workers, community arts teachers, weavers, blacksmiths, illustrators, musicians, you get my point.

So on behalf of every artist and creative soul whose life has been extinguished, and on behalf of our humanity, I ask this commission to do what we all have not yet done.

Take a moment in silence.

Thank you, Commissioners.

Thank you, Sasha.

Thank you, Sasha.

Thank you, Jill.

Thank you, Peter.

Thank you, my friend.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And thank you.

Do we have our something?

Okay.

Only in Walnut Creek.

I have to build a new house.

This is awesome.

So let's see.

Okay.

Oh my goodness.

Oh man, thank you so much.

You're very welcome.

Any other commissioners?

Do any other commissioners want to share anything about our incredible Yasmini?

Yes, Minnie, thank you.

You have taught me so much.

But on behalf of um all the commissioners, we wanted to present you with a little gift.

Thank you.

Oh, wow.

It's rare that we have a um book at the Bedford that we can actually purchase and give based an artist, and we thought you'd like this with an amazing woman artist.

So on behalf of all the commissioners, thank you so much.

Oh, thank you.

What an a wonderful gift.

Thank you.

This both yes are amazing.

We'll be my little artwork.

Thank you.

I really appreciate it.

We're almost there, guys.

We're almost there.

I have I have something to say about the commissioner.

Um I wrote it down because she's very rigorous, so I also felt like it was important to come prepared.

And so I just want to take a moment to thank you.

Not just for your time and leadership on the arts commission, but the way that you show up and such care and integrity and depth.

And I keep returning to the idea that we are profoundly shaped by the world around us, by forces that are seen and unseen, our histories, our communities, our environments, the intimate networks that raise us and sustain us.

I have a favorite teacher, and she says we are what we practice the most, and the way you listen and decide to listen and care for other people, you truly embody that, and I've been so grateful to to get to do this and see all of those other things between the lines.

And I just want to reiterate like that that moment of silence was really powerful.

Thank you for bringing that to the commission.

I do know that that the art of healing is a lifelong process.

Finding purpose beyond trauma as it's being inflicted upon us.

Um it just seems extremely relevant right now to show up for this work and you've done it for eight years as a volunteer to the arts commission as a vehicle to share your skills and your brain power, your rigor, your curiosity and questioning, and the responsibility that we carry as stewards of culture and community in this work, and um, you know, every movement towards liberation has depended on traditions of care and collective well-being, and so I see that in what you do from the arts commission to entrepreneurial ruba and providing, you know, a supplement that's beautifully designed for women, um, the way you lead uh as a part of that longer lineage of what is to me healing justice for you, for your people, for Palestine, for Brazil and the United States.

You work in a way that understands creativity and care and cultural investment as an existential infrastructure, not extras.

Um, and I'm just deeply grateful that I got to meet you on this arts commission and have a lifelong friend that will no longer be involved in the Brown Act.

And you know, uh thank you for your thoughtfulness and your steadiness in the humanity that you bring and who you are and how you show up and your voice absolutely matters, and please never feel silenced.

Thank you so much.

Thank you guys, thank you, thank you.

I'm hard to be grateful, um, and privilege.

Thank you no I have to with that.

We are 14 minutes past Jill's adjournment time, and we are adjourned.