Hello, good evening.

I'm Sarah Baltasar, Chair of the Arts Commission.

Welcome to April 20th, 2026, Arts Commission regular meeting.

Please refer to the end of the agenda to review options for participating in the meeting.

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

YouTube Live, Comcast Cable 28, Rossmore Channel 26, astound channel 31, and ATT Uverse Channel 99 or live stream online at the city's website.

Commissioner Secretary Chris Farrow, would you like to please take roll?

Absolutely.

Commissioner Perelman.

Here.

Commissioner Tesfe.

Here.

Commissioner Curlin is absent.

Commissioner Dresser?

Here.

Vice Chair Magnani?

Here.

And Chair Balazar.

Hey, presente.

Let's see.

Next on the agenda is the election of new chair.

Does any member of the public wish to comment?

Nice audience today.

Do we have a nomination for chair?

Oh, we allowed to make asking question.

I just have a question of um for the Heather Farms.

What's it called?

Heather Farms Aquatic Center.

I thought the idea of um the new panel was to have a completely new panel.

I think is it so when we get to the uh appointments, then we will have uh comments at that time for at this time it will just be comments or nominations for the chair position.

Oh, for the chair position.

Oh, okay.

So I nominate Peter when we do Magnani as the chair.

I make a motion to nominate Peter Magnony as chair.

An eligible commissioner seconds it could be me.

I can I second that.

We have a motion and a second.

Would the secretary please call roll?

Commissioner Perelman.

Aye.

Commissioner Tesfe.

Aye.

Commissioner Carlin's absent.

Commissioner Dresser.

Aye.

Vice Chair Magnani.

Aye.

And Chair Baltazar.

Aye.

Passes.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

There you go.

The next item on the agenda is uh selection of vice chair.

And again, I'll ask for public comment.

Hearing none, ask for a nomination.

I nominate is it commissioner Tesfe as vice chair.

I second the nomination.

We have a first and a second.

We will go to vote.

Uh Commissioner Perelman.

Aye.

Commissioner Balthasar.

Aye.

Commissioner Dresser.

Aye.

Absentee Curland.

Uh Vice Chair Tesfay.

Oh, did I?

Yep.

Sorry.

And Chair Magnani.

Aye.

Uh passes.

Okay.

Uh next on the agenda is 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, uh, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed or request clarification or refer the item to staff.

So do we have any public comment?

We just have the one that was submitted.

So you guys could comment.

Everybody see that letter.

I did.

I'm gonna bring it.

So do we take public comment or commission comments?

If there's any other public comments, it looks like there is not.

And then in terms of the email comment, we cannot address it or make comments at this time.

However, when we get to commissioner comments, if you would like to direct staff to add that to a future agenda, we can do that at that time.

Great.

Okay.

Uh next on the agenda is the consent calendar.

Um does any commissioner want to pull any item for discussion?

If the only item is the minutes, right?

Uh any member of the public want to comment.

Uh seeing no speakers.

Uh I'll ask for uh do we take a vote on this or just I'll ask for a vote then on the consent calendar.

I motion that we approve the consent calendar as presented.

I second that.

Okay, we have a first and a second on the floor.

Commissioner Perelman.

Aye.

Commissioner Baltazar.

Aye.

Commissioner Dresser.

Aye.

Vice Chair Tesfay.

Aye.

And Chair Magnani.

Aye.

Passes.

Next on the agenda is consideration of item four A appointment of commissioners to liaison roles by chair.

I'll ask first if there's any public comment.

Seeing none.

Turned over to commission members' comment and Jill.

I think you had a just clarification about the commission that's going to be put the new board that's going to be put together to talk about Heather Farms Aquatic and Community Center.

Are we having a new complete new group to assess the art on this, or are we having repeat members on it?

Because Commissioner Baltazar is on here and was on here before.

Yet we have three other community members.

I don't know if we have a city council member yet.

Do we?

I believe we do have the same city council member and Sarah.

And then I believe we will be searching for different panelists because not all are available that served last time.

And I believe in talking to staff, the idea was to keep some people on so that there's some consistency to get through the entire project, so not the entire committee would rotate.

Okay, thank you.

Also, I I there was like a a couple of communications, and I had asked about this particular one to continue on.

So I don't know if that was maybe we didn't talk about it enough at the last meeting.

Who was interested in what, but um, I'm definitely excited to bring some continuity there.

There is one on here that I'm like, oh design review commission, if you can remind me what that is.

Uh I can remind you because I've just uh come off of two years on the design design review commission meets uh every other Wednesday when they meet uh to go over proposals uh from developers uh building new construction in the city and they advise the planning commission on design.

Uh it's you've been on it before.

Have I?

Yeah, according according to the records that I read.

Uh don't worry about it.

Okay.

Um and and you know, like this meeting, it's it's on Zoom.

You can watch it on on Zoom or you can watch the video later on.

Uh thank you for that.

It's it's it's it's one you could you could handle in both.

Got it.

If you're willing.

Any other comments on item four aone want to make a motion?

I move that we um approve the uh community and uh Commissioner Liaison's as presented.

Second I second that.

Okay, we have a first and a second.

Commissioner Perelman.

Aye, Commissioner Baltasar.

Aye, Commissioner Dresser, aye.

Vice Chair Tesfay.

Aye, and Chair Magnani.

Aye.

Passes.

Um next on the agenda is considering consideration of the joy-bound public art site location, artist and concept, and I believe we have a staff presentation.

Good evening, Commissioners.

Mariah Nelson, public art manager.

Um nice to see you all this evening, and good to see Joy Bound is here to do a presentation for you all on their public art requirement for their new development project that is taking place at Heather Farm.

Here, I'm I'm thinking about Heather Farm.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Shade Lands.

So they have an existing site at the Shade Lands.

Um you may be aware that they are a non-profit organization that um has space for dogs and cats and people and programs, and I'll let them talk more about their organization, but they are in the initial planning phase for development of a new additional facility.

So this will be an addition, not in place of the current um facility.

So let's see.

Um is there okay?

So this is just yes, consideration as his first step.

And then um, Monica, would you be able to put up their presentation?

No, sorry, yeah, it is.

Sorry.

But I think it's yeah, I can go.

So um as a reminder, um, City of Walnut Creek's master plan does state that the Arts Commission will consider um three things.

They you consider selection of art sites within a development and artists and artwork placement.

And for this particular project, it's the artwork concept direction.

I don't believe that there's actual artwork to look at yet.

This is the initial proposal for the the concept direction.

Um then per the public art ordinance for construction of new buildings by nonprofits.

Um the public art requirement is to be no less than one half of one percent of the construction project, um, which differs from private developments that are for profit that are 1%.

So just to clarify that.

And um, so with that, I will turn this over to Joybound CEO, Susan Lee Vick.

Thanks, Susan.

Good evening, commissioners.

It's nice to be with you this evening.

Um, let's see if I can run the hardware.

Ah, okay, great.

Um, so we're very excited to present the art that will accompany this project.

It um collectively expresses a new era for joy-bound, and we hope you'll be as pleased by the principles as we are.

I would start by noting that we are considered to be as a nonprofit, a cultural institution.

Our use permit uh is classified that way.

And as we take our goals as a cultural organ institution very seriously.

We've been in place for 35 years.

I think some of you may have known us as Animal Rescue Foundation in the past.

Just anyone been to our campus?

Ah, good, good sign.

Um, then you may have seen that two acres that front Mitchell Drive that have been mustard weed most of the time.

That's where we're proposing to build.

But it's it's important when we think about what does it mean for what was once just an animal rescue organization to be a cultural institution.

I would point out that almost, well, 57% is the latest data of Walnut Creek households have a companion animal, dog or cat in their households.

And so this is a very vibrant real part of life for a large percentage of our community.

And that that means a lot.

So when we think about who we are in that relationship, we want to make sure that in everything we do, including the art, we're accessible and we're inclusive.

And so the art that we put forth, we want to explicate visually and possibly even in a tactile fashion, um, what the human animal bond is and why it matters.

And we want that messaging not just to be relevant to folks who visit us, but to become part of the ethos of the art of Walnut Creek and to transmit across the generation.

So folks of all ages will experience our art and gather those values.

And we as an organization also carefully document the cultural significance of the human animal bond.

We do uh a great deal of research and we um we mine our findings for principles and values that we think are worth um exploring and expanding and sharing with the community.

Our core message is that the human animal bond is not, it's not an animal rescue foundation.

It's about people and pets and that magical energy that they exchange.

So when we think about our public art goals, we want to make sure that it in they are the art that we place here inspires everyone who visits and genders in people who experience our art, actual emotion, and we are after all joy-bound.

We're looking for happy emotions.

Um there is a biochemical piece to that.

When people feel happiness, they say laughter is the best medicine.

I would say a big broad smile plays its part too.

Uh and when we smile, you can feel a physiological change.

That's endorphins and dopamine and serotonin that are flooding the body.

And so those are real measurable impacts that we want to bring into our community, particularly at a time when maybe there's a little bit more strife and division, something that causes people to stand together, observe a piece of art and smile and be happy is a good thing.

Uh, we also want to achieve those goals in a way that is socially responsible.

And as we look at the artists that we have in mind, I think it will be clear how we see social responsibility playing out.

So I would leave you with a fact that while we may be depicting in this work dogs and cats and some people with dogs and cats, what we're really trying to depict is the feelings that they share, the joy.

We are again joy-bound.

So yes, if you look at those values to restate them, community, connection, inspiration, inclusion, health and wellness, more on that later, humor, happiness, environmental and social responsibility through intriguing aesthetics, all for that celebration of the human animal bond.

I would say that the artist we've chosen is particularly important to us for his inclusivity.

When we depict through Patrick Amio, is the artist we're using human beings.

It's tough to determine.

You can look at them as that is that a male, is that a female?

Is there any specific gender or ethnicity or anything that pegs that person or puts them in a box?

No.

So they're very, very invitational.

The new pet care center, which is where this art will be located, is again on that front, 1.7 acres of Joybound's campus.

It will be about 12 and a half thousand square feet.

And the art that we are that we propose will be distributed around the new facility and coordinate, we think quite well with art that is on our existing facility.

Sorry?

Did I say yellow is new?

No, no, you didn't say either way.

So blue is new.

Thank you.

Sorry about that.

Yes, blue is the new.

Thank you, Cheryl.

Chime in any time.

Uh blue is new, and as you see, that is uh along the front of Mitchell Drive.

And that's really important, not just that that it's a new facility, but historically, joy-bound and any art it might have contained was kind of concealed.

Yeah, you know what I mean?

It was not particular, we we have embraced what we consider a culture of hospitality, and this facility and the art that it contains and its prominence, it will be visible from Mitchell Drive and invite people in.

Thank you.

So when we talk about distribution and coordination with the existing pieces, I would just point out that our current long-standing facility, which was yellow, that building has distributed around it, high uh art niches.

And we created these whimsical dog or cat sculptures that are ceramic that live in those niches.

So as you'll look at the, do I have a pointer on this?

Well, in any event, if you look at that arrow that is pointing down to the elevation rendering, we are going to use those same kinds of niches at the same scale.

And the arrow points to one, but you can see off that there are they're evenly spaced across the uh structure.

And in each one of those, there will be an artwork by Patrick Ameo.

And uh I would those those are the niches are um three to four feet high, the artworks within them.

No, excuse me, I'm so sorry.

That those are two by three in those niches.

And an important differentiation, the art that you're looking at now, the ceramic art cannot be relocated.

It's permanently affixed to the building.

And if we tried to move it, it would shatter, which would be a loss to the city for any reason the art needed to be moved.

Uh the AMO sculptures that we are installing in the niches are fully uh removable and relocatable if ever the need should arise.

Additionally to the niche art, we will have three freestanding sculptures to welcome visitors.

And the one on the far left where you see the joy-bound logo will probably be visible from the street.

These are um on the one right nearest the downward yellow arrow.

That is the dog welcoming entrance.

And so that will be a very cute dog and its owner inviting you in.

The one to the center is the cat welcoming into the entrance.

So this might be a kid and a kitty.

And at the far right, near the joy-bound logo, that is our behavior specialty services clinic, a veterinary clinic of great, frankly, it will be one of perhaps not more than three in the United States.

And so we will have uh perhaps a dog uh outfitted for school going into school to get its behavior changed with a backpack and maybe an apple for the teacher or other cute and whimsical icons indicating that this is a place where education will happen.

If we are able to acquire uh funding, we also want to put two eight-foot welcoming uh statues, street side at the flanking or driveway entrance, which will be absolutely delightful for passers by.

And again, that is contingent upon additional fundraising.

So again, our artwork, we know it it's directly relevant to about 57% of our community members, but I would say more than that because we know that many families in Walnut Creek wish they could have animals, but they don't perhaps have pet family housing or have other issues, sometimes economic barriers.

Uh so we know that it's fair to say, probably pushing 65 to 70 percent of households relate to this relationship between people and pets.

So these are some examples of the whimsical uh art that Patrick Amyot uh creates from found objects, and we particularly celebrate that.

In fact, here we see a doggy, this kind of doggy going into a clinic.

Um that's the kind of idea of the doggy going to school, creating that notion of this is what I'm gonna go do inside this building.

But we all of this is made with found objects that would otherwise be in a landfill.

So we love the environmental responsibility of it.

That um the artists themselves are quite renowned for this work.

Uh Patrick Amio and his partner Brigitte Laurent live and work in Sebastopol, California.

The work that they do has just captured such a passionate following.

They were recently commissioned, they are now internationally known.

They were just commissioned for $30 million.

Um Pride of Canada carousel in Markham, Canada.

So their significance is spreading.

Meanwhile, if you drive around the Bay Area, and you will find yourself as do I many times saying, Oh, look at that.

That's an AMIO piece, and it'll be in a vineyard or in somebody's front yard or uh at a municipal building.

I saw one at a fire station recently of the firefighters.

So the um this partnership between Ameo and Nil Ron really brings community to life in the work that they do.

We think it will become actually not just an enhancement of Joy Bound, but a draw to Walnut Creek, uh, certainly to the shade lands and hopefully Walnut Creek as a whole.

So here just gonna share a few more visuals from Patrick Amio and Brigitte Laurent's website.

I love this quote.

The whole purpose of my work is to glorify these objects because they have their own spirit.

Amyo enthusiast.

And I this this part really I think is powerful.

When a hubcap has traveled on a truck for millions of miles and it's seen the prairies in winter and the hot summer asphalt, when it's done traveling with that truck and I get cut off, finds itself, we'll say, in an artwork, uh, it's a whole new life, but it brings with it that earlier iteration of its existence.

And so it invites a viewer to go deeper, deeper into the work of art to kind of figure it out.

Like, oh my goodness, look at this piece and this piece.

I recognize that.

Deeper into time, deeper into the meaning of each of those individual objects, and the story that they are telling together in their new assemblage.

So we are we believe that there's a lot of resonance in the work.

Our budget estimate that um we expect to invest in this is about 51,000.

Our obligation uh is around 45,000.

We hope that you will uh note that our belief and uh passion for this particular work, our belief in its quality and the contribution that it will make to Walnut Creek inspires us to spend more than we are required.

And we will certainly uh spend another 17 or 18,000 if we can raise it to put those two marvelous statues at um flanking the entrance.

Here are a few additional examples of uh AMIO's art and I like that one line.

Um, you do a double and triple take to figure out all the found found objects, an old caster that's a nose, bolts uh or screws turned into toes.

And I look at that central with the cats, this fellow enjoying his kitties or his kitties enjoying him, we might say.

Uh his nose actually is a caster, so you can see how people kind of want to um process these artworks and linger with them.

Here are a few more examples.

And again, these are representative.

We will be giving the artist direction.

Right now, we we as a nonprofit wouldn't do that until we had your approval.

We would not commission work.

Um a few more for you to see.

If uh you do approve this direction on our artwork, that is where we will engage Patrick to sketch and we will commission uh the works from him, and each will be unique.

Uh and that allows us as a nonprofit to be careful with our funds rather than investing up front.

So I'll pause there and think.

Oh, I see.

I have one more for you to admire.

Yes, these are I mean, the one with the doggy on the couch.

I have a I have a new favorite every time I look at these.

So I'll pause here and thank you.

And ask for any questions or or comments or thoughts you might have.

Did I hear you correctly in that the pieces for the nine niches are going to be ceramic?

No.

The for the first pieces were ceramic that were installed and they cannot be moved.

Now, using Patrick Amio's work, all the niche pieces will be fully removable.

So if for some reason they the city needed the mills where they could be moved.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you for at the clarifying question.

Um I love everything about this.

I think it's fabulous.

And it would be such a wonderful addition to our town.

Um, I was out visiting and looked at all the other porcelain pieces, and they are beautiful and meaningful.

And I did notice there are plaques with them with messages, which I I have two cats, so that deeply resonated with me, got me all tiered up.

And I thought that was such a beautiful concept.

And I understand that those uh were donors, pets.

So I'm sure you know their names and all of that meant something to somebody.

So I'm wondering if that's gonna be you know something similar that would be carried over to the other.

That's a wonderful question and observation, and I love that you immediately like what are we out to celebrate the bond between people and their pets?

Those plaques bring that to life, and yes, the new niches will have the opportunity for people to dedicate.

If someone chooses to dedicate a niche and makes a contribution, we'll make every effort to have Patrick Amyo style that um as a portrait of their pet.

Those ceramic niches were originally pet portraits as well.

So um I can tell you that the center itself oftentimes donors um appropriately will name something for a family legacy, you know.

I mean, I'm Susan Lee Vick, it could be the VIC so and so Vic family, something or another.

The naming donor of this facility chose to name the facility after their beloved dog.

They didn't even their name didn't need to be on it, so it will be called the Liberty Center after Liberty, and that that was the dog of their lives, and we also think the freedom that this center will offer Walnut Creek pet families uh plays into that beautifully, plus the Liberty Center acronym TLC, tender loving care.

Just saying.

Any other questions?

But then yes, yes, yes, on on naming and and the dedicated cating plaques.

A question as far as the niches.

Have you talked about what will happen to the niches when um birds decide to build nests in them?

Or other creatures decide the shit won't get the niches with the sculptures.

Yeah, so that this is a complex question, actually.

When a bird builds a nest, we treasure that and we treat it very carefully.

Right now, we had recently a nesting in our courtyard, and it got you know taped, and all staff and volunteers alerted left this this bird family to uh to hatch and fledge its chicks.

So if there were an active nest, we would protect and observe that.

We also have an excellent facilities crew that if we're talking about things like soiling or unwelcome bird visits and deposits, we we keep our campus pretty immaculate.

Yeah, they haven't they haven't come in, but they you know they might.

Yeah, we haven't had them in our existing niches, but that's interesting.

You pointed out.

I'm like, if I haven't questions, um just one.

Um I I noticed in the drawing you've got trees planted in front of the building, you gotta be sure and keep the trees uh so that the sculptures will continue to be visible.

Yes, absolutely.

And I I think for us, we choose species that are proportionate to our goals for the overall project, and we do want the artwork to be very prominent.

Uh I guess we can take comments from commissioners.

I have a question from our public art staff.

Are we gonna hear from you at all?

Um Mariah about the signage versus the art right now.

Um sure, I can clarify or answer questions to the best of my ability regarding signage or um if we approve this project as presented, it will be all cats and dogs in the niches.

And it at some point is that is that okay with the public art master plan or is it not?

So um it's a good question.

Um per the public art master plan, if something does indicate what takes place in or on a building that is considered signage and can go for review for the um design review commission.

However, if it is also original artwork that is like decorative artwork, then it would be reviewed by this commission.

So this artwork, it's I mean, it's kind of a gray area because it is original artwork, but it also is symbolic of what takes place in the building and could be interpreted as signage.

So does that clarify that?

It clarifies it for me, but I don't know if the other commissioners have considered that because it's a small piece of the public art master plan that we're not always thinking of.

Right.

It is a small piece, and it was intended to um, which I think that Susan touched on, it's the idea is that whatever takes place in that building, the artwork would hold up, being that it's public art.

So if Joy Bound were to leave that site and move to a different site, um, and you know, maybe a sports organization would move in, then the artwork would not really make sense for that site any longer.

Um so I think that that's it's different than if it's an abstract sculpture that can kind of work for any space.

So um I know our public art master plan also talks about um art that advertises what's in the building.

And so this does advertise what's in the building, dogs and cats.

Correct.

Again, another nuance to our master plan that we just need to be aware of.

Sure.

Yeah, thank you for bringing that to the commission's attention.

And um, that is still it's it's um the commission's purview to vote on if they think it's appropriate or not for the space.

Well, and I gather you think it is.

I'm sorry, you you would say that it is from your perspective, appropriate s well staff doesn't get to have an opinion on it, so you brought it to us.

That's that's why we have you here.

Sure.

Yeah, yeah.

Um the two points we thought about this ourselves, and the two points that really stood out for us is the portability factor, the artworks that we're proposing if the if we were no longer in that site would be attractive additions to any city park there or recreation facilities.

And the second piece to that is we know that a large percentage of Walnut Creek, this does represent the life that they live here with companion animals.

Um so it's not niche.

I mean, they are niches, but this it is not a niche use.

It is a quite broad universal use that we hope to bring that point home and to make it clear that they are movable, and we don't intend to ever go anywhere, but that's not for this committee to make a judgment on.

Anyway, I hope that um I hope that you will see that the universal appeal.

I think it's back into prehistoric times that we know that canines and feline's recent archaeological studies have unearthed, uh, partnered in life with human beings that it's a symbiotic and important relationship.

So having pets in a community as art does have a logic to it.

Yeah, um I'm really excited for you guys to have some new facilities on this space.

It's I go to the Shea Lens a lot and we walk along Oak and over through Mitchell.

And my youngest child really likes the ceramics on the wall.

And I go back and forth with her because there's a few that I'm like, ooh, over time it's a little creepy now.

Um, but that's very exciting.

I my comment is actually more about proximity to the road and the the change of the community space within the shade lens itself, and uh more just a provocation or an offering for even your own staff and employees that might be in the facilities, as you see in the kind of Kaiser Center, there's like little corridors and a table.

There is also one on that corner right before you get to Kaiser where there's a lot of construction between the former art school and the lager place.

There's some tables, and you know, those are mainly for folks that work, but on the weekends, a lot of folks that ride their bikes with their kids on a walk on a run.

If there was some way that there could just be an offering, if someone wanted to sit at the front of your new facility, have their sandwich on the way to the mark from back from the market and then keep walking.

If there was just some way to be more in relationship.

You're you're actually touching upon uh something that was very important to us.

If I may go back briefly to the site plan, we have gorgeous memorial garden on our property that has never gotten the traffic that we wish.

And if you look, there's the uh blue building, which is the new facility directly across from our entrance.

You see all those curved areas.

This is a gorgeous garden with trees and shade and flowers and benches, and we are really hoping, hoping that this invitational artwork will bring people into our campus park, stay a while.

Um there are pathways to stroll, there are lovely things in that area.

So it's it's kind of exactly what you've described.

We just are hoping that this work will activate that beautiful space.

That'll be helpful.

Yeah, I think so.

I think so too.

Um I had I did have one question for the sculptures that would be on the ground surface.

Would there be a lighting to highlight them in the evenings and such?

I know we'll have recess lighting for the niches, but yes, how would how visible would it be?

Yes, they will be, and they will have up lighting.

So that they will be lit, the sculptures that are freestanding the three.

And they will also be the three freestanding sculptures will be right at the skirting of the building, so they will also receive light from our sconces and other fixtures affixed to the building.

Thank you.

I have a couple of different comments.

One, I've seen Patrick's work in Sebastian, and it is amazing.

The street that he lives on, and every neighbor having his art is oh yeah phenomenal.

If you can take a drive up there and have a um walk his street, it's so amazing.

And yeah, so very excited to see his art in Walnut Creek.

Um, I want to be sensitive to the fact that we are um talking about art that also advertises what is in the building.

And maybe a way to kind of in take away from that a little bit is maybe to add a few other animals into the mix.

Maybe the cats have birds on their head, maybe there's a couple of native.

That's a great suggestion.

Just kind of keep putting that in there because I want to be sensitive.

The fact that we don't we have a public art master plan that's just we don't want to have art that advertises what's in the building.

Yeah.

That's that's an interesting and and I've seen Patrick do that in some of those sculptures on Florence Avenue.

Right.

His studio is.

Um, yeah, I would note um in terms of advertising what's inside a note in a for-profit business, that's an important consideration because it's the art is not there to uh for commerce.

But what as a cultural institution, the art advertising what inside what is going on inside actually relates directly to the fact that we are a cultural institution for Walnut Creek.

So there's a nuance there, uh, much in the way that you know I've been to uh performing art centers that have the masks of tragedy and comedy or a Juliette balcony with a bronze, you know, Romeo Romeo where for art or Juliet on the on the balcony, just making they are advertising what's going on inside, but only because what's going on inside means something to that community.

So I'd say we're kind of that way too.

Yeah.

Sure.

So I I understand that I'm just trying to give you just a little a little thing you could add to it that would be be nice.

And then comments unrelated to the art.

I never like up lighting because I like dark skies for all the creatures that live in the trees outside.

So I'm hoping that your lighting is going to be sensitive to trying to keep a dark skies for the birds, the bats, the insects that use your area at nighttime.

And I also looked at your landscape plan and was very disappointed that there were so many non-native plants in it.

So I'd like to have you see you have more native plants in it.

And sometimes that's just a direction for the landscape architect firm that your developer may have hired.

You may not have even hired that firm.

They hired them, and all of a sudden they've given you a plan, but you haven't been able to give any input into what you might like that environment to look like.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Oh, I would entertain a motion to approve.

I know I'm trying to find it.

There it is.

Here it is.

Here it is.

It's at the top of no page number, sorry.

After consent calendar in consideration.

Go for it.

You want me to do it?

Yes.

Okay.

I I motion that we approve Joy Bounds.

What's the exact language that I need to put in here?

The joy-bound proposal.

Joy-bound proposal.

That works.

The joy-bound proposal for public art.

I second the motion.

We have a first and a second.

Commissioner Perelman.

Aye.

Commissioner Balthasar.

Commissioner Dresser.

Aye.

Curlind is absent.

Vice Chair Tesvay.

Aye.

And Chair Magnani.

Aye.

Pass us.

Congratulations.

I I just want to add that I I love the rye comment on classic buildings that have busts of famous people in their niches.

Here you've got an animal building with busts of animals.

Let's see.

Artwork acquisition.

And Mariah.

Okay.

Thank you.

Hi.

Okay.

Number one.

The first PowerPoint.

Should be first one.

So while she's getting that up, I'll just talk about next item on the commission's agenda for this evening is consideration of gifts of gifts of art that have been offered to the city.

Trying to okay.

Okay, so we have on the original agenda the you'll have noted that there were three GIFs.

However, um due to delays related to the development project that is associated with the wind fins by Ned Conn.

We are postponing that until further notice.

So tonight we'll just be considering artwork donations for acquisition into the permanent collection by two different artists.

The first that we'll discuss is Brad Krebs, Our Neighborhood.

And the second will be Jack Laycock's Emerging Towers, which is a painting.

And so here is the first one up for review.

It's a series of 28 ceramic houses, each measuring approximately six by four by three inches.

Each one is completely unique.

And here you see 18 of them.

Right outside in this rotating exhibit space.

And due to all of the compliments and everybody, you know, overwhelming appreciation for the artwork, he um generously offered to donate them to the city.

Um currently these ones are on display in the human resources office, and if the commission accepts the acquisition into the city's collection, um staff will determine the location of the additional 10 with consideration of rotating them around different different spaces for people to see.

Um there any questions about these pieces?

Um you have any idea where you might put them if we not really.

We haven't really we haven't gotten that far because we kind of wanted to bring it to you for review first.

Um I can tell you a little bit about the artist, Brad Krebs, he is a walnut creek resident, um, who is not a formally trained artist.

However, he has taken classes here in our ceramics um studio for a long time.

Um vet and an IT professional who has worked for his entire career at UC Berkeley.

Um he's been working in ceramics for 10 years, and um he loves being a part of this community and this community's arts program.

So acquiring these, they're probably fairly low maintenance, just need some dusting.

They're ceramic, so any other questions about the artwork or the artist.

Would you want to put them all in one place or like separate, or you don't know yet?

I think it's very nice that he built these display boxes specifically for his work.

However, um there are more than can fit, and so I think that it would also be nice to display them in different places so that more people could enjoy them throughout the city.

I know the office where they're at right now, everyone's really happy to have them there.

Other questions?

Any public comment?

None?

I have regular little comment.

I just want to see them.

So if they're in city, if they're in offices in City Hall, the public really doesn't see them.

And it's frustrating that we can't see the art even in this um hallway unless the chambers are open.

So I would like if once in a while they would be in a place where the public actually could see them.

Yes.

Totally understand.

We would have to think about that because of the size of them.

It's something we wouldn't want to have disappear.

I I I love these pieces.

I when they were out there, they were they were very impressed by the tribute to the city's uh arts program that the city basically made this guy an artist.

Right.

All right, well, anything else?

I just imagine them in a library in a space like that where they could be viewed by several and maybe put some kind of protective glass or something, but they're absolutely beautiful.

All right.

I will I'm gonna move on to the next donation consideration.

Um the next is a painting by artist Jack Laycox.

He is no longer living, but he was um an artist.

He was a California painter who had degrees in art from UC Berkeley and SF State.

He painted profusely.

He had a career in um producing technical illustrations, and he taught studio art and was a guest speaker for many juried shows and different institutions throughout the country.

And um this painting was created circa 1960s.

Um the this painting is being offered to the city as a gift from Connie Regalia in memory of her mother and former city mayor Gwendolyn W.

Regalia.

And um that do you have any questions or comments about this piece?

I'll make a comment about this one if I may.

Um Jack also apparently had a studio in uh Walnut Creek, and apparently uh Ed and Gwen Regalia bought this and other pieces from him when he was actually working in Walnut Creek.

And um the two of them, as most of you know, were true pillars of the Walnut Creek community.

Um played leadership roles in the development of some of the institutions that define the city, uh including the Leisure Center, Kennedy King College Scholarship Fund, and the Walnut Creek Library.

In fact, the there's a plaque with their name on it at the park entrance to the library commemorating a very generous gift they made to the Capitol campaign that built the library.

Um I bring this up now because while the family understands that gifts to the city are unrestricted, it was their wish uh that that this be donated to the library.

In fact, um when they first brought it to it to us, they actually brought it to the Walnut Creek Library Foundation uh as a gift to that organization.

But you know, the the process is that these the city, the the the city uh provides the art for the library, so the donation was made to the city.

Um but the the city guidelines for art acquisitions, which is one of the exhibits uh in our in our agenda package, uh do allow for memorial and commemorative gifts to be located at specific sites.

So, you know, while again everybody understands for good reason that the gift is unrestricted, it would be my hope that we would uh honor uh the regalia's wishes in that regard.

Anything else?

Thank you, Chair.

I think that was helpful.

Give a more robust story, and yes, you're correct.

It was initially offered to the library, but the library building is owned by the city, and all of the artwork in it is managed and owned by the city.

Um we have a motion on acceptance of these two items.

I move that we accept both of these gifts.

Um one is a Jack Laycock's painting emerging towers, and the other one is a um Rad Krebs gift of ceramic houses.

And move that we accept them into the city's art collection.

Second.

I second the motion.

We have a first and a second.

Commissioner Perlman.

Aye.

Commissioner Balthazar.

Aye.

Commissioner Dresser.

Aye.

Commissioner Curlin is absent.

Vice Chair Testvay.

Aye.

And Chair Magnani.

Aye.

Passes.

Thank you.

Um next on the agenda is item 4D of the updated mural grant program guidelines.

And again, take it away, Mariah.

Almost there.

All right.

Okay.

You may recognize somebody here in this image.

So the City of Walnut Creek Public Art Master Plan launched a mural match group grant program in 2023 to support new murals on commercial properties.

In accordance with the grant launch, the commission approved the mural match grant guidelines, which is a document that aims to clarify how the grant is to be distributed.

The goal with the goal of implementing more murals through the city.

And the guidelines have just been updated to reflect this revision.

And the commission is now asked to review the new mural grant guidelines, which that was all in your packet also.

And I hope you've had a chance to review.

Sarah, you have I don't know if it's more of comments or if I should just state all the questions that we it feels like more discussion.

I'm not sure.

So it would normally go clarifying questions and then public comment and then back, but being that there's no public comment, I say go for it.

Yeah.

I think can you tell us a little bit about how the current current mural partnership is going with ABT?

Sure.

Um is this I think this is the right time for all these questions now.

Um just really interested in terms of just onboarding that process, this allocation of 30K, all of that stuff.

Yeah.

So good question.

So back in um October 2025, we had the commission had awarded the first um grant to the first eligible and qualified applicant um to the grant program.

And there had been that shift um where instead of it being a matching grant, um the commission had voted to allocate the full 30,000 in funding toward the applicant ABG art group with the intention and expectation that he um Trent Thompson, who is the head of ABG Art Group will oversee the implementation of four unique murals working with different artists in the city.

And um since then, we staff drafted contract.

The contract had to go back and forth for review from the applicant, and any time um the city drafts a contract with anybody uh we need to see their coverage, their COI and insurance, and um they need a business license.

So all of this process takes a while.

It's no it's not really any different, it's just every public art project is obviously unique, and so contracts need to signify that.

And um, so he's been easy to work with, he's been patient through the process.

He understands that working with municipalities is not super speedy just because so many people do have to look over everything to ensure that things are being done accurately and correctly.

And so I am pleased to report that actually as of this week we are finally moving forward.

We've received everything we need from him in order to move forward.

So we will be moving forward, and how it was written in the um original guideline is that the murals are to be completed within a year of signing the contract.

So hopefully he'll begin soon, as soon as it's I'm sure this rain will subside soon and it'll be hot and ready to paint murals.

So um working with him has been great.

Um it's great to know that we'll be realizing more more murals in the city.

I'm very excited to see um how this all comes about, and I'm sure that from this process, this first cycle of grant funding and working through the project, I'm sure that we will learn from it.

Um the unknowns and hopefully use that information to refine it in the future if we need to.

And um, yeah, does that answer that question?

It does, and I think it's less about um ABG, but that's great because they are our first test partnership essentially.

Um I think I'm what I'm hearing you say is just like finding the right size contract for what this looks like.

Obviously, their insurance is probably standard, it's and then however the city requires the COI to be labeled or additionally endorsed.

Um just kind of thinking about how we operationalize that because I think there should be a lot of desire to want to come and be a part of a mural in Walnut Creek.

I think um removing the matching grants to being kind of a larger pool of money, one because of how much everything costs right now, and two to bring the kind of teams and caliber of artists that we want to work with commercial businesses or with the city in general.

Um so I was just you know, before we reapprove the process, like what is this process look like?

How are you guys learning from it?

This new set of guidelines goes out, and like where in your 500 projects you're managing.

Does this like timeline start for this next clock of 30K?

Um next fiscal year.

Okay, yes.

So July, yes.

Okay.

You got I was gonna leave it if anybody else had additional questions.

I think I'm good on questions.

I just have one quick.

This is a use it or lose it, right?

30,000.

It it disappears at the end of the year if we don't.

No.

I think that it's up to so there the funds are there, it's up to the commission to determine how they want these funds allocated.

So if we were to like when when the commission first decided to allocate the $30,000 or up to $30,000 with a match of five up to five thousand dollars per applicant, we had no applicants or no projects realized.

So we did not lose that funding.

It has continued to roll over.

Okay, thanks.

But we haven't added more to it, right?

Correct, which is the thing.

Other discussion or questions we can ask for a motion on the uh guidelines.

This is to approve the new guidelines.

I make a mo I make a motion to approve the new guidelines for the updated mural match grant program guidelines.

I second this motion.

I just want to clarify that we're actually moving away from the match.

So if you could just restate that it's just the updated mural grant program without the word match, I think, just for clarification.

Sure, just updated mural grant program without the word match in the title.

Thank you.

I motion to approve to approve the updated mural grant program guidelines.

Perfect, thank you.

We still have the second on the revised I second this.

Perfect, thank you.

I appreciate it.

Motion and second on the floor, Commissioner Perelman.

Commissioner Baltazar.

Aye.

Commissioner Dresser.

Aye.

Commissioner Curlin is absent.

Vice Chair Tesvie.

Aye.

And Chair McNani.

Aye.

Passes.

Okay.

So next on the agenda is reports on projects.

And uh I believe we have a public arts report.

All right.

So if you'll recall, there had been some discussion on potentially moving artwork that is currently located at City Hall, which you may have noticed as you were walking in.

And it has been determined that we will after much looking and searching, and also thank you, Commissioner Dresser, for taking it upon yourself to go look at different potential places in the library that could um house these pieces.

Um it was finally determined that we were actually just going to keep them here at City Hall.

So that's the update.

They are not going to be moving.

So that includes this piece, which was commissioned specifically for this space, um, which makes it extra challenging to move that piece.

Yes.

I'd like to see the bases of this disabler pieces changed to be beautiful bases.

Those bases are horrible.

Okay, thank you for your comment.

No data.

Also, just to um to piggyback on Maria's statement.

So it has been determined they will stay in the lobby.

However, their exact placement within the lobby may change, and maybe that could be part of the recommendation that we change the base or whatnot.

But um so they're not gonna leave the building, but their placement inside could which I think is a great idea too.

Their placement could definitely use some help.

I'm hoping that the ceramic piece on the wall that was actually designed to go there is going to stay there, however.

Great.

Yep, that that will be staying.

Yeah, I would say particularly the piece on the left is kind of in the in a cubby hole.

I'm glad too that they're staying.

I especially particularly the site-specific piece.

Um good.

Other questions, comments.

I don't think we need to do any action, do we?

No.

Okay.

Okay, so next.

Um, recently we had um this piece uh wings by artist Dan Dykes.

Um it was thoroughly cleaned and um underwent maintenance, which included um draining of the weep holes that have been clogged from the leaves and uh drying out, cleaning, and then an application.

Actually, I think it was three applications of wax um seal.

So it looks really nice, and we'll be putting this up on our public art web page soon.

We've been waiting to have it photographed until it was clean and looking good.

Any questions or comments about this piece?

Okay.

And this piece is actually um we're in the process of working out fumigation for it because there have been pests detected.

Um so we would like to ensure that this work continues to be preserved and safe for the public to enjoy.

So we are in the process of um scheduling a fumigation for that this piece, and so it will be tented for a couple of days and um and then hopefully everything will be great and it will continue to exist in the city.

And um I just received word um very recently from PGE, and they have confirmed that this is indeed a viable location.

Um so public arts staff will go out and measure the exact area because they did give measurements of just how far we need to be from any um electrical that is underground.

So that is good news.

We could move forward.

And I don't know if you recall or who has been on the commission, but this has been a long time in the works.

I rotating temporary public art program or sculpture program.

And so public arts staff has been working with uh city engineering staff and street and maintenance um staff and recently with um an electrician, and we have identified three sites on Locust Avenue.

And we have identified three sites on Locust Avenue.

These are not perfect, but like the little red boxes symbolize where we plan to have sculpture pads placed with a little bit of uplighting.

But now Jill I have you in my in my head about nightlife and birds, so and bats.

But there will be two little uplights, and then we would like to go forward with a rotating sculpture project.

So that will provide more opportunities for artists in the future.

But we're making progress on this.

Comments?

Yeah, so these would be pieces will commission artist.

They would be existing pieces because it would be small stipends to artists to compensate them.

So I think that we haven't finalized how we're going to be doing a call for artists, but it would probably, because of budgetary constraints, be limited to Bay Area artists.

That could be the nine Bay Area counties.

And bring the works in on a rotating basis, but they would probably remain up for two years.

But there'd be three dimensional pieces.

Correct.

So we would not be commissioning anybody.

It would be do you have existing artwork?

Can you drive it here or can we have it brought here by a local art transportation service?

And would that be borrowed or we're commissioning them?

How would that be?

What's the transaction like?

So basically it would be consigned to well consigned to us, just lent to us for two years, yeah.

Borrowed and then given back.

And we would give them some money to compensate them for use of their artwork.

Thank you.

I think we would do a new, like a pool of eligible artists.

So we do not have artists in mind.

Unless you've already said, sorry, when does this start?

Like what are we already in the process?

We are waiting to finalize the sculpture pads.

So the artwork won't start until the sculpture pads are in and the electric is hooked up.

So it's just out there on the radar.

We're making progress, though.

It's been a long process.

Question, how do we secure the artwork so it doesn't get carried away?

Or is that not issued because we expect the art's all going to be heavy enough that someone isn't going to pick it up and throw it in the back of their pickup truck.

So we're planning on having um metal, like um blinking on metal pads that will be like plates that will be there.

And so the artwork will have to be able to be screwed into these metal plates because we don't want it to move in case of you know, for safety or for theft.

Any others?

And um, as we talked about earlier, mural grant is moving forward.

Um as you'll recall, it's just one of the renderings.

So we're looking forward to to this.

And that's it.

Any other questions or comments?

I just want to comment.

Um commend you on just the different ways as a city that we try to give artists opportunities in smallest ways.

Um I truly appreciate that.

Thank you.

And more, thank you.

You've been busy, you're dealing with a lot of different art.

That's all has to be treated somewhat differently.

That isn't even considering water light plaza, which you haven't mentioned.

I know we've talked about it, but you have so many different whether it's water or electricity or lighting or security issues to deal with all this art.

Thank you.

We appreciate all that you're doing.

Yeah, thank you.

It's fun, I can never be bored.

Anything else?

Thank you.

Um reports on projects or any other updates or staff announcements.

No other staff announcements.

No other staff announcements.

Uh so um commissioner announcements.

Uh any commissioners have individual updates they'd like to share with us.

Of course I do.

I'm surprised that um our curator has not said anything about the new show at the Bedford.

Um, we have a new show at the Bedford.

Um I I'm not gonna get the title exactly right, but the artist is just charming in essential Gino.

Why you feel fill me in, Emily, with the exact wording.

Just kidding, staff's giving an update.

Good evening, Commissioners.

Emily Enders, Bedford Gallery Curator.

Uh, the exhibition title is Aztec Stories in Modern Mexico and Innocensio Humanist Chino Retrospective.

I'm really surprised you didn't remember that, Jill.

It's only like nine nine words long.

Um so yes, that exhibition opened on Saturday.

Thank you so much for those who who were able to attend.

Um, the artist is um a Nahuatl artist based in Guerrero, Mexico, um, and so it's a retrospective of 55 years of his career spanning from 1970 to 2025.

Um, and it really traces his artistic journey.

Um, and so you can watch him progress as an artist.

He's self-taught.

Um, and it's just this really incredible love letter, both to his community but also to the land where he is from.

Thank you.

And when you go to the gallery to see this show, have some time there because you're gonna want to read all the text that Emily and her staff and the anthropologist has given the city to put up.

And everything is in Spanish and in English.

It's a beautiful show, and the artist is just lovely.

And he'll be here tomorrow night for cocktails and conversation.

Are there any tickets left?

Cocktails and conversations is sold out.

Um, which I'm I'm sorry, because um he's just charming.

There is also a children's book that he has done the um the art for, and that book is for sale in the gallery, and um I encourage you to take a look at it and perhaps buy it if it uh appeals to you.

Um another note, um former arts commissioner Jane Emanuel and I um decided to put together a library public art walking tour.

The months of December, January, February, and March, we have no public art walking tour, and we thought why not um add the library art in.

We have about 40 pieces of art in the library, and there's definitely enough to take up an hour tour.

So uh Jane and I did our first tour in March.

It was very well attended, in fact, too well attended.

The staff, the marketing staff at the Lesher Center is doing such an amazing job marketing what is going on at the Leisure Center and the Bedford Gallery and the walking tours that we are getting oversubscribed to everything.

Um we decided to limit the sign-ups, I think to 12 people, 12 to 15 that day, and then we had people walk up, but we each had 20 in our groups.

We had 40 people touring the library in two different groups, and it was too many.

Because unlike the public art on the streets of Walnut Creek that is large that you can gather around and look at, you cannot go up to a piece of art in a library with 20 people and gather around.

So we're gonna limit the amount of um tickets we sell next time, I think to 10 and maybe take two walk-ups, and we'll offer this tour every February and every March.

So we have something to offer in the winter months when it's raining.

Of course, I think it was 80 degrees the day we did the um tour, right?

Um so that's I think a great new addition to our public art walking tours, which I heard the ones on Saturday, which is tour number one again, as we start our uh cycle over again, was very well attended as well.

And I think that's all I have to share.

Yeah, thank you.

Um I want to on the record to uh give all the accolades to the curators of the Bedford Gallery for the outstanding uh shows that continue to bring to our town as an artist, as a woman, as an immigrant, as a person who checks out all the boxes in a marginalized group.

I cry every time I go in because it speaks so much to me.

That means it speaks to everyone.

And they continue to do that.

And I think this is one of the most I they're getting choked up and I was not gonna do that because I was gonna write it all.

But um, I think it's incredibly important to note that they continue to go out of their way to bring our community such service, and it is very special.

So thank you.

A couple of things.

And in all that time, I haven't come across anything that I thought would be of interest to this commission.

But finally, I do have a couple of items.

One is the restoration hardware complex that's going to replace the Neiman Marcus store.

And the other is the uh restaurant that's going to place replace the Walnut Creek Yacht Club.

The restoration hardware project is hugely ambitious, and that's an enormous piece of piece of property.

And in fact, uh at the commission meeting, they made a lot of the uh fact that it's located on what they consider to be the most important quarter in Walnut Creek.

So you've got Neiman Marcus slash restoration hardware in one corner, you've got the um rooftop uh restaurant complex, and then you got Tiffany's and then Broadway Point on the other side.

The restoration hardware project is going to be huge.

Um it's five showrooms and a high-end restaurant, all linked by uh uh landscaped walkways and places where you can sit uh on their furniture that they they're hoping you might buy.

Um the the main frontage on uh uh South Maine, uh, which is kind of the showpiece, got a lot of criticism from the commission uh because although it's beautifully proportioned and uh sophisticated and urbane, it really looks like it belongs in Palm Desert or Rodeo Drive.

Uh and um there were some pretty strong recommendations that maybe they look at that a little bit, including deal palm trees.

Um so they talked a lot a little bit about ways they might mitigate some of that, make it a little bit less uh cold and and suburban, uh, including I was pleased to note that somebody suggested maybe a little public art might help because there is none plan for that complex.

Um so we'll see if if any modifications come by the time it gets to the planning commission.

Um it's one of those things where they they describe it very professionally and and uh it makes a lot of sense in terms of classical architecture.

It just isn't Northern California.

Uh it might have looked good in ancient Greece uh or ancient Rome, you know, but it's just it's it's in my view wrong.

But we'll see what happens.

And then as for the Walnut Creek Yacht Club, uh it's gonna still be a seafood restaurant, although I'm guessing somewhat more expensive one, um, called Oceania.

It's gonna be a little bit bigger than the current yacht club, it's gonna have much better outdoor seating.

Uh and um uh you know, so we still we still get a seafood restaurant out of that.

And then finally, I just wanted to say a little something about an artist in my book group, uh Bush Regill.

She had her first public sculpture installed in Lafayette Plaza last month.

It was a temporary installation uh commissioned by the Lumarinda Muslim Community Center to celebrate Ramadan, and it was up during Ramadan.

Um and there was some unintentional irony around it because um true to Muslim tradition, it was themed around the crescent moon.

And here's uh Ridia Busher's statement about the project.

She says the moon belongs to everyone, and I hope my sculpture is a reminder to reflect on our shared humanity and how we are all linked.

And true to that sentiment, uh, it was installed just before the Artemis astronauts made the exact same statement with their historic voyage.

So it was interesting little nexus of things there, and uh nice piece for Lafayette while it lasted.

So I'm glad we're we're gonna have temporary sculpture installations too.

My bad.

Um the announcements that I have are just a couple of local art projects that I'm working on with artists across the bay.

Uh the Day of Peace is happening on July 25th.

It's at San Quentin rehabilitation facility in the North Bay.

Um it actually invites all of the men that are incarcerated there to participate in kind of the a large-scale arts event.

So it's arts, it's music, it's dance, it's the folks that live there and are incarcerated there showing their own work.

It's all of the programming from local universities, community colleges, and other nonprofit organizations that are there.

So if you think you might be interested and haven't ever gone, um, it it is small, open to the public.

Um, so we are looking for volunteers, so offering that.

And then simultaneously on the same day, July 25th, at the San Francisco MoMA, O Smith, Orlando Smith, who has been incarcerated for over 30 years at San Quentin, is showing his collection of art pieces, and that will be up for a year, as well as the SF MOMA acquiring three pieces for their permanent collection.

And his work is really uh, it explores a lot around the different layers of our society.

What is his name again?

O Smith is his artist name, or Orlando Smith.

Um, and then lastly, like I loved what you brought from the design commission.

And I would be really remiss to just not say, like, as beautiful as our downtown shopping center is like the inaccessibility Walnut Creek is evolving towards for families and working class people to access it.

The arts are really important that we figure out how to keep grounded and rooted and accessible.

And I think we have programs across Lesher and Bedford that open the door to students and low-income.

Um, but as these four corners evolve to places that most people cannot shop at or eat at, um, thinking about how we might incentivize our youth programming or the arts in economic development, which Walnut Creek has not taken a stance on and is not currently structured that way, but I do think that there is a way that we could flip some of the work that we do in the public arts space into economic um structures or opportunities so that we can have more artists working with the city, build more pipelines of um accessibility to working on creative projects in Walnut Creek across the arts.

Thank you.

I have one thing to add, I forgot about we did public art walking tour for two of our sister cities youth.

Uh we had youth here from Sea of Folk, Hungary and Nocetto, Italy, and um they had a full day of the city with the mayor and the lecture center and the police department, and they ended with a public art walking tour, which is I think a lot on their plate, um, just because of the timing, but just wanted that to be in the record that they were here.

I had a tour.