* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. WE'RE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING [00:00:01] TO ORDER TODAY [Cultural Arts Commission on May 24, 2022.] IS MAY 24TH, THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION MEETING. AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW COMMISSIONER CARR. UH, GO AHEAD AND TELL. I MEAN, SINCE I'VE LIVED IN GARLAND, UM, THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST 40 YEARS, UH, THE HOUSE, THE RED NOW IS OVER BY NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL, JUST SOUTH OF BOULDER PARK. AND WE'VE BEEN IN THAT HOUSE SINCE MARCH OF 92, PURCHASED IT FROM PATTY GRANVILLE. SO THERE'S A CONNECTION THERE. AND, UM, I'VE DONE MANY SHOWS IN THE PAST. IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT I'VE BEEN IN MANY SHOWS IN THE PAST GUERLAIN, SUMMER MUSICAL GARLAND, CIVIC THEATER. UH, WE HAD A SECOND STAGE IN THE PROGRAM FOR AWHILE WHERE WE TRIED TO DO SOME OUTDOOR THINGS AND THE OLD SQUARE I'M NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AS I HOPE IT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE. UM, BUT THAT'S, MY, MY INTEREST IS PROBABLY MORE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS WHERE CHIP IS MULTI-TALENTED AS VISUAL ARTS. SERIOUSLY, HONESTLY, HE'S BEEN ON STAGE HE'S, YOU KNOW, HE'S AN ARTIST, A PAINTER AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND A SINGER. SO, AND, UH, I'VE DIRECTED SOME SHOWS I'VE BEEN IN SHOWS OF TROUBLE THERESA MANY TIMES I'VE TROUBLED. YOU HAVE TROUBLE. UM, YEAH, SO HERE I AM. SO PICK UP, SO THAT'S, THAT'S DEFINITELY WELCOME. AND THEN WE HAVE DEAL WITH THE CITY I AM VISITING, AND SHE'S GOING TO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT THAT POP ART POP-UP ART COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEN ANDY IS OVER ALL OF US, SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU. ANYWAYS. FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING. SO THE TOP ONES, JUST THE TOP ONES ARE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. WE'LL LOOK AT THE MEETINGS IN A MINUTE, BUT RIGHT NOW, ANY CORRECTIONS ADDITIONS, BUT HE ONLY CAME TO, HE WAS NOT. YEAH, HE, HE, UH, HE EMAILED ME ABOUT THAT TOO. AND I REMINDED HIM, HE SHOWED UP FOR THE, YEAH, IT DOES PROBABLY GET TO THE AME HE IS ON THERE CAUSE HE WAS HERE. SO YEAH, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT TOO THOUGHT, WELL, YOU DIDN'T GET HER TO LIGHTER. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THAT HIS MAGNETS, SO, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT TOO, BUT YES, I THINK WE'RE OKAY THERE. I READ OVER IT AND THEN EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE EXCEPT THAT WE PUT ON A NUMBER FIVE. YEAH. TWO TO FIVE, UH, AND PISSER AND OOPS. I SPELLED THAT WRONG. COME ON. GOOD. OKAY. SO I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVED THEM. OKAY. AND THE SECOND, SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. SO, UM, YOU HAVE SOME, IF YOU WANT TO, UH, YOU WANT TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT ONE-YEAR-OLDS COMING UP. THAT WOULD BE ANDY. THAT'D BE ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TELL ME NEXT CAUSE I COULD NOT FIND, UH, THE, UH, UH, YEAH, THERE'S ONLY THREE SLIDES. AND SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THESE, BUT LIKE I MENTIONED, WHEN I WAS, WE WERE HERE LAST TIME, SUPER, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, UM, WITH THE SQUARE BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THINGS THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE, UM, ON THE SQUARE OR OPPOSITE IF WE HAVE TO ADAPT AND PUT THEM IN OTHER PLACES, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO JUST STOP. WE GOT TO STRUGGLE. MUST GO ON. AS I SAY, SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT. SO WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IS TAKE THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT WE HAD THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO THE SOUNDS OF SUMMER, WHICH IS TYPICALLY ON THE PLAZA SQUARE. UM, AND A LITTLE BIT OF, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF CONCERTS THAT WERE ALLOCATED FOR JAZZ SHOWS. AND THEN WE THROUGH A VERY FORTUNATE, UH, CONVERSATION WITH JIMMY WALLACE, UH, AT THE GUITAR SHOP REALLY DISCOVERED A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING SOME ORIGINAL TALENT IN A SCALE OF TALENT WE COULD AFFORD, BUT IT'S HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'VE TRADITIONALLY DONE, WHICH HAS BEEN MOSTLY A TRIBUTE BANDS, COVER BANDS, WHICH NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM. THEY'RE GREAT. AND THEY HAVE THEIR PLACE, BUT WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS UNIQUE TO GARLAND, NOT SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES. UM, AND THEN, SO HE BECAME A PARTIAL TALENT SPONSOR AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, VERITEX BANK, UH, REALLY CAME THROUGH WITH SOME, SOME SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS AS A [00:05:01] SPONSOR. SO BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM, WE WERE REALLY ABLE TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OR TO OURSELVES A SUMMER. SO WE HAD OUR LAST ONE, TWO WEEKS AGO OR, I MEAN OUR FIRST ONE, TWO WEEKS AGO, AND THAT WAS GRADY SPENCER AND THE WORK. UM, AND ACTUALLY THE, UH, AND THEY WERE GOOD. THEY WERE A REALLY NEAT SOUND. UM, AND THEN WHO OPENED FOR THEM WAS JIMMY WALLACE AND HIS MANY, MANY BANDS. UM, AND SO HE ALSO BROUGHT RACHEL STACEY. SO IF YOU HAD TO, IF YOU GET A CHANCE, LOOK HER UP, SHE'S BEEN AROUND A WHILE AND SHE WAS AMAZING. UM, SO THEY PLAYED TOGETHER AS THE OPENER. UM, AND THEN, SO THIS WEEK I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED. THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT IS MY FAVORITE KING FISH. SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO LOOK UP KRISTEN KING FISH INGRAM, UM, MAN, THIS, THIS KID IS UNBELIEVABLE. HE IS AN INCREDIBLE, UH, BLUES GUITAR PLAYERS, UM, YOUNG UP AND COMING ON THE SCENE. BUT WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT HIM IS JUST, I THINK HE'S A GRAMMY WINNER IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN JUST RECENTLY CONTEMPORARY BLUES THIS PAST YEAR. YES, SIR. EXACTLY. AND SO WHAT I LIKE ABOUT HIM IS, AND AS A BLUES FAN MYSELF, IS THEY CALLED HIM KIND OF THE OLD SOUL. HE REALLY KIND OF BRINGS THE, THE ORIGINAL SOUND OF SOME OF THE GRANDFATHERS OF THE BLUE SOUND IN AMERICA. AND SO HE'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE YOUNG TALENT. SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PERSONAL THEN AFTER THAT WE'VE GOT ALLIE BENDABLE AND THEN ROBERT MILLER, WHO WAS MAYBE MILLER'S SON FOR BETTER TEXTS WILL BE, UH, PLAYING. APPARENTLY HE'S QUITE THE MUSICIAN HIMSELF, ELLIE BENEVILLE IS ANOTHER REALLY YOUNG UP AND COMING TALENT. SHE IS AN AMAZING GUITAR PLAYER IN HER OWN. RIGHT. AND HE'S USED HER AT HIS INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL QUITE A BIT. UM, SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT. UH, YOU JUST DON'T SEE A LOT OF FEMALE ARTISTS IN THAT GENRE IN THAT TALENT. SO I FEEL THAT THAT THAT'S A COOL ADDITION. WAS IT WAS NUMBER TWO BLUES CHARTS, NATIONAL NEWS CHARTS. ABSOLUTELY. SO THE ONE THAT'S, SO IS THAT THE BRAND NEW ALBUM THAT CAME OUT BECAUSE THERE'S APPARENTLY ONE THAT'S GOT, SHE'S GOT A LOT OF, UM, BIG TIME NAMES ARE APPEARING ON HER ALBUM. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ONE'S OUT YET. AND SO THIS IS KIND OF SOME OF THESE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PULL IN ARE THOSE THAT IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE WE CAN'T AFFORD THEM. SO WE'RE GETTING THEM WHEN THEY'RE ON THE UPTAKE AND WE'RE SAYING, HEY, WE WERE, WE WERE HERE FIRST. I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THEN WE STARTED GETTING INTO SOME AND WENT THEN WE'LL DO, WE'VE DONE THREE AT AUDUBON. THEN WE SWITCHED TO WINNERS. CAUSE WE WANTED TO REALLY SPREAD THIS AROUND TOWN. UM, AND HAVE PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN THERE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD TO SOME MUSIC GOT BRODY LANE. UM, THIS ONE, WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE WITH KING FISH. AND WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT TIME SLOT WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO CITY KING FISH HAD TO CANCEL, WELL, WE, THAT WASN'T GONNA WORK FOR US. SO WE WERE LIKE, WELL, WE NEED TO SHUFFLE SOME DATES. HE WAS PICKED UP ON A EUROPEAN TOUR, SO WE DIDN'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. SO WE DID SOME SHUFFLING. SO WHAT WE HAD TO DO IS WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO FIND ANOTHER TIME SLOT FOR HIM, EMERALD CITY, CAUSE WE, EVERYBODY LOVES THEM. BUT WHAT WE PUT IN THEIR PLACE IS BRODY LANE FEATURING AGA VALLEJO. SO THE LEHO WAS A BAND IN AND OF THEMSELVES. UM, THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. THEY'RE VERY POPULAR. UM, I'VE SEEN THEM MANY YEARS AGO IN AUSTIN, A HANDFUL OF TIMES WILKERSON. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT LINEUP. AND THEN WE HAVE DYLAN WHEELER IN THE MOON PIES OR DYLAN WHEELER AND MIKE AND MOON PIES, TWO BANDS THAT NIGHT AND THEN CODY, CODY, CANADA, AND THE DEPARTED. UM, HE'S BEEN SEMI SOLO FOR A WHILE. NOW. HE USED TO BE CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED. THAT WAS A MASSIVE BAND, TOTALLY UNAFFORDABLE. UM, THEY WERE STILL TOGETHER, BUT IT GOT TO BE AN INCREDIBLE SOUND. SO THIS, UH, ARTIST THAT PUT THE PUP, BUT THE POSTER TOGETHER IS THE SAME ARTIST THAT, UH, JIMMY WALLACE HAS BEEN USING FOR YEARS FOR HIS NATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SAME ARTISTS PUT TOGETHER. SO BOTH OF THESE CONCERT SERIES CAME TOGETHER KIND OF IN A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND. UM, THIS ONE EVEN QUICKER, UH, WE TOOK SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO PUT ABOUT 22 CONCERTS ON FRIDAY NIGHTS AT THE FA RIGHT NOW THEY'RE AT 5 0 6 ARE WHERE EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW WHERE THAT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SQUARE. UM, AND I WON'T READ ALL THESE OFF, BUT THESE ARE THE NAMES THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR CURRENT BUDGET, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN PROGRAMMING. WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO STRETCH IT OUT. YOU KIND OF SEE, UH, IN THAT TBA, THIS WAS ACTUALLY JUST BOOKED YESTERDAY. THAT WILL END UP BEING A PRETTY COOL BAND CALLED STEVE CURRY AND THE VINYL STRIPES, A LITTLE BIT OF A ROCKABILLY SOUND SO THAT THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, JIMMY APPEARS A COUPLE OF TIMES IN HERE AS WELL. SUPER EXCITED. ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PLANS WAS TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF THE SHOW AT 5 0 6 AND WE WANTED TO MOVE IT TO THE HOUSE INDOORS. WELL, THEY HAVE SINCE FOUND A TENANT GOOD FOR THEM AND FOR ME. SO WE'RE GOING TO EITHER CONTINUE THEM [00:10:01] AT 5 0 6 OR IF I'VE GOT ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT. BUT AGAIN, THE SHOW IS GOING TO CONTINUE. AND THEN WHEN WE FINISH UP THE FIVE FRIDAYS IN SEPTEMBER, WE'LL BE IN THE PLAZA THEATER. SO THOSE BANDS STARTED GETTING KIND OF BIGGER AS WE GET THEM INSIDE THE INSIDE DEPOSIT THEATER. UM, THE EMERALD CITY PLAYED MY THURSDAY AND AUDUBON. OH NO, THAT WAS, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GRAY SPENCER AND THEN JIMMY WALLACE WOULD HAVE OPENED UP FOR THEM ON THAT ONE. BUT SO I'M TRYING TO FIND AN OPPORTUNITY IF I CAN, MAYBE WE'LL TACK ON A SEVENTH, SEVENTH CONCERT. IF I'VE GOT IT IN THE BUDGET TRIMBLE, WE'LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'LL BE A GREAT CALL. AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE MUSIC SO FAR? NO, I'M GOING KIND OF FAST, BUT THERE'S A COPY OF THIS, UH, THIS PRESENTATION IN YOUR PACKET. WE'VE GONE OVER THE LAST THREE THAT THEY'VE HAD FIVE OR SIX. IT'S GREAT. IT'S A GREAT SET UP. IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY COOL. WELL, AND AGAIN, ANY, ANY FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL OR ANY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND PEERS? WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT AGAIN. IT'S, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OF A DIFFICULT SITUATION DOWNTOWN. WE REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. AND SO I FELT IT WAS OKAY TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF RISK IN, LET'S TRY SOMETHING NEW, LET'S DO SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE TO GARLAND. WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT MUSICAL HISTORY WITH THE, BRINGING IT BACK. IT'S DOING BIG PARTNERS THAT ARE HELPING US DO THAT, OR WE'RE JUST VERY FORTUNATE. UM, SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT WHEN THE SQUARE IS BUILT, THAT IT REALLY JUST TAKES OFF AND WILL BE SOMETHING REALLY HELPED PUT US ON THE MAP. UH, WE WERE ALSO, UH, ASKED TO TALK ABOUT RURAL LOCATION. SO I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS. THESE ARE LIST OF POSSIBILITIES AND I DO EMPHASIZE POSSIBILITIES. UM, AND THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT MORE THAN THIS. I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT BETWEEN MYSELF CLAIRE'S DEPARTMENT, LETICIA, DANA, ANYBODY ELSE, WE WE'D LOVE TO PLASTER THE CITY AND PUBLIC ART. UM, AND SO THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO DO. SO THIS IS A LIST OF, YOU GOT QUITE A BIT OF PRIVATELY OWNED FACILITIES THAT WE COULD PROBABLY PARTNER WITH. THERE'S SOME LEGAL THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT. AND SO NOTHING IS REALLY SET IN STONE, BUT THESE ARE POSSIBILITIES DEPENDING ON THE AGREEMENTS, FUNDING, AVAILABILITY, THAT KIND OF THING. SO DID YOU HA DO YOU NOW HAVE A MURAL GUIDELINES? LIKE, LIKE, IS IT GOING TO BE, UH, EVERYTHING'S COORDINATED OR THEY CAN PUT WHATEVER THEY WANT? I MEAN, LIKE WHAT ARE THE NO. SO BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF KIND OF THE WAY THINGS ARE HAPPENING BETWEEN COVID AND STAFFING SHORTAGES, WE'RE KIND OF IN PAUSE ON THAT PORTION OF THE MASTER PLAN SO THAT WE'LL COME BACK AROUND AND WE'LL TALK THROUGH IT, BUT I ALSO DIDN'T WANT TO SLOW DOWN THINGS, THINGS MOVING FORWARD. UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE ARE PARTICULARLY IMMINENT RIGHT NOW, BUT SO THE PROCESS FOR PRIVATELY OWNED FACILITIES WOULD LIKELY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S PUBLIC. SO YOU'LL HAVE A COMBINATION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY, PUBLIC MONEY, PRIVATE PROPERTY, PRIVATE MONEY, PRIVATE PROPERTY, PUBLIC MONEY, AND ALL OF THOSE WILL HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS. OUR GOAL IS TO STREAMLINE THAT. AND OUR GOAL IS TO SOMEHOW INVOLVE THE ARTS COMMISSION IN THAT. AND YOU REMEMBER THE MASTER PLAN, THERE WAS A ROUGH TEMPLATE THAT ISN'T EVEN SET IN STONE. IT CAN BE MASSAGED AND WHATEVER, BUT I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT WE WANT TO BE ARTIST FRIENDLY. WE DON'T WANT A PROCESS THAT SLOWS, UH, SLOWS DOWN THE PROCESS DOWN. UM, SO WE'LL GET THERE. IT'S NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN. IT'S JUST BEEN KIND OF PUT ON PAUSE A LITTLE BIT. UM, AND THEN YOU ALSO, WHEN THEY'RE ON PRIVATE FACILITIES, YOU GET A FEW THINGS THAT KIND OF TRIGGER PLANNING AND ZONING RELATED THINGS. THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT THOSE HURDLES ARE. BECAUSE I KNOW AT ONE TIME WE WERE TRYING TO DO SOME NEURO GUIDELINES, WHICH I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE GOT FROM DIFFERENT CITIES, LIKE WHAT THEY HAD DONE. SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF WE HAD REALLY GOTTEN THAT FAR. WE HAVE NOT, BUT WE HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WILL BE A PRIORITY ONCE WE GET FULLY STAFFED. AND YEAH, WELL, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, ROBERT SMITH AT BLACK ON ROCHE FIANCEE HAD THAT FOR YEARS NOW HAS HAD THAT WANTING TO DO IT AND IT JUST HADN'T GOT DONE. I JUST THINK THAT'D BE A GREAT COMING TO THE CITY OF GARLAND. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND AGAIN, THERE'S A VARIETY OF CHALLENGES THAT GO WITH IT. BUT I THINK BECAUSE THE CITY IS, IS MOTIVATED TO DO IT, WE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO LOOK AT IS THERE MAY BE SOME INADVERTENT PLANNING AND ZONING CODES OR POLICIES OR THINGS IN PLACE THAT MAY UNINTENTIONALLY SLOW THAT DOWN. WE WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. YES, THAT'S GOOD. ANYBODY ELSE QUESTIONS THOUGH, IN ALL THIS CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON DOWNTOWN THEM, THE SQUARE, IS THERE ANY PLAN ON INCLUDING IN THERE SOME DOWNTOWN PUBLIC RESTROOMS? YES. UM, THERE [00:15:01] WILL BE, UH, RIGHT BEHIND THE MILLHOUSE. FORMERLY PIZZA WILL BE STRAIGHT BEHIND THAT. YOU KNOW, WHERE THE BOY SCOUT BUILDING IS. IT'S, THERE'S A PIECE OF CITY PROPERTY RIGHT NOW. THAT'S WHERE WE USED TO HAVE SOME TEMPORARY ONES. NOW THERE ARE A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND IT'S GOT KIND OF THIS RED GRAVEL, THAT'S THE CITY'S PATCH. AND SO THERE WILL BE A, UH, IT WILL BE A PREFABRICATED RESTROOM, BUT IT'S GONNA LOOK AMAZING. SO IT'S GONNA ACTUALLY HAVE A PIECE OF ART DONE ON THE FRONT OF IT. IT'S GOT A PANEL THAT'S BUILT TO RECEIVE MURAL ART. IT'S GOING TO HAVE A SPANISH TILE ROOF TO KIND OF GIVE A NOD TO SEVERAL OF THE OLD HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN THE AREA. UM, IT'S GOT A GREEN WALL ON ONE SIDE IT'S BRICK AND IT'S REALLY GONNA BE NICE. SO THERE WILL BE LITERALLY ABOUT A HALF A BLOCK OFF THE MAIN PLAZA WILL BE PUBLIC RESTAURANTS. THAT'S SAW A POST ON FACEBOOK THAT THEY'RE SPONSORING A SINGER SONGWRITER, A SONG, OR, YEAH, WE JUST POSTED THAT. UM, UH, WE HAVE IT PLANNED FOR, UH, JULY 23RD. I BELIEVE IT'S THE LAST SATURDAY, UM, TO DO A REALLY INTIMATE LITTLE SINGER SONGWRITER FORUM WITH ABOUT FIVE PEOPLE. UM, THERE WE'RE TAKING SUBMISSIONS RIGHT NOW JUST TO KIND OF HELP HOLD IT IN THE SMALL THEATER, JUST A REAL INTIMATE LITTLE SETTING FOR THAT BE KIND OF COOL TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HAVE EVERY, EVERY, UH, MAYBE TWO TIMES A YEAR OR SOMETHING AS A SONGWRITER. I, I APPRECIATE THOSE KINDS OF EVENTS. CULTURAL WARS. YES, YES. WE JUST STARTED IT LIKE LITERALLY THIS LAST WEEK. NO. OKAY. SO IT IS WHAT IT, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO OR HOW MUCH, I MEAN, SINCE WE DIDN'T KNOW, WELL, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE CULTURE ARTS, UM, OF, UH, FUNDING ON THAT. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE WERE GOING TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FUNDED THROUGH YOU ALL. UM, UH, BUT WE WERE GONNA MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT. IT WAS JUST, WE HAD, WE HAD TO KIND OF SECURE THAT DATE REALLY QUICKLY, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAST OPEN DATE AND WE NEEDED TO KIND OF START IMMEDIATELY PUBLICIZING IT, UH, TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO WE GOT, YOU KNOW, HUH, JUNE WHEN, UH, 23RD JULY, SORRY, LET ME MAKE SURE. YES. IT'S THAT, THAT IDEA IS PROBABLY LITERALLY TWO WEEKS OLD. YEAH. WELL LAST YEAH, YEAH. JULY 23RD. YEAH. RIGHT. YEAH. SO SINGER SONGWRITER, IT JUST BASICALLY TAKES PEOPLE THAT FACEBOOK TAKES INTO A LINK TO SIGN UP FOR IT AND THEY CAN SEND A, THEY CAN SEND THEIR SUBMISSION, LIKE, UH, A DEMO AND ALL THAT STUFF. AND IT'S JUST BASICALLY, UM, THE, THE SINGER AND THE SINGERS INSTRUMENTS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE A GUITAR OR PIANO, NOTHING TO THE PUBLIC OR YES. YES. AND YOU'RE GOING TO CHARGE FOR IT. UH, WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE A VERY MINOR AMOUNT AND WE'LL ALSO PAY THE ENTERTAINERS. YEAH. IT'S DETAILS TO COME. YES, DEFINITELY. OKAY. BUT THAT'S, IT DOES NOT COME OUT OF THE COMMISSION SPECIMEN. IT COMES OUT OF THE CULTURAL ARTS, OUR, OUR PERFORMANCE FUND. YEAH. YES. YEAH. NO, NO, NO. THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY IT'S LIKE, WE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T WAIT ON IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON THEN OUR BOX OFFICE SALES AND WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? WELL, THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE IS ONE THAT CHEYENNE PUT TOGETHER TO JUST KIND OF SHOW YOU, UM, UH, A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE EARNINGS OF THE BOX OFFICE. UM, AND THEN ALSO YOU GUYS HAD ASKED FOR SOMETHING INDICATING WHAT TYPE OF EMAIL OR, UH, ACTUAL MAIL IS BEING PUT OUT THERE AS WELL AS FACEBOOK ADVERTISING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. IT KIND OF GIVES YOU, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF HOW MUCH IS GETTING OUT THERE FOR EACH THING. AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT, UM, I THINK YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ALL OF THE EMAIL AND THE FACEBOOK AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PUTTING OUT A LOT MORE THINGS THAN SAY THAT MAILERS, UH, WOULD, AND THEY HELP, THEY HELP A LOT. RIGHT. I THINK MORE PEOPLE LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA THEN YES. AND THEN HE PUTS, UH, HE PUT, UH, SOMETHING IN THERE THAT TALKS ABOUT SALES REPORTS ON HIS LAST PAGE, UH, WITH GARLAND CIVIC, THEATER, AND SYMPHONY AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT TO KIND OF HELP [00:20:01] YOU. OKAY. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO BRING UP, CAUSE I MEAN, I'VE HEARD IT THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING I, I DID. SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT IN A MINUTE, UH, WITH BRING UP IS OUR BOX OFFICE IS NOT OPEN ENOUGH. UH, HER COMMENTS FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT THEY CALL AND THEY CAN'T GET ANYBODY TO RESERVE THE PLACE OR GET ME. THEY'RE NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. SO THEY'RE GOING, THEY'RE GOING TO BUNCH OF STUFF. THEY'RE GOING TO OTHER PLACES WE ARE LOSING BUSINESS BECAUSE OUR BOX OFFICE IS NOT OPEN ENOUGH, LIKE A HOUSTON. WE USED TO HAVE A FULL TIME PERSON THERE. I KNOW, I, I JUST THINK THAT WE'RE HURTING OURSELVES BY NOT HAVING SOMEBODY WORK AT, IS THERE AN IT, WELL, IT'S ONLY OPEN LIKE THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, BUT JUST LIKE WHAT? WELL, BETWEEN 12 AND FOUR, I MEAN, PEOPLE THAT ARE CALLING IN, THEY DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY FIGURE OUT, BUT IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAYS, USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE DO BUSINESS PEOPLE, WHATEVER, AND THAT'S JUST NOT OPEN ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO CALL IT AND THEY'RE GOING ELSEWHERE. WELL FOR A RENTALS, WE'RE NOT NOTICING THAT, UH, I BELIEVE FOR TICKET SALES IS PROBABLY WHAT IT IS, BUT WE'RE WORKING, UH, WITH THE CITY TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE, UH, CALLS FORWARDED TO, UH, UH, ANY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. YEAH. I CAN SHED A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT CAUSE IT, IT'S A KIND OF A COMPLEX ISSUE AND I'LL DO MY VERY BEST TO EXPLAIN IT. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, THERE, THERE, THERE IS SOME ONLINE OPTIONS AND IT'S BEING ACROSS THE BOARD WELL RECEIVED IN THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, I THINK ARE POSITIVE. WE'RE SEEING, UH, IT'S A TREND THAT IS MORE COMMON IN OTHER THEATERS. UM, AND I THINK CHEYENNE COULD DO A MUCH BETTER JOB EXPLAINING IT THAN I CAN. UM, IT WAS, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO ME TO DISCUSS, UM, HEY, THE NUMBER OF IN-PERSON, UH, TICKET VISITS IS DECLINING. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE, THE AFFILIATES CAN POCKET, UH, INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF REGISTRATIONS. THEREFORE IT INCREASES TO A CERTAIN DEGREE REVENUE BACK TO THE CITY. SO THE TREND SEEMS TO BE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION FROM ONLINE TICKET SALES. UM, IT'S THE MAJORITY OF OUR SALES. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOME FOLKS PREFER AN IN-PERSON OPTION. UM, WE HAVE HAD A PERSON DEDICATED TO THE, TO THE BOX OFFICE, EVEN ON THE HEELS OF RACIAL ILLS RETIREMENT FOR, FROM A PART-TIME PERSON. THAT POSITION IS NOW VACANT. SO WE ARE STRUGGLING MIGHTILY WITH STAFFING. SO WHAT I'M DOING IS I'M ALLOCATING A PERSON FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT TO HELP FIELD PHONE CALLS, TO AT LEAST MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE OPTIONS. SO THE OPTIONS ARE ONLINE, HAVE BEEN WELL RECEIVED ACROSS THE BOARD. UM, BEING FULLY AWARE THAT SOME FOLKS TECHNOLOGY'S NOT THEIR FIRST OPTION AND THAT'S OKAY. AND SO WE HAVE THAT OPTION. AND SO WITH BOX OFFICE IS AVAILABLE AND OPEN. THE MORE WE COULD WALK PEOPLE THROUGH IT ON THE PHONE, THAT'S THE BIG PICTURE. AND IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT MADE FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT MADE PERFECT SENSE. IF THE AFFILIATES CAN MAKE MORE MONEY THAN THE CITY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY AND THE TICKET SALES IS QUICKER AND EASIER FOR 90% OF THE FOLKS THAT SIGN UP, THAT SEEMS LIKE A SOUND BUSINESS DECISION. IT'S THAT WAY WITH MOST THEATERS THESE DAYS ANYWAY, AND THERE'S SEVERAL ONLINE OPTIONS AND WE VETTED A FEW OF THEM BEFORE WE DEPLOYED THEM. SO, UM, IT HELPS US WHEN WE'RE LOW ON STAFF, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE PHONES AREN'T ANSWERED. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF IT. SO WE'RE IN A LITTLE BIT OF LIMBO LITERALLY LAST WEEK AND THIS WEEK. UM, BUT UP UNTIL THAT POINT, WE, WE HAVE A PERSON THAT WAS DEDICATED THAT HAS THE LONGER WITH US. UM, SO I'M FULLY RECOGNIZING THE CHALLENGE THAT COMES WITH THAT. WE HAVE HEARD THE FEEDBACK FROM VARIOUS PLACES AND IT IS IN VARYING DEGREES. UM, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS IT IN THE LONGTERM. WE JUST COULDN'T BE A MORE PERFECT STORM BEING SHORT-STAFFED AND THE SWING, THE UPSWING OF THE, UH, THE SEASON TICKETS, UH, SEASONED THE PEAK OF OUR SEASON, THAT KIND OF THING. SO IT WAS THAT ADDRESS THOUGH, THE ISSUE YOU RAISED, WHICH IS THE RENTAL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GROUPS CALLING AND WANTING TO USE THE PLACE. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY SHORTNESS. I MEAN, I, I HAVE TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE I'VE RENTED EVERYTHING. UM, UH, WE HAVE VERY FEW DAYS THAT ARE OPEN. OKAY. I JUST, I, YOU KNOW, JUST HEARING FROM OTHER, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SPECIFIC EXAMPLES, I'D LOVE TO HAVE THEM REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY. IF THEY'RE AWARE OF SOME ISSUES WITH THE ACT THAT'S NOT REACHING US OUT OF, IT'S NOT THAT THE PHONES GO UNANSWERED BECAUSE THE FUNDS WITH THE STAFF IS STILL THE STAFF THAT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOOKING IT. AND HE WOULDN'T DO THAT THROUGH THE BOX OFFICE. THEY WOULDN'T, THEY WOULD. SO IF THERE'S, AND WHEN THE BOX OFFICE COMES IN, THEY DO CHECK THE MESSAGES AND IF THEY LEAVE MESSAGES, IT GETS FORWARDED [00:25:01] TO US AS WELL. WE ALSO GET EMAILS FROM, UH, THE ARTS.ORG THAT COMES THROUGH OUR.COM WHEN PEOPLE SEND US EMAILS AND WE RESPOND TO THOSE AS WELL. OKAY. AND I THINK WE ALSO DID SOME CHANGES TO THE PHONE TREE. UM, WE DID SOME SO AGAIN, NOT SAYING THAT EVERYTHING'S PERFECT. THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME THINGS THAT IF WE'RE AWARE OF IT, WE WOULD, WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO ADDRESS IT ONCE WE'RE AWARE OF IT. SO IF YOU HAVE SOME FOLKS WANT TO CHAT ABOUT IT AND WE'RE QUITE OPEN, THE MONTHLY REPORT THAT YOU SEE FOR MARCH AND APRIL IS JUST SOMETHING I, I THREW TOGETHER FROM OUR, OUR BOOKING SOFTWARE THAT SHOWS YOU, UH, BASICALLY RIGHT AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, UP UNTIL, UH, THE END OF, UH, APRIL, UH, WHAT ATTENDANCE LOOKED LIKE FOR ALL THREE FACILITIES, UH, EACH SHOW AND EVERYTHING GOOD. YEAH. UM, IF I, COULD I TAKE THIS HOME AND LOOK AT IT TOO, SINCE WE JUST MAKE IT? THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANKS AND STUFF. OKAY. UM, WE HAVE SOME IMPORTANT DATES FOR OUR GRANT APPLICATION PICKUP AND FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. SO, UM, I THOUGHT THE MAIN THING TO EMPHASIZE IN THIS MEETING FOR PUBLIC CONCERN WOULD JUST BE WHEN THEY PICKED UP AND WHEN IT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TURN IN, UH, AUGUST 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 15TH IS WHEN, UH, WHEN THE GRANT APPLICATIONS WOULD BE PICKED UP BY PEOPLE AND TURNED IN BY SEPTEMBER 15TH, UH, NO LATER THAN 4:00 PM. UM, AND, UH, SINCE THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING, IT'LL BE OUT THERE FOR PUBLIC TO KIND OF HEAR THAT. AND THEN I PUT THE DATES IN THE GCC MEETING. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. ALL RIGHT. WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE REPORTS THERE. THAT'S WHAT I JUST WENT THROUGH. I'M SORRY. YEAH. AND, AND THEN THERE'S THE MAP OF THE COLOR REALLY PRETTY COLORFUL MAP OF THE DOWNTOWN SQUARE. IF I LOOK AT THAT, ANY QUESTIONS BOTH ON, ON, ON THE END DOWN HERE, BUT I KNOW THAT'S THE PLAY AREAS AS A PLAYER. THAT'S A, THAT'S A SMALL THEATER. THAT'S JUST, I'M NOT A THEATER SMALL STAGE. AND THEN THIS ONE CAN BE MADE BIGGER IF IT NEEDED. YES, THERE'LL BE RENTING THAT EACH TIME THEY NEED TO DO A BIGGER PER PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE. AND IT'S COVERED THE SMALL STAGE IS COVERED DURING THE, THE BULK OF THE TIME. IT ACTS LIKE A PICNIC PAVILION OR MULTI-USE PAVILION, BUT IT'LL BE WIRED FOR SMALL SOUND. UM, SO WHAT WE WOULD ULTIMATELY LIKE TO DO IS SEE IT PROGRAMMED AS OFTEN AS WE, AS WE CAN FOR SMALL THINGS. SO IF WE END UP WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO PROGRAM THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAYS, WEEKENDS, WHATEVER WE WANT TO DO, YOU COULD PUT SMALL ACTIVATIONS ON THAT SIDE OR SOUNDS OF SUMMER. AND THAT SIZE WOULD BE ON THE, ON THAT OTHER CORNER. THAT WOULD BE THE PORTABLE STAGE THAT COMES IN AND SETS UP THAT WAY. IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE AN EMPTY PAVILION OR AN EMPTY AMPHITHEATER, 90% OF THE TIME. THERE'LL BE SOME REALLY COOL, YOU'VE SEEN THE PICTURES OF THE GEO CRYSTALS BEHIND IT. THAT LOOKED LIKE A REALLY COOL ART FEATURE WHEN YOU PULL INTO TOWN, BUT IT GIVES YOU BOTH OPTIONS FOR EITHER SIZE, UH, TYPE OF PRODUCTION. AND SO WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM AND NOT TO MENTION SOME OF THESE OTHER NOOKS AND CRANNIES OR THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT SEE ACTIVATED BY THE LIBRARY OR RECREATION OR FITNESS YOGA, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. THE IDEA IS TO HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON ALL THE TIME. THAT'S COOL. IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY COOL. YEAH. YEAH. AND, UH, UH, KIM, UH, PUT HER HERITAGE BROCHURE IN THERE. UM, I THINK IT'S A YEAR REALLY JUST BEFORE THAT. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. THIS IS INFORMATION ONLY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY INPUT OR OVERSIGHT OR CONCERNS REGARDING THE AREAS, AS FAR AS THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION. THAT'S CORRECT. RIGHT. RENTALS. AND WE SAID LIKE RENTAL PAYMENTS [00:30:01] AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AND LET ME CLARIFY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SOLID LINES IN THE PAST THAT ARE A LITTLE BLURRIER NOW, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT AN R AND BY DEPARTMENT, WE'VE GOT CVB, WE'VE GOT SPECIAL EVENTS, CULTURAL ARTS. WE CAN SEE THEM RECREATION, PARKS, ALL THE TRADITIONAL THINGS, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE IN A WAY THAT, TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS. SO, UM, THE LINES ARE A LITTLE BLURRIER THAN IT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST, OR IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DON'T EVER WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THERE'S NOT THIS INTERACTION. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE'S A TON OF INTERACTION WHEN WE DO BIG ART DAY, WHICH IS BECOMING AN ANNUAL THING, DESPITE ITS BEST EFFORTS, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN AND MAKE IT AN ANNUAL THING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS AREA IS A LARGE PORTION OF IT. SO IT WAS THE LIBRARY, UM, THIS AREA AROUND THE SQUARE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. SO, ALL RIGHT. WELL, IF I, IF NOTHING ELSE, DO I HEAR A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING? SO MAY 7TH, SECOND. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.