Arts Commission Minutes - 03/20/1979 U
March 23, 1979
MINUTES OF WICHITA FALLS ARTS COMMISSION
The Wichita Falls Arts Commissiom held its monthly meeting
on March 20,1979, at 12:00 noon at the North Texas Savings
and Loan Gallery. The following people were in attendance:
THOSE NOT IN ATTENDANCE AND
NAME AND REPRESENTATION NOT REPRESENTED
Pat Jones - Heritage Society Helen Henry - Civic Chorus
Polly Cox - W.F. Art Association John Hampton, Jr - At-Large
Dr. Jennie L. Hindman - At-Large Madge F. Meuhlberger-At-Large
Saundra Heffington - At-Large Jerry Estes - W. F. Symphony
Mary H. Wolverton - W.F. Museum Dorcas Chapman - At Large
represented by Polly Jones Dr. Don Maxwell - MSA Music Dept
Don Burkman - Staff Mr. Dick Gose - Broadway Theatre
Mrs. W. T. Sanders, Jr. - Ballet Mrs. C. E. Jackson - At-Large
Mark Wittlinger - Backdoor Theatre Mr. Kenneth Kramer - At-Large
represented by Bob Arnold Mr. Harold Bonham - At Large
The meeting was called to order by Chairman, Saundra Heffington
who announced that due to a lack of a quorum, there would be
no regular business session. However, the attached reports
were submitted for your review and discussion at the next
meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 17, 1979 at the same
time and place.
Res ec ully submitte ,
He n Henry, Secre ary
(w itten by Don B rkma
Attachments (2)
.
TO: Wichita Falls Arts Commission
FROM: Application Screening Committee
SUBJECT: Committee Report
DATE: March 20, 1979
The Application Screening Committee met Monday, March 12 , at 2 :30 P.M.
in Helen Henry' s office at the first Wichita National Bank. Present
were Hindman, Hampton, and Henry.
The Committee examined applications from five organizations :
Department of Music, Midwestern State University, for Texas
Opera Theater Madame Butterfly and Residency $ 1,575. 00
Department of Speech and Drama, Midwestern State University,
for American College Theatre Festival $ 2,000 .00
Pianists Performance Council, for Distinguished Artists
Series $ 2,477 .00
Wichita Falls Art Association, for Competitive Ceramic Ex-
hibit $ 2,500 . 00
Wichita Falls Backdoor Players, Incorporated for Profes-
sional Research for Master Expansion Plan $ 9,524 . 00
These requests total $18, 076. 00
Committee members made suggestions for minor modifications for
clarification in the first four of these applications. The fifth,
the one from Backdoor Players, was considered clear. Members au-
thorized the Chairman to notify the four project directors of the
suggestions and to request that the sheets be amended and sent to
the Committee Chairman as soon as possible . (The revision in-
volves only one or two sheets in each case . ) The Chairman was
then instructed to have multiple copies of all five applications
made and distributed to all Commission members at least two weeks
before the April meeting. The proposed plan was for applicants
to appear before the Commission at the April meeting to be ques-
tioned and to give explanations. The Committee Chairman has
made these notifications and has requested the revised sheets
within one week.
The Committee also expressed its opinion that there is need for
apprising more functioning arts groups in the city of the possi-
bility of applying for funds. The members talked of television
interviews, such as those on A Closer Look and other programs,as
one method for such exposure. Word of mouth from Commission mem-
bers was mentioned, also. Consensus was that newspaper publicity
has been excellent, but that it is desirable to reach more people .
The Committee suggests, also, that it be authorized to continue to
receive and screen applications through June first.
Respectfully submitted,
JennieLouise Hindman, Committee Chairman
For Wichita Falls Arts Commission
"House Bill 506 went to the Ways and Means Committee of the House
of Representatives and at the hearing, Representative Wayne Peveto
of Orange, Texas led the discussion in shooting it full of holes.
The bill concerned not our 4% level locally (3% to city, 1% to
Arts Commission) , but a 3% tax levied by the State of Texas. This
money is collected and is then held until the Texas Tourism
Development Agency presents its yearly budgets. After these budgets
are approved , the remainder of the funds go into the State' s general
fund.
HB 506 proposed that the 3% collected by the State be returned to
the cities after funding the Texas Tourism Development Agency. This
would have, in a sense , been a windfall for cities, particularly
those with convention centers. However, Mr. Peveto' s argument was
that there was not sufficient need for the funds, backing this up
with the fact that not many cities have requested the additional
1% available to them. He felt that the balance of the 3% funds
held in the State' s general fund should go for other projects. '`
Sources: Greg Hill, representative in Dave Allred' s office
(512) 475-3941
Representative Wayne Peveto - (512) 475-4293
COMMITTEE REPORT
IT IS THE CONSENSUS OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT OUR EFFORTS SHOULD BE
AIMED AT MAKING THE RESULTS OF THE ARTS COMMISSION MORE PROFESSIONAL
AND BUSINESS-LIKE , IN THIS SPIRIT, WE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING FOR
YOUR CONSIDERATION :
ITEM ONE : How MANY APPLICATION DEADLINES SHOULD WE HAVE?
OUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS ADOPTING ONE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
FOR THE REASONS OUTLINED BELOW, APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED
TO THE COMMISSION BY SEPT . 1 FOR FUNDING THE FOLLOWING YEAR .
A. WE BELIEVE THE NECESSITY FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAN MORE
THOROUGHLY AND FURTHER IN ADVANCE WILL RESULT IN HIGHER-
QUALITY PROGRAMS .
B. ONE DEADLINE WILL GIVE THE COMMISSION THE OPPORTUNITY
TO EVALUATE A BROADER SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES AT ONE TIME .
C . ONE ANNUAL PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL
PROVIDE THAT BODY WITH A CLEARER PICTURE OF THE UTILIZATION
OF THE ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THE COMMUNITY ,
ITEM TWO : THE EXISTENCE AND FUNCTION OF THE SCREENING COMMITTEE
A. WE RECOMMEND THE CONTINUED EXISTENCE OF THE SCREENING COMM.
B. THE SCREENING COMMITTEE WOULD CHECK APPLICATIONS AS TO
(1) ACCURACY, (2) COMPLETENESS, AND (3) COMPLIANCE WITH THE
CRITERIA AS STATED IN RESOLUTION 2103 :
"THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN SHALL ESTABLISH ANNUALLY THE AMOUNT
OF FUNDS WHICH SHALL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE SUPPORT AND PROMOTION
OF ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES IN WICHITA FALLS . AT LEAST
50% OF THESE AVAILABLE FUNDS SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR PROJECTS
THAT ARE ONE-TIME IN NATURE AND WHICH DO NOT HAVE RECURRING
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. THE REMAINING 50% SHALL BE EX-
PENDED FOR ANY OTHER COSTS OF QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS IN
CARRYING-OUT, EXPANDING, OR PROMOTING CULTURAL OR ARTISTIC
PROGRAMS . ALL APPROVED ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO
INCREASE TOURISM, PROMOTE THE CITY 'S ECONOMIC BASE, AND
ENLARGE THE CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR AREA RESIDENTS , "
C . THE SCREENING COMMITTEE WOULD MAKE NO DOLLAR RECOMMENDATIONS
TO THE COMMISSION ,
ITEM THREE : SIMPLIFICATION OF THE VOTING PROCESS
A. AFTER THE SCREENING COMMITTEE HAS PASSED ON THE APPLICATIONS
AND THE REQUESTING ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION
SHALL TAKE A YES/NO VOTE ON EACH PROJECT TO DETERMINE WHICH
ONES WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING . A 2/3 MAJORITY AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE WILL BE REQUIRED FOR A PROJECT TO BE PLACED ON THE
APPROVED LIST .
B . AT THE FOLLOWING COMMISSION MEETING, A BALLOT WILL BE GIVEN
EACH MEMBER PRESENT ON WHICH WILL BE LISTED EACH APPROVED
PROJECT, THE $ AMOUNT REQUESTED WITH A BLANK IN WHICH THE
VOTER WILL INSERT THE $ AMOUNT HE VOTES TO GRANT ( IF ANY, )
AND THE TOTAL AT THE BOTTOM WHICH THE COMMISSION HAS TO DISBURSE .
PAGE TWO
ON EACH BALLOT, THE TOTAL $ VOTED MUST EQUAL THE TOTAL
AMOUNT THE COMMISSION HAS TO DISBURSE , WHEN THE BALLOTS ARE
COLLECTED, THE $ AMOUNT VOTED FOR EACH PROJECT WILL BE
TOTALLED FOR ALL BALLOTS AND DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF
VOTERS TO ARRIVE AT THE $ AMOUNT TO BE GRANTED.
C. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE BELIEVE THAT A RESUME OF PREVIOUS
FUNDING HAS BEEN HELPFUL AND SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO ASSIST
THE COMMISSION IN THE VOTING PROCESS .
ITEM FOUR : ESTABLISHING A REQUIREMENT FOR MATCHING FUNDS
A. WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE ORGANIZATIONS TO SEEK MATCHING
FUNDS FOR PROJECTS AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO THEM POSSIBILITIES
FOR SOURCES .
B. A QUESTION SHOULD BE ADDED (WHENEVER PRACTICAL) TO THE
APPLICATION FORM FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO SPECIFY EFFORTS
THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO OBTAIN SUCH FUNDS ,
ITEM FIVE : CATEGORIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF PRIORITIES FOR REQUESTS
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY IS TOO SMALL, AND OUR FUNDS ARE TOO
LIMITED TO TRY TO WORK WITHIN ANY PRE-DETERMINED CATEGORIES
OR PRIORITIES IN OUR CONSIDERATION OF GRANT REQUESTS ,
ARTS COMMISSION FUNDING BALLOT
ORGANIZATION PROJECT $ REQUESTED $VOTED
LITTLE THEATRE NEW CURTAINS 6000 aoCG
BALLET THEATRE COSTUMES FOR SWAN LAKE 4500 ZI-- CD
MSU DRAMA DEPT . OTHELLO PERFORMANCE 3500 C E,
HISTORICAL SOCIETY DEPOT SQUARE STOVE 2250 2�
RIVER ART SOCIETY REGIONAL ART SHOW 6000 / EiC Q
WARING CHORUS NEW ROBES 7500 0
W.F. SYMPHONY CONCERT IN THE PARK 5000 (%D
SCULPTORS ' CLUB APRIL ART SHOW 6000 Cn 0 0
GREAT MUSIC SOCIETY VAN CLIBURN CONCERT 7500 .2
PETUNIA GARDEN CLUB KELL FOUNTAIN 7500 1v1D
55,750 40,000
NfT{ f
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I AGENDA FOR WICHITA FALLS ARTS CON MISSION
MARCH 20, 1979
I. Cali to o rde r
II. Any additions or corrections to the previous minutes?
III. Announcements'
A. Next meeting - April 17th, 1979
B. Bd. of Aldermen approved funding for Jl )1O project
C. Letter from Don Lyles and ROTC
D. Letter from Robt. Shaw committee thanking Arts Commission
B. Lance Lalor has been invited to come speak to us
F. State Rep. have been contacted about H.B. SOj - "Changes ii&de in Hotel-
G. Motel Taa"
IV. Report from screening committee
V. Other business
VI. Adjourn