Meeting Minutes  >  Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Meeting minutes were approved at the Cultural Advisory Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park Room, 5th Floor North, 3 p.m.

Attendees:

Cultural Advisory Council ("CAC") Members:

Present: Chair Coya Paz, Alison Cuddy, Bob Faust, Robert Gomez, Kevin Iega Jeff, Josephine Lee, Bill Michel, Cesáreo Moreno, Claire Rice, Omar Torres-Kortright, Tanner Woodford

Absent: Vice Chair Blake-Anthony Johnson, Amina Dickerson, Juan Díes, Brooke Flanagan, Esther Grimm, Akilah Halley, Tonika Lewis Johnson, Margaret Murphy-Webb, Silvia Rivera, Vivian Teng, Kaoru Watanabe, Debra Yepa-Pappan

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events ("DCASE") Staff:

Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth, Deputy Commissioner Tahira Baig, Deputy Commissioner Sangini Brahmbhatt, Deputy Commissioner Ann Hickey, Deputy Commissioner Meida McNeal, Deputy Commissioner Jonah Zeiger, Assistant Commissioner Lisa Lorick, James Castillo, Frayne Lewis, Melanie Wang

Proceedings:

I. Welcome and Introduction

Coya Paz, Chair of the CAC at DCASE, welcomed attendees to the meeting held on September 24, 2024. She introduced herself and the purpose of the meeting, ensuring compliance with open meetings regulations. Paz confirmed the opportunity for public comment was provided and that DCASE received request for public comment.

Paz began the comment period in accordance with the posted instructions for the meeting. There was one speaker present for public comment, Raub Welch. Welch shared that he is a visual artist and for the first time in his 20 years in the city that he felt DCASE had a Commissioner who was accessible. Welch noted previously the Chicago Cultural Center had felt inaccessible and not a space where he felt like a part of the city. He shared that the last six months have been a joy having a Commissioner he can connect with and that has done a lot for him. He shared that he is proud to say he is in Chicago, to know that the city is supporting artists, and that he loves the partnership.

At the completion of public comment, Chair Paz thanked Welch for his comment and continued to the next agenda item, pending member attendance reaching quorum.

II. DCASE Leadership Greetings and Introductions

Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth welcomed members and shared portions of the DCASE ordinance, the service-related nature of government work, and that the Commissioner’s position is a service role. The Commissioner noted the City of Chicago is facing a major deficit and that changes must happen, though not in isolation, but with meaningful dialogue and an understanding of changes’ impacts. This means how they affect people who have always been at the table and those who have not, inviting especially those that have not been previously to the table – all voices that make up the city.

Commissioner Hedspeth continued to share information on the budget process and committed to pursuing no cuts to core programs of the department. The Commissioner shared that while DCASE’s budget is not funded through corporate funds, they would still model cuts as all departments were asked to in good faith. However, the department should not be mandated to make cuts to any essential programs. Funding artists is an important priority, and the department is looking at other ways to support artist funding, including reviewing agreements or reallocating funds. The Commissioner also stated enough data has been collected and therefore will not be as prioritized going forward as direct support to individual artists, communities and collectives. Commissioner Hedspeth concluded remarks on the budgeting process by affirming that the budget will be the place that the vision and mission for DCASE will be presented, so that all citizens will be able to learn directly what that looks like.

Commissioner Hedspeth then shared an update on the public art installation at Midway airport, the importance of this platform for artists, and a thank you to DCASE staff.

Bill Michel asked given the budget situation what CAC members could do to be most helpful. Commissioner Hedspeth responded with encouragement to be present and connect with alders as residents who live in their wards. The Commissioner shared how impactful it is for someone who is from their community to advocate. Michel followed up with a question about the timeline for connecting. Commissioner Hedspeth responded that she would follow up with information.

III. DCASE Briefings

Following the Commissioner update, DCASE staff provided programmatic updates.

Frayne Lewis, Senior Policy Analyst, Music, provided an update on the 9th year of the Chicago Made Music Showcase. The initiative supports Chicago artists by connecting them to resources to grow in the music industry. This year there were over 200 bands and artists that registered to audition. More than 50 auditioned at the Chicago Cultural Center to be considered for performance opportunities at Lollapalooza, DCASE festivals, and a $10,000 award. Lewis shared that the initiative has grown exponentially and asked those at the meeting to support the initiative and the department’s efforts to provide people with the resources they need to grow as artists.

Sangini Brahmbhatt, Deputy Commissioner of Programming, provided a brief introduction to her experience in the arts before coming to DCASE. She then summarized recent summer and fall programming, including Millennium Park events and youth programming through the City’s legacy Blues, Jazz and Gospel festivals. She provided an update on programming, particularly by local artists, at Taste of Chicago, and the links between programs like those that Lewis mentioned in his presentation. Brahmbhatt provided a preview of World Music Festival, the City’s holiday tree lighting celebration, art market, and singalongs, in addition to planning for 2025.

James “Jimmy” Castillo, Director of Public Art, shared an overview of the work of the public art team and highlighted several recent successes. The DCASE public art team is currently working on approximately 80 projects worth $11 million, primarily supported by grant funds from Mellon Foundation grant, that include public art commissions in the Terminal 5 expansion at O’Hare Airport.

A summer murals initiative included four Chicago-based organizations overseeing the design and production of eight painted murals on City-owned facilities interpreting the themes of democracy, civic duty, equity, diversity and inclusion. Certain locations also focused on celebrating Chicago, such as the legacy of the Blues and legacy of House music as part of Chicago’s identity. For another project, a lead artist worked with seven other artists and artist groups, including youth, to create train wraps that expressed values of diversity, democracy, and of human energy. Both projects were viewable during the period when significant national attention was focused on Chicago during the Democratic National Convention.

At O’Hare Terminal 5, the installation from artist Jonathan Michael Castillo is taking shape. The installation includes beautiful custom light boxes showcasing images of store owners, many of them immigrants that have their own business. Jimmy Castillo shared that even as the pieces were coming together, people flying through O’Hare were commenting about them, enjoying them.

Jimmy Castillo concluded by echoing the Commissioner's remarks about the need to have the funds and resources to continue to support artists, but that these resources also support the fabricators, engineers, suppliers, and everyone in the chain that it takes to make the projects happen. Commissioner Hedspeth thanked Jimmy Castillo and the public art team for their work. Chair Paz shared a final observation about the enjoyment of experiencing art in the international terminal in Slovenia, and of being excited to go to Midway to see the new art there.

IV. Approval of the Meeting Minutes

Chair Paz confirmed that a quorum in attendance was achieved. Paz returned to the agenda item to review and approve the minutes from the June 11, 2025 meeting. With no corrections to the minutes, the meeting minutes from stood approved as read.

VI. Adjourn

With no further questions or comments, the meeting was adjourned.