Meeting minutes were approved at the Cultural Advisory Council Meeting on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at the Chicago Cultural Center's 5th Floor Millennium Park Room, 4-5pm.

Attendees:

Cultural Advisory Council ("CAC") Members: Vice Chair Marj Halperin, Jeff Alexander, Antonia Contro, Kevin Coval, Barak adé Soleil, Graham Elliot, Eileen LaCario, Maria Pinto, Heather Ireland Robinson, Michael Patrick Thornton, Amanda Williams, and David Woolwine

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events ("DCASE") Staff: Commissioner Michelle T. Boone, Tracie Hall, David Kennedy, David McDermott, Kenya Merritt, Matt Nielson, Erin Roberts, Sue Vopicka, Dylan Rice and Frayne Lewis.

Vice Chair Marj Halperin called the meeting to order and introductions were made around the table. Ms. Halperin stated that voting on the minutes from the CAC meeting on February 3, 2015, was put on hold at the meeting on September 1, 2015, as we did not reach a quorum of eleven. She motioned for the approval of meeting minutes from February 3, and the minutes were unanimously approved. She then motioned for the approval of meeting minutes from September 1, 2015, and those minutes were unanimously approved.

Commissioner Boone presented the DCASE 2014 Annual Report with the theme “Making It – Powering the Maker Culture.” She said the report is an excellent way for new CAC members to become familiar with the full range of DCASE’s work and for current members to get reacquainted with DCASE’s activities.

She then went on to give an overview of some of DCASE’s fall and winter programming – the 102nd Annual Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 24 with the tree moving to its new location of Millennium Park; Wired Fridays, a free lunchtime concert series and dance party, with an invitation to come to the Chicago Cultural Center on Friday, December 4; and Juice Box, a free music and performance series for the stroller set, a program originated by CAC member Angel Ysaguirre.

Commissioner Boone gave a brief report on the Chicago Architecture Biennial (“CAB”), running through January 3, 2016. She said that so far 200,000 people had passed through all of the CAB sites, surpassing our goal and also achieving higher attendance than the Venice Biennale. She said that the Cultural Center had been activated with crowds of new people drawn to programs presented in partnership with over 100 cultural partners, including the first ever family overnight at the Cultural Center - Up All Night with Architecture – on November 20, 2015.

Commissioner Boone then introduced artist and architect and new CAC Member Amanda Williams, who gave a Power Point presentation overview of her CAB installation Color(ed) Theory.

Commissioner Boone then introduced DCASE staff members Dylan Rice, Director of Creative Industries – Music, and Frayne Lewis, Policy Analyst for Creative Industries – Music, who gave an overview of the City of Chicago Venue Licensing Toolkit, an outcome of the Chicago Cultural Plan, which gathers the information from multiple City agencies in one centralized and transparent location and explains step by step the application process to become either a Public Place of Amusement (“PPA”) or Performing Arts Venue (“PAV”).

Commissioner Boone then opened the floor for CAC member announcements. Eileen LaCario said that Broadway in Chicago was about to open three shows. As there were no more announcements, Marj Halperin adjourned the meeting.

Respectfully submitted, Sue Vopicka