It was a full agenda tonight for the Arts & Humanities Commission. The meeting started with the news of a long time, Commission Chair, Virginia Thompson, announcing that she will be moving to Hereford and will not be able to stay on as a member of the commission, although she plans to remain an associate member.
The first item to be discussed was the Youth Arts Festival. The Arts & Humanities Commission in partnership with Cochise College is seeking proposals from individuals to host activities for children in K - 8th grade at the upcoming Youth Arts Festival on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sierra Vista campus of Cochise College. Activities can focus on a variety of different arts to include 3D art, 2D art, theater, music, dance, creative writing, and crafts. Individuals selected to host activities will be provided with basic supplies, lunch, and a $50 stipend. Volunteers/performers do not have to live in Sierra Vista, all help will be appreciated. Applications are due December 31st and can be found here.
If you can think of anyone or any group that might be interested in taking part in this year's festival, please share this information with them and/or have them contact the city at (520) 458-7922.
Some of you may remember the Black Box idea being presented to council earlier this year. The Commission is still working on making that a reality. Chair, Virginia Thompson, and member, Michael Rosen, met with city planners discuss ideas and attempt to identify possible locations for the Black Box Theater. It was decided that the venue would need about 1,800 square feet and should near establishments selling food and drinks. Potential locations for the Black Box space included an open suite inside the Landmark Plaza on Fry Blvd, the former Philadelphia Bakery building, the Mall at Sierra Vista, or possibly sharing space with a company already in operation like the Sierra Vista Dance Company. Of course, the next steps would include finding out what each of these spaces costs, reaching out to potential partners as suggested by city staff, such as Cochise Networking Out Way (CNOW), and developing a sustainable business model.
There was also an update on the Ceramic Mural Project. A project that's taken a lot of collaboration and community input. Staff liaison, Rob Hinderer said that projected costs for the wall (located in front of Culver's) came in "lower than expected" and now they are looking for a timeline to continue moving forward.
Lastly, the commission voted to accept Judy Wand as the newest commissioner. But they are still in need of a couple more individuals willing to serve as members on the commission. If you or someone you know might be interested in working on projects like the ones listed above, consider applying to the Arts & Humanities Commission!