Fine and Performing Arts Planning Commission
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 6, 1999

Attendees:

Bob Chapel (Chair), Samantha Beer, Marcia Day Childress, Julian Connolly, Wayne Cozart, Dean Dass, Angela Davis, Lear DeBessonet, Joan Fry, George Garrett, Larry Goedde, Jeff Hantman, Jill Hartz, Richard Herskowitz, Denise Karaoli, Judith Kinnard, Phyllis Leffler, Marita McClymonds, Jane Penner, Jack Robertson, Bill Sublette, and Beth Sutton.

Meeting summary:

Commission members discussed the fall retreat and the need to decide on speakers from benchmark programs or from arts programs that use creative interdisciplinary groupings. A small task force will propose a list of speakers.

Beth Sutton, chair of the commission’s community advisory group, reported on meetings with several community leaders. The City of Charlottesville is engaged in planning economic development, including the arts. The University’s commission is interested in discussing and coordinating mutual arts interests with the city. Efforts to approach alumni for financial support of the arts are hampered by a tradition of schools’ "ownership" of their alumni. Some top universities use a tithing model for development, which allocates a portion of alumni giving to support undergraduate arts and sciences education. The commission will explore the applicability of this model at UVA. A small task force will work on starting an inclusive arts publication, and another will work on interdisciplinary ways to weave the arts into the University’s curriculum. A student task force is assessing students’ needs and wishes for the arts. Dean Dass completed his report on Studio Art stressing the interest in interdisciplinary projects, but the lack of support or space to develop them. Jill Hartz began a report on the Bayly Museum. She discussed the museum’s mission to be comprehensive and to serve a broad constituency. Current space constraints and a small staff prevent the museum from fulfilling its mission fully. Cooperative work with faculty in the arts programs enables the museum to accomplish much more that it could on its own, and this cooperation also benefits the academic departments.