# UCARB Meeting - February 20, 2018 > Auto-transcribed civic record · February 20, 2018 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/4459 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/4459?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2018-02-20 - **Last revised**: February 20, 2018 - **Length**: 2,216 words > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed with OpenAI's open-source Whisper large-v3-turbo model, run locally by The Lexington Times. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude. Verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The Urban-County Arts Review Board met on February 21, 2018, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the Council Chambers at 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Jim Gray presiding. The meeting focused on a single agenda item providing an informational update on the "Unlearn Fear + Hate" initiative. No formal votes were taken during the session, and no public comments were heard. The meeting served as an informational briefing rather than a decision-making session, with the board receiving updates on the ongoing arts-related program addressing community issues of fear and hate. ## Attendance **Present:** - Nathan from LexArts **Absent:** - Dan **Late:** - None The meeting proceeded with minimal attendance, with only Nathan from LexArts present. Dan was noted as absent from the proceedings. ## Budget and Financial Actions The meeting addressed funding for the Unlearn Fear + Hate project installation through two separate grant awards totaling $20,000. The project received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the installation. Additionally, the Bluegrass Community Foundation provided a matching $10,000 grant for the same project. The Unlearn Fear + Hate project installation represents a combined $20,000 investment in community programming through these two grant funding sources. Both grants appear to be specifically designated for this installation project. *Note: Specific resolution numbers and transcript timestamps were not available in the provided meeting data.* ## Unlearn Fear + Hate Update Nathan from LexArts provided an update on the Unlearn Fear + Hate project during this informational presentation. The update covered several key aspects of the project's current status and future plans. Nathan discussed the ongoing site selection process for the project installation, indicating that location decisions were still being finalized. The presentation included details about funding arrangements and the financial aspects of moving forward with the initiative. Installation plans were also addressed during the update, with Nathan outlining the timeline and logistical considerations for implementing the Unlearn Fear + Hate project. The presentation appeared to focus on providing the meeting participants with current information about the project's progress rather than seeking specific approvals or decisions. As an informational item, the update did not result in any formal actions or votes by the meeting participants. The presentation served to keep stakeholders informed about the project's development and next steps in the implementation process. *Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.* --- ## Full transcript Maybe you might be Find yourself a lip slice, grab a backpack and lice You never know until you try When you lose yourself You find the key to paradise Thank you. Thank you. ¶¶ ¶¶ ORCHESTRA PLAYS ¶¶ ¶¶ Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We are waiting for a board member so that we have a quorum. So we're delayed about 10 minutes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. update oh he's not okay okay all right nathan's at the board meeting i'm sure okay Thank you. Thank you. That's why I was trying to get into two meetings prior to May, and that would be my only meeting. But I have a very close-up schedule. So if you schedule your meeting, it would be some time in the spring. Well, I really do. I really do. I really do. I really do. I think Michelle has been a cat for the media this next week. I don't know. She has a separate piece. She might. That's having a poor. But we were simultaneously in conversation with Parks and Rec. And so we've sent the job to Ziniac our design to help us get our feedback and their process of looking at our design. And she said in her response to us that she can talk to us with the card meeting next week. So I think she made a piece of her study with the timeline for the card meeting also. And I say that too because she's the other voice that we're hearing feedback from about what can be modified before we get those engineering stamps. So we are getting closer to having preps and recs like under their approval process than getting engineering stamps and come to you with both hands, like her conceptual and final purpose and kind of that is something. And I think we need to be. Right. That was our hope was to get around. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The End Thank you. ¶¶ . Okay, we're going to go ahead and call this meeting to order at a delayed time. We do not have a quorum, however, so we'll not be voting on any of the items on the agenda. We do have before us Nathan Zamoron from LexArts who's going to give an update on the proposed unlearned fear and hate halo. So Nathan, thank you. Thank you all and appreciate everyone being here that is. Sorry, Nan has a board meeting that starts at 4. She was preparing for it, so it kind of ran into a scheduling conflict there. So Unlearned Fear and Hate, this project has, of course, been here in the community in kind of a temporary fashion, with Kurt Goody and Kermana Todarova leading that effort. And this piece that's being proposed is a legacy piece. It's a permanent artwork. The site that the artists have selected is here on Upper Street. It is in the courthouse overlay, and so we are working through some of the permissions at this time. We have gotten the site owners to agree that they like this artwork, and they've agreed that they are willing to have it placed on their building. The artists are also working through engineering. The good thing about this particular spot is it's actually inside the building. It's a stairwell, and that building is constructed out of concrete and steel, so that's a strong wall. It looks like it'll hold the artwork well. We were also looking at the lower wall of the building in the foreground, and that wall, while it would be closer to ground level, did not have as much structural capacity to it as it was never it was originally not an exterior wall it was an adjoining wall between two buildings the closer of which was then removed the other thing we liked about this location was if something were to be constructed in that surface parking lot in the very foreground the artwork would likely still be visible from the courthouse plaza so there's a and it's very visible from the street we did secure a $10,000 and National Endowment for the Arts artworks grant for this installation and that was likewise matched by another 10,000 from the Bluegrass Community Foundation and we're working and once we finally get this site approval we'll be working to fill in the rest of the funding gap we anticipate this will probably be about a $50,000 installation but we're still working on those numbers based on what the engineering requirements are in terms of the gauge of the stainless steel that's being used. So again, this is a permanent artwork. Because we did get federal funds, we had to do an environmental and historic preservation process to get that approved. So we spoke to the National Historic Preservation Officer at the NEA and at the state level here in Kentucky, and we're working to get that approved here in the city level. to kind of help through all of those other channels. So that's kind of the process right now is historic preservation and engineering, but this is the site that we've selected and the owners have agreed to that. So that's kind of the basic update. In terms of timing, we're probably looking at late this year. The foundry, Amanda Matthews and Brad Connell, are going to be fabricating this artwork and they've got a lot on their plate right now, but they're looking at probably being able to work it in in the early fall for a mid to late fall installation, as long as all the approvals and everything move forward. So that's kind of timing wise. Anything else, Curt, you want to add in? No, I think that covers everything. Is it going to be lit at night? It's going to be lit probably from, with a spotlight that sits on the roof of the smaller space in front of it. And I've actually got a meeting with Big S fans tomorrow afternoon to talk about the Henry Clay mural, lighting that one. So we're going to be looking at some lighting options that we might be able to, you know, look at different fixtures and things. The hope is that this could be lit using solar cells, so it wouldn't have an ongoing utility cost beyond the initial installation. Now, that said, you know, there would be, there's always maintenance costs, and there would be, those batteries for the solar installation would likely have to be replaced every five years or so. Typically, that's about their lifespan. So, that's unlearned fear and hate. Any other questions about that project? Yeah. How many buildings is this? This is located at 212 or 215, I think. I think it's the lifeblood. It's right across from Farmer's Market. It's called the Lexington Building. The Lexington Building, which is actually owned by the shorter building in the foreground and the taller building are owned by a group of owners that actually own each floor. So there was about eight different entities that had to agree to it going on the building, but they all came to a conclusion that they liked it. I think it's amazing. I'm so happy that this is happening. And congratulations on that grant, too. Yeah. A lot of work. It's good to get the support and just having that seal of approval at the national level and federal can help garnish more support for the project. So that's what we're in hopes of. Is there any acknowledgement to Frank X or any of the people, Curtin-Crimenta or anybody? I mean, I know there's a small herd of people that were part of this, but because those are Frank's words from this point. Yeah, I think that would be appropriate. We have not yet determined what the actual plaque or where that's going to go, but likely at ground level at some place on the building would make sense. Some kind of attribution. And then there would, of course, be probably an online presence as well with further documentation about the project. Any other questions? Is there any sort of agreement with private owners about what might happen to a work of art that Lexart's been involved in when it's installed on the building and the building is sold? We typically, when the building actually, if a building actually sells, those type of site commitments usually do not transfer to the new owners, and we've ran into that in the past. We do typically have a site agreement that commits, like if we do a mural, commits the mural for, typically we look for five years if we are making an investment in that surface. And so, as much as we say things are permanent, like if we had placed it on the lower wall, if a building had been built on that surface parking lot, which is a possibility and maybe even a probability at some point in the future, then the artwork would have to either be relocated or at that point I think that there wouldn't be too much you could do in terms of an adjacent structure being constructed. But we would probably enter into a site agreement that they would leave it up for an extended period. I think for this project that it's about a $50,000 price tag, I think commitment of 10 years would be probably appropriate. So we'll work with the artists to look at getting that in place. And then if there's any other questions on this installation. And then just a quick update on the book benches. I didn't have this on the docket, but we are working our way through. I did just on Tuesday give an update to the City Council on the book bench project. But this is a temporary art installation that is going to be hitting the streets in June. June 1st we'll have an unveiling for that project in Grotz Park. There will be all of them together, kind of a gala to look at them and then open to the public for the rest of that weekend before they get spread throughout the streets. That's going to be a five month temporary installation. We will work with streets and roads and parks, just depending on where they're being placed. But those fiberglass sculptures that are functional benches will be placed along the streets in Lexington. Of course, they will be anchored to a concrete pedestal, so they don't necessarily have to be on the sidewalk in locations that there might be grass available. Some of those will likely be on private property, some may be on public property. We'll place some at bus stops and we're working with Lex Tran to help identify the bus stops that need them. But we're looking at hopefully around 35 benches to go out on the streets. And these are gonna celebrate Kentucky authors books. So that's gonna be a nod to our literary heritage here in the area. So that project, and just for this council, that project may end up having some permanent implications because like the horses, those will be purchased by different entities throughout town and may still have a public presence ongoing. So if one ends up in a park or something, I may be back in front of you to talk about that more permanent location. But right now, it's going to be a five-month temporary project, and we are getting engineers to look at the pad and how the bench connects to it. Okay. All right. Thank you, Nathan. All right. Thank you so much. Okay. Well, it looks like Stacy is... It looks like we are not going to have a quorum today, And so I apologize to those of you who came to present, and we'll see you. If you feel, however, that we need to get together before that May date, just ask, and we'll work on that to accommodate you. Okay? All right. Or feel free to ask any of us any questions along the way, just for clarification. You can ask Lori or any of us. So, yeah, we are here. We're here for you. I know. We love Dr. Park. Is it not possible to discuss it without having to vote? We can't. I'm sorry. That's what we were asking earlier. And our legal counsel is here and has advised it that not. I understand. Yeah. Even if we were, there's no, like, informational effect. What happens if we correspond to a primary or preliminary approval? Yeah. But if you want to talk to any of us individually about, you know, just to brainstorm, we'll be glad to do that. Yeah. Okay. all right thank you you can get all you can get your preliminary and your final on the same day yeah well Lori made a good point because you are working so closely with parks and rec you really have an advantage there because Michelle's been through this process so many times and she can she's a great you know mentor and resource for okay thank you all right see you in May