Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Monday, April 7, 2025  
4:30 PM  
Hybrid Meeting: Attend in person at the City County  
Building in Room 209; attend virtually via Zoom.  
A. Call To Order  
Present: Chair Ritcherson, Vice Chair Puleo Moyer, Klehr, Curet, McKinney, Parks  
Snider, Yudice  
Excused: Rose, Garrett, Miquelon, Handy  
Quorum was established  
Staff: Mark Fraire, Augusta Brulla  
Call to order at 4:30 p.m.  
7 - Chair RODERICK RITCHERSON, AMNERIS CURET, MARY KLEHR, KELLY  
PARKS-SNIDER, Vice Chair FRAN PULEO MOYER, KELSEY YUDICE, and  
DESHAWN MCKINNEY  
Present  
4 - MARCIA MIQUELON, JENNIFER GARRETT, JAY HANDY, and RICK ROSE  
Excused  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
[MINUTES FROM THE 3/19/2025 ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS  
2024  
COMMISSION MEETING]  
MIN-592  
Attachments:  
2024 MIN-592  
A motion was made by Klehr to approve the 3/19/25 Arts and Cultural Affairs  
Commission Minutes, seconded by Curet.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
C. Review/approve grant allocations  
1. Approve capital grant awards  
- An allocation of up to 5% of the total 2025 Cycle 1 grant budget ($5,966) was  
approved for distribution among this cycle’s Capital grant applications.  
- Three eligible Capital grant requests totaling $8,529.95 were received this cycle.  
Applications are as follows:  
- Friends of Allen Centennial Gardens: $3,000 to purchase a sound system.  
Recommended award: $2,000  
- Polka! Press: $2,529.95 to purchase a tunnel dryer, flat file, and lighting.  
Recommended award: $2,000.  
- MYArts: $3,000 for chairs, music stands, tables, and A/V equipment. Recommended  
award: $2,000.  
- A total of $6,000 is recommended for award with $5,966 coming from the grant budget  
and an additional $34 supplemented by an additional Dane Arts budget line.  
A motion was made by McKinney to approve $6,000 in Capital grant awards as  
outlined above, seconded by Parks Snider.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
2. Approve short order grant awards  
- Three eligible Short Order applications were received this cycle totaling $2,900 in  
requests. Applications are as follows:  
- Poetry in Spanish Workshops submitted by Araceli Esparza: $900  
- Bilingual Literacy & SEL (social emotional learning) Empowerment through Library  
Events submitted by Culture Trip LLC: $1,000  
- Youth Arts Therapeutic Sensory Kits submitted by Madison Youth Arts Center  
(MYArts): $1,000  
- Director fraire recommended the following short order awards: $750 to Araceli  
Esparza, $750 to Culture Trip LLC, and $1,000 to MYArts.  
A motion was made by Curet to approve $2,500 in short order grant awards as  
outlined above, seconded by Parks Snider.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
3. Approve final cycle one grants pool budget  
- The allocation of $108,500 for 2025 Cycle 1 project grants was recommended by the  
Executive Committee for approval by the full commission.  
A motion was made by Klehr to approve the 2025 Cycle 1 project grant budget of  
$108,500, seconded by Parks Snider.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
4. Approve 2025 cycle one grants pool application awards  
- The commission maintained the objective of funding as many eligible project grant  
applications as possible.  
- 84 project grant applications were submitted; 80 were determined eligible for further  
review totaling $348,079 in requests.  
- Commissioner Curet recommended allocating funding based on how applicant scores  
are assigned by the grant review panels.  
- Out of 100 points, applicants scored relatively high, ranging from 70.6 to 99.  
- Commissioner Klehr discussed how some reviewers noted the potential sensitive  
nature of the Assassins production presented by Capital City Theatre. In response, the  
Dane Arts commission recommends that the theater engage with qualified support staff  
to engage with youth they plan to invite to the production.  
A motion was made by Curet to approve the distribution of funds as outlined by  
the grant allocation formula, seconded by Parks Snider.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
D. Areas of Focus  
Commissioners are asked to upload their areas of focus to the shared drive.  
E. Brief discussion on Grant Decision Making Philosophy  
- Commissioners are encouraged to brainstorm various grant allocation models for  
future discussion.  
- McKinney requests commissioner feedback on the proposal outlined during the March  
commission meeting.  
- Dane Arts has been working with a group of consulting students at the Bolz Center for  
arts administration who will present their findings on public and partner awareness of  
various Dane Arts programs. Data collected will support the grant making philosophy  
discussion.  
- Commissioners who have chaired grant review panels will meet in mid-April to discuss  
feedback received from reviewers during 2025 Cycle 1.  
F. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
1. 2025 Dane Arts Calendar of Events  
- Commissioner Klehr provided an overview of upcoming Dane Arts supported events.  
- Commissioners are invited to attend the Business of Art Conference April 24-16  
- The Dane Arts 2026 Calendar & Poster Call for Art is soon to be announced.  
- Grant applicants will be alerted of their awards the week of April 7th.  
2. Next meeting date  
The next Dane Arts Commission meeting is on Monday, May 12th at 4:30 p.m.  
G. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
None.  
H. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
None.  
I. Adjourn  
A motion was made by Puleo Moyer to adjourn.  
Meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.  
Minutes respectfully submitted by Augusta Brulla pending commission approval.