Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission Executive Committee  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Tuesday, October 1, 2024  
8:30 AM  
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, Commissioner Klehr, Commissioner  
Miquelon, Supervisor Rose, Commissioner Curet  
Quorum was established.  
Staff: Mark Fraire, Augusta Brulla  
Call to Order at 8:30 a.m.  
5 -  
Present  
Chair RODERICK RITCHERSON, MARY KLEHR, MARCIA MIQUELON, FRAN  
PULEO MOYER, and Supervisor RICK ROSE  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
[MINUTES FROM THE 09/13/2024 ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS  
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING]  
1. 2024  
MIN-248  
Attachments: 2024 MIN-248  
A motion was made by Vice Chair Puleo Moyer to approve the September 13,  
2024 Executive Committee minutes, seconded by Commissioner Klehr.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
2. Approve September 18, 2024, commission minutes for recommendation to full commission  
Supervisor Rose noted that Roberts Rules of Order only requires large committees to  
second motions. The Dane Arts Executive Committee does not require motions to be  
seconded.  
A motion was made by Commissioner Klehr to recommend the September 18th,  
2024 Commission minutes for approval, seconded by Commissioner Miquelon.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
C. Review/Approve Short Order Grants  
1. Review of applications  
- Commissioner Klehr and Cultural Affairs Specialist Brulla reviewed the four eligible 2024  
Cycle 2 short order grant requests.  
The following applications were received:  
- Kristine Gallagher: KIDS' STANDUP/KIDS, STAND UP!: Bringing Standup Comedy as  
an art form and empowerment tool to middle schoolers in Madison schools. (Request:  
$490.65)  
- Oregon Straw Hat Players: Oregon Straw Hat Players production of Disney's Finding  
Nemo, Jr. (Request: $500)  
- Stoughton High School Band Boosters: Rock Musician Workshop (Request: $1,000)  
- Suzuki Strings of Madison: Suzuki Strings of Madison Barn Dance (Request: $814)  
- It was noted that all grant applications serve youth, fill a unique gap in arts programming  
in Dane County, and are anticipated to provide a high impact to communities they serve  
for a relatively low budget.  
2. Dollar amount of grant requests  
Total 2024 Cycle 2 short order grant requests: $2,804.65.  
3. Approve award amounts  
Commissioner Klehr and Cultural Affairs Specialist Brulla suggest the following grant  
awards:  
- Kristine Gallagher: $490  
- Oregon Straw Hat Players: $500  
- Stoughton High School Band Boosters: $1,000  
- Suzuki Strings of Madison: $800  
Total recommended awards: $2,790  
A motion was made by Commissioner Klehr to recommend 2024 Cycle 2 Short  
Order awards as listed above, totaling $2,790, for approval by the full  
commission.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
D. Review/Approve Grant Pool Dollar Allocation Recommendations to Commission  
1. Review mathematical formula results  
- The quality of all applications is relatively high in 2024 Cycle 2, ranging from 76.5 to  
97.6 out of 100 total possible points.  
- Chair Ritcherson expressed confidence in reviewers’ scores based on observation of  
grant review discussions. Other grant review chairs, including Vice Chair Puleo Moyer and  
Commissioner Curet concurred.  
A motion was made by Commissioner Curet to recommend 42 project grant  
awards as outlined by the grant allocation formula, totaling $94,710 for approval  
by the full commission.  
The motion was carried unanimously by a voice vote.  
E. Final Grants Review Prep  
1. Send recommendations to commissioners in advance of meeting  
Commissioners will be reminded to look at their assigned grants prior to the October 9th,  
2024 Commission meeting.  
F. Review Current 2025 Meeting Calendar  
1. Update/discussion on proposed change(s)  
- Vice Chair Puleo Moyer sent a poll to collect Commissioner availability, which is in  
process.  
- Once a default date is set, proposed meeting times will be cross referenced so as not  
to conflict with any county-recognized holidays.  
G. Brief Discussion on Grant Allocation Philosophy  
1. Refine discussion  
Chair Ritcherson will ask Commissioner McKinney to lead a discussion about the Dane  
Arts grant allocation philosophy during the November Commission meeting.  
2. 2–3-part discussion  
Chair Ritcherson suggested the discussion take place is several parts including:  
1. Dane Arts overall philosophy on funding applicants:  
- Dane Arts’ current philosophy is to award as many grant applications as possible with a  
$500 minimum award.  
- A broader component of the philosophy is that the arts are accessible to all, and Dane  
Arts grant funding is equally accessible by all.  
2. A more detailed discussion around how applications are reviewed. For example, should  
applications be reviewed in sub-groups based on organization size, new versus repeat  
applicants, size of community served, cost per participant, and other considerations to  
be determined.  
H. Executive Director’s Report  
Dane Arts 2025 Calendar and Poster:  
- A date will be set soon for a 2025 calendar/poster reception.  
- The 2025 poster is in production and measures 18” x 24.”  
- The requested poster donation will increase to $3.  
Business of Art Conference 2025:  
- The fourth Business of Art Conference will take place April 24th and 25th with a focus  
on arts in health and youth programming in the arts.  
- One of the keynote speakers for the 2025 conference has already been confirmed.  
Other:  
- Dane Arts staff are working on revising the Project grant application to ensure effort to  
apply aligns with available funds.  
- Two UW-Madison Service Learning in Art students are working with Dane Arts during  
the Fall semester. Projects include using data visualizations to share results of the 2024  
Dane Arts conference, and planning a pop-up art market at Aubergine, a space owned by  
the Willy Street Co-op.  
- Dane Arts awaits a decision from the Evjue foundation regarding a grant application to  
the support the Business of Art Conference and a project to bring more art to the Dane  
County Airport.  
- Director Fraire presented information about Dane Arts to the Dane County  
cities/towns/villages association, and plans to meet with the Waunakee Village  
Administrator, as well as business leaders to continue fund development efforts.  
I. Other  
Commissioner Klehr requested that “Dane Arts supported events” is included as an  
agenda item for each upcoming Commission meeting.  
J. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
1. Develop October 9, 2024, Commission agenda:  
-Roll call, establish quorum  
-Approve September 18, 2024, meeting minutes (action item)  
-Review Short Order Grant Awards  
-Review/Approve Cycle Two Grants Formula Allocations/Awards (action item)  
-Review November agenda items--approve 2025 meeting calendar, Area of Focus end of  
year update reports, discussion on philosophy of how Dane Arts allocates grant pool  
dollars (part 1)  
-Executive Director’s Report  
-Dane Arts Supported Events  
K. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
None.  
L. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
None.  
M. Adjourn  
A motion was made by Commissioner Klehr to adjourn.  
Meeting adjourned at 9:19 a.m.  
Minutes respectfully submitted by Augusta Brulla pending commission approval.