Curtis Jerome Lewis

The executive committee meeting began with administrative formalities, including establishing quorum and noting the meeting was being recorded and live-streamed. A land acknowledgement was read and considered. The agenda, which stood as adopted, focused on key organizational topics. Discussions included an update on the accountability dashboard, which governs priorities for the Executive Director's performance year, including staff well-being and return to office planning. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the compensation Equity Study, where the Executive Director provided an update on the analysis comparing agency pay to regional and nationwide benchmarks, noting initial findings suggest competitiveness but also salary compression issues and lack of Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs). The committee expressed commitment to addressing compensation inequities and planned for further detailed review in the next meeting. The second major topic was the return to office program, following an experiment in October and recent staff schedules of two days in the office and three days remote. Concerns were raised regarding the perception of the agency being a 'ghost town' compared to other government entities, necessitating a timely conclusion on the appropriate structure balancing staff preference and leadership expectations.

The meeting included reports from the director, committees, and public commentary from a member of the art community. A grantee, Mr. Marcus Wells, shared highlights at the meeting. The commission discussed the DCHR pilot desk audits and is working with DCHR to implement the recommendations. The strategic plan procurement is underway, and OCP will inform the commission of the awarded bid. Staff is working on grant awards, and a grants communication has been sent to all applicants with guidance on next steps and timelines. The opening of DC Art Now was also mentioned.

The meeting included a land acknowledgement and a discussion about the agenda. Announcements were made regarding the public performance hearing and the public art workshop. Quantities Floyd was announced as the new chair of the newly formed IDEA committee. There was a discussion of the strategic plan, and a special meeting was scheduled for further discussion. The executive director provided a report, highlighting organizational development sessions, FY22 grants and public arts programs, and community engagement efforts. A finance update was given, including the budget for fiscal year 21 and the number of grants authorized for disbursement. The public art committee shared a draft preliminary summary of the public art plan.

The meeting included discussions and reports from the chairperson, interim executive director, and finance committee. Key topics included the approval of grant awards, support for grantees, upcoming grant opportunities, programming related to access and inclusion, and the artist table event. There was also a discussion regarding the formal search for a new executive director and a finance update that reviewed the budget for the fiscal year.

The meeting included discussions on agency developments, such as workshops focused on mindful communication and team building. The DC Arts Teletown Hall community engagement program was also a key topic, with updates on new initiatives and community interaction strategies. The meeting further addressed the three different tracks rolling out: business in the arts, community track, and artist's showcase track.