Full Arts Commission Meeting (June 1, 2026)

1. Call to order
2. Roll call / Confirmation of quorum
3. Agenda Changes
4. Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement

The San Francisco Arts Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula. As the indigenous stewards of this land and in accordance with their traditions, the Ramaytush Ohlone have never ceded, lost nor forgotten their responsibilities as the caretakers of this place, as well as for all peoples who reside in their traditional territory. As guests, we recognize that we benefit from living and working on their traditional homeland. We wish to pay our respects by acknowledging the ancestors, elders and relatives of the Ramaytush Community and by affirming their sovereign rights as First Peoples. As a department dedicated to promoting a diverse and equitable Arts and Culture environment in San Francisco, we are committed to supporting the traditional and contemporary evolution of the American Indian community.

Discussion and possible action

Discussion and possible action to approve May 04, 2026, Draft Minutes

Presentation Time: Approximately 5 minutes

Explanatory Document: May 04, 2026, Draft Minutes

Discussion

(This item is to allow members of the public to comment generally on matters within the Commission’s purview as well as to suggest new agenda items for the Commission’s consideration.)

1. Civic Design Committee – Patrick Carney, Chair
   
   1. Civic Design Committee Report
      Discussion
      
      Presentation Time: Approximately 10 minutes
      
      Report from the Civic Design Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Projects.
      
      
2. Visual Arts Committee – Suzie Ferras, Chair
   
   1. Visual Arts Committee Report
      Discussion
      
      Presentation Time: Approximately 10 minutes
      
      Report from the Visual Arts Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program.
      
3. Executive Committee – Chuck Collins, Chair
   
   1. Executive Committee Report
      Discussion
      
      Presentation Time: Approximately 10 minutes
      
      Report from the Executive Committee regarding activities of the Committee and the Program

1. Motion to approve the May 18, 2026, Civic Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes.
2. Motion to approve the May 20, 2026, Visual Arts Committee Meeting Minutes.
3. Motion to approve the May 27, 2026, Executive Committee Meeting Minutes.
   
   Civic Design Review Committee Recommendations (May 18, 2026, link to agenda)
   Action
   
4. Motion to approve Post-Phase 3 Review for SFO Terminal 3 West Project.
   
5. Motion to approve Phase 3 Review for Harvey Milk Plaza.
   
   
   Visual Arts Committee Recommendations (May 20, 2026, link to agenda)
   
6. Motion to approve “Bernal Wild”, a street mural designed by Jennifer Keith. The mural will be painted at the intersection of Cortland Avenue and Anderson Street on both sides of the street in the red zones. The north side measures approximately 281 in. by 67.5 in and the south side measures approximately 273 in. by 68 in. The artwork will be maintained by Bernal Beautiful volunteers and the artist. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection.
   
7. Motion to approve “People’s March Mural”, a painted wall mural by Serge Gay Jr. The mural will be painted on the northside wall of the property located at 117 Hartford Street and will be visible from 18th Street. The mural measures approximately H10 ft. by W3.5 ft. The mural will be maintained by the property owner. Graffiti abatement will be performed by the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, the artist, and the property owner. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection.
   
8. Motion to amend RESOLUTION NO. 0905-25-142 to remove stair riser design and extend wall design so that revised motion reads as: Motion to approve “Rainbow Over Bernal Heights”, a tile mosaic mural retaining wall design by Colette Crutcher. The tile mosaic will be installed on the Prospect Avenue Stairs at 100 Cortland Ave between Prospect and Santa Marina Streets in District 9. The tile mosaic retaining wall mural measures approximately H3 ft. by W33 ft. each (two panels). The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection; the artwork will be maintained by the community gardeners and Bernal Beautiful volunteers.
   
9. Motion to approve the recommended edits to the Policies and Guidelines for the Civic Art Collection of the City and County of San Francisco Under the Jurisdiction of the San Francisco Arts Commission; last updated by Resolution #0605-23-092.
   
10. Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to approve an honorarium in the amount of $5000 to Ashara Ekundayo for the development of the Fall 2026 exhibition “Excavating Uranus*, A Psalm for Nyota Uhura” and public programs to be held in the SFAC Main Gallery from October 8, 2026 – January 30, 2027.
    
11. Motion for the Director of Cultural Affairs to approve the artist honorarium in the amount of $2500 to Sydney Cain; $2500 to Ayana V. Jackson; $2500 to Courtney Desiree Morris; and $2500 to Marvin K. White for the development of artwork for the Fall 2026 exhibition “Excavating Uranus*, A Psalm for Nyota Uhura” to be held in the SFAC Main Gallery from October 8, 2026 – January 30, 2027.
    
12. Motion to approve the Final Design of “Infinite Regress: Oro en Paz I and II”, a mosaic tile artwork by Eamon Ore-Giron (Lengua, Inc.), for the Terminal 3 West Superhighway Integrated Wall Public Art Project.
    
13. Motion of approve the Final Artwork Layout of Pae White’s (Pae White Studio, Inc.) artwork for the Terminal 3 West Suspended Sculpture Public Art Project.
    
14. Motion to approve the Final Design of “From Bridge to Bridge and Our Life in Between” by Muzae Sesay for the FIS West Art Wall at the San Francisco International Airport.
    
15. Motion to approve the Final Design of “Cycles of Water and Light”, an architecturally integrated porcelain enamel tile artwork by Ron Moultrie Saunders, for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Treasure Island Water Resource Recovery Facility, located on Avenue M at 10th Street on Treasure Island.
    
16. Motion to approve Woody De Othello and Lacey Lennon, Hood Design Studio, Masako Miki, and Paul Ramirez Jonas as finalists for the San Francisco Fire Department Division of Training, as recommended by the Artist Review Panel.
    
17. Motion to approve the 6 final designs by Vida Kuang for the 2026 Art on Market Poster Series.
    
18. Motion to approve Hila Amram, Matt Borruso, Christian Cuadrado, Thad Higa, Akiko Neumann, and Minnie Phan as finalists for the 2027 Art on Market Poster Series, as recommended by the Artist Review Panel.
    
19. Motion to approve the temporary installation of “Akua”, 2025, by Torkwase Dyson at Civic Center Plaza, to be loaned to the Arts Commission by the Public Art Fund for a period of approximately five months commencing July 2026, with funding from the Public Art Trust at a total cost not to exceed $350,000. The artwork is powder-coated steel and aluminum with eight-channel sound, measuring 20 ft. x 36 ft. x 30 ft. The Arts Commission will be responsible for maintenance, and the artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection.
    
20. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a loan agreement with the Public Art Fund, in an amount not to exceed $20,000 for the loan of “Akua”, 2025, by Torkwase Dyson, for a period of approximately five months commencing July 2026.
    
21. Motion to approve the temporary installation of “Marine Layer” by Miki Iwasaki, that measures H10 ft. by W5.8 ft. by D5.4ft., fabricated from high-strength low-alloy steel sheet, located in Golden Gate Park on the south side of Metson Lake. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection. The artwork will be maintained by Big Art Loop and will be installed for a period of one year, from date of installation, which is estimated to be June 2026.
    
22. Motion to approve the temporary installation of “Unsafe to Swim” by Oleg Lobykin, that measures H11.5 ft. by W3 ft. by L13.5 ft., fabricated from EPS foam core, concrete, fiberglass, and recycled materials, located at the southwest Lincoln entrance to Golden Gate Park (Lincoln and Great Highway). The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection. The artwork will be maintained by Big Art Loop and will be installed for a period of one year, from date of installation, which is estimated to be June 2026.
    
23. Motion to extend the installation of five sculptures from the series “Traces in Order to Remember” by Betsabee Romero, installed along JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park, previously approved under Resolution NO. 0602-25-094 by 11 months so that the total installation period is from August 11 2025 through July 11, 2027. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection and will be maintained by the Recreation and Park Department, with Big Art Loop.
    
24. Motion to approve the temporary installation of “Renaissance Woman” by George Mubanga, that measures H12 ft. by W5 ft. by D3 ft., fabricated from steel and recycled materials, located on the north side of the park along Geary Boulevard. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection. The artwork will be maintained by Big Art Loop and will be installed for a period of one year, from date of installation, which is estimated to be November 2026.
    
25. Motion to approve the temporary installation of “Archaeology of the Future” by Daniel Pérez, that measures H12 ft. by W10 ft. by D10 ft., fabricated from Corten steel, located on the north side of Alta Plaza Park near Jackson Street. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection. The artwork will be maintained by Big Art Loop and will be installed for a period of one year, from date of installation, which is estimated to be October 2026.
    
26. Motion to approve the temporary installation of “Axis Mundi” by Hybycozo, that measures H20 ft. by W10 ft. by L10 ft., fabricated from powder-coated steel and LED lights, located in the center of Alamo Square Park. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection. The artwork will be maintained by Big Art Loop and will be installed for a period of one year, from date of installation, which is estimated to be October 2026.
    
27. Motion to approve the Conceptual Design of “Gorilla” by Yustina Salnikova and Joel Dean Stockdill, that measures the minimum size of a real Silverback Gorilla, fabricated from recycled materials, located at the intersection of Sloat Boulevard and Skyline Boulevard. The artwork will not become part of the Civic Art Collection.
    
    
    Executive Committee Recommendations (May 27, 2026, link to agenda)
    
28. Motion to approve the Cultural Center fiscal year 2026-2027 grant amount not to exceed $760,462, to the African American Art and Culture Complex (AAACC) that includes $8,881 of Cost of Doing Business funds; to support the operation, maintenance, and programming of this City-owned community cultural center and to ensure that this cultural center remains open, accessible and a vital contributor to the cultural life of the City; and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a total grant agreement not to exceed $760,462 at this time.
    
    
29. Motion to approve the Cultural Center fiscal year 2026-2027 grant amount not to exceed $470,027 to the Bayview Opera House (BVOH, also known as Ruth Williams Opera House) to support the operation, maintenance, and programming of this City-owned community cultural center and to ensure that this cultural center remains open, accessible and a vital contributor to the cultural life of the City; and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a total grant agreement not to exceed $470,027 at this time.
    
    
30. Motion to approve the Cultural Center fiscal year 2026-2027 grant amount not to exceed $845,650 to SOMArts to support the operation, maintenance, and programming of this City-owned community cultural center and to ensure that this cultural center remains open, accessible and a vital contributor to the cultural life of the City; and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a total grant agreement not to exceed $845,650 at this time.
    
    
31. Motion to approve the Cultural Center fiscal year 2026-2027 grant amount not to exceed $146,557 to SOMArts with sub-grantee The American Indian Culture Center of San Francisco (AICC) to support the operation and programming of this virtual cultural center and to ensure that this cultural center remains a vital contributor to the cultural life of the City; and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a grant agreement not to exceed $146,557 at this time
    
    
32. Motion to approve the Cultural Center fiscal year 2026-2027 grant amount not to exceed $146,557 to SOMArts with sub-grantee Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center (APICC) to support the operation and programming of this virtual cultural center and to ensure that this cultural center remains a vital contributor to the cultural life of the City; and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a grant agreement not to exceed $146,557 at this time.
    
    
33. Motion to approve the Cultural Center fiscal year 2026-2027 grant amount not to exceed $146,557 to SOMArts with sub-grantee QCC-The Center for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Art & Culture (QCC) to support the operation and programming of this virtual cultural center and to ensure that this cultural center remains a vital contributor to the cultural life of the City; and to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs to enter into a grant agreement not to exceed $146,557 at this time.
    
    
34. Motion to authorize the Director of Cultural Affairs, pursuant to Charter Section 16.106(1), to enter into an agreement with the San Francisco Symphony to support one free outdoor concert and 12 live performances in Davies Symphony Hall during each of the Symphony’s 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, for an estimated total amount of $9,200,000 and a total amount not to exceed $9,500,000

Discussion

Staff Presenter:  Jackie Im, Acting Director of Galleries and Public Programs

Presentation time: Approximately 10 minutes

Presenting program updates and announcing the Fall 2026 Exhibition in the Main Gallery.

Discussion

Presentation from the Cultural Center highlighting key strengths, current challenges, and future opportunities. The discussion will provide an overview of programs, community impact, and areas for potential growth and support.

Staff Presenter: Vinay Patel, Executive Director

Presentation time: Approximately 10 minutes

Discussion

Staff will provide the Commission with a report on the April 29, 2026, Appeals Board Hearing, including a summary of the ruling, its implications, and the subsequent steps to be taken.

Staff Presenter: Director of Community Investments, Denise Pate

Presentation time: Approximately 5 minutes

Discussion

Presenting program updates and temporary public art installations.

Staff Presenter: Angela Carrier, Senior Program Manager

Presentation time: Approximately 10 minutes

Discussion

Update on Artist Certification.

Staff Presenter: George Lee, Capital Project Manager, Ebon Glenn, Deputy Director of Programs , Denise Pate, Director of Community Investments

Presentation time: Approximately 10 minutes

Discussion

Staff Presenter: Deputy Director of Finance and Administration, Sarah Hollenbeck

Presentation Time: Approximately 10 minutes

Discussion

(This item is to allow the Commissioners to introduce without discussion new agenda items for consideration, to report on recent arts activities and to make announcements in accordance with Prop D.)

Discussion

Action