2025-04 Arts MinutesRichfield Arts Commission (RAC) Minutes
April 3, 2025 | 7:00 PM
Richfield Community Center | 7000 Nicollet, Richfield, MN
Administrative Duties
• Call to Order
o Aric Bieganek called meeting to order at 7:00 PM
o Attendance: Aric Bieganek, Lucas Smith, John Blackshear, Stephanie Jacobson, Stephanie
Eaton, Crystina Clauson, Sharon Christiansen (City Council liaison), Jill Murphy (City
liaison), BJ Skoog (Community Services Commission liaison)
o Absent: Janie Mork, Ann Bieganek,
• Approval of Agenda
o Stephanie J motioned to approve, Aric seconded, all in favor
• Approval of Minutes
o Lucas motioned to approve, John seconded, all in favor
• Budget Update
o $1500 remaining
o Researching cost of craft paper to use as table covering for projects
• Commissioner Training
o Commissioner Orientation: Stephanie J and Crystina attended. Jill will send out videos
when available.
Advisory Committee Recruitment
• Branding & Placemaking Strategy Project
o Goals: Develop shared vision of downtown Richfield, Use vision to produce brand
identity, Develop branding to implement existing wayfinding signage plan, and identify
branding and placemaking opportunities
• How to get involved
o Participate in community engagement process, Share info with friends and neighbors,
Serve on project advisory committee, Help us with future placemaking projects. There is
place for 1 member of RAC. Reach out to Jill if interested. Would meet maybe 4-5 times
over the course of the project, approximately 6 months. Mainly virtual.
• Jan Youngquist, AICP – Economic Development Manager – jyoungquist@richfieldmn.gov
612-861-9771
2025 Prioritized Activities
• Art in our Schools: Collaborating on Arts experiences with Richfield Schools
o Sheridan Hills – Stephanie J connected with them. There is a year end celebration in
May.
o Middle School – Aric reached out to the principal and is waiting to hear back.
o High School Senior Art Show – Thursday, May 8th from 5-7 PM. Stephanie J, Stephanie E,
Crystina, and Sharon will attend. Jill will check into promotion of the event.
• Art in our Community: Updating RAC Public Art Tour materials
o Some missing information yet on the electrical box wraps. Jill will reach out to Public
Works for information. Will represent the electrical boxes on the brochure with a square
on the map.
o Aric motioned to print 50 copies of the most updated draft for the Earth Day Event.
Stephanie E seconded, all in favor.
• Art in our Community: Earth Day Event
o Park cleanup and activities – April 26th from 1:00 – 4 PM at the Community Center
o Attendees: Aric, Stephanie J, Crystina, John, and Lucas
o Activity: Mobiles made with natural materials
Pick up fallen natural materials at Wood Lake to use for the project on Thursday,
April 24 at 6:30 PM.
Stephanie E will bring yarn to use.
o Put a sign at the table to ask community members to donate plastic Easter eggs and
paper towel tubes to make instruments at a future event. John will create the sign.
• Art in our Community: Pride Roundabout Maintenance
o Purple and Green colors
May 4 at 6:30 AM– Aric, Ann, Lucas, John, Janie, Stephanie E, Stephanie J
May 10 at 6:30 AM- Ann, Lucas, John, Janie, Stephanie J
May 17 (backup) - Aric, Ann, Lucas, John, Janie, Stephanie E, Stephanie J
o Remember to wear old clothes and shoes! Bring 4 rollers and small paintbrushes for
edging.
• Art in our Community: Summer Farmers Markets, will select volunteers in May
o June 21 – Project: Painted rocks with Juneteenth-related colors
o July 19 – Project: Vegetable stamping
o August 2: Host Author Event in the building at Veterans Park during the Farmers Market.
Activity: Create magazine word poetry. Cut words out of headlines in magazines
and create poetry from them. Start saving your magazines and cutting out
words!
Idea: Invite authors from previous authors event. If they want to read an
excerpt, it can be pre-approved by RAC.
Subcommittee: Crystina, Ann (chair)
• Crystina will look into a list on local Richfield artists. Will discuss more at
May meeting.
• Art in our Community: Nature Area Poetry Walk – Mississippi Valley Poets & Writers
o Theme: Nature
o Poems can be submitted until April 15th at
https://leagueofmnpoet.submittable.com/submit
o August 16 is the Kickoff Event for new poems. RAC would like to have a presence at that
event.
o Jill will look into what is being done with the out-going poetry signs.
• Art in our Community: Entertainment in the Park
o Parks and Rec now run the entertainment at the Bandshell at Veterans Park
Kids Concert: July 22 @ 11 AM, Womens Drum Circle
• Ann, Aric, Stephanie E as backup
Evening Show: June 17 @ 6:30 PM, Jazz on the Prairie
• Aric, Stephanie J, Stephanie E, John, Crystina, Sharon
Ongoing Activities
• Little Free Library – Need more books. Jill will print a copy for our table at Earth Day. We have
boxes.
• Art Displays – Fireside Poets are up now, and High School Art will be next. Will reevaluate for
future after Wood Lake moves in.
CSC and Staff Updates
• Hiring for summer Parks and Rec is still ongoing. New position is bilingual naturalist.
• Splash pad installation will begin next week, with goal to be ready by end of May/early June.
• Tree removal and new planting is happening at Wood Lake Nature Center. Early June
groundbreaking is planned.
• Shade structure at Veterans Park Bandshell is going up next week.
• Richfield Half Marathon is being restructured and will encompass more of the east side of city.
There is a team that engraves the wood medals – possibility for RAC to be involved.
• 4th of July Committee is scaling back this year, but will still have the main events.
• Considering modifying hockey rinks at parks so they can be used as off leash dog areas in the
summer months. Will be doing a community survey regarding dog parks.
• Summer program registration is open and going well. New programs include spring pickleball (34
teams already!) and a cornhole league.
• State of the Community event is June 11th. Will discuss this at our May meeting.
Meeting is adjourned at 8:38 PM
April 2025
April 26 @ 1 – 4 PM Earth Day at Community Center
May 2025
May 4 @ 6:30 AM Pride Roundabout Painting
May 8 from 5-7 PM High School Seniors Art Show
May 10 @ 6:30 AM Pride Roundabout Painting
May 17 @ 6:30 AM Pride Roundabout Painting (backup date)
June 2025
June 21 Farmers Market
June 24 @ 6:30 PM Music in the Park – Jazz on the Prairie
July 2025
July 18 Farmers Market
July 22 @ 11 AM Kids Music in the Park – Women’s Drum Circle
August 2025
August 2 Authors Event at Farmers Market
September 2025
October 2025
November 2025
December 2025