2025-05 Arts MinutesRichfield Arts Commission (RAC) Minutes
May 1, 2025 | 7:00 PM
Richfield Community Center | 7000 Nicollet, Richfield, MN
Administrative Duties
• Call to Order
o Aric Bieganek called meeting to order at 7:02 PM
o Attendance: Aric Bieganek, Lucas Smith, John Blackshear, Stephanie Jacobson, Stephanie
Eaton, Crystina Clauson, Ann Bieganek, Sharon Christiansen (City Council liaison), Jill
Murphy (City liaison),
o Absent: Janie Mork, BJ Skoog (Community Services Commission liaison), Sharon
Christiansen (City Council liaison),
• Approval of Agenda
o Stephanie E motioned to approve, Aric seconded, all in favor
• Approval of Minutes
o Ann motioned to approve, Crystina seconded, all in favor
• Budget Update
o $1500 remaining
o Motion to spend up to $75 on craft paper roll and cardstock: Aric motioned, Stephanie J
2nd, all in favor
• Branding and Placemaking Advisory Committee
o John will serve on the committee as the RAC representative, and Jill will be the rec
representative.
• Volunteer Expectations
o Be mindful of the amount of events we agree to and plan accordingly.
o We will review the commission bylaws at the August meeting and see if anything needs
to be revisited or revised.
Event Updates
• Earth Day Event
o Went really well! Over 300 people attended – a lot of families. Steadily made projects
the whole time and received really positive feedback. There are a lot of natural materials
left that we could use for another activity.
2025 Prioritized Activities
• Art in our Schools: Collaborating on Arts experiences with Richfield Schools
o Centennial – End of the year carnival again on Thursday 5/22 from 4-6:30 PM
Marble painting
Stephanie J, Ann, John, Aric
o High School Senior Art Show – Thursday, May 8th from 5-7 PM.
Art will be delivered after school on Wednesday and will be set up. Jill will
purchase refreshments.
Stephanie J, Stephanie E, Crystina, and Sharon will attend.
Will try to get it in the Richfield Recap next week.
• Art in our Community: Updating RAC Public Art Tour materials
o Printed (almost final) copies to be used at the Earth Day Event! Looks great.
o Future updates: Incorporate feedback from the communications team; Locations of
electrical utility boxes; Spanish version; digital version (interactive Google map?)
• Art in our Community: Pride Roundabout Maintenance
o Purple and Green colors
Coat #1: Sunday, May 4 at 6:30 AM– Aric, Ann, Lucas, John, Janie?, Stephanie E,
Stephanie J, Jill
Coat #2: Saturday, May 10 at 6:30 AM- Ann, Lucas, John, Janie, Stephanie J
Backup: May 17 - Aric, Ann, Lucas, John, Janie, Stephanie E, Stephanie J
o Remember to wear old clothes and shoes and gloves!
• Art in our Community: Summer Farmers Markets from 10 – 11:30 AM
o July 19 – Project: Painting with natural materials
o August 2: Project: Reading is Fun
Activity: Create a community mural of magazine word poetry. Cut words out of
headlines in magazines and create poetry from them. Start saving your
magazines and cutting out words!
Ideas: Aric and Ann will check with Joyce from Crossroads about having a spoken
word artist; Crystina will check with Augsburg Library about being involved
• Art in our Community: List of Local Artists
o 2 purposes:
1) Can be used by the City when looking for artists at events
2) Public list
o This can be our next project after the art brochure is complete
o Crystina will look for a list that had been started on the Richfield Community Facebook
Page in the past
• Art in our Community: Nature Area Poetry Walk – Mississippi Valley Poets & Writers
o Theme: Nature
o August 16 is the Kickoff Event for new poems. RAC would like to have a presence at that
event.
• Art in our Community: State of the Community – June 11th from 4:30 – 7 PM
o Project: Painted rocks with Juneteenth-related colors
Items needed: Paint (red, black, yellow, green), Rocks, egg cartons, q-tips, small
paintbrushes
• 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 if needed
• Project: paper plate shaker/tambourines
Evening Show: June 17 @ 6:30 PM, Jazz on the Prairie
• Project: coloring to the music
• Aric, Stephanie J, Stephanie E, Crystina, Sharon
• Art in our Community: Unity in the Community
o Will register
• Art in our Community: PennFest
o Aric will register the commission
Ongoing Activities
• Little Free Library – Crystina will ask the library if they have any donations when she reaches out.
Collect books at this summer’s upcoming events
CSC and Staff Updates
• Recreation is really busy with summer events! Registrations is going well. Hiring is wrapping up.
• Wood Lake staff will be moving into the community center in the next couple of weeks. Wood
Lake tree removal has begun and mulch is available.
• Splash Pad and shade structure are coming along. Interviews for an architect for pool lining
replacement.
• Applying for grant funding for solar panels at ice rink.
Meeting is adjourned at 8:35 PM
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)
May 22 from 4 – 6:30 PM Centennial Elementary End of Year Carnival
June 2025
June 11 from 4:30 – 7 PM State of the Community
June 24 @ 6:30 PM Music in the Park – Jazz on the Prairie
July 2025
July 18 from 10 – 11:30 AM Farmers Market
July 22 @ 11 AM Kids Music in the Park – Women’s Drum Circle
August 2025
August 2 from 4:30 – 7 PM Farmers Market
TBD Unity in the Community
September 2025
TBD PennFest
October 2025
November 2025
TBD Winter planter decorating
December 2025