2025-06 Arts MinutesRichfield Arts Commission (RAC) Minutes
June 5, 2025 | 7:00 PM
Richfield Community Center | 7000 Nicollet, Richfield, MN
Administrative Duties
● Call to Order
o Stephanie Eaton called meeting to order at 7:02 PM
o Attendance: Lucas Smith, John Blackshear, Stephanie Jacobson, Stephanie Eaton,
Crystina Clauson, Ann Bieganek, Janie Mork, BJ Skoog (Community Services Commission
liaison), Sharon Christiansen (City Council liaison), Jill Murphy (City liaison),
o Absent: Aric Bieganek
● Approval of Agenda
o Stephanie J motioned to approve, Janie seconded, all in favor
● Approval of Minutes
o Sharon offered a correction to an incorrect farmer ’s market date, agenda was amended
to the correct date of July 19. Stephanie J motioned to approve as edited, John
seconded, all in favor
● Budget Update
o $73.67 was spent on craft paper
o $1426.33 remaining
o Motion to spend up to $65 on supplies (river rock, paint, q-tips, paintbrushes) for State
of the Community event: Stephanie E motioned, Crystina 2nd, all in favor
o Motion to spend up to $20 on paper plates for Entertainment in the Park: Ann
motioned, Lucas seconded, all in favor
● Branding and Placemaking Advisory Committee
o John updated on the kickoff meeting. It went well, it was an introductory meeting to
learn what the group does. Committee was able to give feedback about the stretch of
66th that is to be worked on, as well as what they would like to see in the area. The first
focus group will talk about the identity of Richfield.
● Arts Commission Bylaws Update
o Jill found the bylaws, they have not been updated since 2017. She will get a copy of
them to Aric and Stephanie E so we can discuss them at the August meeting.
Event Updates
● High School Art Show recap
o Sharon and Crystina volunteered. The time of the event was changed to an earlier time
of 4-5pm. This meant more high school students were in attendance, but not many
parents were able to come. However, teachers were not concerned about the low
attendance. They did receive positive feedback, and some people even asked to
purchase artwork!
● Centennial Cougar Carnival recap
o Stephanie J, Aric, Crystina volunteered. Fantastic turnout, very busy. Lots of art made!
There were a lot of Spanish speakers in attendance, and this led to a discussion about
getting some key Spanish phrases/terms that we could have translated for volunteer use
at future events. Jill is able to get those translations if we let her know what we need.
● Art in our Community: Pride Roundabout Maintenance recap
o Purple and Green colors completed. Everything went well, just some minor scuffing
when someone drove over the roundabout before it was dry. Does not need a third coat.
o Next round: Saturday Sept. 6 & Saturday Sept 13, 7am
o Red and blue colors. Jill will verify paint and if more is needed we will address at August
meeting.
2025 Prioritized Activities
● Art in our Community: Updating RAC Public Art Tour materials
o Crystina just sent Draft 6 of version one. This copy includes utility boxes.
o Future updates: Spanish & Somali version; digital version (interactive Google map?);
incorporate new utility box wrap (66th & Penn) once that is completed.
● Art in our Community: State of the Community - June 11 4:30-7pm at City Hall
o 4:15 arrival, RAC booth in confirmed indoors
o Project: painted rocks with Juneteenth colors; Ann will bring drop cloth
o Volunteers: John, Stephanie E, Ann, Crystina
o Crystina will pick up supplies needed from the dollar store, Jill will get river rock.
● Art in our Community: Summer Farmers Markets from 10 – 11:30 AM
o July 19 – Project: Painting with natural materials
▪ Volunteers: Janie, Sharon, Ann, Aric, Jill as able
▪ 9:45am setup time, Rec department will set up a tent and table for RAC.
o August 2 – Project: Community mural of magazine word poetry. Cut words out of
headlines in magazines and create poetry from them.
▪ Aric reached out to Joyce from Crossroads about potential collaboration,no
response yet.
▪ Crystina spoke with Augsburg Library: the youth services librarian will see if they
can find someone to participate.
▪ If these collaborations don’t work out, we will just do the project.
▪ Subcommittee will plan and meet prior to event
▪ Volunteers: Stephanie E, Janie, Jill can help organize but can’t work it
● Art in our Community: List of Local Artists
o Crystina found the local artist list, but it is old. We plan to discuss this more at the
August meeting.
● Art in our Community: Nature Area Poetry Walk – Mississippi Valley Poets & Writers
o Theme: Nature
o Winners have been selected, press release will be shared, Jill will email list to RAC.
o NEW DATE for event: August 23, 6pm
o Open to public, poems will be read, refreshments will be served.
o RAC will support, no activity planned.
● Art in our Community: Entertainment in the Park, Veterans Park Bandshell
o Evening Show: June 17 @ 6:30 PM, Jazz on the Prairie
● Project: coloring to the music
● 6:15 arrival for setup; REC department confirmed they will supply a
table
● Materials needed: craft paper, markers/crayons
● VolunteersL Aric, Stephanie J, Stephanie E, Crystina, Sharon
o Kids Concert: July 22 @ 11 AM, Women's Drum Circle
● Ann, Aric, Sharon
● Project: paper plate shaker/tambourines
● Materials needed: paper plates, beans, staplers, coloring supplies
● Art in our Community: Unity in the Community, Aug 14 4-7pm
o Not many commissioners are available this date, so RAC will likely not participate.
o BJ said they can use volunteers to prep the event in the days before (i.e. filling
backpacks). He will get us in touch with someone to connect with for those volunteer
activities.
● Art in our Community: PennFest, Sept. 21 1-5pm
o RAC is registered.
o Split volunteer shift into two parts: 12:30-3, 3-5:15pm
o Think about activities, we can discuss at August meeting.
● Art in our Community: Great Pumpkin Giveaway
o Second Saturday in October, Jill will confirm at next meeting.
o We would like to participate again!
Ongoing Activities
● Little Free Library – Crystina spoke with the library about donations. They do not have any now,
but will let us know if they have some in the future.
o Book drive at summer events: we plan to promote this at the August Farmer ’s Market
event. Bring gently-used books to the Farmer ’s Market - promote in newsletter, Sunday
recap, Richfield social Media.
o Ann will check in on the little free library in June and fill as needed
● Art Displays: no displays planned for Community Center as Jill is waiting to see how Woodlake
will fill up space. The only open space is the hallway.
o Library wants to work with us to get local art displayed in the library.
▪ Jill discussed how we need to remember that the library is actually part of
Hennepin County, not the City of Richfield. We want a good relationship, but we
are separate entities. If we work with them in the future, we will need clear
understandings of what we are providing and what the expectations are, who is
responsible for artwork, the legal/liability side of things. Also, RAC budget is
small. We can certainly help support connections between the artists and the
library.
▪ When we complete a local artist directory, we can share that with the library.
● Utility Boxes: the box at 66th & Penn needs to be rewrapped.
o RAC voted and chose two photos as options for the rewrapping: winter berries and the
red winged blackbird. Jill will reach out to artists and work on next steps with public
works.
o If more wraps are needed in the near future, we may decide to do a new photo contest
to get update photographs.
CSC and Staff Updates
● High level summer programming is kicking off.
● Summer hiring went well - we are fully hired.
● Splash pad is not ready - hopefully by end of June.
● Woodlake groundbreaking happened in late May, construction will begin later this summer.
● Bandshell updates: shade structures and irrigation system completed. The first Entertainment in
the Park (Richfield Symphonic) will move to the pavilion so grass can get established. The Jazz
concert will be the first one at the bandshell.
● Fall planning has started.
● Fairwood tennis courts closed due to unsafe surface, a surrey is being sent out to residents to
see what people want for the courts.
● Madison Park tennis courts are under repair.
● Farmer ’s Market has new staff.
● Sustainability Team - grants put on pause due to some funding in question. There could be some
frustration from residents. The city is working hard to figure this out.
● 4th of July Event is looking for volunteers. Events on July 3, 4, and 5. Jill emailed RAC members
information.
Meeting is adjourned at 8:22 PM.
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
August 23 6pm Nature Poetry Walk
September 2025
Sept 21, 1-5pm PennFest
October 2025
TBD Great Pumpkin Giveaway
November 2025
TBD Winter planter decorating
December 2025