Culture and Arts Advisory Board Meeting

Taylor said there's Guarantee.

Everyone, I'll bring the Apex Culture and Arch Advisory Board uh monthly meeting uh to a start here for February 16, 2026. So our uh first order of business is to approve a couple of uh the meeting minutes and then uh from January we need to approve the fact that we had a cancellation there. We'll start with the meeting minutes first. Uh those were sent out by Taylor few a few few days ago. Uh do we have any uh a motion to approve the minutes?

I'll make a motion.

Any second?

I'll second.

All in favor?

I oppose the minutes uh pass. Okay. And the second one is the January 26, 2026 cancellation. We need a motion to approve the cancellation which occurred.

Motion.

There's a motion. A second.

Second.

All right. There's a second. And then all in favor?

I I

All right. The motion carries. Uh now town leazison report. Taylor.

All right. If you can tell me who the second for the cancellation was.

Uh it was Aaron.

Uh Aaron.

Okay. Awesome. Thank you. Um, okay. So, I wanted to take the opportunity uh to introduce you to Jamila Godfrey. She is our new assistant director over in PRCR. Um, as you know, our previous AD, uh, David Wood retired on January 30th. She has joined us from Virginia Beach, and I'm so excited to be able to introduce her. If you wanted to say anything, you're welcome to. Hi everyone. I just wanted to stop in tonight to make sure I got to meet everybody. So, I'm officially starting week four today and um it's been wonderful. Um Taylor's wonderful. I'm sure you are already know that. But just I appreciate all the work you do. So, I wanted to make sure I was present just to show my appreciation for this board and everything that you do for the town. So, I'm looking forward to working with you all.

All right. Thank you so much. Nice meeting you.

And that's my report.

Okay. [laughter] That's a good one.

Yeah.

Okay. And I didn't have anything um to bring up. I'll I'll talk during the old business on on the items that I have and public comment. I don't think we have any this evening. So, we'll move right into old business. So, the first one up is uh Ranjit the uh music moments. And I know there was some correspondence on that. It got a a little bit of a curveball in there I think maybe, but want to let you uh comment.

Yes. So um teller told us that uh we cannot use the uh senior center for the music moments. Then the idea was brought in that if we can ask people to bring their own instrument and then um if they can play on the other facilities. So I I want suggestions here like what could be the next best place where you know something small music moment can happen. uh and I'm thinking of something like you know wherever town has any other cultural events or anything we should start from there the next uh social gathering or cultural gathering whatever the town is planning we should factor in that you know to start with even if a 15inut slot u if the organizers can give us we should u start this initiative any any um from the senior center not not being able to do it there. Is there anything from that we need to learn so that we know we I don't know would be also an issue in another location? Do you

I I was made aware at the same time I informed you. I didn't realize that the senior center and their team had tried an initiative similar to this um about a year or two ago. Um so the issue that came up is they had students come and

play. They had um maybe a little bit older than a student come and play that is a nonprofessional and it was they got some feedback saying that it was distracting from the overall feel of the senior center as well as didn't get great feedback from the seniors at the senior center for that type of event. And so um I threw that back to Rajit and Tom to say you know let's let's try and brainstorm this a little bit more. What I had suggested is before an event over at the Halley um because that I can control a little bit more um being the manager over there um do a 15 minute 20 minute set in the main gallery which is as soon as you walk in people can enjoy music. Maybe it's during an art opening. Maybe it's during um the open door time before a jazz live or before a classical concert. Uh something like that. And we can test it out, see what people have to say, see how it works. And then we can branch out if we want to do some something. Maybe uh we could maybe what is it? We could test out a spotlight if we wanted at another event. Um, but the biggest thing is is the Halley doesn't have a piano on the main floor that we can um supply. So, the artists would need to bring their own instruments. Um, but that space because it's so small, it's more compact, you wouldn't need equipment or anything to project the sound. Um, they'd be right there. So, that might be an option for us to look forward to. and I can send you a list of our events that my team and I think that might be a good option beforehand if you like. We can see how that works out.

Yeah, that'd be great. Do you have um

Yeah, they're coming up fairly soon or is it

Oh, yeah. We've got events all the time. Sure.

A lot. Yeah.

Yeah. The first one that I'm thinking of is our March 15th show, which is a Sunday. Um, we have a classical concert show that afternoon. I believe it's 300 PM. Uh, that's the first one that I can think of that might be a good option for us to test it out. Again, it would be on the main gallery floor. So, as soon as you walk into the right next to the front desk, we be finishing ticketing and they can have a space. We can put up a, you know, a music stand and whatnot if they'd like, depending on the type of instrument they have. um we can bring a chair out, that's no problem. Um but obviously if it's a student, then they would need to have a parent present with them um during that.

Do you have any other event like a art open coming up or something like that?

We do. We have an art opening the first Friday in March, but that one already has a contracted artist for that show. Uh excuse me, musician. Yeah.

So, I would think it might be best to push it maybe to the April or um May one.

Yeah. Okay.

Yes, I can definitely send you guys a list of events that the team thinks would be a good fit for that.

Okay. Thanks. Any other comments or questions from anybody on that one?

All right. Uh, next up, uh, Ardan Plainer. Uh, Beth.

Uh, yeah. um talking a little bit about um dates still and after talking a little bit about with it about Taylor with Taylor about some dates and other complex in the spring talked about doing it into the fall and now maybe just deciding to wait until the construction is done and do it next spring when downtown is done because I guess I feel like the a lot of down a lot of other towns who do it do it in their downtown.

So the the issue with the construction and it being torn up isn't exactly feasible as far as like aesthetically. So that's kind of the thought. Um and then we can maybe have a little bit more time to, you know, sort out all the details and make it um maybe even a little bit because I'm thinking that I was originally thinking the 4h hour event, but I don't think that's long enough for artists to paint a full painting. So I don't know. What do you think? So, so my thought is maybe it needs to be at least six hours or maybe and then also figuring out some kind of um like reception or like what happens afterwards. So, I'm still talking about a lot of details and kind of writing up some thoughts of any um but I think if you guys what you guys think about moving it for next spring and I talked about maybe October, but not sure if the construction will be done by October. Yeah, I don't know the timeline of the streetscape project by heart, but

I think supposed to be the end of October, but yeah, but [laughter] whether or not they finish it on time is the main concern. So,

yeah, if you're going to plan an event, that would buffer it enough to

Yeah, I mean, you know, I hate to be sure that they're not finished. Um, and we want to have it downtown

early in the new year, you know. Yeah, obviously weather, but

yeah, I think April is probably the earliest that most count. I think uh Feedway usually does it the first weekend in April, but I think one year they did it have in May. So I don't I haven't even seen their dates for this year yet. Um so I don't know if they've published their dates yet, but making sure we're not doing it at the same time as another town is the main.

Okay.

All right. So a springtime move for that. Um and then you'll develop it further, I suppose, and come back to us. Okay. Any questions, comments from anybody on that one? Okay, next up, Peakfest. Juliana.

All right, so last weekend I had a meeting with Tom and we spoke about organizing a potential sculpture walk or organizing a scavenger hunt to keep the

children entertained. Additionally, we spoke about gathering volunteers around the area to assist with the event. So I can gather some from around school um through the school's key club or Apex youth council or the mayor's internship program. I have connections with all those organizations. So gathering volunteers shouldn't be an issue.

And that's all I have. And we also um talked a bit about the having the master planners be part of it so they could get feedback from the public as well and then talk about um it's a good opportunity for them to get feedback from public. Obviously there's a ton of people that that flow through there. Uh so that'll likely be a be an element there um as well. So, um, yeah, some more some details to work out clearly, uh, on the event, but u, but yeah, Julian on Juliana and I are having a couple conversations about it. So, if anybody's got any input or can make the event uh, this first weekend in May to be part of the activity, please let us know if you want to kind of join in. Um, because yeah, all hands on deck would be nice. I know several people have some conflicts they can't make it.

Rie, you could you could help out, you think?

Yep. Yeah. Okay. Terrific. That'd be great.

I think so, too.

She's in as well. Okay. Super. Okay. More to come. All right. Uh, any other questions on Peakfest or comments at the moment? Okay. Uh, sculpture walk. So, things are progressing well. We've got everyone scheduled. Um, the artwork starts to get removed uh mid-March. So, um, about a month from now, uh, from our current, uh, sculpture walk and then they come in in midappril for the the new pieces. Locations are all the same except for on the town campus here where

the the horse is. Um, that's going to we're going to return back to two years ago, we had a piece near the entr entryway to the John Brown Community Center. So, we'll be back in that spot. the piece uh that it'll be there just lent itself better to that location. It would have got lost a little bit in the in the larger space. So um otherwise it'll be in familiar spaces um that you've seen before and yeah things seem to be um all lined up and ready to go. Any questions from anybody on this one? Oh, and remember the piece that we purchased um is going to be relocated um when the time is right. So before uh before the April installs to Pleasant Park.

Okay. All right. We'll move on to the next one. Uh artisan residence program. Next two with Brad. So take it away.

Yes. Um Taylor provided some helpful feedback on the proposal and we'll be meeting in a week, week and a half to kind of talk through um some more of the details and then refine it and bring it back to the next meeting.

Great. Thank you. I think we're close though. I mean got a good concept. I think we we can get something going

pretty quickly on that. It's good.

And then the next one up, augmented reality.

Yeah. So, um, experimenting with a couple different ideas, but one of which I made a a scan today of Sean Kernick's mural on the White Oak Greenway, and I'll be working on that to create an experience that I'll be able to send out over email and demo in the next few weeks.

That's cool.

Great. Really cool.

Yeah.

All right. Looking forward to that. Any questions for Brad on either of those? Okay. Off to new business, social media stuff. So Erin, Erin, I know you've been very busy on this and doing an amazing job getting us going here on this. So thank you for everything you've done so far, but uh go ahead, take it away. [clears throat]

Okay, so I um passed out um you know,

just like a one pager, right? It's actually two pages double-sided, but um basically what we're trying to do here is um as the cab connect with the community and then also kind of project the apex community at the same time. And so, um, you know, I've got a little strategy notes put together here about, you know, some of the things that we might encounter. Um, a good one was brought up by Sean talking about like the confusion with the handles, public art committee versus, you know, the the apex culture and art accounts. Uh, we just want to differentiate that just a bit. Um [clears throat] I was sp I spoke to Tom about that a little bit and we agreed to you know make this more these are this is us these are the adviserss um and then how we're engaging with um the community through just kind of storytelling and everything. Um, so the first thing that I would need your guys' help with is on the back page and it's the first um like content I guess you could say series uh which is like meet your culture in art advisors and I know some people might be sensitive to you know pro getting profiled or or doing that sort of thing. So there's no pressure. Um, but this is what it would look like and this is what I would need from you. And if you want to participate, just send me an email with this in the next couple weeks. And then if not, if it's not unanimous, then we just will drive on with something else.

Anybody um got any comments or or need any clarification?

Feedback welcome. Yeah. I'm in full favor. I mean, we're already being broadcast.

Yeah. Yeah.

Okay. That's what I mean. I had the same logic, but I just [laughter]

we're out there,

right?

Um I I think this is something we've we've struggled with since the beginning of it.

Um and this is this is huge. This is

going through.

Um the the question I had, it's in Slack, which I I saw your response and haven't had Jason look at it, but like the like changing the name

or I guess starting a new account, like why would would it make sense to change the name versus start a whole new one? And I don't know. I this isn't my my thing at all. So

I would I would say there's there's arguments on both sides for doing it. Um you can start from scratch and kind of reook who you want to associate with and where and how you want to build the network. Whereas if you're going to use the the current one, it's probably yeah almost the same but maybe not as curated as it as it should be. Is there is there a space where we have both? I mean, does that make sense to have both or is that just confusing or just spreads too thin or your thoughts?

In reality, the the public art committee handle an account hasn't been very active,

right?

And so some of those contacts in in your in your social network may be old or not even active anymore either. And just because you have that follower account doesn't mean you're actually engaging, right? Whereas like this new one, we can have verification process, you know, for local government and organizations.

Um once we have that blue check on that one, it would, you know, really boost our um our reach.

Okay. Maybe what we should do if we do plan to sunset the one that's exists and there's like a thousand people following it. Again, maybe there's really only 50 people really following it, [laughter] you know? Who knows? But maybe we should put something on there to push people to the other one and have like almost a campaign on that saying, "Hey, this is going to go away." And um go over here. This is where we're going to be showing content, whatever for the few people who may be following or something like that,

right? And then maybe even, you know, do something where you're pulling over the content from the old one and posting it. So that way everybody has that

feels connected and then eventually

again it totally goes away. And then, you know, we're off and off and running. Totally agree.

Would it make sense to get verification before we do that then? Then we can say like, "Hey, we're verified. Here's this thing. Come over to this new this new account or something or does it really matter?"

What really matters is who's accepted you and and if they see that you're engaging and you're a valid account and you're putting out relevant information, not just kind of, you know, extra noise.

That's what's going to build that credibility. And and typically if you're going to I mean I would say what I do is I kind of look at the profile and see are there spelling mistakes? How are they speaking? Yeah.

That kind of thing in the in the tone and then realize okay yeah this is real.

Yeah. Yeah.

And so and then like the name thing I think was the other question I had too like not changing the not not having it be culture just advisory board but having it be like Apex culture art right? That's what that's that's okay.

[clears throat]

Um, I don't know. I mean, I I'm wondering like why it wouldn't make sense to have it be CAB the culture. I mean, I don't I'm good either way. If it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. I just

Well, that my old thing was the confusion piece.

Well, it there's the board is a group, right? Yeah.

And then it could be Apex Culture and Arts.

What we're talking about again, the board is this group of people.

Sure. So, so I don't know if it would make sense for the I don't what is it called presently?

It's called Ape the H the handle is Apex Culture Art. It will it underscores um the reason for that to I kind of did the same like walk through that you were just talking about. Um so CAB I was thinking okay what's do people actually know what the acronym

stands for? And then so and then if you just say culture and art uh advisory board, I mean that's a really long handle and it's not very it's just a little bit much. And so then I was like, "Okay, so let's try Apex Culture Art."

And then it's the subject

and and rather than just us, but like there is in the bio like I I think I've already put it because I've built these accounts. Um it says uh run or powered by your culture and arts advisory board. So that way people are like oh okay this is who's managing this account but then it's like saying you know uh taking in voice or you know projecting your voices or listening to your voices too kind of thing.

Cool. This isn't me pushing back. This is me just generally curious.

No no no this is great

conversation. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah that makes sense.

Yeah.

Okay. All right. Any other questions or comments from anybody at the moment?

No. Long time needed.

Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah.

One question I have for you. We want to just keep it to Facebook install. We want to go to X as well

to uh X.

I mean eventually I think there's a lot of room to scale. Right now we're just going to focus on building this core and then I think you know the next step would be something like threads or or or next door or you know something like that because next door is hyper local. Um and then eventually I mean sure we could do we could do X or formally Twitter if if we want. I don't know how many users are like locally though are using that. I would have to look at if it's even beneficial. All right. Anything else? All right. Good stuff. Thank you. Thank you, Erin. And everybody, yeah, remind remember remember to get a nice photo and [laughter] a little write up of yourself. All right. Thank you, Aaron. Uh, let's see. Next up, oh, mural. That's me. Uh, so new business. So, the mural. Um, we've, uh, done of, um, I've done a draft of the call for artists, shared it with Taylor. We've gone a little back and forth kind of making some uh edits on that. So, I feel like we're probably

what, a couple of weeks away from maybe launching that. Taylor, your thoughts?

I'd like to launch it either this week or next week.

Yeah. Okay.

That way, we can kind of stay on track. Essentially what Tom put together uh was the call for the two murals which

um might want to

Yeah. So the the one one is at the nature park. So this is the town council had asked us to do this specific location. This is the amphitheater kind of building. Um so the intent would be to wrap the entire building in a mural. Um so so that's one of them. The other one is the the the parking lot has some significant retaining walls uh the new parking downtown. So they're screaming out for something um right now. So they're just plain walls. So there's a good opportunity for murals to be done on those walls, too. So it's a very long and large space. So it's not going to happen all at once, but it could be something that's done in phases uh perhaps by different artists, perhaps same art. We're not sure yet, but we'll see how how things evolve on that. But, um, to hit a big a big piece of that to start with.

Yeah. The timeline that Tom built includes all of the entities, not only the call requirement of the 60-day open um but also our evaluating it, doing any possible multiple interviews if we need to um design building uh public review. So you all know that public has to review the design for 30 days at minimum and then if the public comes to a consensus and the board comes to a consensus then it goes to council for approval um under public uh public hearing and then it would then go to the artist and say okay it's time to get this on the wall. Um, so it's looking like if we get this launched online

within the next two weeks, so before the end of the month, um, we would have painting October. I think it was October, November is what we what you had said. And that works out with our calendar right now. So, I'm trying to make sure that we get in, and Tom made a good point, make sure we get them painted

uh before it gets too cold

because then not only is it uncomfortable for the artist, but it also makes it complicated with the materials.

So, that's what we're looking at right now.

Any questions or comments on that one? All right. Uh that's the end of our listed new items, but I'll open it up for any other new business that anyone might have or want to bring up.

I have one little thing. Um [clears throat] so I was thinking about my husband and I have for the past many many years volunteered at the Raleigh Little Theater doing um costumes and lightning and backstage and things like that. And um a um woman named Kathleen Rudolph does classes at the heli for seniors and kids um and they do performances and things like that. I had a thought um and I don't know if it's feasible or not. Taylor was going to look into this if we could partner with Raleigh Little Theater during and choose a um a play during their season and have them bring cast, crew, scenes, props, everything to the for a limited run um at the end of their run at the RLT. So, I just thought that might kind of up the profile of the Halley, also have a partnership with an established community theater in the area, um, with great actors, great directors, um, and sort of build that partnership. So,

we're looking into that to see if it's feasible um on the financial end, but I thought, you know, we could get do the alcohol permit or whatever and do concessions like they do at Raleigh Little Theater, have snacks or whatever. And um we have such a great stage at the heli for that. So, that's sort of like a little kernel of an idea that I had that we're sort of going to start looking into, but wanted to get some feedback and see if people think that that might be a good idea. That would be amazing. I was originally thinking like a preview of their show, but they're probably so engrossed in the like I was thinking it'd be a good ad for them to do like a snippet of it, but they're probably so intense scheduling up into a show.

Well, it could be either way. I mean, whatever the preference would be to do like a preview before Yeah.

Um, and and generally, I mean, the actors are from the community, so um, they're they're around.

You um, have you spoken to anyone at Raleigh?

Not yet. Not yet.

Do you know if they've done this kind of thing before?

I do not know. I do not know.

Sounds like a great idea.

They do, you know, they do satellite. So Kathleen has has worked at RLT but does satellite instruction and classes and performances at the Halley and has for years. So I thought that that association would be a good sort of

door

to open it and um to and I know the um the director at the RLT. So, um I was thinking that might be possible, but there's also, you know, money and you just don't know if that's available.

Sure.

So, can we like uh ask for sponsorship to town businesses or like at this setup?

It's possible, but I would say let's first go through the steps of seeing if they're interested. Yeah. you know,

seeing what this kind of undertaking would require and

and I can see what to them, you know,

various funding sources. Yeah. I could try.

Yeah. Okay. Um, I guess the first step just would be to reach out to see if that's something they'd be interested in and um if it would be, you know, beneficial in terms of cost and output and everything um that they do. But I thought I don't know, we've got we've got the space. I think it would I would love to see more theater and plays in our in our town. I love the music and I love the jazz and all that that we do, but um to get a a a run of a play I think would be great.

Yeah.

All right. Very good. Any other comments or questions on that one?

I can connect you with Kathleen. I know she's our contractor. We also contract with Raleigh Little Theater currently for some of our play costumes. So, it's not for um the rights of a show or to bring the actors from RLT, but we we already do have a good relationship with them. So, that would be that would be good. And Kathleen has facilitated that even though she is a contractor through us, not through RLT any longer. Um but yeah, I'm happy to help facilitate that as well since we have an established conversation with them already and see what the possibility would be.

Okay, great.

All right. Uh, any other new business? All right, hearing none. Uh, do we have a motion to adjurnn?

Motion to adjurnn.

Motion and second.

Second. All in favor?

I.

Being adjourned.