Attendees, CAG Members: Joan Salome-Rodriguez, Moderator. Peter Reich, Katia Kelly, Michael Killian, Joseph Alexiou, Jason Schwartzman.
Guests: Irene Baker – National Grid. Sean Downey – GRT. Nick Bello – Park Slope Living.
You can view a video recording of the meeting here. Enter passcode 2@Q%VvI= for access.
1. Checked status of the Storyboard with Sean. Chronical Heritage is working on setting up an account with a platform for activity. No certain date yet. Arts GIS is a multi-media platform that allows photos, video, text and audio and the Story Map is the Hx of the Gowanus Canal. Asked them to expedite, please.
Getting our stuff out there
2. We had a long discussion on the fresh start on working with Johnny Thornton (Arts Gowanus) and sharing material for the Walkabout Tour. Joan & Peter reported on their meeting with Johnny and Emily. They, too, are looking for space as their grant has expired and been spent. But there is a website we can use for things we would like shared and we will gather an initial tranche of materials to send to them. We discussed what we want out there. The initial tranche can be what was pulled from the Canal as we have info on what the items are and where they came from. We want the building where the CSO tank is going in first.
3. We need to email photos we would like to post to Johnny & Emily. Need to meet with Peter to put together the first tranche.
4. Explained how the WalkAbout works – There will be a QR code there that folks can use that takes one to a website with a map the viewer uses to find their current location and see what was there before the re-zone. Will invite Johnny & Emily to an upcoming meeting.
https://gowanusimprovementdistrict.org/get-involved is where the Walkabout link lives. The actual Walkabout link is here:
5. If there is ever a space, there may be a cost associated with creating framed materials.
6. Touch base with Andrea at GCC for possible displays. Similar conversation with Dredgers should take place. Agreed as a committee to build synergy with local arts community and to explore options with new GCC space, Thomas Greene Park community center
7. New semester so outreach to Brooklyn College Museum Studies Program and to Pratt’s archeology team is timely now to see if there are any opportunities there. (This was Joan’s action item, not done yet.)
8. Keep an eye on the Union St Library on Clinton Street to see when it opens (not yet).
9. At some point we should all, as committees invite the new Region 2 Administrator, Ted Weiss, to a General CAG meeting.
These items from last year’s February meeting are out there to keep in mind but were not discussed.
10. explore grants – (can this work with Sasha’s work?)
11. explore funding possibilities (Can our City Council member fund a space like the Coignet Building?)
12. Keep thinking about spaces for exhibits (temporary or permanent) – Brooklyn Public Library?
13. Approach Dept of Cultural Affairs and/or Dept of Arts
14. We have good intellectual control because we have all the history of the objects that have been retrieved.
15. Work on Provenance, ownership.
16. Safe storage (fundraiser?). Some storage conditions currently are good, others need work.
17. We need to have a way to ensure physical security of the objects both on exhibit and when not on exhibit (this combines storage issues with fundraising).
18. Digital is easy and there is a market for that. Mary wishes there were more history of the Canal out there but we do have Joseph who is THE historian for Gowanus’ long and important history.