Meeting of the
UPACA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Thursday February 20, 2025, 9:00am
O.C. Tanner Lounge- Eccles Theater
w/Cisco WebEx option
Attendees: Angela Vanderwell, Sarah Dibble Lata, Jacque Jones, Matt Castillo, Robin Chalhoub, Jenn Niedfeldt, Darrin Casper, Helen Langan, Danny Walz, Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin, Rachel Otto, Mike Vela, Ross Romero, Maddie Merwine, Jennifer Bruno
Roll call and Introductions: Mr. Casper called the meeting to order at 9:01am.
Welcome: Mr. Casper welcomed all.
Review public comments: No public comments.
Approval of minutes: October 17, 20204 meeting minutes
Ms. Darby-Duffin moved the request to approve the minutes. Mr. Walz moved to second. Unanimously approved.
Eccles Theater Community Engagement - Jenn Niedfeldt
Mr. Castillo gave an introduction about this program; advise we are planning for 2025 community engagement and would use this meeting as an opportunity to involve the Board in a deep discussion. A slide presentation was given showing past events from 2024: Salt Lake Beats: Live Local Indie Bands, Salt Lake Speaks: Heart & Sol, Salt Lake Speaks: Slam Poetry Exhibition, Voces en Bloom, Lights On! At the Eccles. Mr. Castillo gave a brief description of the event, and how we improved upon it.
Mr. Castillo provided information on Site activation. He reviewed the historical Goals and Success Criteria. Mentioned a few of these: Activate Main Street & Regent Street during both the day and evening hours with a rich programmatic mix of activities and uses. Enhance the Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, and Utah image as a sophisticated, vibrant, exciting place to live, work and play. Introduce new and broader audiences to the downtown cultural core. Create an operational structure that will prioritize activity within and around the building and other existing downtown venues to the highest extent possible.
Showed the Site utilization Year over Year comparison from 2019 - 2024, this shows how it has grown, it is considered fully utilized around 55% - 60% when you factor in maintenance day, holidays and a certain number of downtime days. You can't literally have an event happening on your site every single day of the year. Our goal was set for 50%, we were 2
percentage points shy of the goal. Lisa Zamora, our new activation manager, is focusing on activating site.
Ms. Niedfeldt shared more information about these free events that are provided for the public. She showed a snapshot of 2024 events. Highlights: 5 Eccles events. 2,273 attendees (14% increase from 2023), 55 participating artists, 15 hours of programming, $49,950 raised through grants, and cash & in-kind sponsorship. 10 performing organizations, bands, or groups and 25 individual artists. 23 groups & artists new to working with Eccles Theater. We are adding events each year. Showed a snapshot of 2021-2024 Eccles events: 15 activation events, 5,169 attendees (658% increase from 2021-2024), 257 participating artists, 44 hours of programming, 99 unique performances and 29 performing organizations, bands, or groups and 76 individual artists.
Another piece we provide is visual arts. We are continuing our Winter event: Lights on at Eccles - a give back to the community. Tree of Light was the Winter installation. This is the first year we have had a summer event, Puddle Jumpers was the summer installation.
Ms. Niedfeldt gave information on Voces en Bloom, highlighting our Spanish cultures. Ambar Lucid was the headliner, her parents are Mexican and Dominican, and she has a very strong story representing those individuals in her community, especially around her age.
The Board was shown 2025 upcoming events initiatives.
Ms. Niedfeldt explained our survey of these events. This data shows we are reaching our community members who were least represented before these events. Working on developing an emerging artist program. This is in response to 2020 master plan recommendations by developing new programming to increase access to and support for new and emerging artists across the County.
We would like to facilitate some discussion with the Board on where we need to go next. Four questions were presented to the Board.
The floor was open for questions, feedback and discussion.
Eccles Theater Solar Load Study presentation- Mike Vela and Maddie Merwine
Mr. Castillo gave background and context regarding the reason for this study. As part of the approved 2024 budget the Board approved funding for a feasibility study to analyze and study options to improve the sunlight/glare that shines in. This glare affects performers as they perform in the lobby, theatre patrons exiting the Theatre after matinee performances and SL County personnel working at the ticket counter at the north end of the Grand Lobby.
Mr. Vela presented a slide presentation showing the results of this study. A great deal of sunlight enters the Hall for 8 months out of the year. His team looked at existing conditions, seeing how the sun affects the Hall and performers. Starting in May and
continuing through to September, he showed how the sun tracks to the back wall of the theater, the sun light comes straight into the back of the theater.
Their team investigated six potential options to resolve this issue:
Smart glass, Smart Film, Mecho Shade, Printed Screen, Chain- Link Screen, Relocate Stage. He explained how each option would work, pros and cons, and gave the price of each option. He recommended option 6 and provided reasons why.
The floor was open for questions and discussion.
Eccles Theater Q1 Budget and Activity Reports - Angela Vanderwell, Sarah Dibble
Prior to the meeting, the Board emailed a budget summary for Building, Site, Arts for All, and UPACA Income Distribution. Each budget summary broke down all the numbers.
Ms. Dibble gave the Board the high points of the budget due to time constraints. Mr. Castillo said he will email out the correct budget summary, there were a few errors in the first reports.
Arts & Culture and Eccles Theater Updates - Matt Castillo, Angela Vanderwell
Due to time constraints, this was not discussed.
Meeting adjourned at 10:02am.
Next Meeting: April 24,2025
2025 Meeting Schedule
All meetings start at 9:00am and are held in the O.C. Tanner Lounge at the Eccles Theater with a Web-Ex option.
(Dates, times, locations subject to change. Additional meetings may be added)
a. February 20
b. April 24
c. June 26
d. August 21
e. October 23
f. December 11
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify Angela Vanderwell at avanderwell@slco.org.
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