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October 24, 2006
Survey Response: Jaynry Mak: Candidate, D4
1. Have you ever served on the board of an arts agency or organization?
No.
2. Describe your current arts activities as a patron, an audience member or worker, etc. What arts events have you participated in recently?
As President of the Outer Sunset Merchants and Professionals Association, I helped to bring the Asian Heritage Street Fair to Irving Street. Among the vendors at the Fair were working artists. In addition, working artists performed on the stage at the Fair.
3. Please list three arts organizations or working artists in your district. Do you know them personally?
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
4. If elected, will you commit to displaying art created by local artists in your office at City Hall and attend arts events in your district?
Yes.
5. The City's General Plan spells out a vision for the arts in San Francisco: "San Francisco is nationally and internationally acclaimed as a cultural center where the arts are central to the essence and character of the City. It hosts a flourishing cultural environment in which a profusion of art is created, performed and exhibited in adventuresome, creative and often ground breaking ways. The breadth of artistic achievement in San Francisco encompasses many disciplines, cultures, individuals and organizations of all sizes."
What does that vision specifically mean to you, and your district?
San Francisco is an internationally recognized cultural center. It is critical that the City work to maintain this cultural status by promoting the arts.
6. What is your evaluation of and commitment to current city funding for the arts, existing agencies and priorities (such as Grants for the Arts and the Arts Commission's Cultural Equity and Individual Artist Commission Programs, etc.)?
I believe that the City should increase its commitment to funding arts programs. Tourists and visitors to San Francisco are essential components of our local economy. One reason that people come to San Francisco is to enjoy the arts. As Supervisor, I will fight to increase city funding for the arts.
7. What are your priorities for future or increased arts funding?
One of my priorities will be to promote arts education programs. It is unacceptable that arts education is not a part of the curriculum in many of our schools. I believe that we have a responsibility to ensure that our children learn about the arts and to offer them the opportunity to express themselves through art.
8. Are you familiar with the recent report by the Arts Task Force?
Yes.
9. Do you support the Arts Task Force's recommendations to fully restore the statutory Hotel Tax Fund contributions to arts and tourism?
Yes.
10. If so, what would you do in next year's budget cycle to fulfill that promise?
I will support the recommendation.
11. In past decades, a Neighborhood Arts Program was one of the largest recipients of funds from the City's Grants for the Arts; however, that program has been decimated in recent years, and many neighborhoods have limited access to arts and culture close to home. Do you support the Arts Task Force's recommendations to create a new and substantial Neighborhood Arts Program across the entire City?
Yes.
12. If so, what would you do, as supervisor, to fulfill that promise?
I will fight for increased funding in the budget.
13. Do you support the rest of the Arts Task Force recommendations?
Yes.
14. Do you find any of the other Arts Task Force recommendations to be particularly valuable to you and your district?
Yes.
15. As a supervisor, how will you work with artists and arts organizations in your district to communicate the value of the work they do to other community-based constituencies, and to encourage and facilitate partnerships and alliances (e.g., merchants groups, neighborhood associations, trade unions, social service and healthcare non-profits)?
As Supervisor, I will always have an open door policy. I believe that it is important in the decision making process to receive input from all interested parties. With respect to policies that impact the arts, I will work with artists and art organizations in my district.
16. The City's General Plan lists artists and artisans as a population in special need of affordable housing policies and programs: "Artists have special housing needs for affordable accommodations that provide large wall space, high ceilings, lofts, lighting, and the ability to work at all hours of the day or night. There is high demand for such flexible space in the city, as many of San Francisco’s artists live in apartment units not suitable for such activities. It was estimated that about 60% of San Francisco artists are lower income households, earning less than $25,500 a year in 1990.” History has proven that the housing marketplace will not address these special needs on its own.
How will you work to develop and maintain long-term affordable housing and studio space for individual artists and arts organizations?
San Francisco must be an artist-friendly city if we are to maintain our diversity and our unique culture. I would support the idea of creating a Mid-Market Arts and Entertainment District, which proposes to provide affordable housing for artists and provide a mecca for artists in the city and in the region.
17. The SFUSD recently created its first Arts Education Master Plan. As supervisor, how will you help the SFUSD find the resources to guarantee implementation of the plan?
I am a strong proponent of arts education in San Francisco schools, and I will work with the SFUSD in finding the necessary funding to guarantee implementation of the plan.
18. How do you see the Board of Supervisors working in concert with the Board of Education, the Mayor's Office and the social service sector to provide expanded, coordinated arts education opportunities for children and youth across the entire city, during school hours and after school?
I believe that it will take a coordinated effort with the Board of Supervisors, the Board of Education, the Mayor’s Office, and the social service sector to increase arts education opportunities for our children. I view myself as a bridge builder and will work to forge a consensus amongst the interested parties in this effort.
19. Please give an example of an urgent issue in your district and how you would work with artists/arts organizations to address that issue.
I believe that District 4 needs more neighborhood venues for artists to display their work. This will create more opportunities for the community to enjoy the work of local artists. As Supervisor, I will work with artists/arts organizations to address this issue.
Posted by at October 24, 2006 10:58 PM
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