Metro Arts Commissioners met on February 03, 2022, to further talk about the concerns concerning toxicity and discrimination in the agency. The Metro Arts Commission is tasked with granting city funds to culture and arts programming. Chairperson Jim Schmidt called the meeting to discuss how to proceed on the basis of Metro HR recommendations that were made as a response to formal complaints from former workers Lauren Fitzgerald and Cecilia Tribble.
The Commission’s members voted on as many as six suggestions. The first recommendation is about recruiting one more outside consultant with experience in DEI to work alongside agency staffers in partnership with the attempts already underway. Schmidt said during the meeting that the Commission would select the consultant through inputs from its Committee for Antiracism and Equity, HR equity staffers, Natalie Frazier of Metro Arts, and Andrea Blackman of Metro Arts.
The second suggestion is to keep collaborating with Blackman in order to lead discussions with the staffers. Metro Human Resources Employee Razel Jones and Blackman prepared a file that summarizes their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion engagement with this Commission since May last year. As per the summary, DEI engagement partially focused on staffers’ welfare with respect to the investigation from Nashville Scene into racial discrimination in this Commission. Meetings have been agency-wide and applied specifically to non-white people in the Commission for more context about the feelings associated with DEI work externally and internally at Nashville Metro Arts.
There is one more recommendation from the Commission that concerns further leadership and management training for every administrator in it. Metro HR produced a summary of various available training types. The Commission also plans on conducting a review of the use of PIPs (Performance Improvement Plans) with Nashville Metro HR to confirm that they are used properly. Performance Improvement Plans have been an issue central to the complaints from Metro Arts staff who claim that the memorandums have been utilized punitively to remove them from the agency.
Last August, the Director of Metro Arts, Caroline Vincent, stated that PPIs were not punitive. Nashville Metro HR recommended including measurable objectives and clear correspondence about how to meet those goals as well.
The Commission will start a process of strategic planning with a diverse set of arts community members. DEI engagement and evaluation will be part of that process. The Commission also voted to look at progress about those actions in 90 days.
In a recent press release, the Chairperson of the Commission, Jim Schmidt, described the actions as a start. While the reports from Metro HR have not discovered any violation of law, rule or policy, it does not imply that no harm was done. Schmidt also said that the Commission acknowledges that, which is partly why it is starting the process soon and making recommendations.
During the meeting, Commission Member Paula Roberts stated that the Metro Arts Commission must talk about how to create restitution for damage done to people who have raised complaints, including erstwhile staffers. Vice Chairperson Matia Powell noted that the Metro Arts Commission must make an effort to not only get the belief of the whole arts community but also be honest with the said process. Commission Member Clay Haynes told Metro Legal and HR representatives that the lengthy procurement procedure of the Metro must not stall the work.
In their DEI engagement summary, Jones and Blackman recognized frustration in Metro Arts staffers as they could not discuss the articles on Nashville Scene and all the concerns contributing to those posts. After further engagement regarding the accusations featured in the Nashville Scene investigation, Jones and Blackman stated that the actions and facilitated conversation that followed the conversation made several team members think that backward steps were taken following the group discussion.
A dozen arts community members, which include a former commission member and an erstwhile staffer, submitted a public response to the Metro Arts Commission. Nashville’s API Middle Tennessee stated that this Commission must recognize and tackle the concerns raised by its only API staffer.
The executive director and board chair of Southern Word stated that it supports a substantive reaction to the complaints from current and erstwhile Metro Art staffers of color. As for Word, it is an important action for the Commission and the possible impact of the inequalities as those trickle down, directly and indirectly, to the people the community in Nashville serves. Kindling Arts Festival, The Porch Writers’ Collective founder and director Katie McDougall, and Girls Write Nashville submitted additional comments.
The former grants manager of the Commission, Laurel Fisher, also submitted a comment. As for Fisher, the former manager of the Commission, Rebecca Berrios, and director Vincent coerced her into resigning with a PIP. Describing her experience as sad and devastating, Fisher stated that she watched her non-white colleagues endure worse things at the Commission.
Metro Arts HR has got two more grievances from Director Vincent and Commissioner Christiano after the release of its reports. Information about the complaint from Vincent is forthcoming. Vincent has stated that she would take a doctor-suggested leave for two months at the least.
Nashville Scene contacted the Office of Mayor John Cooper for comment about the claims of Christiano that concern the following.
- Director Vincent’s racial remark regarding District 32 Councilor Joy Styles;
- The demand for the resignation or termination of Vincent from Styles;
- And the leave of Vincent.
Nashville Mayor Cooper has not commented about the above-mentioned things. Cooper’s representative stated that the Office of the Nashville Mayor takes the reports seriously as well as that Metro HR has investigated the matter and issued suggestions for improvements.