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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Culver City Arts Foundation Relative to the Implementation of a 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games Fundraising Strategy; (2) Approval of Related City Provided Sponsorship Benefits; (3) Approval of the Proposed Olympic and Paralympic Games Cultural Framework; and (4) Direction to the City Manager as Deemed Appropriate.
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Meeting Date: March 16, 2026
Contact Person/Dept: Elaine Warner, Economic Development Director
Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5777
(310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (04/09/2026); (Email) Meetings and Agendas - Cultural Affairs (3/11/26)
Department Approval: Elaine Warner, Economic Development Director (02/25/2026)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the Culver City Arts Foundation (“CCAF”) for the implementation of a 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games Fundraising Strategy, (2) approve related City provided sponsorship benefits, (3) approve the proposed Olympic and Paralympic Games Cultural Framework; or (4) provide a direction to the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
The CCAF was created as an independent 501(c)(3) organization in 2006 to support the City’s cultural programming and events. In 2016, the City Council formed an Ad Hoc Subcommittee for the purpose of revising the structure of the CCAF with the goal of allowing it to function independently from the City. In March 2018, the City Council amended the organizations bylaws and approved a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) between the City and the CCAF to identify the services and resources provided by the CCAF and the City, respectively. A revised MOU was subsequently adopted on June 24, 2019 and was in effect through June 30, 2022.
The City is currently negotiating a new, general MOU to outline future collaborations related to City-produced programs. However, the Olympics Subcommittee and the CCAF recommend entering into a new short-term MOU specifically to govern the fundraising activity related to the City’s upcoming Olympic activations.
DISCUSSION
In September 2025, the City Council approved sponsorship and agreement terms with the New Zealand Olympic Committee for the creation of a 2028 Olympics Hospitality House and public Fan Zone in Town Plaza. To support this activation, the City Council approved an expenditure of up to $800,000 with the intent to offset some of these expenses through a community fundraising campaign.
The CCAF has agreed to develop and implement a fundraising strategy on behalf of the City to support both the Fan Zone activations as well as the Cultural Framework recommended by the Cultural Affairs Division in consultation with the Cultural Affairs Commission (Attachment 1). The CCAF has also expressed interest in producing independent programming to include an international film festival (included in the attached Framework) as well as a potential artist installation/residency program.
Cultural Framework and Cultural Olympiad
The purpose of the Culver City Cultural Program Framework is to establish clear goals, parameters, and recommended programming directions that will guide the City’s arts and cultural participation leading up to and during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It provides a structured approach to identify priority program areas, partnership models, and implementation strategies that align with Culver City’s capacity and long-term cultural objectives. In parallel, LA28 is developing a broader regional arts and cultural agenda known as the Cultural Olympiad, which will serve as the primary platform for cultural programming associated with the Games. While that framework has not yet been publicly released, it is expected that many of Culver City’s programs will be incorporated into the larger City and County-wide Cultural Olympiad marketing and communications efforts. The Cultural Affairs Division has been in ongoing coordination with the Executive Director of the Cultural Olympiad to ensure Culver City’s programs are well positioned for inclusion and visibility within that regional promotional platform.
As part of implementing the Cultural Program Framework, staff anticipate releasing funds from the Cultural Trust in Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to support key coordination and pilot programming elements. This includes approximately $50,000 to support the hiring of a part-time Cultural Producer to coordinate partnerships, align programming, and support implementation of Games-related cultural initiatives, as well as $10,000 each to support two partner-led pop-up dance and regional jazz activations. These roles and programming partnerships would be procured through competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) processes overseen by the Cultural Affairs Division, ensuring transparency, alignment with City goals, and selection of qualified partners to deliver these cultural initiatives.
MOU Deal Points and Terms
The Ad Hoc Olympics Subcommittee met with the CCAF in January 2025 to discuss the proposed Olympic fundraising MOU terms and recommends they include the following scope of work and roles and responsibilities.
As proposed, CCAF will:
o Fundraise for the City for the City’s 2028 Olympic Celebration,
o Set a Tier One fundraising goal of $275,000 (inclusive of a proposed 10% administration fee) to support the City’s investment in approved Olympic activation and Cultural Framework,
o Solicit donations from corporate, nonprofit, and individual donors,
o Develop a fundraising deck detailing sponsorship structure with associated level/ benefits subject to the City’s approval,
o Provide liaison staffing/coordination to ensure sponsorship benefit delivery,
o Coordinate development/fabrication of marketing materials as required by sponsorship (e.g. produce streetlight banners, fencing wraps, digital logo files, etc.)
o Produce special sponsorship events as approved by the City and VIP access to CCAF and City produced events (e.g. cocktail reception with the Mayor, meet and greet with a local Olympian, etc.),
o Produce an international film festival during the 2028 Olympics, and,
o Coordinate all other production and marketing aspects related to the film festival, such as renting or leasing theater space, programming the festival, coordinating with filmmakers, additional advertising, etc.
As proposed, the City will:
o Provide the specifications to CCAF for marketing collateral (e.g. dimensions for streetlight banners, etc.),
o Install the marketing benefits awarded to sponsors (e.g. supply kiosk slides, hang streetlight banners, hang fencing banners, etc.),
o Coordinate with CCAF to receive and administer funding,
o Produce and supervise programming on the New Zealand stage and in Town Plaza,
o Provide City sponsorship to the CCAF produced international film festival and potential art installation/residency programmed, as approved by the Cultural Affairs Commission and City Council,
o Waive certain special event permit fees associated with the international film festival as approved by City Council at a later date, and,
o Provide marketing support to CCAF City sponsored events/activations by promoting it via social media, on the City’s website, and via email blasts.
Tier Fundraising Goals and City Provided Benefits
In February 2026, the Subcommittee met with the CCAF and a representative of the Cultural Affairs Commission to discuss the development of a fundraising strategy to support the City’s financial and cultural goals. In alignment with the City Council’s discussion in September 2025, the primary goal of the fundraising strategy is to raise at least $275,000 ($250,000 + 10% admin fee) to support the City’s Community Fan Zone activation and Cultural Framework. The funds could also be utilized to support potential athletic activations to be determined at a future date.
Once Tier 1 threshold is achieved, additional fundraising proceeds could be utilized to support to other cultural events produced by the City and the CCAF including a potential international film festival as well as a potential art/installation residency program, as approved by City Council.
Tier 1: Core Framework - $250,000 fundraising goal ($275,000 total including administrative fee).
Tier 1 fundraising is primarily intended to support shared production infrastructure, such as staging, security, technical needs, and structural support, particularly for downtown activations associated with NZ Stage programming, rather than direct artistic production costs.
Tier 2: Expanded Programming - $250,000 to $500,000 fundraising range ($275,000 to $550,000 total including administrative fee).
At this level, Culver City could expand the scale and visibility of programming, including additional performances, enhanced regional partnerships, and broader Cultural Olympiad participation. Fundraising at this tier would also allow the City and Culver City Arts Foundation to provide financial support toward the International Film Festival, enabling expanded programming, increased duration, and enhanced audience access and promotion.
Tier 3: Signature and Partner-Led Activations - $500,000+ fundraising level ($550,000+ total including administrative fee).
This highest tier would enable more ambitious, partner-produced City and cultural activations, including expanded international collaborations, additional temporary public art or performance initiatives, and broader participation in Cultural Olympiad programming, while maintaining the City’s role as facilitator and partner rather than direct producer.
City Provided Benefits
To encourage sponsorship, it is recommended that the City consider allowing certain temporary marketing and promotion opportunities that could be incorporated into a forthcoming sponsorship package developed by the CCAF. These could include:
Banners/Signage in Public Right of Way, Parks and Parking Structures
o Logo/Name on City event or Welcome Banners (Streetlight)
o Logo/Name on City event or Welcome Banners (Overstreet)
o Logo/Name on City event or Community Slides via Digital Kiosks
o Logo/Name on potential Donor Wall (location to be determined)
o Banner Signage/ Fence Wrap at certain Parks (location to be determined)
o Banner Signage/ Fence Wrap in/near Town Plaza (to be determined)
o Potential International Flag display (Veterans’ Memorial)
o Banner Display on Parks and Recreation Facility (adjacent to Veterans’ Park)
o Logo/Name on City Marketing Signage in Parking Structures (interior)
Social Media/Collateral
o Inclusion in City social media post(s) and marketing collateral regarding City and CCAF produced events and activations
o Logo/Name/Banner on Explore Culver City Olympic Webpage
Transportation
o Logo/Name on City Custom Bus Wrap During Olympics
o Logo/Signage/Advertisement on Bus Exterior (backs and sides)
o Logo/Signage/Advertisement on Interior of Bus
The costs for fabrication, installation, permitting or production of materials, events and services would be funded by the sponsorship proceeds.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no immediate General Fund fiscal impact associated with approval of the Cultural Program Framework. As outlined in the framework, staff anticipates allocating Cultural Trust Fund support from CIP Account No. 4138000.730100.PO013 (Art for 2028 Olympics/Paralympics). The Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 includes $100,000 in PO013. Staff is currently contemplating using approximately $50,000 for a part-time Cultural Producer and $10,000 each for two partner-led pop-up dance and regional jazz activations, to be procured through competitive RFP processes. In addition, implementation of an approved fundraising strategy through the Culver City Arts Foundation is expected to generate proceeds that may be used to offset City material and service costs associated with sponsorship obligations, production elements of the Cultural Framework, and related 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games community arts activations in Town Plaza.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Proposed Culver City 2028 Cultural Program Framework
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Culver City and the Culver City Arts Foundation for the 2028 Olympics Fundraising Strategy, inclusive of the above-listed items;
2. Approve Related City provided sponsorship benefits;
3. Approve the proposed Olympics Cultural Framework;
4. Authorize the City Attorney review/prepare the necessary documents;
5. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City; and
6. Provide direction to the City Manager, as deemed appropriate.