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CAC - (1) Appointment of Vice Chair; and (2) Creation of an Ad Hoc FY 2025-2026 Historic Preservation Subcommittee; and (3) Assignment Commissioners to fill existing vacancies on the Artist Laureate, Performing Arts Grant, Communications & Outreach, Creative Economy & Cultural Plan, and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games/Cultural Olympiad Subcommittees, and the newly created Historic Preservation Subcommittee.
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Meeting Date: October 21, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Sally Unsworth/ City Manager - Office of Economic & Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas - Cultural Affairs Commission (10/16/25)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (10/06/25)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC): (1) Confirm the updated FY 2025-26 Standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittee structure and assignments; (2) Appoint a new Vice Chair; (3) Create an Ad Hoc Historic Preservation Subcommittee for FY 2025-26; (4) Appoint Commissioners to fill existing vacancies on the Artist Laureate, Performing Arts Grant, Communications & Outreach, Creative Economy & Cultural Plan, and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games/Cultural Olympiad subcommittees, and the newly created Historic Preservation Subcommittee.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
At its July 15, 2025 regular meeting, the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC) approved assignments to its Standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittees to support implementation of the City Council-adopted Cultural Affairs Division work plan and FY 2025-26 budget.
At the September 16, 2025 CAC meeting, subcommittee memberships were revised to balance workloads and align with ongoing projects. Since that time, two Commissioners have resigned, creating vacancies that now require Commission action to ensure continuity of work - including the position of Vice Chair, which is currently vacant.
Per CAC Bylaws, the Vice Chair serves in the absence of the Chair and plays an important role in Commission leadership, meeting facilitation, and agenda setting. The Commission may, if it chooses, appoint a new Vice Chair at this time from among its current members. However, the Commission may also defer this appointment until new Commissioners are appointed by City Council if it determines that doing so will best support continuity and leadership balance.
These vacancies include roles on multiple active subcommittees, including:
• Artist Laureate Subcommittee: Oversees support for the inaugural Artist Laureate’s programming, documentation, and public engagement.
• Performing Arts Grant Subcommittee: Reviews FY 2026 grant applications and makes funding recommendations.
• Communications & Outreach Plan Subcommittee: Guides public engagement strategies and communications.
• Creative Economy & Cultural Plan Subcommittee: Supports development of the City’s long-term cultural planning efforts.
• 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games / Cultural Olympiad Subcommittee: Coordinates cultural programming and partnerships leading up to the Games.
Additionally during its September 2025 regular meeting, the Cultural Affairs Commission requested that staff agendize the creation of an Ad Hoc Historic Preservation Subcommittee. Attached to this staff report is the current list of standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittees (Attachment 1) as well as a follow-up from Staff regarding issues raised at the September 2025 regarding Historic Preservation considerations for the Commission (Attachment 2).
Subcommittee meetings are held on an as-needed basis, with some subcommittees meeting monthly and others once or twice within a twelve-month period. In general, “ad hoc subcommittees serve only a limited or single purposed, are not perpetual, and are dissolved when their specific task is completed. Ad hoc subcommittees do not constitute a ”legislative body” and are not subject to the Brown Act. “Standing” subcommittees (e.g. the Public Art Subcommittee) have a continuing subject matter jurisdiction, are considered to be a “legislative body,” and are subject to the Brown Act. These subcommittee meetings must be noticed and open to the public.
CURRENT SUBCOMMITTEE STRUCTURE (with vacancies):
Standing Subcommittee:
• Public Art - Mesghali / Gupta
Ad Hoc Subcommittees:
• Artist Laureate - Gupta / [VACANT]
• Communications & Outreach Plan - Fleischer / [VACANT]
• Creative Economy & Cultural Plan - [VACANT] / Fleischer
• FY 2025-26 Culver City Arts Foundation - Mesghali / Gupta
• 2026 Performing Arts Grant Program - Fleischer / [VACANT]
• 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games / Cultural Olympiad - Mesghali / [VACANT]
• Historic Preservation - [VACANT] / [VACANT]
At the Commission’s discretion, some subcommittee seats may be left vacant until new Commissioners are appointed; however, because both the 2026 Performing Arts Grant Program Subcommittee and the Creative Economy & Cultural Plan Subcommittee have time-sensitive responsibilities in the coming months, staff recommends prioritizing the appointment of members to those two subcommittees as soon as possible, even if only on a temporary basis.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
There is no direct fiscal impact to this agenda item. However, staffing and preparing for subcommittee meetings does require the allocation of staff time and resources.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 25-10-21_CAC_ATT 1 Subcommittee Assignments for Fiscal Year 2025 - 2026.
2. 25-10-21_CAC_ATT 2 Sept 22 Staff Email to Commissioners regarding Historic Preservation
MOTION:
That the Cultural Affairs Commission:
1. Discuss and confirm the Standing and Ad Hoc Subcommittee structure for FY 2025-26;
2. Discuss and, if appropriate, appoint a Vice Chair of the Cultural Affairs Commission;
3. Create an Ad Hoc Subcommittee with the following limited scope: FY 2025-2026 Historic Preservation; and,
4. Make recommendations for any changes to existing Subcommittee assignments; and
5. Prioritize and appoint Commissioners to the following Subcommittees for Fiscal Year 2025 - 2026 as desired:
STANDING SUBCOMMITTEE:
Public Art: ______ / ______
AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEES:
Artist Laureate: ______ / ______
Communications & Outreach Plan: ______ / ______
Creative Economy & Cultural Plan: ______ / ______
FY 2025-26 Culver City Arts Foundation: ______ / ______
2026 Performing Arts Grant Program: ______ / ______
2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games / Cultural Olympiad: ______ / ______
FY 2025-2026 Historic Preservation: ______ / ______