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CC - Consideration of a Request for Sponsorship by The Whole 9 for “An Affair of the Arts” Event to be Held in Town Plaza.
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Contact Person/Dept: Elizabeth Garcia/CDD; Todd Tipton/CDD
Phone Number: (310) 253-5708/(310) 253-5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [] Date:
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/10/16); The Culver City Chamber of Commerce (03/09/16); the Downtown Business Association (03/09/16)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Director of Community Development
(03/01/16)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council consider a request for sponsorship by The Whole 9 for “An Affair of the Arts” event (Event) to be held in Town Plaza on the weekend of June 18-19, 2016.
BACKGROUND
On January 12, 2016, staff received a request via e-mail from Lisa Shultz, founder of The Whole 9, requesting City sponsorship for the Event to be held on the weekend of June 18-19, 2016 (attached). The Whole 9 is an art gallery and arts and crafts business located in Downtown Culver City. At the Regular Meeting of the City Council held on February 8, 2016 and requested the City Council consider The Whole Nine’s request for Event sponsorship. The City Council directed the City Manager to place this subject on a future agenda for the City Council’s consideration.
DISCUSSION
The Whole 9 indicates that the proposed Event will include 60 vendor booths selling paintings, hand-blown glass, photographs, jewelry, ceramic pottery, desserts and beverages. Food and drinks will be available in adjacent/nearby restaurants.
The Whole 9 requests the following be included in the City’s sponsorship of the Event:
• Allow Affair of the Arts to install street banners 3-4 weeks prior to the Event. The banners will be interspersed throughout Downtown Culver City with those of the LA Film Festival (if the LA Film Festival receives City sponsorship) because the two events may be occurring concurrently. The Whole 9 shall pay for the production and installation of its banners;
• Waive the $170 Special Event Permit fee;
• Waive the $300 Street Use Permit fee;
• Waive the $175 (estimated) refuse collection costs and authorize the City to deliver empty trash cans prior to the Event and pick-up the full trash cans after the Event;
• Waive the $417 (estimated) cost for the City’s Public Works Department to provide electrical hookup and disconnection to event facilities;
• Waive the $144 (estimated) Street Banner Permit fees to hang banners from light poles in downtown;
• Waive the $450 per day Washington Boulevard rental fee and allow participating artists to park their vehicles on the former Washington Boulevard right-of-way adjacent to Parcel B, if available.
In return for City sponsorship, The Whole 9 is offering the following services, which it values at approximately $10,000:
• Include Culver City in the official name of the Event;
• Incorporate Culver City’s logo into the Affair of the Arts logo;
• Include Culver City’s logo in digital and social media;
• Include Culver City logo in print and other marketing media where other sponsors are recognized.
The City Council has approved prior requests from The Whole 9 to conduct events on Parcel B. This year the Parcel B/Town Plaza Expansion project is expected to commence construction, and the Whole 9 is now requesting the use of the existing Town Plaza to conduct the Event. The Downtown Business Association, including businesses adjacent to Town Plaza, supports the Event and is promoting it through their newsletter, eblast and social media and website.
City Sponsorship
To be categorized as a “sponsored” event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii which requires determination that the City is (a) participating in an official capacity in the planning, preparation or promotion of the event or activity; and (b) contributing 25% of the total estimated costs of the civic event or activity or at least $1,000, whichever is less. This contribution may take the form of funds, labor, staff time, materials, a waiver of fees, or any combination thereof. The CCMC requires both (a) AND (b) conditions be satisfied. Additionally, City Council Policy requires that in order for an event to be considered sponsored, the City Council must determine, by specific action, that the above criteria have been met.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Staff has determined that the requested financial assistance as outlined in this report could be provided to the Event with limited impact on the General Fund. If approved as requested, the City Council would waive $1,656 in total fees for the two-day Festival.
ATTACHMENTS
Request from The Whole 9
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Determine if in-kind financial assistance shall be provided to the “An Affair of the Arts” event and, if so, the amount and nature of such assistance; and,
2. (In the case such in-kind financial assistance is determined to be at least $1,000) Determine if the criteria established for City sponsorship outlined in CCMC 17.330.040.B.7 have been met and, if desired, designate the “An Affair of the Arts” event as an City-sponsored event.