City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 01/23/12 Item Number: _J-3
JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD AGENDA ITEM:
Consideration of (1) a Conceptual Proposal by Boulevard Music to Produce a
Musical Event in Lieu of the 2012 Culver City Music Festival; and (2) a Conceptual
Proposal for the City to Produce a 2012 Summer Concert and (3) Direct the City
Manager as Deemed Appropriate.
Contact Person/Dept.: Susan Obrow/CDD
Todd Tipton / CDD
Phone Number:(310) 253-5762
(310) 253-5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (e-mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (01/19/12); Meetings
and Agendas – Redevelopment Agency (01/19/12); Cultural Affairs Commission
(01/10/12); Downtown Business Association (01/10/12); Culver City Chamber of
Commerce (01/10/12); Gary Mandell/Boulevard Music (01/10/12); Ruth Price/Jazz
Bakery (01/10/12); Culver City Music Festival Sponsors (01/10/12)
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (01/18/12)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (01/19/12)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by N. Kimball) (01/19/12)
City Manager/Executive Director Approval:
John M. Nachbar: (01/19/12)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council and Culver City Redevelopment Agency Board
(Agency Board) consider (1) a conceptual proposal by Boulevard Music (Mr. Gary
Mandell) to produce a musical event in lieu of the 2012 Culver City Music Festival
and (2) a conceptual proposal for the City to produce a 2012 Summer Concert and
direct the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
The Festival has been funded by the Culver City Redevelopment Agency (Agency)
since its inception seventeen years ago. There has also been modest business
support for this Agency program through an annual, non-aggressive marketing
sponsorship campaign. Sponsorship offered promotional opportunities for businesses
in exchange for cash contributions or in-kind advertising for the series (levels ranging
from $500 to $5,000). In recent years, due to the economic downturn, businesses
reduced their cash contribution to the Festival; however, there was an increase in
media sponsors which expanded the promotional campaign for the series through in-
kind contributions.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
On January 9, 2012 the City Council and Agency Board considered this item and
continued its discussion so that staff could research potential funding options.
Funding options are necessary because Agency funds will no longer be available on
February 1, 2012 due to dissolution of the state’s redevelopment agencies (including
the Culver City Redevelopment Agency) pursuant to AB 1x 26.
DISCUSSION:
As mentioned at the City Council/Agency Board meeting of January 9, 2012, due to
the elimination of Redevelopment Agency funds for cultural programming, the City
Council/Agency Board continued the discussion of this item for two weeks to allow
staff and the community an opportunity to provide alternative ways to provide for
some kind of music performance in lieu of the Culver City Music Festival.
Gary Mandell has offered, in concept, to produce musical performances. Such
proposal would, most likely, provide a fewer number of shows than the current
Festival. While several details remain to be discussed, , Mr. Mandell has proposed
renaming the performances the “Boulevard Music Festival,” and Mr. Mandell would
work to solicit event sponsors. There would be no City funding beyond the in-kind
contribution of agreeing to allow use of the City Hall Courtyard, maintenance crews to
close up the event space at the conclusion of each evening, and providing trash pick-
up. Steam cleaning may be reduced or eliminated depending on if someone other
than the City would contribute such services. In return for its in-kind contributions,
the City would be a sponsor/co-sponsor of the event.
To provide for seating, event goers might have the option to bring their own seating
or purchase/reserve a seat in order to save the labor costs for set up and knock down
of the event space. The currently donated stage would still be required (or alternately
a replacement stage would need to be acquired). Security would also need to be
supplied on a volunteer basis as it is currently.
In addition to the above, the following items need further discussion:
? Business license requirements
? Concession sponsorships
? Insurance requirements
? Maintenance requirements
? Performer sales of other items beyond CD’s (e.g. t-shirts, etc.).
The City Council and Agency Board may also want to consider the following:
Expanded Opportunities for Community Giving
? Annual Festival Sponsors
o Partners in the endeavor to seek additional support
? Local Business Sponsorship City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
o Promotion through Culver City Chamber of Commerce
o Promotion through Downtown Business Association
? Other Corporate Sponsorship
o Re-launch of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s idea for a Culver City
Unified Fund which attracts business sponsorship for a variety of City
cultural programs
? Individual Donations
o Electronic Donations through City Website
o Promotion through Culver City Gives, a volunteer effort to nurture the
City’s non-profit organizations founded by resident Claire Peeps.
o Buck Bags at City events capturing cash contributions
Campaign Promotion
? Electronic campaign
o Postings on City website, Twitter, Facebook
o Cable slides and crawlers
o City, Sony and other e-blasts
? Press pitches to local news outlets
? Monthly reports at televised City Council and Cultural Affairs Commission
meetings
Proposed 2012 Culver City Summer Concert
Separate from Mr. Mandell’s proposal, staff had created the concept of a fundraising
campaign that would include one free, public concert in Media Park. It would occur on
a Sunday afternoon this summer gathering hundreds of supporters and possible new
donors together. City staff would produce the concert and promote the event. Gary
Mandell, who has produced the Festival for many years, would be a valued
participant at this concert.
? Budget ($7,500)
o $5,500 in past sponsorship funds available
o $2,000 reallocated from 2011 Sony cultural events contribution
o Available funding would cover costs in Media Park
o Use of City Hall Courtyard is cost prohibitive as it requires additional
maintenance, signage, lighting and security
? Media Park
o The Festival would return to its first home
o Media Park accommodates several hundred people
o Restrooms and other assistance provided by The Actors’ Gang at the
Ivy Substation
o Afternoon event due to lack of park lighting
? Musical Artists through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission
o Application to Free Concerts in Public Sites program
o One Concert Permitted
o Deadline March 7, 2012 City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
o Roster of artists include past Festival performers
The campaign and production services would be implemented by the City staff. The
campaign effort may also involve the Cultural Affairs Foundation which could be the
recipient of other donations as new donors are identified.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The dissolution of the Culver City Redevelopment Agency has eliminated the
funding for cultural programming and eliminated $7.5 million in support received by
the City’s general fund annually from the Agency. Therefore, in initial discussion
with Mr. Mandell, staff emphasized that the City is no longer in a position to provide
much more than minor in-kind services and the contribution of the event space.
Should the City Council direct the City Manager to enter into formal discussions with
Mr. Mandell, a Memorandum of Understanding would be developed for
consideration by the City Council at a meeting in February.
With respect to the proposed 2012 Culver City Summer Concert, if the event is
handled by staff it would require the campaign’s fundraising concert be budgeted at
$7,500 using the available Festival sponsorship funds in the amount of $5,500 and
$2,000 of Sony’s annual 2011 cultural events contribution. The $2,000 would be
reallocated from the Agency’s Music in the Chambers and Rainbow Day programs,
which have not yet occurred, and the City’s ART TALK Culver City program to
support this one concert. ART TALK Culver City, funded by the Art Fund, is a
reformatted version of ARTWALK Culver City slated to debut in autumn 2012.
MOTION:
That the City Council and Agency Board:
1. Consider the conceptual proposal made by Mr. Gary Mandell to produce an
alternative musical event in place of the Culver City Music Festival for 2012; and
2. In the case the City Council supports the concept, direct the City Manager to
enter into formal discussion with Mr. Mandell to develop a Memorandum of
Understanding for consideration by the City Council in February, 2012.
AND
3. Consider the concept of a 2012 Culver City Summer Concert and direct the
City Manager as deemed appropriate.