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CC - CONSENT ITEM: Award of an In-Kind Off-Cycle Special Event Grant in the Amount of $1,000 to Lumiere Runway for the Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring/Summer Event and Designation of the Event as a City-Sponsored.
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Meeting Date: March 17, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Edgar Varela, Special Events Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-5752
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [] No [x]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/12/2025)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (03/5/2025)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council consider awarding an in-kind, off-cycle special event grant in the amount of $1,000 to the Lumiere Runway for the Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring/Summer event and designate the event as a City-sponsored.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
On March 4, 2025, the City Council received majority consensus to consider a request for an in-kind event sponsorship to the Lumiere Runway for their Los Angeles Fashion Week event slated for March 22, 2025, at One Culver and Studio 1.
Lumiere Runway is the fashion events platform for Meler Productions, a fashion runway production company based in Hong Kong with offices in Los Angeles. The company promotes and creates media and event opportunities for emerging fashion designers. (Attachment 1).
The Spring/Summer Fashion Week event has been produced in Culver City for the past two years at Sony Studios and One Culver respectively. According to Meler Productions, the 2024 event and attendees invested over $60,000 into the local Culver City economy via hotels, bars, restaurants, and retail. Given their continued production in Culver City, Lumiere Runway has requested an in-kind marketing sponsorship to promote the event to the larger Culver City community.
City Sponsorship
To be categorized as a “sponsored” event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in City Council Policy No. 2502 (Special Event Grant Program), confirming 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 coverage of fees, or any combination thereof. The City may also consider approving an in-kind marketing sponsorship to help build awareness about the event. The Council Policy requires both (a) and (b) conditions be satisfied.
This proposed event would meet the criteria for City Sponsorship if the City Council approves a donation of at least $1,000, consisting of staff time to promote the event as an in-kind marketing sponsorship. As a requirement for event sponsorship, the organizers for the events must identify the City of Culver City as a sponsor of the event in all promotional materials.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no direct fiscal impact to the City. The request can be accommodated with current staffing resources relative to promotion of the event through the City’s marketing platforms and website.
ATTACHMENT
1. Lumiere Runway Information Overview
MOTION
That the City Council:
Award an in-kind, off-cycle special events grant in the amount of $1,000 in City staff time to the Institute for Lumiere Runway for the Los Angeles Fashion Week Spring/Summer event and designate as a City-Sponsored Event.