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CC - Consideration of a Recommendation from the Cultural Affairs Commission Pertaining to the Creation of the Position of Honorary City Poet Laureate.
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Contact Person/Dept: B. Christine Byers / City Manager’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [X] No [] Date: 09/08/15
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/23/15)
Department Approval: Martin R. Cole, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk
(09/21/15)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council consider the recommendation of the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC) regarding the proposal to establish the position of Honorary City Poet Laureate and (if desired) direct the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND
On May 11, 2015, the City Council considered an agenda item pertaining to the creation of an Honorary City Poet Laureate position. Upon consideration of the material of record and public comment, the City Council directed the CAC to investigate the creation of a Poet Laureate position and to make a recommendation expeditiously.
DISCUSSION
The CAC created an ad hoc subcommittee at its meeting on June 9, 2015 tasked with evaluating the creation of the position of Honorary City Poet Laureate and appointed Commissioners Small and Williams to that subcommittee. The CAC subcommittee conducted research and considered public comment on the subject and made the following recommendations for consideration at the September 8, 2015 CAC meeting:
1. That the City Council should establish a Culver City Artist Laureate Program to include all the arts (visual, performing, musical, written and spoken word);
2. That Dr. Janet Hoult be appointed Honorary Artist Laureate for a two year term ending December 31, 2017; and,
3. As Honorary Artist Laureate, Dr. Hoult’s duties would include facilitating public awareness and expression through the poetic arts, working with the Culver City Centennial Celebration Committee and events leading up to the City’s Centennial in 2017, and serve in an advisory capacity to the CAC in creating guidelines and selection criteria for a longer-term Artist Laureate Program.
The CAC Poet Laureate subcommittee felt strongly that creating an Artist Laureate Program provided an opportunity for a more inclusive and diverse program that would also set Culver City apart from other public agencies (preliminary research showed that only one such program exists in California and is managed by Silicon Valley Creates). The subcommittee also acknowledged that to create a program which includes establishing criteria, guidelines, preparing an application, and completing a selection process requires both time and staff resources. By appointing Dr. Hoult as Honorary Artist Laureate, adequate time to properly develop an Artist Laureate Program would be provided and there would be no loss of momentum in light of the upcoming Centennial.
Discussion at the CAC’s meeting of September 8, 2015 touched upon whether the program would select artists laureate on a rotating basis by discipline, stipends and funding sources, selection criteria and processes, the existing Performing Arts Grant Program, and Dr. Hoult’s duties as Honorary Artist Laureate. The CAC voted 4-0 to support the subcommittee’s recommendation (Commissioner Williams was unable to attend the meeting but provided comments supporting the recommendation).
Dr. Hoult is supportive of the CAC’s recommendation and is not expecting a stipend. Her duties would include:
1. Introducing adults and youth in Culver City to the benefits of personal and community expression through the poetic arts;
2. Presenting poetry at events for the public occasions;
3. Acting as an advocate and resource for poetry and literary events in Culver City;
4. Holding at least one free public youth poetry event yearly;
5. Working with the Culver City Centennial Celebration Committee in preparation for 2017;
6. Developing and organizing a poetry contest in conjunction with the 2017 Centennial;
7. Participating in other activities that promote the transformative qualities of poetry and the written work throughout all parts of the community; and,
8. Providing regular updates to staff, the CAC and the City Council.
Should the City Council implement the CAC’s recommendation, staff anticipates that the City would provide limited in-kind support to Dr. Hoult on an as-needed basis.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Staff’s involvement in supporting an Honorary Artist Laureate for the next two years would be minimal. Should the City Council implement the CAC’s recommendation, there may be additional staff resources required to develop guidelines for a permanent Artist Laureate Program. Funding sources for any longer term program would be developed as part of the guidelines to be considered by the Cultural Affairs Commission and presented to the City Council for approval.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Dr. Janet Hoult’s resume.
2. Excerpt from the Draft Minutes - Cultural Affairs Commission Meeting of September 8, 2015
RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Consider the recommendation of the Cultural Affairs Commission regarding the creation of the position of Honorary Artist Laureate; and,
2. (If desired) Appoint Dr. Janet Hoult as Honorary Artist Laureate for a two year term, expiring December 31, 2017; and,
3. (If desired) Direct the Cultural Affairs Commission to continue working with Dr. Hoult to develop guidelines for consideration by the City Council for an Artist Laureate Program to be implemented in late 2017 or early 2018.