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CC - CONSENT ITEM: Award of $10,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant and Designation of the Pan African Film + Arts Festival (PAFF) as a City-Sponsored Event.
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Meeting Date: January 13, 2025
Contact Person/Dept: Edgar Varela / Office of Economic and Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-5752
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (1/08/2025)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (12/11/2024)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council award a $10,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant and designate the Pan African Film + Arts Festival (PAFF) as a City-sponsored event.
BACKGROUND
On June 10, 2024, the City Council awarded $147,075 in grants and designated 15 events as City-sponsored through Fiscal Year 2024-2025, as recommended by the Special Events Grant Program Ad Hoc Subcommittee. At that time, the Council also authorized up to $8,925 in contingency funding for future off-cycle event support. Currently, the City has $5,925 in the contingency fund however, an additional $5,000 is also available due to cancellation of the Taste of the Nation event. The total amount available for contingency allocation is approximately $10,925 for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024/2025.
DISCUSSION
On October 10, 2024, PAFF requested an off-cycle special event grant to expand the film festival into Culver City. The festival runs from February 4, 2025, to February 17, 2025 at The Culver Theater and Westfield Mall Culver City.
PAFF was established in 1992 and provides a dynamic showcase of cultural expression that honors Black stories and history. Every year, PAFF’s Film Festival showcases over 200 new high-quality Black films from the U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, South Pacific, Canada and increasingly Asia and is an Oscars qualifying film festival for the Academy Awards in the categories of: Best Short Narrative Film Award, Best Documentary Award and Best Animated Short.
City Sponsorship
To be categorized as a “sponsored” event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in the Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii and 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 CCMC and Policy require conditions (a) and (b) to be satisfied. Additionally, City Council Policy requires that for an event to be considered a City-sponsored event, the City Council is required to determine, by specific action, that the above criteria be met. If the City Council awards a minimum of $1,000 in special event grant funds, including in in-kind staff time, the event will satisfy the criteria for City 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.
Off-Cycle Event Support
One of the primary goals of the Special Event Grant Program (“Program”) is to consolidate requests, thereby limiting the number of off-cycle event support requests. However, the Program, City Council Policy No. 2502, provides for City Council consideration of off-cycle Special Event Grant Program/ City-Sponsorship requests.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
PAFF is requesting a $15,000 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant for a combination of in-kind staff time, permit fees, City banners, and City transportation\ services. Below are the anticipated costs:
The Special Events Grants Subcommittee has recommended a $10,000 grant be approved. Approximately, $10,925 is currently available in contingency funds for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024/2025. Approval of a $10,000 grant would leave approximately $925 as contingency for the remainder of the fiscal year.
If the Council wishes to grant PAAF’s full request in the amount of $15,000, the full contingency amount remaining would need to be utilized and an additional $4,075 would need to be appropriated from the Unassigned General Fund Balance A budget amendment to appropriate the funds would need to be brought back at a future Council meeting.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTION
That the City Council:
Award a $10,000 off-cycle special events grant to the Pan African Film + Arts Festival and designate it as a City-sponsored event.