City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 5/13/2013 Item Number: A-4
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of City Sponsorship for the First
Annual TEDx Event in Culver City.
Contact Person/Dept.:
Elaine Warner/CDD
Todd Tipton/CDD
Phone Number:
(310) 253-5777
(310) 253-5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas – City Council (05/07/13)
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (05/02/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (05/07/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (05/07/13)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (05/07/13)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve sponsorship of the first annual TEDx
Culver City event proposed to be held on Sunday, June 23, 2013 at the Kirk Douglas
Theatre.
BACKGROUND
In March 2013, staff was contacted by representatives from TEDx Culver City
regarding production of a TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) event in the
Culver City area. Staff met with the event producer to discuss the option of utilizing
the Kirk Douglas Theatre.
TEDx Culver City, licensed by TED, is part of the TED conference series that has
been gaining in popularity both nationally and internationally since 1990. The focus
of the TED program is to share “ideas worth spreading” and present a wide range of
topics within the research and practice of science and culture. Previous presenters
include former President Bill Clinton, Jane Goodall, Bill Gates and many Nobel Prize
recipients. The talks happen live and are streamed remotely throughout the world.
In addition, the talks have also been made available for free viewing online. In July
2012, a total of 1,300 TED talks had been posted with more than 500 million views
to date.
The TEDx programs are designed to give communities, organizations and
individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the
local level. TEDx events are revenue neutral events and utilize similar event formats
which include carefully prepared talks, demonstrations, and performances.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION
TEDx Culver City is currently planning to present their first event on June 23, 2013
with the intent of producing an annual event thereafter. The confirmed speakers to
date include:
Ms. Sylvana Barrett, Lecturer and Art Historian - Medieval Renaissance Painting
Techniques
- Mr. Terry McCarthy, President and CEO of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council
- Mrs. Clara-Lisa Kabbaz, President of the Lycee Francais High School
- Mr. Loni Peristere, Founder of Zoic Studios
- Mr. & Mrs. Samitaur-Smith, Philanthropists & Owners of Samitaur Constructs
Given the size and scope of the event, the Kirk Douglas Theater is the preferred
location. TEDx would like to utilize a community access date that is made available
to the City through Section XIV.C of the Development and Disposition Agreement
between Center Theatre Group and the City (Agreement). The Agreement requires
that the theatre be made available for 10 days to “Culver City sponsored
organizations.” To this end, TEDx has requested that the City consider an in-kind
sponsorship of their event so that they may utilize the space as part of the
community access program (thereby making the venue available at significantly
reduced costs compared to a market-rate rental). As noted in their letter to the City,
the event will feature mostly Culver City speakers and be open to the community on
a first come-first serve basis. In addition, the event producer will reach out to Culver
City High School as well as West Los Angeles College to offer some free and
discounted student admission to some of the sessions. Tickets are estimated to be
approximately $60 ($45 for students). The event will also be streamed live on the
TEDx Livestream channel (which is an advertisement-free channel). Viewers will be
able to watch the event in real-time from any computer or mobile device, free of
charge.
Additionally, TEDx is requesting the use of parking spaces at City Hall and a waiver
of the customary $16/space/day fee applied to such a rental. If this request is
approved, staff will require TEDx to execute an indemnity agreement and provide
proof of insurance evidencing the City is named as an additional insured.
City Sponsorship
If the event were to be specifically designated as a City-sponsored event, TEDx
would be considered a city sponsored organization and allowed to utilize the Kirk
Douglas Theatre on one of the 10 community access days. To be categorized as a
“sponsored” event by the City, an event must comply with Culver City Municipal
Code (CCMC) Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii., 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 City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
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. If approved by the City Council, the City would be contributing at least
$1,000 in waivers to the event. The CCMC requires both (a) AND (b) conditions be
satisfied. Additionally, in order for an event to be considered City-sponsored, the City
Council must determine, by specific action, that the above criteria have been met.
Staff recommends that if the City Council is inclined to sponsor the event, it consider
either or both: (1) the value of the Community Access Day at the “normal” rental
rate of Kirk Douglas Theater as the in-kind contribution given the designation as a
city sponsored organization (approximately $2,000) and/or (2) value and waive
parking fees relative to the City Hall parking garage in the amount of $1,600 ($16 per
space x 100 spaces) as the required method of assistance (The City Manager’s
Office applied the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department parking
space rate of $16/space/day for a recent use of the P-1 parking spaces). TEDx will
be responsible for funding the required security at the parking location through the
Kirk Douglas Theatre as well as all other event costs.
In exchange for City sponsorship, TEDx will prominently display the City’s name as a
sponsor of the event through various logo placements online, in print, as well as
mention the City during the opening remarks at the event.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
A city sponsorship will allow TEDx to utilize one of the available community access
days at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. The in-kind sponsorship does not require the use
of City staff time and does not cause a fiscal impact to the General Fund. Waiver of
parking fees would forego approximately $1,600 in revenue.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1: Letter from TEDx Culver City – April 2013
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve (a) a waiver of parking space rental fees for event parking at City
Hall in an amount of at least $1,000 (given a $6/space/day rate previously
applied for a similar rental), and/or (b) value the community access day at the
“normal” rental rate of Kirk Douglas Theater ($2,000) as the City’s in-kind
contribution to the event; and,
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
2. Consider designating the TEDx Culver City Event a city sponsored event and
thus allowing the organization to be eligible to utilize the Kirk Douglas Theatre
on a Community Access Day as provided in the Development and Disposition
Agreement between the City and the Center Theatre Group; and,
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.
MEETING DATE: 5.13.13
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of Financial Assistance and City Sponsorship
for the First Annual TEDx Event in Culver City.
ATTACHMENTS
Page
1. Letter from TEDx Culver City – April 2013 1 TEDXCulverCrty
x= independenily organized TED event
April 10,2013
Dear Mr. Tipton,
TEDxCulverCity would like to respectfully request the use of the Kirk Douglas
Theatre on June 23'dr2013 for its first annual TEDx conference, through Culver
City's community access program.
TED is an annual event that brings together the world's leading thinkers and doers to
share ideas that matter in a variety of disciplines -- technology, entertainment, design,
science, humanities, business, and development. The talks at the conference,
"TEDTalks," are then made available on TED.com.
In the spirit of "ideas worth spreading," TED has created TEDx, a program of regional
events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. TEDx events are
licensed by TED to individual TEDx organizers for use in a specific city.
TEDxCulverCity is operating under a license from TED, with Marie Bobin acting as its
primary licensee.
The TEDxCulverCity program will consist of a line-up of live speakers, performers and
TEDTalks videos. The talks will cover a variety of topics including urban planning,
architecture, education, bio-medical advances, Culver City history, the advancement of
freelancing, philanthropy, technology in film, literature and poetry.
As per our license agreement with TED, the TEDxCulverCity stage will not be used to
promote spiritual or religious beliefs, commercial products or political agendas.
As a not-f,or-profit event with an aim to support and engage the local community,
TEDxCulverCity will be offering free tickets to the conference to local schools and
universities including Culver City High and Antioch University. In addition, a minimum
of 50
o/o
of the speakers will be local to Culver City.
Thank you for your consideration.
TEDxCulverCity
PHONE: (213)247-30s0
EMAIL: INFO&)TEDXCULVERCITY.COM WEBSITE: WWW.TEDXCULVERCITY.COM
TEDxCulverCity is operating under a license from TED.