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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...
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