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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Award of a $2,200 Off-Cycle Special Events Grant and Designation of the Asian World Film Festival Kung Fu Day Commemorating Bruce Lee on November 12, 2022, as a City-Sponsored Event, as Recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; and (2) Authorization to the City Manager to Administratively Approve Applicable City Permits and Licenses Needed to Conduct the Event.
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Meeting Date: October 10, 2022
Contact Person/Dept.: Elizabeth Garcia/CDD; Francisca Castillo/PRCS
Phone Number: (310) 253-5708; (310) 253-6645
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (10/05/2022)
Department Approval: Armando Abrego, PRCS Director (09/28/2022)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) award a $2,200 off-cycle special events grant and designate the Asian World Film Festival Kung Fu Day Commemorating Bruce Lee on November 12, 2022, as a City-Sponsored Event, as recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; and (2) authorize the City Manager to administratively approve applicable City permits and licenses needed to conduct the event.
BACKGROUND
On May 23, 2022, the City Council (1) awarded $36,700 in grants and designated nine events as City-sponsored through the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Special Events Grant Program, as recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; (2) authorized up to $23,300 in contingency for special event liability insurance and off-cycle event support; and (3) authorized the City Manager to administratively approve applicable City permits and licenses needed to conduct the events, provided such permits and licenses are consistent with the scope of the event as set forth in the grant application (such authority shall not apply to the required Special Event Permit, which shall continue to be issued in the usual course of business). The nine events that received grants/City-Sponsorship are:
*Note: Since The Actors’ Gang Carnival was cancelled, the 2022 Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee has determined that the $3,000 awarded to the Actor’s Gang should be moved to the contingency amount.
Off-Cycle Event Support
One of the primary goals of the Special Events Grant Program is to consolidate requests, thereby limiting the number of off-cycle event support requests. However, Special Events Grant Program Policy 2017-R006 provides for City Council consideration of off-cycle Special Events Grant Program /City-Sponsorship requests. For Fiscal Year 2022/2023, the City Council approved a $23,300 contingency amount, of which approximately $4,500 is for supplemental special event liability insurance and $18,800 is for off-cycle event support.
Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee Recommendation
On September 12, 2022, the City Council referred AITYSH USA’s Asian World Film Festival’s Kung Fu Day Commemorating Bruce Lee to the 2022 Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee (Subcommittee) for consideration as an off-cycle Special Events Grant Program/City-Sponsorship request.
On September 27, 2022, the members of the Subcommittee, Vice Mayor Vera and Council Member McMorran, met to consider the issue. Their recommendation to the City Council is the award of a $2,200 off-cycle special events grant and designation as a City-Sponsored Event for the Asian World Film Festival Kung Fu Day Commemorating Bruce Lee.
DISCUSSION
The Asian World Film Festival (the Festival) is a subsidiary of AITYSH USA, a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization. The Festival, which will occur in November 2022, brings a broad selection of Asian World cinema to Los Angeles. It is unique in its concept, as the Festival predominantly screens films from the Asian continent which have been submitted to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the Golden Globes for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
The film screenings will not be held in Culver City this year due to the closure of the former Arclight theater. AITYSH USA requested a special event grant and City-Sponsorship for its Kung Fu Day Commemorating Bruce Lee. Kung Fu Day will be held in the original portion of Town Plaza on November 12, 2022. Events in the original portion of Town Plaza require a $1,000 refundable deposit that is paid by the applicant and then returned minus charges, if any.
Summary of Previous City Support
The Asian World Film Festival has received City support in previous years and has been designated as a City-sponsored event:
2018: $3,135.00
2019: $5,000.00
2021: $3,020.50
Itemization of Estimated City-Related Expenses
Since these expenses are estimated, the Subcommittee is recommending a grant award of $2,200.
City Sponsorship
To be categorized as a “sponsored” event by the City, an event must meet the criteria set forth in Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 17.330.040.B.7.b.ii and City Council Policy No. 2502 (Special Events 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 both (a) and (b) conditions be satisfied. Additionally, City Council Policy requires that in order for an event to be considered City-sponsored, the City Council determine, by specific action, that the above criteria have been met.
This event meets 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 events in all promotional materials.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
As noted above, the City Council approved a $23,300 contingency amount for special event grants, of which approximately $4,500 is for supplemental special event liability insurance and $18,800 is for off-cycle event support (Special Event Grant Program Account Number 10116100.517560). The cancellation of The Actors’ Gang Carnival reduces the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Special Event Grant Program (the Program) award amount by $3,000 and brings the total contingency amount up to $26,300, and the contingency amount for off-cycle event support up to $21,800. The overall cost of the Program remains at $60,000.
The request from the Asian Film Festival is the first off- cycle grant/City-Sponsorship request that staff has received. The City Council may wish to consider using $2,200 of the $21,800 in contingency for off-cycle event support for this event. If so awarded, the remaining amount available for other off-cycle Special Events Grant Program awards will be $19,600.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Award a $2,200 off-cycle special events grant and designate the Asian World Film Festival Kung Fu Day Commemorating Bruce Lee on November 12, 2022 as a City-Sponsored event, as recommended by the Special Events Grant Program City Council Ad Hoc Subcommittee; and,
2. Authorize the City Manager to administratively approve applicable City permits and licenses needed to conduct the event.