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CAC - Consideration of (1) FY 2022-23 Cultural Affairs Work Plan Updates; (2) FY 2023-24 Cultural Affairs Work Plan Priorities; and, (3) Provide Comments and/or Make a Recommendation to the City Manager as Appropriate
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Meeting Date: February 21, 2023
Contact Person/Dept: B. Christine Byers / City Manager, Office of Economic and Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-6003
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas - Cultural Affairs Commission (02/16/23);
Culver City Arts Foundation (02/16/23)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager (02/21/23)
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC) (1) receive updates on the FY 2022-23 Cultural Affairs work plan; (2) an overview of the proposed FY 2023-24 Cultural Affairs work plan priorities; and, (3) provide comments and/or make a recommendation to the Assistant City Manager and the City Manager, as appropriate.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
As was the case in prior years, each of the City’s Commissions, Boards and Committees have an opportunity to provide input related to the budget and work plan for FY 2022-23 (deadline is March 23, 2023) before the City Manager presents his proposed budget to the City Council on Monday, May 8, 2023. The City Council is scheduled to receive individual department presentations on this year’s work plan updates on March 6 - 7, 2023 and on next year’s proposed budget on May 15 - 16, 2023. The FY 2023-24 budget is scheduled for adoption on June 12, 2023. CAC members are welcome to attend any of these meetings. The complete budget development calendar for Fiscal Year 2023-24 is attached for reference.
As has been the case in prior years per the MOU between the City and the Culver City Arts Foundation (Culver Arts), the foundation is welcome to provide input on the work plan for the coming year.
Staff will provide a status update via PowerPoint on the FY 2022-23 Cultural Affairs work plan followed by an overview of the FY 2023024 Cultural Affairs work plan priorities. What is outlined below is a draft of what will be forwarded to Council and included in the FY 2022-23 City budget book.
ADOPTED FY 2022-23 CULTURAL AFFAIRS WORK PLAN AND STATUS UPDATES
• Continue core division functions, including support of the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC) and its various subcommittees in implementing Cultural Affairs programs and projects.
Status: Ongoing. The CAC meets on average 10 times per year with two full-time staff positions managing and coordinating all related activities and functions. To date, for FY 2022-2023, the CAC considered and provided input on the concepts of three new public art projects; considered recommendations for grants for the 2023 Performing Arts Grant Program; reviewed Artist Laureate Alexey Steele’s activities for calendar year 2022; considered recommendations for selection of next Artist Laureate Katy Krantz and, reviewed reports and an annual plan as presented by Culver City Arts Foundation. The CAC has seven subcommittees, four of which have been very active: Public Art, 2023 Performing Arts Grant Program, Culver City Arts Foundation Liaison and Artist Laureate. Of these, the Public Art Subcommittee is a standing subcommittee that requires noticing and minutes in accordance with the Brown Act.
In 2022, CAC reviewed two reports prepared by staff of recent activities and upcoming plans. These reports were transmitted to City Council.
• Continue to assist and coordinate with other City departments/divisions on programs and projects that require specialized cultural knowledge.
Status: Ongoing. Examples include Town Plaza Use Policies (Economic Development and City Attorney’s Office) and public art/historic preservation components as relate to new development and remodel projects (Current Planning and Building Safety Divisions).
• Continue to implement the Art in Public Places Program, including commission of new artworks, development of new cultural facilities, completion of major restorations and ongoing maintenance. Review and recommend revisions to Culver City Municipal Code Chapter 15.06 pertaining to the Art in Public Places Program.
Status: Ongoing.
New Development/New Artworks:
Projects that received CAC input since July 2022 included:
o Green Open Space at Washington/National Blvds.: Consideration of a concept for A Frame for a Tree by LA based artist Charles Gaines and recommendation to City Council.
o Consideration and approval of a concept by Marc Fornes/THEVERYMANY in fulfillment of the percent for art requirement for projects at The Culver Studios and The Culver Steps (Hackman Capital Partners). Installation anticipated Fall 2023.
o Consideration and approval of a concept by the Haas Brothers for a project at Shaefer Street and National Blvd. (Redcar).
Staff continues to work with, among others, Hackman Capital Partners, Redcar, Ltd., The Wende Museum, Bastion Development Corporation, REthink Development, and the developers for the projects at 12300 Washington Blvd and 11111 Jefferson Blvd. on fulfillment of the Art in Public Places Program (APPP) requirement in conjunction with their projects. Coordination with Current Planning on new applications that trigger the APPP requirement is ongoing.
Culver Current, a digital temporary artwork created and installed at City Hall in 2019 by Nate Mohler, continues to activate the courtyard of City Hall at night, with plans to launch a new digital show in Spring 2023.
Artwork Collections Management:
o Assisted Hackman Capital Partners with completion of the restoration and re-siting of the artwork (Studio Pass by Jim Heimann), to a new location near Gate 2 at The Culver Studios.
o Working with tenant at 8620 Hayden Place on restoration and re-siting of permanent artwork (KING KONG GONE by Jim Heimann).
o Assisting Westfield Culver City with restoration/maintenance of three permanent artworks sited within the mall.
o Cleaning/waxing (i.e., routine maintenance) of certain City-owned sculptures.
Art in Public Places Ordinance:
Updating the CCMC regarding the Art in Public Places Program was placed on hold due to resources being devoted to emergency operations and other pandemic-related issues. The project is now moving forward with review at the staff and CAC subcommittee level and will include a cultural equity statement.
• Continue to improve outreach and marketing efforts (e.g., updating public artworks online and promoting Cultural Affairs programs). Explore connections with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs regarding plans for the 2028 Olympics.
Status: Ongoing.
o Cultural Tours Book and Otocast Mobile Phone App - Staff is fulfilling requests submitted online for the (red) tours books which are being distributed locally, regionally, and elsewhere within the US. The Culver City Historical Society is also sharing the books with the public. Approximately 85 copies were distributed since July 2022.
o Augmented Reality Postcards - Two postcards (featuring The Lion’s Fountain and Culver Current at City Hall Courtyard) were created to attract visitors and locals to downtown. Staff continues to make those available to the public and refills them regularly. To date over one thousand have been distributed.
o Print Publications - Culver City Neighbors Magazine is publishing 6 articles per year written by the Cultural Affairs Division and highlighting arts activities.
o Public Events - Cultural Tours Books and postcards are distributed at events such as Fiesta La Ballona, Art Walk & Roll Festival, and those sponsored by Culver City Arts Foundation.
o City Website News and GovDelivery Bulletins - Cultural Affairs staff post new promotional content weekly on the City website and send frequent email bulletins to subscribers about City-sponsored events. The public is regularly informed about cultural activities (public art improvements, performances and cultural experiences) and is encouraged to visit public art and to attend local music, theatre and dance events.
o Public Art Archive - In partnership with Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), staff is implementing a database. This will serve both as a collections management tool for artworks under the purview of the APPP, and simultaneously provide content for featuring Culver City’s art collection in the online Public Art Archive, the only database featuring public art throughout the US.
• Continue to implement the Historic Preservation Program in conjunction with new development projects. Continue review of Historic Preservation Program, including designation plaques, and recommend updates as appropriate.
Status: Ongoing. Staff continues to work closely with Current Planning staff and developers on development projects involving historical resources to ensure conformance with the City’s Historic Preservation Program and CEQA. Current projects include The Culver Studios, 9814 Washington Blvd. (REthink Development), American Legion Building and Helms Bakery Complex. Work involves coordinating and monitoring improvements in conformance with the US Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
Updates to the CCMC pertaining to the Historic Preservation Program had been delayed due to COVID-19 and the necessity to reallocate staff resources to various Economic Recovery Task Force efforts. Per Council direction and approval, staff anticipates returning to Council with an update and recommendations in Spring 2023.
• Continue to implement and promote the Performing Arts Grant Program (PAG) and focus on increasing the engagement with audiences and diversity of the applicants.
Status: Ongoing. During 2022, Staff administered contracts and promoted performances on behalf of 23 grant recipients. Based on evaluation reports collected from the grant recipients, over 13,000 people attended PAG performances. Notably, over 70% of the people that attended these grant performances went to The Kirk Douglas Theatre or The Actors’ Gang’s Summer Shakespeare in the Park. The remaining arts organizations struggled to overcome the effects of the pandemic on their attendance.
Grants for the 2023 season have been awarded to 29 performing arts organizations for in-person music, theatre, and dance events from January to December.
Received grant funding from the LA County Department of Arts and Culture to hire a Cultural Affairs intern from West LA College. Estimated start date is August 2023.
• Continue the Artist Laureate Program including new public programming and activities.
Status: Ongoing. With the continuation of COVID-19, public programming continued to take place online until September 2022. In October 2022, Alexey Steele participated in the Art Walk & Roll Festival and, in November 2022 he presented an in-person live drawing session at The Wende Museum, featuring Culver City resident and business owner Candance Pilgram-Simmons. Alexey Steele presented two additional events featuring personal artworks and work by CCUSD students, in conjunction with Love My Neighbor / United Against Hate Week. The exhibition was a collaboration between the Artist Laureate, Village Well, CCUSD, and Culver City Arts Foundation. In January 2023 Mr. Steele provided the CAC with a summary report of his activities.
Staff and the CAC Artist Laureate Subcommittee began working on the recruitment of a new Artist Laureate in August 2022. The revised guidelines and online application were released and promoted, then five distinguished panelists with arts expertise scored the incoming applications and met to interview the four finalists. The CAC recommended that Katy Krantz be selected to serve a two-year term through December 31, 2024, as Artist Laureate. Ms. Krantz is a visual artist focusing on ceramics and an arts educator. Ms. Krantz will be an advocate for all forms of art within the community and she envisions undertaking a socially engaged community project.
• Continue to partner with Community Development Department on the cultural and preservation elements of the General Plan Update. Incorporate goals identified in the Creative Economy engagement process.
Status: Ongoing. Worked with Advance Planning staff and the GPU consultants on completing tasks related to the General Plan Update as they relate to Cultural Affairs.
• Continue partnership with Culver City Arts Foundation (Culver Arts) to raise additional funds and promote awareness of the City’s cultural programming.
Status: Ongoing. Donations were received from Culver Arts for 2023 Performing Arts Grant Program and in support the Artist Laureate Program. City Council considered a recommendation from Cultural Affairs Commission and agreed to deem the initial $35,000 loan repaid. Culver City Arts Foundation reported on their activities at the Cultural Affairs Commission meeting in August 2022. Staff is working with Culver Arts Board members and the CAC on drafting a revised MOU.
• Develop a new Community Cultural Plan for Cultural Affairs that aligns with the Cultural Element of the General Plan Update and includes a Public Art Master Plan.
Status: On hold. This project will be carried over into the FY 2023-2024 workplan and will commence once the GPU is near completion.
FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 WORK PLAN PRIORITIES
1. Continue core division functions, including support of the Cultural Affairs Commission (CAC) and its various subcommittees in implementing Cultural Affairs programs and projects.
2. Continue to assist and coordinate with other City departments/divisions on programs and projects that require specialized cultural knowledge.
3. Continue to implement the Art in Public Places Program, including commission of new artworks, development of new cultural facilities, completion of major restorations and ongoing maintenance. Review and recommend revisions to Culver City Municipal Code Chapter 15.06 pertaining to the Art in Public Places Program.
4. Continue to implement the Historic Preservation Program in conjunction with new development projects. Continue review of Historic Preservation Program, including designation plaques, and recommend updates as appropriate.
5. Continue to implement and promote the Performing Arts Grant Program and focus on recruiting new and culturally diverse applicants and increasing the engagement with audiences.
6. Continue the Artist Laureate Program including new public programming and activities.
7. Continue to improve outreach, visibility, and promotional efforts (e.g., adding photos and artworks data to prominent publicly accessible database; initiating professional photography of public art, architectural elements, performing arts, and other city events; encouraging public participation in Artist Laureate activities; and promoting Cultural Affairs programs).
8. Continue to partner with Community Development Department on the cultural and preservation elements of the General Plan Update. Incorporate goals identified in the creative economy engagement process.
9. Continue partnership with Culver City Arts Foundation on programs and projects, and to raise additional funds and promote awareness of the City’s cultural programming.
10. Develop a new Community Cultural Plan for Cultural Affairs that aligns with the Cultural Element of the General Plan Update and includes a Public Art Master Plan.
11. Review CCMC language pertaining to the Cultural Affairs Commission’s powers and duties to ensure that it reflects the work of the CAC.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The FY 2023-24 and proposed FY 2023-24 work plans have a fiscal impact which includes staff costs, contract labor, and materials. Most of these costs are paid for from the Cultural Trust Fund (Fund 413); full-time staff costs for two employees are paid for from the City’s General Fund.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 23-02-21_ATT_Budget Development Calendar for FY 2023-24
MOTION:
That the Cultural Affairs Commission:
1. Receive updates from staff on the FY 2022-23 Cultural Affairs work plan;
AND
2. Consider the proposed FY 2023-24 Cultural Affairs work plan priorities;
AND
3. Provide any comments and/or recommendations regarding the proposed FY 2023-24 Cultural Affairs work plan priorities.