TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement with the Public Corporation for the Arts of the City of Long Beach, Inc., a California nonprofit corporation, dba Arts Council for Long Beach, in the amount of $454,085, to fund arts and cultural activities, for a period of one year. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City enters into an annual agreement with the Public Corporation for the Arts (Arts Council) for Long Beach (Arts Council), to administer City funding for the promotion and development of community-oriented cultural activities and artistic programs. The cultural and artistic programs help bring the diverse Long Beach community together and enhance civic pride. Through this funding from the City, the Arts Council has provided financial support and assistance to over 100 local arts organizations and more than 1,000 area artists, with the objective of making arts and culture available to all residents of Long Beach.
On September 13, 2022, the City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 23) Budget, which includes $454,085 for the Arts Council agreement. City Council approval is requested to enter into a one-year agreement with the Arts Council for the budgeted amount of $454,085. In FY 23, the Arts Council will utilize the City’s assistance to fund a community arts grant program in the amount of $164,400. The remaining $289,685 will be used to fund general operations of the Arts Council.
The annual agreement includes terms and conditions for administering the Percent for the Arts program to ensure the Arts Council remains in compliance with the City’s Percent for the Arts Policy. The Percent for the Arts payment to the Arts Council is paid separate and in addition to the funding support provided by the annual agreement, and is based on 1 percent of actual fees assessed on the previous year’s eligible CIP projects.
The FY 23 $454,085 contract amount is an increase of $50,000 over the FY 22 amount and restores support for the Arts Council to FY 20 budgeted levels. While the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted revenues in the Special Advertising and Promotion Fund Group, which are used to support the Arts Council, these revenues have improved slowly through FY 22 and are anticipated to continue their recovery in FY 23.
In FY 23, in addition to the community arts grant program, the Arts Council will also be administering the direct grant program to arts and culture organizations supported by the additional 1 percent Transient Occupancy Tax revenues from Measure B.
This matter was reviewed by Principal Deputy City Attorney Richard Anthony on October 12th and by Budget Operations and Development Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on October 13, 2022.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on November 1, 2022, to proceed with the agreement with the Arts Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total amount of the one-year agreement with the Arts Council is $454,085 and is budgeted in the Special Advertising and Promotion Fund Group in the City Manager’s Department. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. Approval of this recommendation is anticipated to result in a positive local job impact.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER