Agenda packet, second session — Berkeley City Council, March 21, 2023 (part 1 of 2)

Tuesday, March 21, 2023 AGENDA Page 1

P R O C L AM AT I O N

C AL L I N G A S P E C I AL M EE TI NG O F T HE

B E R K E LE Y CI T Y C O U N CIL
In accordance with the authority in me vested, I do hereby call the Berkeley City Council in special session as follows:

Tuesday, March 21, 2023
4:00 PM
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702 TELECONFERENCE LOCATION - 1404 LE ROY AVE, BERKELEY 94708

JESSE ARREGUIN, MAYOR
Councilmembers:

DISTRICT 1 – RASHI KESARWANI DISTRICT 5 – SOPHIE HAHN
DISTRICT 2 – TERRY TAPLIN DISTRICT 6 – SUSAN WENGRAF
DISTRICT 3 – BEN BARTLETT DISTRICT 7 – RIGEL ROBINSON
DISTRICT 4 – KATE HARRISON DISTRICT 8 – MARK HUMBERT
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid model with both in -person attendance and virtual participation . For in- person attendees, face coverin gs or masks that cover both the nose and the mouth are encouraged. If you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person.

Live captioned broadcasts of Council Meetings are available on Cable B -TV (Channel 33) and via internet accessible video stream at http://berkeley.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=1244.

Remote participation by the public is available through Zoom. To access the meeting remotely: Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device: Please use this UR L: https://cityofberkeley- info.zoomgov.com/j/1604192052. If you do not wish for your name to appear on the screen, then use the drop down menu and click on "rename" to rename yourself to be anonymous. To request to speak, use the “raise hand” icon by rolling over the bottom of the screen. To join by phone: Dial 1-669-254-5252 or 1 -833-568-8864 (Toll Free) and enter Meeting ID: 160 419 2052. If you wish to comment during the public comment portion of the agenda, Press *9 and wait to be recognized by the Chair.

Please be mindful that the meeting will be recorded and all rules of procedure and decorum apply for in-person attendees and those participating by teleconference or videoconference.

To submit a written communication for the City Council’s consideration and inclusion in the public record , email [email protected].

This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, Government Code Section 54953 and applicable Executive Orders as issued by the Governor that are currently in effect . Any member of the public may attend this meeting. Questions regarding this matter may be addressed to Mark Numainville, City Clerk, (510) 981-6900. The City Council may take action related to any subje ct listed on the Agenda. Meetings will adjourn at 11:00 p.m. - any items outstanding at that time will be carried over to a date/time to be specified.

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Tuesday, March 21, 2023 AGENDA Page 2

Preliminary Matters
Roll Call:

Worksession

1. Civic Arts Grants Program – Improved Practices & Community Impact From: City Manager
Contact: Eleanor Hollander, Economic Development, (510) 981-7530

2. Civic Center Plan Phase II – Design Concept
From: City Manager
Contact: Liam Garland, Public Works, (510) 981-6300

Public Comment - Items on this agenda only
Adjournment
I hereby request that the City Clerk of the City of Berkeley cause personal notice to be given to each member of the Berkeley City Council on the time and place of said meeting, forthwith.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the City of Berkeley to be affixed on this 16th day of March, 2023.

Jesse Arreguin, Mayor
Public Notice – this Proclamation serves as the official agenda for this meeting.

ATTEST:

Date: March 16, 2023
Mark Numainville, City Clerk

NOTICE CONCERNING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS : If you object to a decision by the City Council to approve or deny a use permit or variance for a project the following requirements and restrictions apply:
1) No lawsuit challenging a City decision to deny (Code Civ. Proc. §1094.6(b)) or approve (Gov. Code 65009(c)(5)) a use permit or variance may be filed more than 90 days after the date the Notice of Decision of the action of the City Council is mailed. Any lawsuit not filed within that 90 -day period will be barred. 2) In any lawsuit that may be filed against a City Council decision to appro ve or deny a use permit or variance, the issues and evidence will be limited to those raised by you or someone else, orally or in writing, at a public hearing or prior to the close of the last public hearing on the project.

Archived indexed video streams are available at:
https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas.

Channel 33 rebroadcasts the following Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

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Tuesday, March 21, 2023 AGENDA Page 3
Communications to the City Council are public record and will become part of the City’s electronic records, which are accessible through the City’s website. Please note: e-mail addresses, names, addresses, and other contact information are not required, but if included in any communication to the City Council, will become part of the public record. If you do not want your e-mail address or any other contact information to be made public, you may deliver communications via U.S. Postal Service to the City Clerk Department at 2180 Milvia Street. If you do not want your contact information included in the public record, please do not include that information in your communication. Please contact the City Clerk Department for further information.

Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the public counter at the City Clerk Department located on the first floor of City Hall located at 2180 Milvia Street as well as posted on the City's website at https://berkeleyca.gov/.

Agendas and agenda reports may be accessed via the Internet at:
https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas and may be read at reference desks at the following locations:

City Clerk Department - 2180 Milvia Street, First Floor Tel: 510-981-6900, TDD: 510-981-6903, Fax: 510-981-6901 Email: [email protected]

Libraries: Main – 2090 Kittredge Street,
Claremont Branch – 2940 Benvenue, West Branch – 1125 University, North Branch – 1170 The Alameda, Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch – 1901 Russell

COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:

This meeting is being held in a wheelchair accessible location.

To request a disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at (510) 981-6418 (V) or (510) 981-6347 (TDD) at least three business days before the meeting date.

Please refrain from wearing scented products to this meeting.

Captioning services are provided at the meeting, on B -TV, and on the Internet. In addition, assisted listening devices for the hearing impaired are available from the City Clerk prior to th e meeting, and are to be returned before the end of the meeting.

Communications
Council rules limit action on Communications to referral to the City Manager and/or Boards and Commissions for investigation and/or recommendations. All communications submitted to Council are public record. Copies of individual commu nications are available for viewing at the City Clerk Department and through Records Online.

Item #2: Civic Center Plan Phase II – Design Concept

1. Wendy Alfsen

2. Peter Schultze-Allen

3. Todd Jersey

4. Janet Byron

5. John Caner, Convener, Community for a Cultural Civic Center

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Office of the City Manager
2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: (510) 981-7000 ● TDD: (510) 981-6903 ● Fax: (510) 981-7099 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.CityofBerkeley.info/Manager

WORKSESSION
March 21, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Dee Williams-Ridley, City Manager
Submitted by: Eleanor Hollander, Office of Economic Development Subject: Civic Arts Grants Program – Improved Practices & Community Impact

INTRODUCTION
The City of Berkeley’s Civic Arts Program supports a culturally vibrant and diverse arts ecosystem within the City of Berkeley by funding grants to individual artists, arts organizations, and festivals in Berkeley.

The purpose of this worksession is to:

1. Provide Council with an overview of the updated Civic Arts Grants Program.

2. Describe the program’s professionalized practices, commitment to cultural equity, and improved community impact.

3. Review possible future actions for program development.

Berkeley is home to a myriad of individual creatives and artists, from world‐renown musicians, writers, and dancers to up‐and‐coming artists and working artisans. Berkeley also boasts a high concentration of nonprofit arts organizations that offer a wealth of programming, education, and festival events for residents and visitors alike. The organizations that make up Berkeley’s arts community are varied in size and creative disciplines, and include major institutions, annual festivals including seasonal celebrations and educational events, culturally-specific organizations, and neighborhood art centers. The rich cultural traditions and abundant art offerings found in Berkeley help to define and distinguish our community.

CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS
The City of Berkeley has long recognized the importance of the arts to the quality of life and well-being of our city, which is reflected through the financial investments and programmatic commitments (“grants”) the City has made over the years. These commitments have helped foster the arts as a significant part of Berkeley’s identity and contributor to the high quality of life experienced locally. Berkeley’s arts sector

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generates approximately $165 million annually in economic activity and provides about 6,500 jobs locally.1
The Civic Arts program is part of the City’s Office of Economic Development and, in consultation with the Civic Arts Commission, administers the City’s arts-related programs including: Grants for individual artists, organizations and festivals2, Public Art3, and initiatives of the City of Berkeley’s Arts and Culture Plan.4 Through the Grants Program, Civic Arts provides funding to support a vibrant arts ecosystem, strengthen diverse cultural expressions, and ensure equitable access to arts and culture throughout Berkeley. Through its three core grant categories – including funding for artists, festivals, and nonprofit arts organizations – the program awards a combined total of approximately $700,000 annually. A complete list of the most recent City of Berkeley Civic Arts grantees is included as Attachment 1.

Civic Arts Grant Categories
Individual Artist Project grants support artists living in Berkeley in creating new work.

Awarded artists are required to make a public presentation that engages Berkeley residents in a meaningful way. In FY23, a total of $44,000 was awarded in this category to eleven (11) individual artists. Each artist award was $4,000. A record-setting number of individuals artists (52) applied for grant funds for FY23; awardees for FY24 will be notified in July 2023. The Individual Artist Projects Grant Guidelines for FY24 are included as Attachment 2.

Community Festival grants support a range of events throughout Berkeley that celebrate and preserve a rich variety of cultural opportunities for Berkeley’s residents, bolster Berkeley’s vitality, increase Berkeley’s reputation as a lively destination for visitors, and create meaningful, accessible engagement with the public. These events may range from small-scale and inaugural events with budgets of under $5,000 to large- scale and established festivals with budgets of over $1 million. Grant-funded events must be open to the public and have a free component. In FY23, a total of $194,299 was awarded in this category to thirty-three (33) festivals. Award amounts in this category averaged $5,887 per festival, and ranged from $2,442 to $7,581 each.

Community Festivals Grant Guidelines for FY24 are included as Attachment 3.

General Operating Support grants support the growth and stability of Berkeley’s arts organizations through funding for the operational expenses of nonprofit arts groups.

This funding is intended to empower and promote equitable representation of organizations that have been historically and systemically marginalized. This grant 1 City of Berkeley Arts and Culture Plan (2018-2027 Update), adopted 2019, page 13. 2 2023 Civic Arts grant cycle, online: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/civic-arts/civic-arts- grants.
3 2023 Public Art Program, online: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/civic-arts/public-art. 4 City of Berkeley Arts and Culture Plan (2018 – 2027 Update), adopted July 24, 2019.

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program operates on a two-year cycle, which is used to reduce the amount of administrative time and effort required to apply for City funding. In FY22 and FY23, $458,697 was awarded to 70 arts organizations in this category annually. Award amounts in this category averaged $6,552; and ranged from $4,593 to $8,330 each.

General Operating Support Grant Guidelines for FY24 are included as Attachment 4.

Grantmaking Process
The Civic Arts Grants Program is administered in accordance with national, state, and regional best practices in grantmaking. Civic Arts evaluates its grantmaking processes and practices annually as part of the grant cycle in order to improve grant procedures, better align award decisions with the program’s values, and ultimately to better serve Berkeley’s arts community. Civic Arts staff uses data collected from a post-application survey and a grant process evaluation discussion with grant review panelists to make improvements to the grant cycle and application process. Through a progression of learning and continuous improvement activities, Civic Arts’ grantmaking practices have evolved since 2018 to provide the following modernized elements:

Accessible Application Process: To reduce barriers to apply for funding, the Grants Program uses an online application system that is designed for ease and accessibility, and integrates into the system all phases of the grant process from application submission and panel scoring to funding awards and collecting final reports. The grant guidelines and application forms use simplified language and all forms, web pages, and documents developed for the Grants Program have incorporated better accessibility practices. All grant guidelines have been vetted through the City’s Disability Services consultants and accommodations for applicants with disabilities are also available.

Additionally, the grant guidelines are available to be translated into another language upon request; and if the online application form is submitted in a language other than English, a third-party translation service will be used to translate application answers into English for the grant application review panelists. Annually the program budgets for support services like translation.

Values-Driven Grantmaking Practices: The program’s values are transparently articulated through the establishment of weighted grant application evaluation criteria (i.e. ‘scoring’ criteria). Grant applicants can review the scoring criteria in the published grant guidelines to understand how their applications will be evaluated prior to submitting a grant application. Grant review panelists are required to score the applications according to these criteria. Certain evaluation criteria are utilized for all Civic Arts grant categories – for example, the Cultural Equity criterion appears program- wide in all categories and is worth 25–30% of an applicant’s score. Other evaluation criteria relate to category-specific program values – for example, the Festival Management and Production criterion relates to ensuring a successful event that fully benefits the community.

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Technical Assistance and Capacity Building: Civic Arts staff act as a day‐to‐day liaison with potential grant applicants and funded grantees to answer questions related to grant applications, payment procedures, and reporting. Each grant cycle, Civic Arts staff conducts grant application workshops for each category to review the grant guidelines, application form, and answer attendees’ questions. Currently these workshops are held in a virtual format, which is offered live and recorded (with transcript) and posted to the Civic Arts webpage for applicants to access anytime.5 A transparent grantmaking scoring process is then conducted; with Civic Arts staff inviting applicants to observe the review panel deliberations of their application. This experience provides applicants with insight into the review of their applications and provides context to strengthen their grant-writing for future applications to the Civic Arts Program and other funders. Once final funding decisions are made, all applicants— awarded or not—may request a review of the panelists’ written comments and may discuss them with Civic Arts staff to improve future grant proposals.

Civic Arts also produces a special topic workshop annually to provide additional capacity building to potential grantees. For example, during the FY22 grant cycle Civic Arts produced a webinar called Civic Arts Grant Writing Tips Workshop featuring two former grant application review panelists. This fiscal year, Civic Arts will host a workshop called Disaster Preparedness 101 for artists and arts organizations presented by CERF+, the leading nonprofit organization focused on safeguarding artists' livelihoods nationwide.

Equity-Informed Selection of Panelists: The annual grant review panel is comprised of individuals located in the greater Bay Area with diverse backgrounds in the cultural sector. Civic Arts conducts an open call for grant application review panelists and prioritizes the selection of individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to serve as panelists. After successful recruitment in FY23, the Civic Arts Commission- approved panelist pool more than doubled since the last open call for panelists.

Panelists are paid $25 per application reviewed, with panelists reviewing 30 to 40 applications on average.

Data Analysis and Increased Internal Capacity: Civic Arts staff collects grantee data in order to evaluate the program’s cultural equity initiatives and technical support activities to better align with and support best practices in governmental grantmaking.

The regular analysis of program data helps inform planning and improve grantmaking processes to better support the arts in Berkeley. In addition, the Office of Economic Development has increased organizational capacity in its Civic Arts service line to better serve Berkeley’s arts community by staffing the program with arts professionals who have the skills and expertise to improve the grant cycle at every point; from designing 5 Civic Arts Grants webpage – see links to “Informational Webinars” for each of the three grant categories.

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grant guidelines and facilitating public panels, to cultivating grantee relationships, distributing payments, and monitoring final reports and compliance.

BACKGROUND
Since 1991 when Council adopted Resolution 55,832-N.S. (Attachment 5), the Civic Arts program has distributed City funding through a formalized grantmaking process to Berkeley-based nonprofit arts organizations, fiscally sponsored arts groups, and arts programs within larger institutions. It has also provided project support to individual artists. The process, established in 1991, and continuing on to this day, includes:
 Use of grant guidelines addressing eligibility, review criteria, funding requirements, and methodology for determining grant award amounts.  Application process open to the public and application workshops.  Grant application review by a designated panel.
 Public hearing on funding awards.

In 2016, Civic Arts contracted with an outside arts strategy consultant, Diane Espaldon, to conduct its first formal assessment of the Civic Arts Grants Program, which had until then been administering a consistent grantmaking strategy of providing modest general operating support to grantees based on organizational budget size, and occasional project support to individual artists. The goal of the assessment was to ensure that the City was best serving the needs of Berkeley’s arts community and to align the grants program with current practices in the field. As a result of the 2016 assessment, the Civic Arts program separated the Individual Artists Grant Program from the Arts Organizations Grant Program in order to make the City of Berkeley’s support for individual artists distinct.

Since 2016, the City’s investment in the arts through the Civic Arts Grants Program has steadily increased.

Table 1 – Civic Arts Grants (all Categories).

Fiscal Year Total Amount Awarded Number of Grants
FY15/16 $229,100 53
FY16/17 $378,848 56
FY17/18 $497,510 61
FY18/19 $500,000 63
FY19/20 $650,199 90
FY20/21 $579,493 94
FY21/22 $714,470 104
FY22/23 $696,996 114
Table 1 Civic Arts Grants - total award amounts and number of awards by fiscal year

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In 2019, the Grants Program underwent an evaluation by Civic Arts staff who conducted a field scan of best practices in arts grantmaking and developed recommendations for improvements to the program in consultation with the Civic Arts Commission and the Berkeley Cultural Trust, a consortium of Berkeley-based nonprofit arts organizations.

The 2019 evaluation resulted in an overhaul to the program’s guidelines and resulted in a more rigorous, formalized process with clearer eligibility requirements and refined review criteria, including the addition of the Cultural Equity scoring criteria to all grant categories. Program practices were updated to provide additional technical assistance to applicants and capacity building to Berkeley’s arts community. In this same year, Civic Arts created a new Festivals grant category in response to a City Council Referral (Attachment 6), allowing Civic Arts to offer three distinct grant opportunities.

Since 2019, Civic Arts has managed a grants process for each Fiscal Year cycle for three grant programs: General Operating Support, Community Festivals, and Individual Artist Projects, and the total number of grant awards during this time period has nearly doubled.

In addition to on-going grant programs, Civic Arts also administered one-time COVID-19 recovery grant programs in FYs 2021 & 2022 to Berkeley’s arts organizations, festivals, and artists funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA):

Grants for arts organizations and festivals: Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants (BARG) for Organizations & Festivals provided one-time grants to all qualifying Berkeley-based nonprofit and fiscally-sponsored arts organizations and festivals. BARG grants were used to mitigate arts organizations’ economic losses from COVID-19, implement COVID-19 prevention tactics, and procure consulting and marketing services to support organizations’ future financial sustainability. In February and March 2022, 74 grant awards were dispersed to Berkeley’s arts organizations and festivals totaling $1,532,345, with individual awards ranging from $3,000 to $33,000, and an average grant award amount of $20,734 per organization.

Grants for artists and cultural practitioners: Also funded through ARPA, in May 2022, the Center for Cultural Innovation assisted with administration of the Berkeley Arts Recovery Grants (BARG) for individual Artists & Cultural Practitioners on behalf of the City. This grant program distributed $276,250 to 114 Berkeley-based artists, culture bearers, cultural practitioners, makers, specialized arts workers, and teaching artists.

Awards ranged from $1,250 to $8,000 each, and funding was prioritized for individuals from marginalized communities and those with the highest percentage of income lost from arts and culture related-professions due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Grants for artists to create temporary public art on the theme of COVID recovery:

With the remaining ARPA funds (approximately $125,000) set aside for arts community recovery, the Civic Arts Program plans to implement a second round of Berkeley Arts Works Projects (BAWP) grants. BAWP was an initiative first implemented in 2021,

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which provided artists financial opportunities during an economically challenging time, while also enhancing Berkeley's cultural and economic vitality through community- focused public art projects. The prior round of BAWP grants totaled approximately $200,000 and was funded through the City’s “Cultural Trust Fund” (Fund 148).

STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACTS
The successful implementation of a robust Civic Arts Grants Program supports the City’s Strategic Plan Priorities, advancing our goals to:
o Foster a dynamic, sustainable, and locally-based economy. o Champion and demonstrate social and racial equity.
o Be a customer-focused organization that provides excellent, timely, easily- accessible service and information to the community.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE IMPACTS
There are no identifiable environmental effects or opportunities associated with the subject of this report.

POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION
For Council’s consideration, on the March 21, 2023 regular City Council meeting agenda, is a referral response report addressing Council’s request to develop an annual Capital Projects Grant Program for Berkeley-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. The capital grant program’s goal would be to retain and sustain the vitality of Berkeley’s arts sector though direct real estate and capital project support grants to qualifying Berkeley arts organizations. The report includes a budget request of $300,000 to the FY 2024 budget process to administer the new grant program.

FISCAL IMPACTS OF POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION
A new capital grants program would require an annual allocation of $300,000 from general fund revenues beginning in FY 2024. It is anticipated that establishment of an annual allocation for an ongoing grants process to underwrite real estate or capital costs incurred by arts organizations would regularize the fiscal impacts of such requests to the City. This grant program is a proposed alternate approach to the practice of making one-time funding allocations to specific arts organizations for capital projects and purchases during the budget process. Though the administration of a future Capital Projects Grant Program would require the annual commitment of staff time; staff is poised to create administrative efficiencies by incorporating grant development and review processes for the new capital grant program into the current workflow of the Civic Arts grants program cycle.

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CONTACT PERSON
Jennifer Lovvorn, Civic Arts, Office of Economic Development, (510) 981-7533 Hilary Amnah, Civic Arts, Office of Economic Development, (510) 981-7539 Attachments:
1: List of Civic Art Grantees for FY23
2: Individual Artist Project Grants Guidelines for FY24 3: Community Festival Grants Guidelines for FY24
4: General Operating Support Grants Guidelines for FY24 5: Resolution No. 55,832-N.S. Establishing Criteria for the Distribution of City Arts Funding, 1991
6: Referral Response: Establishment of a Festival Grants Program, 2019

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General Operating Support (FY23)
Organization Address Award Discipline
Actors Ensemble of Berkeley 1622 Fairview St, Berkeley, CA 94703 $11,966 Theatre Antons Well Theater Company
2618 College Ave, Apt 5 1/2, Berkeley, CA
94704 $11,860 Theatre
Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702 $12,588 Music Aurora Theatre Company 2081 Addison St, Berkeley, CA $16,160 Theatre Bay Area Children's Theatre 2055 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704 $13,572 Theatre Bay Area Creative BAC - The Berkeley Poetry Slam 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 $11,904 Literary Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut St, Berkeley, CA 94709 $12,350 Visual Berkeley Chamber Performances 2315 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 $11,250 Music Berkeley Choro Ensemble 826 Miramar Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707 $11,480 Music Berkeley Community Chorus & Orchestra PO Box 310, Berkeley, CA 94701 $12,088 Music Berkeley High School Jazz 1980 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704 $12,746 Music Berkeley Music Group 2036 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 $15,070 Music Berkeley Old Time Music Convention 2020 Addison, Berkeley, CA 94704 $10,786 Music Berkeley Playhouse/Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College Ave, Berkeley, 94704 $16,286 Theatre Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025 Addison St. Berkeley, CA 94704 $16,132 Theatre Freight & Salvage 2020 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704 $16,660 Music Berkeley Symphony Orchestra
1942 University Ave Suite 104, Berkeley,
CA 94704 $13,220 Music
Black Repertory Group 3201 Adeline St, Berkeley, CA 94703 $13,536 Theatre BrasArte the Damasceno Brazilian Cultural Exchange 1901 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702 $13,826 Dance California Institute for Community, Art & Nature
2150 Allston Way, Suite 460, Berkeley, CA
94704 $13,036 Multi-disciplinary
California Jazz Conservatory 2087 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704 $15,538 Music Cazadero Performing Arts Camp
941 The Alameda Room 3, Berkeley, CA
94707 $13,456 Music
Central Works 2315 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 $13,312 Theatre Chora Nova PO Box 9345, Berkeley, CA 94709 $10,428 Music Creative Residencies for Emerging Artists Teaching
Empowerment (C.R.E.A.T.E.)
2465 Bancroft Way Suite 218, Berkeley,
CA 94720 $11,544 Multi-disciplinary
Danse Lumière 1450 Fourth St, Berkeley, CA 94710 $10,976 Dance David Brower Center
2150 Allston Way Ste 100, Berkeley, CA
94704 $12,508 Visual
East Bay Media Center 1939 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704 $12,072 Media/Film Eastwind Books Multicultural Services 2066 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 $12,112 Multi-disciplinary Firehouse Collective Inc / DBA Firehouse Art
Collective 1313 Ninth St, Berkeley, CA 94710 $11,456 Visual Four Seasons Arts, Inc. 2700 Belrose Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 $12,930 Music Gamelan Sekar Jaya 3023 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 $14,010 Music Girls Garage 1380 10th St, Berkeley, CA 94710 $13,852 Multi-disciplinary Habitot Children's Museum
1563 Solano Ave #326, Berkeley, CA
94707 $13,588 Multi-disciplinary
Heyday
1808 San Pablo Ave, Suite A, Berkeley, CA
94702 $15,070 Literary
Inferno Theatre 1802 Fairview St, Berkeley, CA 94703 $11,376 Theatre Jewish Community Center of the East Bay dba JCC
East Bay 1414 Walnut St, Berkeley, CA 94709 $12,166 Multi-disciplinary

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Kairos Music Academy 1953 Hopkins St. Berkeley, CA 94707 $11,482 Music Kala Art Institute 1060 Heinz Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710 $16,286 Visual La Peña Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 $13,114 Multi-disciplinary Left Margin LIT
1543 Shattuck Ave, Suite B, Berkeley, CA
94709 $12,404 Literary
Luna Kids Dance, Inc. 1038 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707 $12,692 Dance Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance 1800 Dwight Way, Berkeley, CA 94703 $13,220 Dance Makers Paradise 1790 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709 $9,332 Multi-disciplinary Dance Monks 1250 Addison St #103, Berkeley, CA 94702 $12,112 Dance Movement Liberation 1924 Cedar St, Berkeley, CA 94709 $10,976 Dance Pacific Edge Voices 592 The Alameda, Berkeley, 94707 $10,996 Music Play Cafe, Inc. 2015 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94704 $11,944 Theatre PlayGround 3286 Adeline St #8, Berkeley, CA 94703 $13,352 Theatre Poetry Flash
1450 FOURTH ST #4, BERKELEY, CA
94710 $11,850 Literary
Cal Performances 101 Zellerbach #4800, Berkeley, CA 94720 $16,412 Multi-disciplinary Sacred & Profane, A Chamber Chorus 1199 Cornell Ave, Berkeley, CA 94706 $11,398 Music Sense Object 1970 Chestnut St, Berkeley, CA 94702 $9,964 Dance Shawl-Anderson Modern Dance Center 2704 Alcatraz Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 $15,880 Dance Small Press Distribution, Inc. 1341 7th St., Berkeley, CA 94710 $15,880 Literary StoryCenter 1250 Addison St #103, Berkeley, CA 94702 $14,728 Media/Film The Beat Berkeley Performing Arts
2560 Ninth St, Ste 119, Berkeley, CA
94710 $11,614 Dance
The Berkeley FILM Foundation
2600 10th St, Suite 427, Berkeley, CA
94710 $13,324 Media/Film
The Capoeira Arts Foundation, INC 1901 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94702 $13,640 Multi-disciplinary The Marsh, a breeding ground for new performance 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704 $12,930 Theatre The San Francisco Early Music Society P.O. Box 10151, Berkeley, CA 94709 $13,088 Music The Shotgun Players, Inc. 1901 Ashby Ave, Berkeley, CA 94703 $16,318 Theatre The Starry Plough 3101 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley, Ca, 94705 $11,956 Music Theatre Lunatico 1834 Euclid Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709 $10,722 Theatre TheatreFIRST 1301 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709 $13,220 Theatre Those Women Productions 1807 Grant St, Berkeley, CA 94703 $12,220 Theatre UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
(BAMPFA)
2120 Oxford St, #2250, Berkeley, CA
94720 $15,786 Multi-disciplinary
Young People's Chamber Orchestra (YPCO) 2727 College Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 $10,554 Music Young People's Symphony Orchestra Association
2600 Tenth St, Suite 632, Berkeley, CA,
94710 $12,666 Music
Youth Musical Theater Company 820 Arlington Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707 $13,246 Theatre

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Community Festivals (FY23)
Organization Address/Council District Award
2023 Junior Bach Festival 1425 Edith St, Berkeley, CA 94703 $6,289 30th Annual Berkeley Indigenous Peoples Day
Powwow & Indian Market 1507 Curtis St, Berkeley, CA 94702 $5,862 AfroLit 2305 West St, Berkeley, CA 94702 $5,490
Annual Contemporary Diasporas Festival 1802 Fairview St, Berkeley, CA 94703 $5,403 Asian Cultural Festival 2222 Harold Way, Berkeley, Ca, 94704 $4,943 Berkeley Bird Festival
2530 San Pablo Ave, Suite G, Berkeley,
CA 94702 $6,711
Berkeley Juneteenth Festival 1332 Ordway St, Berkeley, CA 94702 $7,581 Berkeley Poetry Festival 3008 Acton St, Berkeley, CA 94702 $5,653 Berkeley Video & Film Festival 1939 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704 $5,558 Black Generations Festival
2020 Milvia St, Suite #420 Berkeley, CA
94704 $6,044
Black Women's Blues Festival
2721 Shattuck Ave #244, Berkeley, CA
94705 $5,929
California Native Ways — 4th Annual California Indian
Arts & Culture Festival
2150 Allston Way, Suite 460, Berkeley, CA
94704 $7,538
Capoeira: The Art of Social and Personal
Transformation 1901 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, 94702 $5,045 Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival
1700 Shattuck Ave #318, Berkeley, CA
94709 $5,619
Community Music Day 1475 Rose St, Berkeley, CA 94702 $5,133 Dia de los Muertos 2022 1000 Camelia St, Berkeley, CA 94710 $5,639 Disability Rights Rising: A Celebration of the Art,
Culture, and the History of Disability Justice in
Berkeley
3075 Adeline St, Suite 100, Berkeley, CA
94703 $7,496
Evolution: A 10th Anniversary Celebration of API
Theater 1301 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709 $5,821
Foundation for the Future of Literature and Literacy
1569 Solano Ave #635, Berkeley, CA
94707 $7,007
Freight Fest 2020 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704 $7,488 Hawaiian Healing Arts Festival
1611 San Pablo Ave, Suite #1, Berkeley,
CA 94702 $5,585
Persian New Year Festival - Chaharshanbe Souri 2029 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 $5,855 San Francisco Mime Troupe Free Park Shows in
Berkeley 2022 855 Treat Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110 $6,736 SF Bay Brazilian Day & Lavagem Festival 2022 1901 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702 $5,808 Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: A Community
Celebration 1654 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94703 $7,175 Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair 2600 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 $5,382 Telegraph Berkeley Summer Fair or (Sunday Best)
2437 Durant Ave Suite 206, Berkeley, CA
97404 $5,166
The Dragon Boat Experience
1442a Walnut St #243, Berkeley, CA
94709 $2,442
The Himalayan Fair PO Box 7736, Berkeley, CA 94707 $5,896 The Queering Dance Festival 2704 Alcatraz Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 $5,889 Ubuntu Awards Festival 1440 Kains Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 $5,389 Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival 1450 Fourth St, #4, Berkeley, CA 94710 $5,234 West Berkeley Community Print Festival 2990 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720 $5,490

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Individual Artist Projects (FY23)
Name Council District Award Discipline
Andy Warner District 3 $4,000 Multi-disciplinary
Elizabeth Rosner District 5 $4,000 Literary
Emily Onderdonk District 5 $4,000 Music
Erica Azim District 4 $4,000 Music
Hector Munoz-Guzman District 3 $4,000 Visual
Hector Salgado District 3 $4,000 Media/Film
Mahsa Vahdat District 6 $4,000 Music
Marlene (Cookie) Segelstein District 5 $4,000 Music
Natalia Quintero-Hong District 2 $4,000 Multi-disciplinary Oona Garthwaite District 4 $4,000 Media/Film
Paula deJoie District 5 $4,000 Visual

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Civic Arts
Office of Economic Development

2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 | Tel: (510) 981-7539 | TDD: (510) 981-6903 | Email: [email protected]

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FY24 Individual Artist Project Grants
City of Berkeley | Civic Arts Grant Guidelines

APPLY HERE

Important Dates (Subject to change)
Applications Open January 9, 2023
Application Deadline March 1, 2023, 11:59 pm
Grant Review Panel Meeting May 2023
Grants Subcommittee Meeting – Funding Recommendations June 5, 2023 Civic Arts Commission Meeting – Grant Awards Approval June 21, 2023, 6:00 pm Grant Activity Period July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024
Final Report Due July 30, 2024

1. OVERVIEW

1.1 Purpose – Why these grants are offered.

The Civic Arts program supports a culturally vibrant and diverse arts ecosystem within the City of Berkeley by funding grants to artists, arts organizations, and festivals.

Individual Artist Project grants support artists living in Berkeley in creating new work. The new work must include a public presentation that engages Berkeley residents in a meaningful way.

1.2 Land Acknowledgment
The City of Berkeley recognizes that the community we live in was built on the territory of xučyun (Huchiun), the ancestral and unceded land of the Chochenyo-speaking Ohlone people, the ancestors and descendants of the sovereign Verona Band of Alameda County. This land was and continues to be of great importance to all of the Ohlone Tribes and descendants of the Verona Band. We acknowledge and honor the original inhabitants of Berkeley, the documented 5,000-year history of a vibrant community at the West Berkeley Shellmound, and the Ohlone people who continue to reside in the East Bay. We recognize that Berkeley’s residents have and continue to benefit from the use and occupation of this unceded stolen land since the City of Berkeley’s incorporation in 1878. As stewards of the laws regulating the City of Berkeley, it is not only vital that we recognize the history of this land, but also recognize that the Ohlone people are present members of Berkeley and other East Bay communities today. The City of Berkeley will continue to build relationships with the Lisjan Tribe and to create meaningful actions that uphold the intention of this land acknowledgement.

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1.3 Cultural Equity Statement
The City of Berkeley Civic Arts program commits to equity within the arts and culture sector by consistently evaluating its programs and practices. The City recognizes the multiple benefits the arts provide, regardless of race, color, religion, age, disability, national origin, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

Beyond ensuring access to the arts, the City of Berkeley commits to supporting artists and arts organizations that represent diverse cultures, life experiences, and socio-economic backgrounds. The City supports the empowerment of perspectives and identities that have been historically and systemically underrepresented.

1.4 Eligibility – Who can apply?
Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
• Applicant is an individual artist and not applying as a partnership, group, or collective • Applicant is resident of the City of Berkeley
• Applicant is an artist working in dance, film and new media, folk and traditional arts, literary arts, music, social practice, theater, or visual arts
• Applicant is 18 years of age or older

Please note: Individual Artist Project grantees do not use Fiscal Sponsors.

1.5 Eligibility – Who can’t apply?
• City of Berkeley employees employed at the time of the application or during any part of the Grant Activity Period
• Full-time students enrolled at the time of the application or during any part of the Grant Activity Period
• Individual Artist Project grantees from the last two Fiscal Years • Individuals who do not live in the City of Berkeley
• Organizational applicants (for example, festivals, nonprofit organizations, businesses, etc.)

1.6 Who is encouraged to apply?
• Artists in any phase of their artistic career including emerging, midcareer, and established artists • Although not considered in review process, individuals representing systemically marginalized identities, including but not limited to: Arab, MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian); Asian; Black, African American; California Native American, Indigenous, Tribal; Disabled; Elders, Seniors; Latinx, Chicanx; LGBTQIA2S+; Low Income; Neuro-Divergent; Pacific Islander; People of Color; Trans and/or Non-Binary People; Immigrants (Documented and/or Undocumented), Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants; Unhoused; Unsheltered; Veterans; or Youth 18 years of age or older are strongly encouraged to apply.

1.7 Grant Amount
The Individual Artist Project grant is a $4,000 award.

Final award amounts are contingent upon City Council’s adoption of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

Final award amounts are subject to change based on the adopted budget allocation for Civic Arts Grants in Fiscal Year 2024.

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1.8 Funding Use – Grant money can be used for these things.

A project budget is not required for this application. Examples of eligible expenses for this funding include, but are not limited to:
• Artist fees
• Equipment rentals
• Living expenses during the Grant Activity Period (for example, rent, utilities, childcare, etc.) • Stipends for collaborators
• Supplies and materials needed for the project
• Venue or studio fees

1.9 Funding Use Restrictions – Grant money can’t be used for these things.

Grant funds may not be used for the following:
• Expenses incurred outside of the Grant Activity Period • Joint projects funded by two or more Individual Artist Project awards • Political advocacy or lobbying
• Project production and presentation activities outside of the City of Berkeley • Projects for which the main intent is curation, archiving, or journalism

1.10 Project Requirements
• All project components must be completed within the Grant Activity Period. • Public presentation. A public presentation in Berkeley is required. In-person or virtual presentations may include, but are not limited to: performing arts productions; visual art presentations, exhibitions or public art projects; social practice projects; media arts or film screenings; literary readings; or artist talks.

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2. APPLICATION PROCESS

2.1 Grant Application Materials
All application materials must be submitted electronically before the deadline. The Individual Artist Project grant application consists of the following components:
• Proof of residency
o Applicants must submit paperwork demonstrating Berkeley residency with their application. Unhoused and unsheltered artists may provide a letter from a Berkeley- based shelter or a Berkeley-based homeless service program as proof of Berkeley residency.
• Narrative questions
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)
• Work samples and descriptions

2.2 Grants Management System
All application materials must be submitted electronically using the Office of Economic Development’s grants management system, Submittable. Technical assistance creating a Submittable account is available through Submittable’s Customer Support.

Please note: Paper or physical applications are not accepted at this time.

2.3 Technical Assistance
Technical assistance for grant program-specific inquiries is available from Civic Arts staff by email or by appointment. This technical assistance can help provide guidance around eligibility, application requirements, or review criteria.

Resources available on the Civic Arts website are a FAQs (frequently asked questions) page and a recording of the Grant Program Webinar.

Staff contact: Hilary Amnah, Grants Program Lead
[email protected]
Schedule a virtual appointment

2.4 Accommodations for Disabilities
Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations to participate should make their requests to the Civic Arts staff at [email protected]. Staff will work with the Disability Compliance Program ([email protected]) to review and fulfill the request. Disability-related accommodation requests must be made at least 72 hours in advance of deadlines or meetings. TTY users can dial 7-1-1 to be connected to a specially trained communications assistant from a state relay provider.

2.5 Translation Services
The grant guidelines are available to be translated into another language upon request. Requests can be emailed to Civic Arts staff at [email protected]. If the application is submitted in a language other than English, a third-party translation service will be used to translate application answers into English for Grant Review Panelists.

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3. EVALUATION AND SCORING

3.1 Review Criteria
Applications will be evaluated in a Grant Review Panel meeting according to the following criteria:

Artistic Practice and Experience (30%)
• Work samples demonstrate high-quality or promise
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) demonstrates high-quality or promise through its artistic history and accomplishments
• Reasoning for how funding will enhance, develop, and/or transform the applicant’s artistic practice is compelling

Project Narrative (30%)
• Project goals are clearly defined
• Project plan and timeline demonstrate clarity and feasibility • Project processes demonstrate originality, skill, and depth of concepts • Proposed final work is impactful for the artist and City of Berkeley

Cultural Equity (30%)
• Applicant clearly conveys how their personal experiences and/or identities are rooted in and reflective of historically marginalized communities.
• Applicant demonstrates an appropriate relationship between their creative practice and a historically marginalized community(ies)

Community Impact (10%)
• At least one venue, broadcast format, or virtual platform for public presentation is identified; feasibility of using identified venue is articulated
• Proposed public presentation is appropriate to the project goals and engages a defined Berkeley audience/community in a meaningful way

3.2 Scoring Scale
Grant Review Panelists use the following scale in assessing how well the applicant meets the review criteria. Numerical values are then translated to the appropriate weight for each criterion.

5 Exceptional meets review criteria to the highest degree 4 Strong strongly meets review criteria
3 Good satisfactorily or successfully meets review criteria; average 2 Fair moderately meets some of the review criteria; needs some improvement 1 Underdeveloped minimally meets the review criteria; greatly needs improvement 0 Weak does not meet any elements of the review criteria

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4. REVIEW PROCESS

4.1 Eligibility Screening
Civic Arts staff will review each application submitted before the deadline for eligibility and completeness. Eligible applications will be evaluated by a Grant Review Panel for scoring in accordance with the review criteria.

4.2 Grant Review Panel
The Grant Review Panel is comprised of individuals located in the greater Bay Area with diverse backgrounds in the cultural sector. Individuals apply to be included in the panelist pool through an open call. The Civic Arts Commission approves the pool of panelists that can be selected to serve on a panel.

Any Review Panelist who has a conflict of interest with an application(s) must recuse themselves from reviewing that application(s). A ‘conflict of interest’ is defined as a situation in which a Review Panelist has a competing professional, financial, or personal interests that might could impair their ability to perform their evaluation responsibilities objectively.

The Grant Review Panel meeting is public and facilitated through a Zoom Video Webinar. All applicants receive information regarding the panel meeting’s date, time, and order in which applications will be reviewed. Applicants are encouraged to attend the panel meeting.

Applicants are permitted three (3) minutes at the end of the panel’s review of their application to clarify any aspects of the application that may have been misunderstood by the panelists. The three minutes to address the panelists may not be used to give additional information not included in the application.

Panel comments made by panelists in support of their scores are available to applicants upon request once they receive the official notice of their application’s award or decline from Civic Arts.

4.3 Civic Arts Commission Approval
After the Grant Review Panel has scored all applications, the Civic Arts Commission’s Grants Subcommittee meets to develop funding recommendations in alignment with the rankings and availability of funds. The Subcommittee ensures proposed grant awards are aligned with granting policies and guidelines before forwarding the recommendations to the full Civic Arts Commission.

The award amounts as recommended by the Grants Subcommittee are made public at least five (5) business days prior to the Civic Arts Commission approval. The Civic Arts Commission reviews the funding recommendations and votes on final approval.

4.4 Appeal Process
Applicants who have evidence of misconduct or technical error in the panel review process may appeal the Grant Subcommittee’s proposed funding scenario by completing an appeal form. Appeal forms must be received at least 48 hours in advance of the Civic Arts Commission meeting where final funding decisions are made. Applicants can email appeal forms to [email protected].

Please note: Dissatisfaction with a final score or award amount is not grounds for appeal.

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5. GRANTEE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES

5.1 Invoicing
Grantees must complete a Demographic Survey to receive their grant award invoice from Civic Arts.

Staff will provide an invoice for 100% of the grant amount following City Council’s approval of the Fiscal Year’s budget.

Please note: Applicants should be aware of the tax implications upon receiving the award and maintain documents required for state and federal income taxes.

5.2 Final Report
All grantees must submit a completed Final Report form within 30 days after the end of the Grant Activity Period. Final Reports are usually due by July 30 unless otherwise noted. The Final Report should demonstrate how the grant-funded project was developed and implemented. The Final Report also includes evaluation questions for self-reflection and for Civic Arts staff to make improvements to the program. Grantees who do not submit a Final Report are ineligible from applying for any future Civic Arts grants.

5.3 Grant Activity Period Extension Requests
Grantees who experience circumstances that prevent them from completing their project before the end of the Grant Activity Period may request a Grant Activity Period Extension. A Grant Activity Period Extension may be requested for up to one (1) year beyond the original end-date. Requests must be received before the end of the Grant Activity Period and approved by Civic Arts staff.

5.4 Artist Showcase
Individual Artist Project grantees are required to participate in a virtual Artist Showcase to present their final project processes and products as a cohort. The Artist Showcase is an opportunity to see other grantees’ work and share their work with the Civic Arts community. The Artist Showcase may be recorded and used for Civic Arts promotional purposes.

5.5 Acknowledging City Support
It is important that the Berkeley community know that their local tax dollars make it possible for them to enjoy the caliber of arts produced in Berkeley. Grant recipients should acknowledge the City’s financial support by using the phrase “Supported in part by a Civic Arts Grant from the City of Berkeley” or including the “City of Berkeley” in lists of supporters. Grantees must display the City’s logo in all promotional materials and media.

5.6 City Permits and Permissions
Receiving a grant does not imply that the Civic Arts program or any other City department will produce, exhibit, or promote artwork(s) created with grant funds. It is the responsibility of the grantee to secure a venue and appropriate insurance for public presentations.

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Any grant-funded art installed in the public realm or on property owned by the City of Berkeley must be reviewed and approved by the Civic Arts Commission and its Public Art Subcommittee The review process must be complete before the project is implemented. This review process applies to murals, public sculpture, and similar projects. This review process should be reflected in the project narrative.

5.7 Incomplete Projects
Failure to complete the grant-funded project, required public presentation, or participate in the Artist Showcase will result in a forfeiture of grant funds. Grantees with incomplete projects must return their award funds to the City of Berkeley.

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Civic Arts
Office of Economic Development

2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 | Tel: (510) 981-7539 | TDD: (510) 981-6903 | Email: [email protected]

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FY24 Community Festival Grants
City of Berkeley | Civic Arts Grant Guidelines

APPLY HERE

Important Dates (Subject to change)
Applications Open January 9, 2023
Application Deadline March 8, 2023, 11:59 pm
Grant Review Panel Meeting May 2023
Grants Subcommittee Meeting – Funding Recommendations June 5, 2023 Civic Arts Commission Meeting – Grant Awards Approval June 21, 2023, 6:00 pm Grant Activity Period July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024
Final Report Due July 30, 2024

1. OVERVIEW

1.1 Purpose – Why these grants are offered.

The Civic Arts program supports a culturally vibrant and diverse arts ecosystem within the City of Berkeley by funding grants to artists, arts organizations, and festivals.

The purpose of Community Festivals grant is to fund community festivals and special events that:
• celebrate and preserve a rich variety of cultural opportunities for Berkeley’s residents; • bolster Berkeley’s vitality;
• increase Berkeley’s reputation as a vibrant destination for visitors; • create meaningful, accessible engagement with the public.

Community Festival grants support a range of events throughout the City from small-scale and first-time events to large-scale and established festivals. Community Festival Grant program-funded events must be open to the entire public and have a free component.

Please note: This grant is for festivals that are one or multi-day events, but generally events that occur one time per year. This grant is not intended to fund ongoing programming.

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community at the West Berkeley Shellmound, and the Ohlone people who continue to reside in the East Bay. We recognize that Berkeley’s residents have and continue to benefit from the use and occupation of this unceded stolen land since the City of Berkeley’s incorporation in 1878. As stewards of the laws regulating the City of Berkeley, it is not only vital that we recognize the history of this land, but also recognize that the Ohlone people are present members of Berkeley and other East Bay communities today. The City of Berkeley will continue to build relationships with the Lisjan Tribe and to create meaningful actions that uphold the intention of this land acknowledgement.

1.4 Festival Definition
A festival is defined as a public event that celebrates a community, neighborhood, historically significant day, or shared cultural interest. These may include arts fairs, celebrations of cultural heritage, and other events.

1.5 Eligibility – Who can apply?
Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
• Applicant is a nonprofit 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) organization o Organizational entities that are nonprofit in nature (for example, artist collectives and guilds) but do not have a 501(c)(3) tax exemption may use a Fiscal Sponsor to apply.

Eligible Fiscal Sponsors must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.

1.6 Eligibility – Who can’t apply?
• City of Berkeley government departments or units
• Individual artists
• Public or private school districts

1.7 Who is encouraged to apply?
Although not considered in review process, organizations representing systemically marginalized identities, including but not limited to: Arab, MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian); Asian; Black, African American; California Native American, Indigenous, Tribal; Disabled; Elders, Seniors; Latinx, Chicanx; LGBTQIA2S+; Low Income; Neuro-Divergent; Pacific Islander; People of Color; Trans and/or Non-Binary People; Immigrants (Documented and/or Undocumented), Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Migrants; Unhoused; Unsheltered; Veterans; or Youth 18 years of age or older are strongly encouraged to apply.

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1.8 Grant Amount
All applicants may request up to $7,000 for festival-related expenses.

Final award amounts are contingent upon City Council’s adoption of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

Final award amounts are subject to change based on the adopted budget allocation for Community Festival Grants in Fiscal Year 2024.

1.9 Funding Use – Grant money can be used for these things.

A project budget is required for this application. Examples of eligible expenses for this funding include, but are not limited to:
• Artist and performer stipends
• Equipment rentals
• Production or technical staff contractors
• Supplies and materials needed for the festival
• Venue and permit fees

1.10 Funding Use Restrictions – Grant money can’t be used for these things.

Grant funds may not be used for:
• Activities not available to the general public
• Activities occurring outside the City of Berkeley
• Administrative or other organizational costs unrelated to production of the event • Capital improvement projects
• Conferences, seminars, or symposia
• Events in schools during school hours
• Events on university campuses that are primarily for enrolled students • Events where fundraising is the primary purpose
• Events where sporting is the primary purpose (for example, tournaments, marathons, etc.) • Ongoing programming
• Political advocacy or lobbying

1.11 Festival Requirements
• Festival must have a free component
• Festival must be open and accessible to the public
• Festival must take place in the City of Berkeley
• Festival must take place within the Grant Activity Period

1.12 Fiscal Sponsors
For the purposes of Civic Arts grants, a Fiscal Sponsor is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit organization that receives awarded funds on behalf of an organizational entity that does not have nonprofit status.

Fiscal sponsorship is unique to each circumstance and may take the form of processing a single check, providing complex accounting services, and/or project oversight. Fiscals Sponsors may have an official business address anywhere in the United States.

Organizational entities applying with a Fiscal Sponsor must be nonprofit in nature and have their own accounting documentation. Organizational entities must also be comprised of more than one staff member or volunteer.

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Fiscally sponsored applicants and Fiscal Sponsors should note the following:
• Proof of the Fiscal Sponsor’s nonprofit status is due at the time of application • A Letter of Agreement between the applicant organization and the Fiscal Sponsor outlining the conditions of the fiscal sponsorship is due at the time of application • Grant application questions and materials—including all budget information—apply to the applicant organization, not the Fiscal Sponsor
• The main point of contact between Civic Arts and the fiscal sponsorship is the applicant organization, not the Fiscal Sponsor
• Fiscal Sponsors are responsible for all fiscal obligations of the applicant’s awarded funds

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2. APPLICATION PROCESS

2.1 Grant Application Materials
All application materials must be submitted electronically before the deadline. The Community Festivals grant application consists of the following components:
• Proof of nonprofit status for applicant or Fiscal Sponsor • Festival narrative questions
• Key staff and/or event personnel qualifications
• Board of directors or festival committee biographies, including city of residence • Event budget form and budget notes
• If fiscally sponsored: Letter of Agreement between the applicant and Fiscal Sponsor • Work samples and support materials

Please note: Paper or physical applications are not accepted at this time.

Resources available on the Civic Arts website are a FAQs (frequently asked questions) page and a recording of the Grant Program Webinar.

Staff contact: Hilary Amnah, Grants Program Lead
[email protected]
Schedule a virtual appointment

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3. EVALUATION AND SCORING

3.1 Review Criteria
Applications will be evaluated in a Grant Review Panel meeting according to the following criteria:

Festival Narrative and Community Significance (30%)
• Festival celebrates Berkeley’s cultural richness, historical significance, or community/neighborhood identity
• Festival goals are clearly defined
• Festival planning and activity timeline demonstrates clarity and feasibility • Festival activities and programming are clear and directly relate to the defined goals

Festival Management and Production (25%)
• Key personnel have a history of producing similar festivals or events to the one proposed • Applicant demonstrates ability to acquire necessary permits and insurance • Applicant demonstrates financial responsibility through receiving diversified sources of funding relative to the budget-size and expenses
• Effectiveness of marketing and publicity strategies
• Effectiveness of festival’s evaluation strategies

Community Engagement and Impact (25%)
• Extent to which community members, local businesses, and local nonprofit organizations in the neighborhood are involved in the planning and implementation of the festival • Community and/or neighborhood benefit is clearly demonstrated • Extent to which the festival and festival activities are free • Extent to which the festival and festival activities are accessible to people with physical disabilities

Cultural Equity (20%)
• Extent to which the festival supports diverse event personnel and performers through paid opportunities
• Extent to which the festival’s content is rooted in historically marginalized communities and geographically underserved areas of the city
• Extent to which the festival engages economically-disadvantaged individuals

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4. REVIEW PROCESS

Panel comments made by panelists in support of their scores are available to applicants upon request once they receive the official notice of their application’s award or decline from Civic Arts.

Please note: Dissatisfaction with a final score or award amount is not grounds for appeal.

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5. GRANTEE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES

5.1 Invoicing
Grantees must complete a Demographic Survey to receive their grant award invoice from Civic Arts.

Staff will provide an invoice for 100% of the grant amount following City Council’s approval of the Fiscal Year’s budget.

5.3 Grant Activity Period Extension Requests
Grantees who experience circumstances that prevent them from completing their festival before the end of the Grant Activity Period may request a Grant Activity Period Extension. A Grant Activity Period Extension may be requested for up to one (1) year beyond the original end-date. Requests must be received before the end of the Grant Activity Period and approved by Civic Arts staff.

5.4 Business License
Awarded applicant organizations or Fiscal Sponsors must have a current City of Berkeley Business License. Associated event producers must also have a current Business License.

The grantee is solely responsible for securing the necessary City permits or approvals for elements such as publicly installed art, street closures, sound amplification in public space, or murals if included as part of the grant proposal. Planning for this should be reflected in the application narrative. Any grant-funded art installed in the public realm or on property owned by the City of Berkeley must be reviewed and approved by the Civic Arts Commission and its Public Art Subcommittee The review process must be complete before the project is implemented. This review process applies to murals, public sculpture, and similar projects. This review process should be reflected in the project narrative.

5.7 Incomplete Projects
Failure to complete the grant-funded festival will result in a forfeiture of grant funds. Grantees with incomplete projects must return their award funds to the City of Berkeley.

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Civic Arts
Office of Economic Development

2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 | Tel: (510) 981-7539 | TDD: (510) 981-6903 | Email: [email protected]

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FY24/25 General Operating Support Grants
City of Berkeley | Civic Arts Grant Guidelines

APPLY HERE

Important Dates (Subject to change)
Applications Open January 9, 2023
Application Deadline March 15, 2023, 11:59 pm
Grant Review Panel Meeting May 2023
Grants Subcommittee Meeting – Funding Recommendations June 5, 2023 Civic Arts Commission Meeting – Grant Awards Approval June 21, 2023, 6:00 pm Grant Activity Period – Two Years July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025 Progress Report Due July 30, 2024
Final Report Due July 30, 2025

1. OVERVIEW

1.1 Purpose – Why these grants are offered.

The Civic Arts program supports a culturally vibrant and diverse arts ecosystem within the City of Berkeley by funding grants to artists, arts organizations, and festivals.

General Operating Support grants support the growth and stability of Berkeley’s arts community through funding the operational expenses of nonprofit arts organizations. This funding is intended to empower and promote equitable representation of organizations that have been historically and systemically marginalized.

This grant program operates and is open on a two (2) year cycle. If awarded, grantees receive their award amount for Fiscal Year 2024, and will receive the same award amount for Fiscal Year 2025. A two-year cycle is used to reduce the amount of administrative time and effort required to apply for City funding.

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occupation of this unceded stolen land since the City of Berkeley’s incorporation in 1878. As stewards of the laws regulating the City of Berkeley, it is not only vital that we recognize the history of this land, but also recognize that the Ohlone people are present members of Berkeley and other East Bay communities today. The City of Berkeley will continue to build relationships with the Lisjan Tribe and to create meaningful actions that uphold the intention of this land acknowledgement.

1.4 Arts Organization Definition
An arts organization is defined as an entity with a primary purpose of providing arts, creative, or cultural programming/services. The organization’s purpose is assessed and verified by staff using the organization’s website, mission, core activities, and IRS National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) codes.

1.5 Eligibility – Who can apply?
Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
• Applicant is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization
o Organizational entities that are nonprofit in nature (for example, artist collectives and guilds) but do not have a 501(c)(3) tax exemption may use a Fiscal Sponsor to apply.

Eligible Fiscal Sponsors must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. • Applicant’s official business address is located in the City of Berkeley • Applicant is an arts organization as defined by grant guidelines

1.6 Eligibility – Who can’t apply?
• City of Berkeley government departments or units
• For-profit businesses or sole proprietorships
• Individual artists
• Nonprofit organizations that are not arts/cultural organizations (for example, social service nonprofits, religious institutions, etc.)
• Public or private school districts

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1.8 Grant Amount
All applicants may request up to $10,000 for organizational operating expenses for each year of the Grant Activity Period. Awarded organizations will receive two payments, one in Fiscal Year 2024 and one in Fiscal Year 2025. Awards will be the same amount for the FY24 payment and the FY25 payment.

Final award amounts are contingent upon City Council’s adoption of the Fiscal Year 2024 and 2025 budgets. Final award amounts are subject to change based on the adopted budget allocations for Civic Arts Grants in FY24 and FY25.

1.9 Funding Use – Grant money can be used for these things.

Although a two-year organizational budget form is required, a project budget outlining how the grant funds would be used is not required for this application. Examples of eligible expenses for this funding include, but are not limited to:
• Artist and contractor stipends
• Equipment rentals
• Professional development and training
• Program supplies and materials
• Staff salaries
• Rent and utilities
• Venue and permit fees

1.10 Funding Use Restrictions – Grant money can’t be used for these things.

Grant funds may not be used for:
• Activities in schools during in-school hours
• Activities that are primarily for university- or college-enrolled students • Capital improvement projects
• Deficit or debt reduction
• Equipment purchases
• Expenses incurred outside of the Grant Activity Period • Fundraising
• Political advocacy or lobbying
• Projects with religious or evangelical purposes
• Start-up costs for new organizations or businesses
• Trusts, endowments, or cash reserves

1.11 Funding Requirements
Funds must be used for operating and programming expenses within the Grant Activity Period.

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2. APPLICATION PROCESS

2.1 Grant Application Materials
All application materials must be submitted electronically before the deadline. The General Operating Support grant application consists of the following components:
• Proof of Berkeley business address
• Proof of nonprofit status for applicant or Fiscal Sponsor • Narrative questions
• Work samples and support materials
• Board of directors’ biographies, including city of residence • Key personnel biographies/qualifications
• Budget form and budget notes
• If fiscally sponsored: Letter of Agreement between the applicant and Fiscal Sponsor

Please note: Paper or physical applications are not accepted at this time.

Resources available at any time on the Civic Arts website are a FAQs (frequently asked questions) page and a recording of the Grant Program Webinar workshop.

Staff contact: Hilary Amnah, Grants Program Lead
[email protected]
Schedule a virtual appointment

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3. EVALUATION AND SCORING

3.1 Review Criteria
Applications will be evaluated in a Grant Review Panel meeting according to the following criteria:

Arts and Cultural Programming (25%)
• Organization provides high-quality programming and services that contribute to Berkeley’s cultural ecosystem
• Organization articulates clear goals for the next two years related to its mission • Effectiveness of organizational and programmatic evaluation strategies

Organizational Leadership (25%)
• Key personnel demonstrate the ability to reach programmatic and operational goals through qualifications and/or past experience
• Board of directors demonstrate relevant skills/experience in governing organization • Applicant demonstrates financial health through diversified funding sources and a balanced budget (relative to budget size)
• Evidence of operational innovativeness and adaptability

Community Engagement and Impact (25%)
• Effectiveness of organizational outreach and engagement strategies appropriate to identified audience(s)
• Extent to which input and feedback is collected from community members and/or organizational partners about programming and services
• Extent to which programming and services are accessible to people with physical disabilities • Community benefit is clearly articulated

Cultural Equity (25%)
• Extent to which the organization employs diverse personnel and is governed by a diverse board of directors
• Extent to which the organization’s programming and services are rooted in institutionally underserved communities and geographically underserved areas of the city • Extent to which the organization meaningfully engages economically-disadvantaged individuals • Applicant shows organizational growth through changes made directly related to cultural equity in the past two years

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4. REVIEW PROCESS

Panel comments made by panelists in support of their scores are available to applicants upon request once they receive the official notice of their application’s award or decline from Civic Arts.

4.4 Appeal Process
Applicants who have evidence of misconduct or technical error in the panel review process may appeal the Grant Subcommittee’s proposed funding scenario by completing an official appeal form. Appeal forms must be received at least 48 hours in advance of the Civic Arts Commission meeting where final funding decisions are made. Applicants can email appeal forms to [email protected].

Please note: Dissatisfaction with a final score or award amount is not grounds for appeal.

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5. GRANTEE REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES

5.1 Invoicing
Grantees must complete a Demographic Survey to receive their invoice for the FY24 grant award following City Council’s approval of the Fiscal Year’s budget. After July 1, 2024, grantees must complete a Progress Report to receive their invoice for the FY25 grant award following City Council’s approval of the Fiscal Year’s budget.

5.2 Progress Report and Final Report
All grantees must submit a completed Progress Report form within 30 days after the midpoint of the two-year Grant Activity Period. Progress Reports or usually due by July 30 unless otherwise noted.

Grantees must also submit a completed Final Report form within 30 days after the end of the Grant Activity Period. Final Reports are usually due by July 30 unless otherwise noted.

The Reports should demonstrate progress toward goals and how the grant funds were used. The Final Report also includes evaluation questions for reflection and for Civic Arts staff to make improvements to the program. Grantees who do not submit a Progress Report or Final Report are ineligible from applying for any future Civic Arts grants.

5.3 Grant Activity Period Extension Requests
Grantees who experience circumstances that prevent them from spending grant funds before the end of the Grant Activity Period may request a Grant Activity Period Extension. A Grant Activity Period Extension may be requested for up to one (1) year beyond the original end-date. Requests must be received before the end of the Grant Activity Period and approved by Civic Arts staff.

5.4 Business License
Awarded applicant organizations or Fiscal Sponsors must have a current City of Berkeley Business License.

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5.7 Unused Grant Funds
Failure to use grant funds for operational purposes within the Grant Activity Period will result in a forfeiture of the award. Grantees must return unused funds to the City of Berkeley.

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INFORMATION CALENDAR
January 29, 2019
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Dee Williams-Ridley, City Manager
Submitted by: Jordan Klein, Economic Development Manager Subject: Referral Response: Establishment of a Festival Grants Program

INTRODUCTION
This report responds to a referral adopted by City Council on March 13, 2018 to establish a Festival Grants Program to allocate General Fund grants for special events and festivals via a regular and transparent process, for implementation beginning in the FY2020 budget year.1 Staff worked with the Civic Arts Commission, festival producers and stakeholders, artists, arts organizations, and community members to develop program guidelines for the Festival Grants Program (Attachment 1), and to revise the Civic Arts Grants Program Guidelines for Arts Organizations (Attachment 2) and Individual Artist Projects (Attachment 3).

CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS
Currently there is no formal process for the awarding of festival grants. There are 17 festivals which have been receiving funding through the City’s annual budgeting process. The amounts awarded are not correlated to specific criteria and therefore vary considerably from festival to festival. Although the City of Berkeley supports several high quality and beneficial festivals, the lack of a formal grant program has created an uneven playing field. Funding for new festivals has been inaccessible and currently funded festivals have continued to receive funding without an evaluation of their impact.

From October 2018 through January 2019, Civic Arts Program staff conducted outreach and consultation with a broad set of community stakeholders to inform the development of the Festival Grants Program Guidelines and make corresponding revisions to the Civic Arts Grant Guidelines for Arts Organizations and Individual Artist Projects to ensure that all grant programs managed by the Civic Arts Program are aligned and reflect a unified overarching grants strategy. The grant application period will open in February 2019.

BACKGROUND
On March 13, 2018, City Council referred to the City Manager the establishment of the City of Berkeley Festival Grants Program to allocate General Fund grants for special 1 Festival Grants Program, Item 10, Berkeley City Council Meeting, March 13, 2018.

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Referral Response: Establishment of a Festival Grants Program INFORMATION CALENDAR January 29, 2019

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events and festivals via an annual process, for implementation beginning in the FY2020 budget year. The objective of creating this program is to distribute funding for festivals and special events equitably and transparently through a grant process managed by the Civic Arts Program.

The Festival Grants Program Guidelines establish definitions, eligibility, evaluation criteria, application review process, and other program standards. For the FY2020 budget cycle, Cultural Equity Impact has been incorporated into the evaluation criteria for each of the grant programs.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
There are no environmental impacts related to the development of a grants program.

POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION
Council will allocate funding for the Festival Grants Program through adoption of the FY2020 & 2021 budget in June 2019.

FISCAL IMPACTS OF POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION
The FY 2019 budget allocated $162,315 for grants for street events and festivals. Staff is recommending an allocation for the FY 2020 & 2021 budget cycle of $158,315.

The administration of the Festival Grants Program requires the annual commitment of staff time. To minimize the impact, staff has aligned the Festival Grants Program with the workflow of the annual Civic Arts Grants Program.

CONTACT PERSON
Jordan Klein, Economic Development Manager, (510) 981-7534.

Jennifer Lovvorn, Civic Arts Coordinator, (510) 981-7533.

Attachments:
1: Guidelines for the Festival Grants Program
2: Civic Arts Grants Program Guidelines for Arts Organizations 3: Civic Arts Grants Program Guidelines for Individual Artist Projects 4: Festival and Civic Arts Grants Guidelines Review Process

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Festival Grant Guidelines - Final Draft Guidelines (January 9, 2019) Page 1 City of Berkeley Festival Grant Guidelines
FY20 Grant Cycle for Festivals and Special Events Taking Place: July 1, 2019 — June 30, 2020

1. DEFINITION, PURPOSE, ELIGIBILITY, GRANT AMOUNTS, USE, RESTRICTIONS, & FISCAL

SPONSORS

1.1 Purpose
The Individual Artist Project Grants support individual artists living and producing art in Berkeley culminating in a local public presentation of their work for the benefit of the community within the grant period. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: performances of dance, music or theater; visual art presentations, exhibitions or public art projects; social practice projects; media arts or film screenings; literary presentations; or artist talks. The public presentation can be of a work-in- progress or of the final, polished piece. Grant funds are to be used to generate new work, not to stage pre-existing work.

1.2 Eligibility
Applications that are complete and submitted by the deadline will be accepted from applicants that meet the following conditions:
 Artist is a continuous resident of the City of Berkeley since January 1, 2017. Applicants must submit paperwork demonstrating Berkeley residency with their application.  Artists in any phase of their artistic career may apply including emerging, midcareer, and established artists.
 Artist may not be enrolled as a full-time student at the time of the application or during the grant period.
 Artist may not be an employee of the City of Berkeley, nor plan to be employed by the City of Berkeley at any time during the grant window.
 Applicants cannot receive funding for two consecutive grant cycles in the Individual Artist Project category. Individual Artist Grantees are required to sit out for one year after each funded grant cycle. In addition, grantees are required to close out a grant before applying for new funding.

1.3 Grant Amount
Grant amounts are up to $5,000.

Note: Although a budget is not required for the grant application, applicants should be aware of the tax implications upon receiving the award and maintain the documents required for reporting on state and federal income taxes.

1.4 Funding Use Restrictions
Grant funds may not be used for the following:
 Project activities outside of the City of Berkeley.
 Projects for which the main intent is curation, archiving, or journalism.  Deficit or debt reduction.

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Individual Artist Project Grant Guidelines – Final Draft Guidelines (December 21, 2018) Page 2

2. GRANT APPLICATION MATERIALS
In order to be considered for funding, applicants must submit fully completed grant applications and all required application materials. The Individual Artist Grant application consists of the following components:
 General Application.
 Resume.
 Proof of Residency.
 Work Samples and Descriptions.
 Project Description.

3. EVALUATION CRITERIA & SCORING SYSTEM

Artistic & Professional Quality_________________________________________________35 percent  The applicant’s art and cultural work demonstrates high quality or promise through its artistic history, accomplishments, and examples of previous work.

Quality of Proposed Project __________________________________________________40 percent  Project goals and processes are clearly defined, demonstrate originality, clarity and depth of concepts.
 Artist demonstrates that the proposed project will impact their development and future opportunities.

Cultural Equity Impact_______________________________________________________15 percent  Demonstrated ability of the applicant to support Berkeley’s diverse cultural traditions and values, including capacity to support the City’s underserved communities.  Applicant clearly articulates how their project or artistic expression is rooted in and reflective of historically marginalized communities and geographically underserved areas of the city.
 Public Programming or other activities that reach out to economically disadvantaged communities and communities that lack conventional arts venues or formal arts programs.

Community Impact________________________________________________________10 percent  The proposed public presentation is appropriate to the project goals and feasible in its potential to share the work with a defined Berkeley audience. Artist has identified at least one venue for public presentation.

3.2 Rating System

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Individual Artist Project Grant Guidelines – Final Draft Guidelines (December 21, 2018) Page 3 When evaluating each criterion, panelists will use the following 10-point scale, which is then translated to the appropriate weight for each criterion:
 Exceptional (9 - 10 points)
 Somewhat Exceeds Expectations (8 – 8.9 points)
 Meeting Accepted Standards (7 – 7.9 points)
 Needs Improvement to Warrant Funding (6 – 6.9 points)  Does Not Merit Funding (0 – 5.9 points)
An application must receive an overall score of at least 70 percent of total possible points in order for the panel to consider it for funding. However, achieving a score of at least 70 percent of total possible points does not guarantee that the panel will recommend an application for funding, as funds may not be sufficient to recommend a grant for all applicants that score above the minimum threshold.

4. APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS

4.1 Eligibility Screening
Civic Arts Program staff will review for completeness and eligibility all applications that meet the deadline. Applications that pass this initial review will then be evaluated for their strengths by a separate Grant Review Panel, which will rely on the application and related materials submitted by applicants.

4.2 Grant Review Panel
The Review Panel is comprised of individuals with substantial background in the arts, usually drawn from the ranks of experienced and skilled managers and board members of greater Bay Area arts organizations, professional practicing artists from visual and performing arts fields, and experienced arts grant-makers from the philanthropic and public sectors. An open call and application for potential review panelists will be advertised. Review panelists will be approved by the Civic Arts Commission.

Review Panelists must not have any conflict of interest, which is defined as a situation in which a panelist has a competing professional, financial, or personal interest, which might make it difficult to fulfill his or her duties impartially and could impair an individual's ability to perform his or her duties and responsibilities objectively. A conflict of interest exists even if no unethical or improper act results. A conflict of interest can create an appearance of impropriety that can undermine confidence in the selection process, the Grants Program, the Civic Arts Commission and the City. If a panelist has a conflict of interest, they must recuse themselves and they must notify the City staff in advance of the panel (so that they're not assigned a lead reader role for those cases) and they must leave the room during any panel discussions regarding the applicant with whom there is a conflict of interest so that the panelist does not influence the process.

Applicants are not permitted to address the Review Panel. Panel notes summarizing the Review Panel

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Individual Artist Project Grant Guidelines – Final Draft Guidelines (December 21, 2018) Page 4 comments will be made available to applicants after the Grants Committee’s review of the panel recommendations, but before the Civic Arts Commission’s approval.

5. SELECTED GRANTEE CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS

5.1 Invoices
Grantees may invoice for 90% of the grant amount once they have entered into a grant agreement with the City of Berkeley. Grantees my invoice for remaining grant funds upon approval of the Final Report by Civic Arts staff.

5.2 Final Report
All Grantees must complete and submit the City’s Final Report form for the grant no later than 60 days after the fiscal year end. Programs and projects must have been developed and presented in Berkeley with meaningful, accessible engagement of the public during the grant period.

5.3 Financial Penalty for Late Final Reports
If Final Reports are not submitted by the deadline, the City of Berkeley may assess a financial penalty of $25 per day for each business day a submission is late beyond the submission requirements deadline.

The penalty amount will be deducted from the final invoice payment. The penalty amount is capped at 10% of the total grant amount.

5.4 Acknowledging City Support
It is important that the Berkeley community know that their local tax dollars make it possible for them to enjoy the caliber of arts produced in Berkeley. All grantees should recognize Civic Arts Grants in the same manner in which it recognizes other contributors in terms of benefits, type size on publications, and frequency of acknowledgement. Failure to comply with this request may affect future grant opportunities.

Grant recipients must acknowledge the City’s financial support in all appropriate materials and media.

The acknowledgement should read, “Supported in part by a Civic Arts Grant for Individual Artists from the City of Berkeley” or similar language, unless the City is a part of a list of supporters. In the latter case, the acknowledgement may say simply City of Berkeley. Grantees must display the City’s logo

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Individual Artist Project Grant Guidelines – Final Draft Guidelines (December 21, 2018) Page 5 whenever other sponsor logos are displayed, and in accordance with City logo use guidelines.

5.5 Project Notification
Grantees must provide a 30 day advance notice to their City Council Office and Civic Arts Program to invite representatives to the public presentation of the funded project.

5.6 City Permits and Permissions
The awarding of funds does not imply that the Civic Arts Program or any other City department will produce, exhibit, promote or present the art created. It is the responsibility of the applicant to secure a venue, appropriate insurance and any required permits for public presentations.

If the proposal includes components that require City permits or approval such as publicly installed art, street closures, sound amplification in public space, or murals, the applicant will be solely responsible for securing the necessary permits, permissions, and approvals. This planning should be reflected in your project timeline.

Please note that any art installed with these grant funds on property owned by the City of Berkeley must be reviewed and approved by the Civic Arts Commission starting with the Public Art Committee of the Commission. This applies to murals, public sculpture, and similar projects. It will be the responsibility of the grantee to build this process into their grant plan and timeline. Please contact Civic Art Program staff if you have questions.

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Civic Arts Program

FESTIVALS & CIVIC ARTS GRANTS GUIDELINES REVIEW PROCESS Civic Arts Program staff worked with the Civic Arts Commission and other stakeholders through a public process to develop the Festival Grant Program Guidelines and make some corresponding revisions to the Civic Arts Grant Guidelines for Arts Organizations and Individual Artist Projects to ensure that all grant programs managed by the Civic Arts Program are aligned and reflect a unified overarching grants strategy. The three month-long public process for development of the grant guidelines included numerous opportunities for input prior to final approval by Civic Arts Commission on January 23, 2019.

Opportunities for Public Input and Stakeholder Engagement:

October 10, 2018 Festivals & Arts Organizations Draft Guidelines (v 1) Discussed at Civic Arts Commission Policy Committee Meeting
October 15, 2018 Festivals & Arts Organizations Draft Guidelines (v 1) Discussed at Civic Arts Commission Grants Committee Meeting
October 24, 2018 Festivals & Arts Organizations Draft Guidelines (v 1) Discussed at Civic Arts Commission Meeting
November 5, 2018 Festivals & Arts Organizations Draft Guidelines (v 2) Discussed with Berkeley Cultural Trust Steering Committee & Berkeley Cultural Trust Equity and Inclusion Committee
November 14, 2018 Festivals & Arts Organizations Draft Guidelines (v 2) posted to website for public comment from Berkeley Cultural Trust and Civic Arts Grantees
November 14, 2018 Arts Organizations Draft Guidelines (v 2) Discussed at Berkeley Cultural Trust (Civic Arts Grantees invited)
November 27, 2018 Festivals & Arts Organizations (v 2) & Individual Artist (v 1) Draft Guidelines Discussed at joint Civic Arts Policy/Grants Committee November 28, 2018 Festivals & Arts Organizations (v 2) & Individual Artist (v 1) Draft Guidelines Discussed at Civic Arts Commission Meeting
December 5, 2018 Festivals Draft Festivals Guidelines (v 2) discussed with festivals stakeholders
December 6, 2018 Final Draft Guidelines for all categories posted to website for public comment
January 8, 2019 Final Draft Guidelines for all categories presented to joint Civic Arts Policy/Grants Committee for approval
January 23, 2019 Final Draft Guidelines for all categories to Civic Arts Commission for approval
January 29, 2019 Referral Response: City Council
For more information, please contact Jennifer Lovvorn, Chief Cultural Affairs Officer.

[email protected] or (510) 981-7533

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WORKSESSION
March 21, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Dee Williams-Ridley, City Manager
Submitted by: Liam Garland, Public Works Director
Subject: Civic Center Plan Phase II – Design Concept

SUMMARY
This worksession provides an update to City Council on the work that has been accomplished to date to develop a consensus design concept for Berkeley’s Civic Center area, which includes the following:
 Veterans Memorial Building;
 Maudelle Shirek Building (“Old City Hall”); and
 Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park (“Civic Center Park”).

The City’s Veterans Memorial Building, Maudelle Shirek Building, and Civic Center Park are important cultural resources, not only due to their age, but also their architectural significance, central location, and history as the center of City government.

Phase II of the Civic Center Vision project aims to achieve design concept consensus for the Civic Center Area at the heart of Berkeley’s community. The goal of the project is to document a preferred design concept by the summer of 2023, with input from community members, City commissions, and City Council. This work represents the culmination of a partnership between Public Works (PW), Office of Economic Development (OED), and the City’s consultant team led by Siegel & Strain Architects.

The adopted design concept for the Civic Center Vision project will embody the Vision for Berkeley’s Civic Center created collaboratively with the community and stakeholders during the first phase of the project (2019-20). The full Civic Center Vision statement is:

Civic Center will be the heart of Berkeley’s community. Civic Center will be the prime space for civic life, culture, and the arts. It will reflect the city’s diverse identities, celebrate its history, and contribute to shaping its future. A place of shared resources and a platform for free expression accessible to all, Civic Center aims to manifest the city’s values, advance social justice, and demonstrate the power of true public space.

Phase I (Vision and Implementation Plan) of the project commenced in summer 2019 and was funded through Phase 1 of the Measure T1 infrastructure bond designated to

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repair, renovate, replace, or reconstruct the City’s infrastructure, facilities, and buildings.

Phase II of the Civic Center project was funded via a General Fund budget referral approved in the City Council’s adoption of the FY 2022 Budget. Staff work on Phase II began in September of 2022 with the goal to establish a consensus design concept through additional public outreach.

CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS
Project Timeline
The project began in September 2022 and is anticipated to be completed by June of 2023:
❑ Phase II Funding Authorized by Council June 29, 2021
❑ Project Commencement Sept. 1, 2022
❑ Public and City Engagement: Design Approach
o Technical Advisory Committee Sept. 29, 2022
o “Super” Subcommittee Meeting of the Public Works/Transportation, Landmarks, Parks and Civic Arts Commissions Sept. 29, 2022 o 25+ Small Focus Group Interviews Sept. ‘22 – Feb. ‘23 o Monthly meetings with Community for a Cultural Civic Center (CCCC) Sept. ‘22 – Feb. ‘23
o Workshop #1: Open House (Berkeley Public Library) Nov. 16, 2022 o Online Community Survey: Berkeley Civic Center Vision Project Nov. ‘22 – Jan. ’23
o Art Organizations Survey: Berkeley Arts Space Needs Assessment Jan. ’23 – Feb. ‘23
❑ Public and City Engagement: Draft Design Concept
o Technical Advisory Committee Meeting #2 Feb. 9, 2023
o Commission Engagement - Super Subcommittee Meeting #2 Feb. 9, 2023
o Workshop #2: Youth Focus at Berkeley High Feb. 15, 2023 o Workshop #3: Education Focus at Berkeley City College Feb. 15, 2023 o Veterans Memorial Building Arts Space Focus Group Meeting Feb. 24, 2023
❑ Council Work Session - Emerging Preferred Design Concept March 21, 2023 ❑ Council Presentation (anticipated) - Design Concept Adoption June 2023

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Summary of Meetings and Outreach to Date
The consultant team, led by Sigel & Strain Architects and supported by staff from PW, OED, and other City departments, kicked off this phase with a series of public meetings in September 2022. The public outreach effort is described in more detail in Attachment 1, Section 2 – Community Engagement.

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC is composed of City of Berkeley staff from a variety of departments, and its purpose is to provide subject matter expertise and feedback throughout the process. TAC members represent a cross-section of knowledgeable participants with an interest and stake in the Civic Center. The TAC met for the first time prior to releasing the Vision Plan project RFQ in late 2018, and has since gathered formally in this project phase twice with the consultant team: at the Phase II project kick off meeting in September 2022, and to review the draft consensus design concept in February 2023. In addition to formal meetings, ad hoc consultations with individual TAC members (e.g., the City’s special events coordinator, real estate manager, City Clerk, Public Safety, and PW Facilities Maintenance) have made essential contributions to the project.

Super Subcommittee of City Commissions. To efficiently engage with City Commissions that have an interest in this project, a “super” subcommittee meeting structure was established. Three City of Berkeley Commissions—the Public Works, Parks Recreation and Waterfront, and the Landmarks Preservation Commissions— already had established ad-hoc subcommittees to address projects funded by Measure T1 bond improvements, and the Civic Arts Commission established an ad-hoc standing subcommittee for the Civic Center visioning process. During Phase II of the Civic Center project, the super sub-committee structure continued. This larger group of subcommittees met twice in publicly noticed meetings on Zoom in the webinar format, first to kick off the project and discuss design approaches in September of 2022 and to review and comment on the draft design concept in February 2023. See https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/our-work/capital-projects/civic-center-vision- plan-project for a complete list of materials presented at the Super Subcommittee meetings during Phase II.

Site Tours. City staff members have received many requests to tour the two buildings.

During this project phase, the consultant team has toured the buildings with PW, and the park with the City’s urban forester and arborist. Members of CCCC, TAC, Super Subcommittee of the commissions, and arts organizations have also toured the buildings to help envision programmatic uses.

Focus Groups and Interviews. From September 2022 through February 2023, staff and the consultant team conducted 25+ one-on-one or small group interviews with Civic Center stakeholders, including the current Civic Center tenants, several City Council Members (and/or their staff) and the Mayor’s office, representatives from the Berkeley Unified School District including the principal of Berkeley High School, planners of

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annual community events that occur in Civic Center, arts organizations, business associations, local media outlets, ecological and riparian experts, city staff, and local community groups including the CCCC. See Attachment 1, Section 2.2 for a complete list of interviewees.

Open House, Workshops & Survey. On November 16, 2022, staff and the consultant team hosted an in-person Open House Workshop at the Berkeley Public Library.

Approximately 40 community members attended the session, which was designed to generate thoughts about the underlying purposes and functions of our Civic Center, and to inform the project’s Preferred Design Concept development. The consultant team organized the session into stations, with opportunities for discussion in small groups and written feedback on postcards at each station. This was supplemented with an Online Survey that asked the same questions of respondents as the in-person workshop did. The online survey recorded 694 responses, far exceeding the stated survey goal of 400 responses. Highlights of the survey responses are summarized in Attachment 1. On February 15, 2023, staff and the consultant team hosted two Youth- Focused Workshops, one at Berkeley High School and one at Berkeley City College.

Staff led students through a series of activities where participants were asked to identify what they liked and disliked about the draft design concept for Civic Center and asked participants to complete comment cards about their opinions related to the park and street design approach. Highlights and key takeaways of the youth focused workshops are summarized in Attachment 1, Section 2.2.

Arts Organizations. A tailored workshop, the Veterans Memorial Building Arts Space Focus Group Meeting, was hosted by the City of Berkeley’s Civic Arts team on February 24, 2023 and included a detailed tour of the Veterans Building and dedicated focused discussions by artistic discipline. The goal of the meeting was to identify priority space needs for the Community Arts Center and to get input on the development of a spatial program to help determine if the Veterans Memorial Building has sufficient spaces to serve the programmatic needs of the community. This workshop was not open to the general public, but instead sought to elicit targeted feedback from individuals representative of Berkeley’s diverse arts community. Sixteen arts professionals from the disciplines of theater, dance, music, visual arts, and literary arts participated in the focus group meeting with the aim to have representation from various areas of Berkeley, racial and ethnic diversity, and a wide range of arts disciplines and organization sizes.

Feedback gathered from this workshop is summarized in Attachment 1, Section 2.2.

Emerging Preferred Design Concept
The consultant team, in consultation with staff, has developed an emerging preferred design concept that will be used to guide the subsequent phases of the project. The outreach effort during this phase of the project has affirmed the Vision Statement adopted in 2020. With the adopted Civic Center Vision serving as the north star for this project, four points on a compass emerge to further guide the design:
 Community – an inclusive and caring community;

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 The Arts – expressive artistic and cultural events;
 Governance – good governance demonstrated through progressive policies;  Education – powerful education tied directly to history and nature.

Integrating the input received through outreach efforts, and the programmatic requirements heard from current and future users of the Civic Center, the project proposes the following current and potential future uses for each project element:

Maudelle Shirek Building will be the seat of Berkeley’s democracy with flexible meeting spaces and supportive and vision-aligned city services and educational uses, accessible by all in the community. As the historic seat of government in Berkeley, this project proposes returning city functions back to the Maudelle Shirek Building. In the public engagement efforts, Hearing & Meeting Rooms, Council Chambers, and public- facing city services all scored high as priority uses for the building. Adding these functions to the heart of Berkeley’s Civic Center will bring residents to the area throughout the day and into the evenings, to attend meetings, speak at hearings, and organize with their community.

Public outreach also showed strong support for vision-aligned organizations finding a home in the Maudelle Shirek Building, including the Berkeley Historical Society & Museum, Berkeley Community Media, and a Public Policy Institute. In order to support these functions, a number of improvements will be required, including accessible improvements to the main entry and throughout, upgraded mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, improved fire and egress systems, seismic retrofit, and an addition to provide space for the uses. For further discussion of the proposed uses and improvements, see Attachment 1, Section 5.3.

Veterans Memorial Building will be a community Arts Center, run by the city, with performance venues, teaching and exhibit space, accessible by all in the community.

This project identifies the building as a future Community Arts Center for the City of Berkeley, a use broadly supported by the public, Civic Arts Program, and the Community for a Cultural Civic Center. In a survey and workshop with local arts organizations who expressed interest in using the building, they identified exhibition and performance space as priorities, which aligns with the perception of need discovered in the public engagement process. Further, arts survey respondents identified a need for flexible multi-disciplinary spaces that are available to rent by the larger community, rather than controlled by a single anchor tenant. The layout of the art spaces is under further study based on the results of the recent Arts Organization focus group event.

The arts functions will require improvement to the building including accessible improvements throughout, upgraded mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, improved fire and egress systems, seismic retrofit, and possibly additions to the sides of the main stage, and at the rooftop. For further discussion of the approach to this building, see Attachment 1, Section 5.4.

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Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets will become a safe nature-based urban oasis for all of Berkeley. The park design will support community use throughout the day, evening and weekend for strolling, relaxing, sharing or having a meal, visiting, and attending an impromptu gathering or organized event.

Park Uses & Improvements
The design concept for MLK Jr. Civic Center Park builds from the existing condition of the park, and layers in new design elements and programs that support the desired everyday vibrancy of the park. It simplifies the path layout and reclaims underutilized space to fit new activity areas where possible.

The approach points towards a future for Civic Center Park that the public is asking for – a place of natural and architectural beauty that provides both calm retreat and invitation to participate in public life, through everyday activities and special events.

The proposed design preserves and builds upon the existing structure of the park, including the mature tree canopy, the central green open space, and the planned Turtle Island Monument terrace.

Recommended improvements include simplified and widened path systems, native and biodiverse planting areas, a multi-use plaza w/ skate-able elements, a multi-age playground, an arts and market plaza to support the Farmers Market, expanded seating opportunities, and food and beverage vendors. For further discussion of the proposed park improvements, see Attachment 1, Section 5.2.

Creek Trade Offs
Throughout the public engagement process in Phase II, the project team heard a consistent desire from some members of the community to daylight Strawberry Creek in the area of Civic Center Park, and consistent concerns from others about cost, maintenance, and safety. An alternate design concept layout (Attachment 1, Section

5.2, pages 104-107) illustrates a partial-flow daylighting scenario. The placement of the creek along Center Street aligns with the current location of the culvert under the park, and minimizes disruption to the overall park layout and monuments. However, it does have a number of impacts that need to be considered more carefully through additional study:
 Center Street – The daylit creek reduces the width of Center Street to a minimum access vehicle aisle, allowing for emergency vehicle access. Parking and other vehicular traffic flow is removed. A parking & traffic study should be completed to understand the impact of closing Center Street to public traffic, and design solutions will need to be developed for providing delivery/drop-off to the buildings along Center. The Farmers Market also may need to be relocated to a new site with sufficient width for the market.

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 Hydrology – The partial flow scenario is based on the 1999 Creek Study by Wolf Mason Associates. This report notes that the culvert is likely 18’ under the surface of the park, sloping down to the west. A full restoration of the creek would require 150’ in width and was determined infeasible. A partial flow scenario would require that the existing culvert remain, and that water is diverted through a flow control structure somewhere upstream of the park and downstream from the BART station to bring water closer to the surface. The exact width, depth, and design of a partial flow creek would need to be developed through a detailed hydrological study.
 Maintenance – any creek feature would involve new maintenance requirements and associated costs.

Parking and Circulation
In addition to the pedestrian pathway changes within the park, the concept design proposes changes to parking and circulation at both Center Street and Martin Luther King Jr Way.
 Center Street – aligned with the City’s goal of a Green Center Street, the design proposes making this a pedestrian priority shared street, with a flush, curb-less transition from street to sidewalk, along with adding additional street trees and bioswales for stormwater management. A curve has been introduced in the road to create a more gracious entry plaza for the Veterans Memorial Building, and to further slow vehicular traffic. The proposal shows 16 parallel parking spaces, in place of the 59 paid parking spaces currently on Center Street. These generated $156,860 in CY 2022 (at a rate of $3.50/hour). There are also currently reserved parking spaces on this block – five for judges at the Alameda County Courthouse, one loading spot for the City mail truck, and four accessible spaces.

The 16 parallel spaces could serve as reserved parking, or a small number of paid parking spaces could be maintained.
 Martin Luther King Jr Way – the primary concern at this road is pedestrian safety crossing between the park and the Maudelle Shirek Building. Currently, the edge of the curb between Allston and Center does not align with the curb on the blocks to the north or the south – the road widens along the park’s edge. The concept design proposes reclaiming the portion of the road currently used as parallel parking to re-align the curbs in this area, and to create pedestrian bulb-outs at the street crossings. While the traffic lanes are not impacted, eight parking spaces would be removed.

Costs and Funding Plan
The following high-level construction cost range estimations have been developed by staff and the consulting team based on the emerging preferred design concept as presented in Attachment 1. These estimates will be further reviewed and updated by a

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construction cost estimator before staff return for final approval of the Civic Center design concept in June 2023 (anticipated).

TABLE 1: PRELIMINARY HIGH-LEVEL CONSTRUCTION COST

ESTIMATE RANGE
LOW IN
$MILLION

HIGH IN
$MILLION
Maudelle Shirek Building
Assumes: 27,500 square feet (sf). Existing building + 15,500 sf addition (two stories, west side), seismic retrofit: immediate occupancy (or near), electric conversion
$54.107 $70.558
Veterans Memorial Building
Assumes 28,000 square feet (sf) existing building + 4,000 sf roof terrace, seismic retrofit: better performance objective for new buildings, electric conversion, roof terrace in high estimate $34.045 $41.475
Martin Luther King Jr Civic Center Park & Streets
203,000 sf (or 4.654 acres w/ Center St) paths and paving, planting and irrigation, new trees and tree protection, utilities, furnishings and bollards, lighting, playground and skate spot, bulb outs, green infrastructure, crosswalk improvements, public restrooms. Does not include creek daylighting.
$12.902 $16.594

TOTAL $101.054 M $128.627 M
With an approved design concept, this project would move into its next phase of additional recommended studies (e.g., circulation/traffic, creek daylighting), environmental reviews, and initiating specific design projects. This work is estimated to cost approxitmately$10 million dollars and take 2-3 years.

A variety of funding sources could contribute to the City’s approach to funding. The first approach would involve many different sources of funding all leading to one large project, phased in over the course of years. The following funding sources might contribute to the project:
 Congressionally Directed Spending Requests (aka earmarks). These grants are typically in the range of $750,000-$1.5 million. The City has submitted a request to our federal legislators for the Civic Center project and should learn in the fall of 2023 whether the earmark request is successful. If so, funding would commence in calendar year 2024. There is no match requirement.  State Directed Spending Requests (aka earmarks). Similar to the federal process, there is no match and the most competitive applications are for

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infrastructure. At this point in time the State Budget is in flux, and staff are working closely with our state advocate to be ready if opportunities become available.
 Federal Infrastructure Funding: staff and consultants have not yet been able to find a category within the current funding stream that is a strong fit for this project, but that may change as future opportunities arise. Grant match requirements for Federal grants vary.
 FEMA/Cal OES Hazard Mitigation Grants. These grants require a cost/benefit calculation that makes the BPON+ standard more likely to qualify for a grant.

For that reason, the Veteran’s Building is more likely to benefit. Most FEMA Grants require a 25% match.
 Save America’s Treasures Grant. These grants which can be as much as $750,000 per award, are administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services are awarded to nationally significant historic properties and collections that convey our nation's rich heritage to future generations.  State Climate Bonds: The state legislative process is just beginning and there is some legislation in its infancy stages that may provide future funding opportunities.
 Sustainability/Resiliency Grants: the state and federal government offer grants that might help fund the electric conversion, green infrastructure, permeable paving, and bio swales. Grant match requirements vary.  Urban Greening Grant/Coastal Conservancy Grant: these grants may fund a feasibility study of daylighting the creek. Grant match requirements vary.  State Parks and Recreation Grants: There may be future funding opportunities to upgrade and enhance open space and parks.  City Funding. The City’s General Fund, a future tax measure, or Certificates of Participation could contribute to the project. In addition, traffic safety and stormwater elements of the project might gain contributions from Measure BB, Gas Tax, and/or the City’s Stormwater Fund.
 Foundations and/or Private Individuals. Given the Civic Center’s history and importance, private foundations and individuals might be a component to the overall funding strategy.

If full project funding isn’t secured quickly, an opportunistic approach might be available.

Here, City staff would identify discrete project components that could be built without the entire project moving forward. When successful in gaining grants of other funding for these components, work could proceed, e.g., the project’s crosswalks and bulb-outs.

This approach would likely take more time and involve more project cost overall, given fewer opportunities for efficiencies of scale.

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Regardless, this project will be significantly more attractive for funding with an adopted conceptual design. Strong plans need funding, and funding is attracted to strong plans.

Next Steps
Next steps for implementation, early design interventions and activations including food trucks, and improved furnishings are identified in Attachment 1, Section 7.2. In spring of 2023, the team will develop more detailed cost estimates for both buildings and put forth a building management strategy for the Veterans Memorial Building. These will be provided as companion to the finalized design concept anticipated to be before council by June 2023.

BACKGROUND
Originally conceived at the turn of the 20th Century, the Civic Center was planned and molded by City Beautiful Movement principles, and anchored by the 1909 construction of Berkeley’s second City Hall (now known as the Maudelle Shirek Building at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr Way). The plan transformed the City’s center into a cohesive group of civic buildings surrounding a central park by the 1940s. Today the Civic Center comprises portions of the area surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park including the Maudelle Shirek Building ‘Old City Hall’ (1909) and the Veterans Memorial Building (1928) which flank the Park on the west and north sides. The larger Berkeley Civic Center District (codified by the Civic Center Overlay Zone, 2014) itself was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. In addition, many of the buildings in the Civic Center District, including the Maudelle Shirek Building, the Veterans Memorial Building, and the Park itself, have been individually recognized as City Landmarks.

Since the 1940s seismic building codes have evolved, requiring different thresholds of required maintenance and upkeep depending on use, and presently the historic buildings show signs of deferred maintenance.

Seismic Safety and Analysis
Old City Hall and the Veterans Memorial Building were evaluated in 2002 for seismic safety. The assessment included rough cost estimates for retrofitting the structures.

These 2002 figures were updated for consideration of current building code. The cost estimates and engineering solutions for addressing seismic safety in Old City Hall and the Veterans Memorial Building were released in late April of 2019.

In 2022, City Council received further information on both the buildings’ seismic analysis and costing, and the buildings’ leak study. The seismic analysis from Tipping Engineering and the costing from Public Works contributed to the high-level cost estimates above. Public Works’ leak study identified $1.48 million in necessary repairs for the Maudelle Shirek Building and $1.9 million in repairs for the Veterans Building.

These repairs primarily involve roof replacements and spot repairs to better prevent water intrusion.

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Based on the adopted Vision Plan, and the proposed consensus design concept and building program, the following building seismic retrofit levels are recommended:

Veterans Memorial Building is a three story, heavy concrete perimeter wall building with wood framed floors and roof that is seismically deficient and could pose life safety hazards to building occupants. For the proposed design concept, a retrofit scheme of Basic Seismic Performance Objective Plus is recommended. Under this scheme, there would be some structural damage to the building in a sufficiently sized earthquake, there would be low risk of injury from the structural damage and the repair time is from several months to one year.

Maudelle Shirek Building is a three story, non-ductile concrete building that is seismically deficient and could pose life safety hazards to building occupants, as the building could collapse or partially collapse in a major earthquake proximate to the site.

For the proposed design concept, a retrofit scheme of Immediate Occupancy (IO).

Under this scheme, there is low risk of injury from structural damage and the repair time is matter of days.

The forthcoming cost estimates and future detailed engineering analysis together will continue to inform the subsequent design, planning and ultimately building processes of the Civic Center project.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Successful initiatives that repurpose existing buildings and civic space for subsequent generations’ fruitful use promotes beneficial environmental, civic, and economic sustainability. In addition, future action to renovate the existing buildings and park will incorporate specific sustainable measures into the design concept. These will include but are not limited to: electrifying buildings, installing solar systems, incorporating native/pollinator friendly plantings, deploying best practices in bioswales & stormwater management, permeable paving, and the protection of mature tree canopy.

POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION
Using the vision statement as a guide, the project team has generated a high-quality design concept for Civic Center and its future uses. Via a broad set of community engagement activities, the preferred design concept and accompanying implementation plan will be advanced for review and adoption by City Council.

FISCAL IMPACTS OF POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION
The exact fiscal impacts of the finalized design concept for Civic Center are yet unknown. Subsequent phases of the project will include the development of detailed cost estimates, financing considerations, and ongoing maintenance strategies for the proposed implementation.

CONTACT PERSON

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Liam Garland, Public Works Director, (510) 981-6303
Eleanor Hollander, Economic Development Manager, (510) 981-7536 Elmar Kapfer, Supervising Civil Engineer, Public Works, (510) 981-6435 Attachment:
1: Berkeley Civic Center Design Concept Report, March 2023.

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Berkeley’s
March 10, 2023
Civic
Center
+ +
Design Concept
Report
City Council Work Session
+

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A Vision for
Berkeley’s
Civic Center
Section
Siegel & Strain Architects

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1 Civic Center will be the heart of
Berkeley’s community. Civic Center
will be the prime space for civic life,
culture, and the arts. It will reflect the
city’s diverse identities, celebrating
its history, and contributing to shaping
its future. A place of shared resources
and a platform for free expression
accessible to all, Civic Center aims to
manifest the city’s values, advance
social justice, and demonstrate
the power of true public space.
1 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Section
Siegel & Strain Architects
6201 Doyle Street Suite B
Emeryville, CA 94608
www.siegels
train.com
[email protected]
T +1 (510) 547 8092
City of Berkeley Steering Team
Eleanor Hollander, Office of Economic Development
Liam Garland, Public Works Department
Elmar Kapfer, Public Works Department
Uriel Gonzalez, Public Works Department
Jen Lovvorn, Civic Arts Program
Siegel & Strain Architects
Susi Marzuola
Amanda Knowles
Lindsey Moder
Colin Searles
Ege Yener
Gehl
Ghigo DiTommaso
Mayra Madriz
Derek Magee
Equity Community Builders
Suzanne Brown
Joseph Mutter
TBD Cost Consultants
Andy Beyer

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3 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
Contents

1. Existing Conditions

1.1 Base Maps

1.2 Site Assessments

2. Community Engagement

2.1 Engagement Plan

2.2 Engagement Summary

2.3 Key Design Drivers

3. Vision

3.1 Vision Statement

4. Design Considerations

4.1 Opportunities

4.2 Programs & Uses

5. Design Concept

5.1 Emerging Preferred
Design Concept

5.2 MLK Jr Civic Center Park
and Surrounding Streets

5.3 Maudelle Shirek Building

5.4 Veterans Memorial Building

6. Cost Summary

6.1 Preliminary Cost Ranges

7. Implementation

7.1 Organizational
Management Structure

7.2 Recommended Next Steps
11 12
14 25
26 28
42 53
54 57
58 60
69 70
72 108
129
141
142
145
146
150

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Executive Summary
Executive Summary

0.1 Design Concept Phase
The Berkeley Civic Center is a place in Downtown Berkeley of great community and historic significance. The 6-acre project area, set within the Berkeley Civic Center Historic District, and comprised of Martin Luther King Jr Civic Center Park, the Maudelle Shirek Building, and the Veterans Memorial Building, is located at a physical crossroads between downtown Berkeley and residential neighborhoods amid well-established educational, cultural and civic institutions. The Berkeley Civic Center is also at a crossroads in time, awaiting a re- invigoration for use by its community as an updated civic space that embodies the values the community lives by.

This design concept effort is a continuation of the work completed in 2019/20 on the Berkeley Civic Center Vision and Implementation Plan. The purpose of this work is to document a design concept that reflects a synthesis of the shared aspirations captured in the vision statement and illustrates design ideas borne out of ongoing engagement with the Berkeley community. As with the previous Berkeley Civic Center effort, members of the community turned up in high numbers to work collaboratively for a common purpose, and the resulting design concept reflects their shared vision.

Berkeley Civic Center
On September 22, 2020, Berkeley City Council adopted
the Vision Statement articulated in the 2020 Vision &
Implement
ation Plan Report for the Berkeley Civic Center
project. This vision statement remains the north star for the project.

On June 1, 2021 and related to City Center District
Visioning Resolution No. 69,579-N.S., the Berkeley City Council allocated funding and directed City Staff to
provide additional public process, planning and design to develop a preferred design concept based on input from
the community, City Commissions, and City Council.

The project’s Steering Team, comprised of design
consultants and Berkeley City Staff from Public Works,
Office of Economic Development, Civic Arts, began work
on the 2022/23 Berkeley Civic Center Design Concept
effort in September 2022.
→ Timeline

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5 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
The key components of the project team’s
effort for this phase are research, community
engagement and high-le
vel concept design.

The design team began this current effort
by researching policies and improvements
implemented since the conclusion of the
2019/20 Vision and Implementation Plan.

Working collaboratively with the project’s
Steering Team and with input from the
Community for a Cultural Civic Center
(CCCC), the design team developed an
approach to community engagement with the
goal of collecting input to inform a preferred
concept design for the Martin Luther King
Jr. Civic Center Park, the Maudelle Shirek
Building and the Veterans Memorial Building.

The engagement effort was organized into
two major efforts:
• General Public Engagement, including
an open house, workshops and an online
survey
• Focused Engagement, including
meetings and work sessions with
specific organizations and entities who
are currently active in the Berkeley
Civic Center and/or whose missions
and interests align with and support the
adopted Vision Statement.
→ Methodology
Based on the engagement effort, which
included input from over 700 individuals and
20 separat
e entities and organizations, the
design team developed key design drivers
that informed the emerging preferred design
concept described in the pages that follow.

The design team is now in the process of
sharing a draft of the design concept with
focused groups and collecting comments
for incorporation into the plan. Thus
far the draft plan has been reviewed by
the CCCC, Commissioners on the Super
Sub-Committee, City of Berkeley staff
representatives, and students from Berkeley
High School and Berkeley City College. The
emerging design concept will be presented
to City Council for input and commentary on
March 21, 2023.

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Executive Summary
The outreach effort uncovered the following
key design drivers that advance the vision
statement, capture the unique identity
and spirit of the Berkeley community, and
inform the design concepts illustrated in the
emerging plan.

1. The Civic Center park and buildings
should be a place to gather as a
community.

2. MLK Jr Civic Center Park should be
natural in character, preserving mature
trees and enhancing native biodiversity.

3. The Park and open space should offer a
safe, clean, and comfortable place to be
outdoors with others.

4. Many are passionate about daylighting
Strawberry Creek while others raised
concerns.

5. Center Street should be better integrated
into the Park and open space experience.

6. The Maudelle Shirek Building should
be the seat of Berkeley’s democracy
with meeting and public-serving spaces
supporting civic participation in City
government.

7. These civic uses in Maudelle Shirek
Building should be paired with vision-
aligned services and educational
functions.

8. The Veterans Memorial Building should
be a Community Arts Center for creative
expression and accessible to all.

9. The Community Arts Center should be
activated all day every day, hosting arts
organizations and practitioners across all
disciplines, delivering performances and
programming for the community.

Integrating the input received through the
engagement efforts, additional study on the
changing context of the Civic Center, and
the programmatic requirements heard from
current and potential users, the Civic Center
project proposes the following:
• Maudelle Shirek Building
Seat of Berkeley’s democracy with
flexible meeting spaces and supportive
and vision-aligned city services and
educational uses.
• Veterans Memorial Building
A Community Arts Center, run by the
City, with performance venues, teaching
and exhibit space, accessible by all in the
community.
• Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets
A safe nature-based urban oasis for all
of Berkeley, supporting community use
throughout the day, evening and weekend
for strolling, relaxing, having lunch,
visiting, and attending an impromptu
gathering or organized event.
→ Key Design Drivers → Design Concept

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7 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
The project team proposed the following next steps for project implementation, outlined below and described in greater detail in Section 7 of this report. • Identify, fund and realize early activation projects. • Complete background documentation and additional studies required for specific project design for each plan component.
• Further develop funding, phasing and management plans for each of the project components.
→ Recommended Next Steps
View to fountain terrace and sequoia from large green

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Overall Project Schedule
Overall Project Schedule

0.2 Vision and
Implementation
Plan
Refine & Adopt
Consensus
Design Concept
2019 - 2020 2022-20232020-2022
Volunteer Effort;
Studies;
Council direction
Funding
Outcomes
T1 Bond
Vision &
Implementation
Plan Adopted
Sept 2020
Public Works Fund
CCCC established;
Studies undertaken;
Council direction for
preferred design concept
General Fund
Consensus design concept
and next steps

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9 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
2027 >>>
Permitting,
Bidding &
Construction
2024-2027
Research, Schematic
Design & Approvals,
Funding Plan,
Design Development,
Construction Docs

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1 Siegel & Strain Architects
Existing Conditions

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Existing
Conditions

1.1 Base Maps

1.2 Site Assessments
11 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Existing Conditions - Base Maps
Base Maps

1.1 As part of the 2019-2020 Vision and
Implementation Plan, the consultant
design team developed base maps from
historical plans and aerial imagery of the
Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park,
the Maudelle Shirek Building, and the
Veterans Memorial Building in the Civic
Center. The design team has continued
to use these as base drawings for the
current Berkeley Civic Center design
concept effort.

Verification of current conditions of the
buildings, park and streets are required
prior to specific design efforts. See
Section 7.2 for a more complete list
of recommended existing conditions
documentation.

Additional site assessment is offered
herein as diagrams to inform the design
concept.

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13 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
Existing Civic Center Site Plan

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Existing Conditions - Site Assessment
Site Assessments

1.2 Project Area Map
The project is located in the downtown
area of Berkeley, one block west of the
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station,
and two blocks west of the UC Berkeley
campus. Directly south of the site sits the
main campus of Berkeley High School. To
the west, the urban fabric shifts to single
family residential scale development.

As a part of this phase of work, additional
site assessments were developed on the
following topics:
• Policy Context
• Circulation Context
• Input since 2020
• Civic Center Park Tree Map
Civic Center Park Peace Wall
Curved Path and Bench at Civic Center Park

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15 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
Maudelle
Shirek
Building
(1909)
Veterans
Memorial
Building
(1928)
N
Project Area Map

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Existing Conditions - Site Assessment
Policy Context
A number of City Policies effect the
Berkeley Civic Center study area,
including recent Council-adopted
initiatives listed to the right. These have
implications for proposed improvements
at the buildings, park and the streets.

Most notably, the project is a part
of the Civic Center Zoning Overlay
District, established in 2014 and which
encompasses a number of historic
structures in the area. All proposed uses
should fall within the allowable permitted
uses listed to the right.

Vision 2050
Equity, Public Health & Safety,
Strong Local Economy,
Resiliency & Sustainability
(May 2020)
Existing Buildings
Electrification Strategy
(November 2021)
Native Species Policy
Native, Drought-Resistant,
Pollinator-Friendly
(April 2022)
Permitted Uses
Civic Center Zoning Overlay
District
(2014)
• Libraries & Museums
• Parks & Playgrounds
• Public Safety & Emergency
Services
• Government Agencies /
Institutions & Judicial Courts
• Public Schools / Educational
Facilities
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Live Performance Theatre
• Public Market
Vision 2050
Equity, Public Health & Safety, Strong Local
Economy, Resiliency & Sustainability (May 2020)
Existing Buildings Electrification
Strategy
(November 2021)
Native Species Policy
Native, Drought-Resistant, Pollinator-Friendly
(April 2022)
Civic Center Overlay Permitted Uses
Civic Center Zoning Overlay District (2014)
● Libraries
● Judicial Courts
● Museums
● Parks & Playgrounds
● Public Safety & Emergency Services
● Government Agencies & Institutions
● Public Schools / Educational Facilities
● Non-Profit Organizations
● Live Performance Theatre
● Public Market
Vision 2050
Equity, Public Health & Safety, Strong Local
Economy, Resiliency & Sustainability (May 2020)
Existing Buildings Electrification
Strategy
(November 2021)
Native Species Policy
Native, Drought-Resistant, Pollinator-Friendly
(April 2022)
Civic Center Overlay Permitted Uses
Civic Center Zoning Overlay District (2014)
● Libraries
● Judicial Courts
● Museums
● Parks & Playgrounds
● Public Safety & Emergency Services
● Government Agencies & Institutions
● Public Schools / Educational Facilities
● Non-Profit Organizations
● Live Performance Theatre
● Public Market
Vision 2050
Equity, Public Health & Safety, Strong Local
Economy, Resiliency & Sustainability (May 2020)
Existing Buildings Electrification
Strategy
(November 2021)
Native Species Policy
Native, Drought-Resistant, Pollinator-Friendly
(April 2022)
Civic Center Overlay Permitted Uses
Civic Center Zoning Overlay District (2014)
● Libraries
● Judicial Courts
● Museums
● Parks & Playgrounds
● Public Safety & Emergency Services
● Government Agencies & Institutions
● Public Schools / Educational Facilities
● Non-Profit Organizations
● Live Performance Theatre
● Public Market
Vision 2050
Equity, Public Health & Safety, Strong Local
Economy, Resiliency & Sustainability (May 2020)
Existing Buildings Electrification
Strategy
(November 2021)
Native Species Policy
Native, Drought-Resistant, Pollinator-Friendly
(April 2022)
Civic Center Overlay Permitted Uses
Civic Center Zoning Overlay District (2014)
● Libraries
● Judicial Courts
● Museums
● Parks & Playgrounds
● Public Safety & Emergency Services
● Government Agencies & Institutions
● Public Schools / Educational Facilities
● Non-Profit Organizations
● Live Performance Theatre
● Public Market
Fountain at Civic Center Park

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17 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
N
Policy Context Map

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Existing Conditions - Site Assessment
Circulation Context
A number of improvements have been
completed in the Civic Center area since
conclusion of the 2020 Vision Phase.

Implementation of Milvia Bicycle Boulevard
improvements changed traffic circulation
west of Shattuck Avenue and the City’s
new Center Street Garage increased
parking capacity in the downtown area.

Improved pedestrian safety is an
identified priority for the area and will
require changes to the streets. Proposed
changes to MLK Jr Way, Allston Way and
Center Street need to consider existing
circulation, traffic and parking patterns.

Legend

1. Addison Bicycle Boulevard
(Bicycle Plan 2017)

2. Milvia Bicycle Boulevard
(Completed May 2022)

3. Center Street Greenway & Center Street
Plaza
(Streets and Open Space Improvement
Plan 2012-23)

4. Center Street Parking Garage and BART
Bike Parking
720 vehicle spaces; 20 EV charging
spaces; 350 bicycle spaces

5. Allston Way Civic Street
(Streets and Open Space Improvement
Plan 2012-23)

6. Pedestrian Signal Improvements
(Pedestrian Master Plan 2019-20)

7. Crosswalk Bulbouts
(Pedestrian Master Plan 2019-20)

8. Berkeley High School Loading
(Completed May 2022)

9. Harold Way
(Pedestrian Only)
AC Transit Bus Route
BHS Drop-off Approach Routes
One-Way traffic
View at MLK Jr . Way & Allston Way
Intersection looking North

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19 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
NN
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 Circulation Context Map

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Existing Conditions - Site Assessment
1 1
2 3
5 4
7a
7a
7b
7c
7d
5 6
Input Since 2020
Since the adoption of the Berkeley Civic Center Vision
Statement in 2020, the City and active community
me
mbers, primarily associated with the Community
for a Cultural Civic Center (CCCC), provided additional input on the Vision & Implementation Plan, including:

1. Seismic Retrofit Study
Exploration of alternate seismic approaches by Tipping
Structural Engineers

2. Turtle Island Monument
Design Development & Funding

3. Meeting Hall / Council Chambers
Preference for Maudelle Shirek Building location

4. More Planting, Less Paving
Preference for integration of native species and biodiversity, preservation of existing mature tree canopy, and inclusion of a large green open space

5. Park Performance Venues
Study of Park performance venues by ELS Architecture &
Urban Design

6. 2180 Milvia Parking Lot Removal
Integration of Park uses into the parking lot west of
2180 Milvia

7. Identified for additional study:
a. Allston Way & Center Street closure
b. Dorothy Day House & Options Recovery relocation
c. Inclusion of historic interpretive panels
d. Daylighting of Strawberry Creek & culverts

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21 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
1 1
2 3
5 4
7a
7a
7b
7c
7d
5 6
Site Plan indicating areas of Additional Study

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Existing Conditions - Site Assessment
Tree Condition Map
Dan Gallanger, City of Berkeley Urban
Forester, and Thomas Dodge, City of
Ber
keley Forestry Technician, walked
the Civic Center area with the design
team. Gallanger and Dodge identified
the high value trees and gave the team
an oral overview of the trees’ health.

In addition to discussing tree protection
strategies for the high value trees, the group
identified the need for an updated tree
survey, a tree protection plan, and a tree
succession plan to support a healthy tree
canopy ecosystem in the park into the future.

Sequoia (center) east of Turtle Island Monument

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23 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
Tree Site Plan

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2 Siegel & Strain Architects
Community Engagement

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Community
Engagement

2.1 Engagement Plan

2.2 Engagement Summary

2.3 Key Design Drivers
25 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Community Engagement - Engagement and Outreach Plan
Engagement Plan

2.1 The primary task of this phase is to create a
preferred design concept for the Civic Center
based on community, commission, and council
input. The design team combined engagement
with the general public and targeted outreach
efforts to groups with specialized knowledge
or interests in the project, including:

General Public Engagement
> Open House - Nov 16, 2022
> Online Survey - Dec 2022 - Jan 2023
Youth Engagement
> In-person Work Sessions - Feb 15, 2023
Focused Engagement
> Online & In-person Meetings
Sept 2022 - Feb 2023
Arts Organization Engagement
> Online Survey - Jan - Feb 2023
> Focus Group Tour & Meeting - Feb 24, 2023
Documentation of these efforts includes
detailed meeting notes, and summaries of
survey data and open-ended responses. The
design team synthesized the input into key
design drivers to guide the design concept.

Open House Nov 16, 2022
Veterans Memorial Building Art
Organization Focus Group Tour

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27 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
Civic Center Design Concept | Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 City of Berkeley Civic Center Design Concept | Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 City of Berkeley “Everyday place”
Card #1 - Front
Card #2 - Front
Maudelle Shirek Building
Veterans Memorial Building
Question:

What kinds of art programs do you think the
community needs most at a new Arts Center in the
Veterans Memorial Building?
(Pick up to four)
Visual Arts Exhibition
Dance Performance
Theater Performance
Visual Arts Class Spaces
Co-working Arts
Administration Space
Makerspace
Music Performance
Film Screenings
Dance Class Spaces
Question:

Which proposed uses are you most excited about
for the Maudelle Shirek Building?
(Pick up to four)
Berkeley Media
Berkeley Historical Society/Museum
City offices
City Council
Policy Center/ Think Tank
Care & Shelter
City and Elected
Oﬃcial Oﬃces City Services
Other: _____________
Berkeley Historical
Society & Museum
Vision-Aligned
Educational Institute for
Public Service
Hearing & Meeting
Rooms
Berkeley Community
Media
Music Class Spaces
Theater Class Spaces
Council Chambers Other:
______________________
Digital Arts Class Spaces
Other:
__________________________
Civic Center Design Concept
| Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022
City of Berkeley
Civic Center Design Concept
| Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022
City of Berkeley
“Everyday place”
Card #1 - Front
Card #2 - Front
Maudelle Shirek Building
Veterans Memorial Building
Question:

What kinds of art programs do you think the
community needs most at a new Arts Center in the
Veterans Memorial Building?
(Pick up to four)
Visual Arts Exhibition
Dance Performance
Theater Performance
Visual Arts Class Spaces Co-working Arts
Administration Space
Makerspace
Music Performance
Film Screenings
Dance Class Spaces
Question:

Which proposed uses are you most excited about
for the Maudelle Shirek Building?
(Pick up to four)
Berkeley Media
Berkeley Historical Society/Museum
City offices
City Council
Policy Center/ Think Tank
Care & Shelter
City and Elected
Oﬃcial Oﬃces
City Services
Other: _____________
Berkeley Historical
Society & Museum
Vision-Aligned
Educational Institute for
Public Service
Hearing & Meeting
Rooms
Berkeley Community
Media
Music Class Spaces
Theater Class Spaces
Council Chambers
Other:
______________________
Digital Arts Class Spaces
Other:
__________________________
Civic Center Design Concept | Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 City of Berkeley Civic Center Design Concept | Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 City of Berkeley Card #5 - Back
Card #6 - Back
STATION #3
STATION #4
Question:

What improvements would make you proud of your city and bring you to the Park? (Pick up to six)
Question:

How do you feel about the following design approaches to improve pedestrian safety and calm traﬃc around Civic Center?
A. Changing paths around and within the park?
B. Slowing traﬃc on MLK with a street diet?
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree No Opinion Agree Strongly
Agree
MLK Jr. Civic Center Park
Age:
⭘⭘ 5-14
⭘⭘ 15-24
⭘⭘ 25-64
⭘⭘ 65+
Relation to Place:
⭘⭘ Live near Civic
Center
⭘⭘ Regularly come to
Civic Center area
⭘⭘ Use Berkeley Parks
⭘⭘ Other:

O
O Upgraded lawn and terrace for large events and recreational use O Additional small performance venue to host smaller events O Expansion of the park into (and in place of) the parking lot O New seating, tables and furnishings to expand use of the park O Enhanced biodiversity and protected mature trees
O A daylighted creek
O Improved paths and path network
O Expanded and upgraded play areas for all ages
O Food and beverage options in the park
O Art installations, permanent or seasonal
O Improved lighting
O Other:

Slower and Safer Streets
C. Reducing or eliminating parking on Center?
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree No Opinion Agree Strongly
Agree
Age:
⭘⭘ 5-14
⭘⭘ 15-24
⭘⭘ 25-64
⭘⭘ 65+
Relation to Place: ⭘⭘ Live near the Civic Center
⭘⭘ Regularly come to the Civic Center area
⭘⭘ Other: __________________________
D. Revising paving treatment of Center?
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree No Opinion Agree Strongly
Agree
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree No Opinion Agree Strongly
Agree
D. Revising paving treatment of Center?
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree No Opinion Agree Strongly
Agree
Civic Center Design Concept | Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 City of Berkeley
Civic Center Design Concept | Open House | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 City of Berkeley
Card #5 - Front
Card #6 - Front
Question:

In your view, what park character would best
advance the vision for
Civic Center?
(Divide the pie chart between
the three options)
Traditional
Playful
Natural
Example Responses:

Question:

In your view, what street character would best
advance the vision for
Civic Center?
(Divide the pie chart between the
three options)
Slower and Safer
Streets
MLK Jr. Civic
Center Park
“The park
should be
traditional
and formal ”
“A balance of
old, new &
natural”
“Mostly
Natural”
Playful
Natural
Trad.

Playful
Natural
Trad.

Traditional
Traditional
Playful
Natural
Example Responses:
“The streets
should look
like a typical
street.”
“A balance of
old, new &
natural”
“Mostly
Natural”
Playful
Natural
Trad.

Playful
Natural
Trad.

Traditional
Engagement
Cards &
Boards

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• Participants gave input on four
topics: MLK Jr Civic Center
Park, Surrounding Streets,
Maudelle Shirek, and Veterans
Memorial Buildings
• Participants provided written
feedback on more than 200
postcards
• Held at Berkeley Main Library
Public Open House on Nov 16, 2022
Online Survey Dec 9, 2022 to Jan 6, 2023
654
Online Survey
Respondents
Dec 2022 to
Jan 2023
General Public Engagement
To complement the public outreach
effort of the 2020 Vision &
Implementation Plan, the design
team developed a presentation and
survey to reintroduce the Civic Center
project to the public, and to gather
feedback on design approaches to
the buildings, park and streets.

The presentation and survey were
shared in two forms - in person and
online - to maximize the response
rate. Almost 700 responses were
gathered, providing the design team
with feedback in the form of multiple-
choice and open-ended responses.

Engagement Summary

2.2 Community Engagement - Engagement Summary

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29 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
40 Participants
at Open
House
Nov 2022
200+
Written
Comments on
Postcards
Nov 2022
City Council Work Session
March 2023
Photos of Open House - Nov 16, 2022

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What is your relationship to MLK Jr. Civic Center Park? Amounts are shown as a percentage of total respondents, respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.

General Public
Engagement Results
Participants in the outreach effort
were asked to provide information
about themselves, including
age, district they lived in, and
relationship to Civic Center area.

The results indicated that less than 6%
of paricipants where between the ages
of 15 and 24. With Berkeley High School
and Berkeley City College in the adjacent
blocks, students in this age range are
important users of the Civic Center.

To address this missing age group,
additional engagement events were held
at Berkeley High School and at Berkeley
Community College on February 15, 2023.
32 additional participants were shown
preliminary design concepts and asked
similar questions to the Open House
participants about the parks and streets.

Students were also given the opportunity to
provide open-ended feedback on the design
- what they liked, what they would change.

Community Engagement - Engagement Summary

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31 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
How old are you?
What City Council district do you live in?
Amounts are shown as a percentage of 692 total respondents.

Amounts are shown as a percentage of 697 total respondents.

City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Martin Luther King Jr Civic Center Park
What character would you like to see in the park?
Amounts are shown as a percentage of 692 total respondents.

What uses would you like to see in prioritized in the park? Amounts are shown as a percentage of 683 total respondents.

Playful
Traditional
Natural
Community EngagementCommunity Engagement - Engagement Summary

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33 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept

Anything else you want to share with us
about MLK Jr. Civic Center Park?
Online Survey: 290 write-in responses
What, in your opinion, should the park be designed for? Online Survey: 453 write-in responses
Write-In Response Emerging Themes
“Right now it feels very
uninviting because of
the homeless people and
drug use.”
“For all Berkeleyans to use on a
daily basis, especially kids, students
and elderly people who need places
to gather and play.”
“The park and streets all around it
are a perfect opportunity to restore
native plants and biodiversity and
daylight Strawberry Creek, and
bring nature back to the city.”
“More usable play space will
draw more families and cut
down on illegal activities”
“Permanent clean and safe
restrooms, please!”
1 2
4 3
5 There are significant safety concerns about
the presence of the unhoused population.
1 There’s a desire for a mix of programs and
spaces to invite a range of people to use the
park.
2 People want to bring more nature to the park
by promoting biodiversity and daylighting
Strawberry Creek.
3 People want to see spaces for families & kids. 4
People want clean, safe, and well-maintained
restrooms.
5 City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Surrounding Streets
What character would you like to see
in the surrounding streets?
Amounts are shown as a percentage of 665 total respondents.

How do you feel about the following design approaches to improve pedestrian safety and calm traffic around the park? Amounts are shown as a percentage of 647 total respondents.

Playful
Traditional
Natural
Community Engagement - Engagement Summary

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35 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Anything else you want to share with us about
the streets around MLK Jr. Civic Center Park?
Online Survey: 274 write-in responses
Write-In Response Emerging Themes
“MLK is loud and dangerous!
Prioritize pedestrians over
cars, please!”
“MLK is still the main cross-
downtown thoroughfare and is
meant for cars. It's important to
keep pedestrians safe, but cars
should have priority.”
“Redirect traffic with some kind of a
way to more easily drop off at BHS
while allowing for full force
pedestrian passage at most times
of the day.”
“Walking and biking priority. Make
it safe and easy to incentivize
walking and biking and decrease
car use as much as possible in our
city centers.”
“There is currently such a
shortage of parking that it
keeps people away--so don't
decrease parking.”
1 2
3 4
There are divergent opinions on traffic
mitigation on MLK, however, the majority of
comments are not in favor of a road diet.
1 People want to see pedestrians and cyclists
prioritized on Center Street and Allston Street.
2 People want to ensure dropoff and pickup
needs are met around Berkeley High School.
3 There are concerns about parking being
removed.
4 City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Building Uses
Which proposed use are you most excited
about for the Maudelle Shirek Building?
Amounts are shown as a percentage of 564 total respondents. “Active use of meeting
rooms for organizing
events and activism,
attending City Council
meetings and public
meetings. ”
“Having a go to location to
vote on election day and
all related Berkeley city
services.”
“Perhaps some sort of
partnership with UC to bring
new energy and researchers
to the building?”
“With the co-location of the
Historical Society, Vision Institute,
and Community Media, the
community will have better access
to these resources.”
Community Engagement - Engagement Summary

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37 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
What types of programs do you think the
community needs most at a new Arts Center
in the Veterans Memorial Building?
Amounts are shown as a percentage of 546 total respondents. “I think it needs to appear more
open, accessible, inviting and
welcoming…signage and a well -
designed entrance foyer.”
“Love the idea of a true
dance/music/arts center
integrated into a revitalized &
restored park.”
‘There’s a shortage of arts
class spaces, and I think this
would be a great thing for the
community.”
‘Film screenings and music
performances!”
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Civic Arts
City Clerk
Elected Officials
Fire Department
Parks, Recreation and Waterfront
Police Department
Public Works Department
Real Estate
Special Events
Transportation
Urban Forester
Berkeley City College
Berkeley Community Media
Berkeley Commissioners
Berkeley Historical Society & Museum
Berkeley Unified School District
Community for a Cultural Civic Center (CCCC)
Creek Daylighting Advocates
Ecology Center
Potential Educational Partners
Skate XP
Focused Engagement
In addition to the general public, and with
input from the project’s City Steering
Team, the design team identified City
departments, park users, neighbors, and
affiliated organizations who could provide
detailed input on the design concept.

The design team shared drawings,
diagrams, photographs, and precedent
images of the park and buildings at
these meetings and asked specific
questions aimed at gathering insights
from those most familiar with the
area and its current condition.

The groups ranged from current tenants
like the Berkeley Historical Society &
Museum and The Ecology Center to
discuss specific space needs, to the
Parks, Recreation and Waterfront
Department staff to discuss park
maintenance budgets, approaches, and
possible community involvement.

The design team met with representatives
from some of these groups, such
as BUSD and the CCCC, multiple
times to solicit specific feedback.

City of Berkeley Staff &
Departments
Neighbors, Users &
Affilated Organizations
Community Engagement - Engagement Summary

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39 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
City Council Work Session
March 2023
15 Farmers
Market
2000 vtrs/wk
60 Vendors
Berkeley
Historical
Society &
Museum
Special
Events
16+ / year
pre-pandemic
Berkeley
Community
Media
60 City Broadcasts
/ year
Council,
Commissions,
Committee
Meetings
350+ / year
Berkeley Civic Center User Groups

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Arts Organization Engagement
As part of this effort and with assistance
from the design team, the Civic Arts
Di
vision of Economic Development devised
and released a survey to the recipients
of City Civic Arts grants in January 2023.

A focus group work session was held in
February 2023 to discuss transforming the
Veterans Memorial Building into a Berkeley
Community Arts Center.
79 Arts Organizations and Cultural
Producers responded to questions related
to their current space use, space needs,
and desire to be located in the Civic Center
area through the online survey.
16 participants from a wide-range of
organization sizes, representing the
disciplines of theater, dance, music, visual
arts, and literary arts, attended the focus
group to identify priority space needs
in the Veterans Memorial Building for a
Community Arts Center and to give input
on the development of a spatial program.

Veterans Memorial Building’s downtown,
central location near the arts district and
transit is very appealing to arts groups.

Strong interest and demonstrated need
for a Community Arts Center
Survey responses demonstrate that
Berkeley-based arts organizations have
a need for spaces for performances,
classes, workshops, exhibitions and other
public programs:
43% Respondents do not have a facility
for their public programming. They
operate out of a home office or an
administrative office and rent venues
as needed for public programming.
66% Respondents rent space for
their programming. This includes
organizations that do not have a facility,
and those that have a facility but need
additional space on an occasional
basis.
46% Respondents produce public
programs for smaller audience sizes
(250 people or less) indicating a good
fit for the various public spaces in the
Veterans Memorial Building.

Community Engagement - Engagement Summary

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41 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Arts Survey Respondents
22 Dance
Orgs
30 Arts
Education
Orgs
33 Music
Orgs
27 Theater
Orgs
27 Visual
Arts
Orgs
Arts organizations are interested in multiple types of public program space in a renovated Veterans Memorial Building:

Arts Organizations
Public
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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2.3 Key Design Drivers
The design team received feedback during
the outreach and engagement events in
a number of forms - written responses
to directed and open-ended survey
questions, verbal feedback, and additional
feedback sent via email to the Civic
Center email address. The outcome of
the engagement effort was integrated into
9 key design drivers to guide the design
concept.

Overall, the community’s responses
during this phase reinforced the 2020
Vision Statement:
• Civic Center will be the heart of
Berkeley’s community.
• Civic Center will be the prime space
for civic life, culture, and the arts.
• It will reflect the city’s diverse
identities, celebrating its history and
contributing to shaping its future.
• It is a place of shared resources and a
platform for free expression accessible
to all.
• The Civic Center aims to manifest the
city’s values, advance social justice,
and demonstrate the power of true
public space.

Community Engagement - Key Design Drivers

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43 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
1 The Civic Center Park and buildings
should be a place to gather as a
community.

Informal and formal
gatherings of people
of all ages. A safe
place to be in
community
together.”
“
300 +
Written
comments
related to
community
gathering
Parks should bring
people together
Relaxing at performances,
listening to music
Inviting public space for
gathering & enjoyment
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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2 MLK Jr Civic Center Park should be natural
in character, preserving mature trees
and enhancing native biodiversity.

As our city is becoming
increasingly developed,
the park should present
a peaceful, calming, safe
space where people can
be in nature.”
“
Playful
Traditional
Natural
61%
of respondents
prioritized
biodiversity
and protecting
mature trees
Return nature in
the urban setting
The park should be a place
for relaxing with nature
Amplify nature and art
because that’s what
Berkeley is basically about.

Community Engagement - Key Design Drivers

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45 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
MLK Jr Civic Center Park should be natural
in character, preserving mature trees
and enhancing native biodiversity.
3 The Park and open space should
offer a safe, clean, and comfortable
place to be outdoors with others.
44%
of respondents
prioritized
improved
lighting
48%
of respondents
prioritized art
installations
55%
of respondents
prioritized new
seating, tables
and furnishing
The focus should be
in day-to-day use
with events being an
important secondary
use. Keep the park
safe and accessible.
“
Sitting & relaxing
Playing &
recreating
Strolling/Walking
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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4 Many are passionate about
daylighting Strawberry Creek
while others raised concerns.

Daylighting Strawberry
Creek and restoring
native vegetation can be
a wonderful anchor to
this vision.”
“
51%
of respondents
prioritized
daylighting
Strawberry
Creek
“
Costs of
daylighting need
to be weighed
against other park
improvements.

A perfect opportunity to
restore native plants and
biodiversity, and to
daylight Strawberry
Creek
Too expensive /
infeasible, hard to
maintain.

Community Engagement - Key Design Drivers

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47 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
5 Center Street should be better
integrated into the Park and open
space experience.
53%
of respondents
support natural
character for
streets around
park
51%
of respondents
agreed with
revising paving
treatment on
Center St.

Center St used for more
active uses, like the Saturday
Farmer’s Market.

City Council Work Session
March 2023

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58%
of respondents
support
community
hearing & mtg
rooms at MSB
51%
of respondents
support Council
Chambers at
MSB
A one stop shop for
the general public.
6The Maudelle Shirek Building should be the
seat of Berkeley’s democracy, with meeting
and public-serving spaces supporting civic
participation in City government.

Promote access and use by
all by making the building
as inviting, interactive, and
safe as possible.

Community Engagement - Key Design Drivers

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49 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
7These civic uses in the Maudelle Shirek
Building should be paired with vision-
aligned services and educational
functions.
70%
of respondents
support Berkeley
Historical Society
& Museum at
MSB
44%
of respondents
support Berkeley
Community
Media at MSB
...center for education,
inspiration, and action.

Celebrate Berkeley’s
activist history!
..a hub for BCM’s
important educational
and public service
work.

City Council Work Session
March 2023

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8 The Veterans Memorial Building should
be a Community Arts Center for creative
expression and accessible to all.

It would fantastic to
have a community,
municipal arts space in
downtown.
72%
of arts survey
respondents
showed high
interest in space
downtown
Community Engagement - Key Design Drivers

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51 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
9 The Community Arts Center should be
activated all day every day, hosting arts
organizations and practitioners across all
disciplines, delivering performances and
programming for the community.

Generate lots of activity in
the building day and night!
Proximity to BHS, BCC
supports partnerships
and youth engagement
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Vision
Siegel & Strain Architects
3

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53 Vision
Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Vision

3.1 Vision Statement
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Vision
Vision Statement for
Berkeley’s Civic Center
Reaffirmed in 2022-23 public engagement process.

3.1

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55 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Vision
Civic Center will be the heart of
Berkeley’s community. Civic Center will
be the prime space for civic life, culture,
and the arts. It will reflect the city’s
diverse identities, celebrating its history
and contributing to shaping its future. A
place of shared resources and a platform
for free expression accessible to all,
the Civic Center aims to manifest the
city’s values, advance social justice, and
demonstrate the power of true public
space.

City Council Work Session
March 2023

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4 Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Considerations

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Design
Considerations

4.1 Opportunities

4.2 Programs & Uses
57 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Considerations
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Considerations - Opportunities
A Guiding Vision
With the adopted vision statement as the
north star for the project, four points on
a compass emerge from the engagement
efforts and design thinking which are
representative of Berkeley’s culture and
collective values:

Community
an inclusive and caring community
The Arts
expressive artistic and cultural
events and pieces
Governance
good governance demonstrated
through progressive policies
Education
powerful education tied directly to
history and nature
Opportunities

4.1 A Historic Asset
The Maudelle Shirek Building, Veterans
Memorial Building, and Civic Center
Park are contributing structures to the
Berkeley Civic Center Historic District
which is recognized both locally and
nationally. Together they have served and
are serving the community as gathering
places, the seat of democracy, and
settings for art and artistic expressions.

They maintain much of their historic
fabric, and present to the City an
opportunity to reestablish the area as the
heart of Berkeley’s civic life.

A City Campus
This one block area of downtown contains
seven structures owned or operated by
the City of Berkeley. Densifying city uses
in this area will further strengthen the city
campus and provide flexibility for future
growth and changing needs.

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59 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Considerations - Opportunities
“It is a historical
architectural treasure
that needs our love and
funding!”
“It is beautiful and
should be invested in
now, to preserve what
we have and make it
publicly usable again.

Don't let it further
deteriorate.”
“It is beautiful,
and an asset to
the city.”
Maudelle Shirek Building Entry Veterans Memorial Building Ceiling

THE ARTS

GOVERNANCECOMMUNITY

EDUCATION
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Considerations - Programs / Uses Matrix
Programs &
Uses

4.2 Parameters for Prioritizing
Uses
Through the public outreach effort, many
programs and uses were proposed and
discussed for the Civic Center Park,
Maudelle Shirek Building, and Veterans
Memorial building. In order to prioritize
those uses in the available space, the
design team considered three additional
parameters:
• Vision Aligned - Strengthen community;
support civic life, culture and the arts;
reflect diverse identities; celebrate
Berkeley’s history; and manifest the city’s
values.
• Use Aligned - Complement co-located
uses based on space type needs, access
and security requirements, and time of
use to activate the area 24/7.
• Funding - Draw on sources of outside
funding to bring investment to the
restoration and enhancement of this
historic district.

Primary
Use
Secondary
Use
Use to be
Confirmed
Natural with
native &
pollinator-
friendly
plants
Restrooms,
Food &
Beverage,
Restrooms
Farmers
Market
Neighborhood
Park w/
furnishings &
play areas
Performance
Space(s)
Turtle Island
Monument &
Terrace
Civic
Gathering
Space
Civic Center Park
Daylit
Creek

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61 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Considerations - Programs / Uses Matrix
Natural
Habitat with
Pollinator
Garden
Food &
Beverage,
Seating,
Restrooms
Farmers
Market
Neighborhood
Park w/
seating & play
areas
Performance
Space(s)
Turtle Island
Monument &
Terrace
Berkeley
Community
Media
The Berkeley
Historical
Society &
Museum
City Offices
Hearing
Rooms
Storage
Classroom &
Meeting
Spaces
Practice &
Rehearsal
Spaces
Small
Performance
Spaces
Performing
Arts
Auditorium
Rooftop/
Basement
Event Space
Veterans Memorial
Building
Maudelle Shirek
Building Civic Center Park
Daylit
Creek
Scene shop/
Makerspace
Meeting
Rooms
Public Policy
Institute
Public-
Facing City
Offices
Scene shop/
Storage
Classroom &
Meeting
Spaces
Practice &
Rehearsal
Spaces
Small
Performance
Spaces
Performing
Arts
Auditorium
Rooftop/
Basement
Event Space
Veterans Memorial
Building
Expanded
Lobby
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Considerations - Programs / Uses Matrix
Civic Center Park

PARK ELEMENTS NOTES
Civic Gathering Space
Large Green Utilized for civic events, festivals Turtle Island Monument Separate project under Civic Arts and Park, Recreation and Waterfront Department
Performance Spaces
Large Performance Venue Co-located with civic gathering Small Performance Venue(s) Identify multiple small performance spaces Neighborhood Park Functions
Seating for individuals and groups
Play Areas Multi-age, natural in character
Skate Spot Multi-use plaza w/ skatable elements
Natural Habitat
Native plants Pollinators and habitat builders
Historic/Mature Trees Protect existing tree canopy, develop tree succession plan
Food & Beverage
Leasable space for vendors For high school and city college students, Cafe seating people who live & work in area

Farmers Market
Stalls, Food Trucks, Fresh Produce, Center Street, expansion into park Prepared Food, Crafts
Daylit Creek Partial-flow most likely, needs further study

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63 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Considerations - Programs / Uses Matrix
Entrance to fountain terrace from green
Skate spot along MLK Jr Way
Large central green
Natural with
native &
pollinator-
friendly
plants
Restrooms,
Food &
Beverage,
Restrooms
Farmers
Market
Neighborhood
Park w/
furnishings &
play areas
Performance
Space(s)
Turtle Island
Monument &
Terrace
Civic
Gathering
Space
Civic Center Park
Daylit
Creek
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Considerations - Programs / Uses Matrix

USE NOTES
Hearing Rooms - 9,600 SF
Large Multi-purpose meeting room/ Seats 200-300
Council Chambers
Conference Room Can be used for closed sessions
Historic Hearing Room Historic Council Chambers, seats 70 New Hearing Room Seats 120
Support S
Meeting Rooms - 2,165 SF
Small Meeting Rooms
Large Meeting Rooms
Public-Facing City Offices - 3,375 SF
Reception Area
Private & Open offices
Conference Room
Print, Storage & Support
Break Room/Kitchenette
Berkeley Historical Society & Museum - 8,000 SF
Permanent & Temporary Exhibit
Offices, Research Room, Meeting Rooms
Exhibit Preparation Room
Archival Storage 3500 SF, may be located off-site Bookstore/Gift Shop
Berkeley Community Media - 5,500 SF
Broadcast, Podcast & Green Cove Studios
Offices, Editing Suites
Lounge/Classroom
Kitchenette
City Offices - SF Varies
To be determined, dependent
on department

Public Policy Institute - SF Varies To be determined, dependent Classrooms, Meeting Rooms on program development
Offices
Maudelle Shirek Building

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65 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Considerations - Programs / Uses Matrix
Natural
Habitat with
Pollinator
Garden
Food &
Beverage,
Seating,
Restrooms
Farmers
Market
Neighborhood
Park w/
seating & play
areas
Performance
Space(s)
Turtle Island
Monument &
Terrace
Berkeley
Community
Media
The Berkeley
Historical
Society &
Museum
City Offices
Hearing
Rooms
Storage
Classroom &
Meeting
Spaces
Practice &
Rehearsal
Spaces
Small
Performance
Spaces
Performing
Arts
Auditorium
Rooftop/
Basement
Event Space
Veterans Memorial
Building
Maudelle Shirek
Building Civic Center Park
Daylit
Creek
Scene shop/
Makerspace
Meeting
Rooms
Public Policy
Institute
Public-
Facing City
Offices
Historic Hearing Room Dias
Central Stair at Second Floor
Second Floor Office Space
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Considerations - Programs / Uses Matrix

USE NOTES
Performance Space
Large Performance Auditorium 300-500 seats
Small Performance Rooms 100-120 seats
Backstage Needs considerable expansion
Multi-functional Spaces
Rehearsal Spaces Also function as small performance Lecture/Conference spaces Could utilize large auditorium Classrooms/Workshops Identify one “messy” classroom for visual arts/crafts
Exhibition Space
Visual Arts Exhibition Hall Climate controlled, gallery lighting Flexible Arts Exhibition Space In public halls, temporary exhibits Support Spaces
Offices
Bathrooms
Storage
Stage/Scenery Shop
Event Space
Entry Porch
Lobby/Pre-function Space
Banquet Area Historically located in basement
Commercial Kitchen Exists in basement
Rooftop Terrace
Veterans Memorial Building

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67 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Support
Spaces/
Storage
Classroom &
Meeting
Spaces
Practice &
Rehearsal
Spaces
Small
Performance
Spaces
Performing
Arts
Auditorium
Rooftop/
Basement
Event Space
Veterans Memorial
Building
Scene shop/
Makerspace
Veterans Memorial Building facade
Support
Spaces/
Storage
Classroom &
Meeting
Spaces
Practice &
Rehearsal
Spaces
Small
Performance
Spaces
Performing
Arts
Auditorium
Rooftop/
Basement
Event Space
Veterans Memorial
Building
Scene shop/
Makerspace
Large Auditorium
Support
Spaces/
Storage
Classroom &
Meeting
Spaces
Practice &
Rehearsal
Spaces
Small
Performance
Spaces
Performing
Arts
Auditorium
Rooftop/
Basement
Event Space
Veterans Memorial
Building
Scene shop/
Makerspace
Balcony ceiling
Scene shop/
Storage
Classroom &
Meeting
Spaces
Practice &
Rehearsal
Spaces
Small
Performance
Spaces
Performing
Arts
Auditorium
Rooftop/
Basement
Event Space
Veterans Memorial
Building
Expanded
Lobby
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Concept
5

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69 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept
Design
Concept

5.1 Emerging Preferred Design Concept

5.2 MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets

5.3 Maudelle Shirek Building

5.4 Veterans Memorial Building
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Concept - Emerging Preferred Design Concept Overview Emerging Preferred
Design Concept

5.1 Maudelle Shirek Building
Seat of Berkeley’s democracy with
flexible meeting spaces, and
supportive and vision-aligned city
services and educational uses.

Note: All drawings are illustrative and conceptual. Further landscape and architectural design is required in future specific design phases.

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71 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - Emerging Preferred Design Concept Overview Veterans Memorial Building
A Community Arts Center, run by the
City, with performance venues,
teaching and exhibit space, accessible
by all in the community.

Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets
A safe nature-based urban oasis for all of Berkeley. The park design will support community use throughout the day, evening and weekend for strolling, relaxing, having lunch, visiting, and attending an impromptu gathering or organized event.

City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets

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73 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept

5.2 MLK Jr Civic
Center Park
& Surrounding
Streets
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Goals

5.2 MLK Jr Civic Center Park and
Surrounding Streets
Civic Center Park has the potential to be
an urban oasis for residents and visitors
to Berkeley’s Downtown, and also provide
a central gathering place for civic life -
from outdoor performances to political
demonstrations.

The design concept for Civic Center Park
builds from the existing organization
of the park, and layers in new design
elements and programs that support the
desired everyday vibrancy of the Park. The
proposed design concept also simplifies
the layout and reclaims underutilized
space to accomodate new activity areas
where possible.

The design concept is based on six
key design goals to be achieved
through targeted reconfiguration and
refurbishment of the Park.

All of these drivers point towards a future
for Civic Center Park that the public
is asking for: a place of natural and
architectural beauty that provides both
calm retreat and invitation to participate
in public life, both through everyday
activities and special events.

Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets

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75 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Preserve and
build upon Civic
Center Park’s
strengths
Enhance natural
features, promote
biodiversity and
green design
Enhance the
potential of the
Park to host
weekly and
special events
Expand
invitations for a
variety of
everyday uses
Improve
pedestrian safety
and usability of
paths
Study feasibility
and tradeoffs of
daylighting
Strawberry Creek
1 3
5 4
2 6
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Preserve and build
upon the strengths
of Civic Center
1 The design process for the Park and
surrounding streets began with a thorough
analysis of the existing elements in the
Park to determine what needs to remain
and what should be improved. This
was also informed by insights into what
aspects of the Park were performing well
and could be enhanced through public
realm upgrades.

This led to a design approach that
maintains the overall structure of
the park, and preserves existing
mature trees, important monuments
and memorials, and the main central
gathering space - the lawn. Any
upgrades to the Park will also need to be
reviewed by the Landmarks Preservation
Commission.

Note: All drawings are illustrative and conceptual, further landscape design will be required.

Mature Trees, MLK Jr Civic Center Park
Proposed Turtle
Island Monument
Existing mature
trees to remain
Central lawn –
gathering space

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77 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Central Lawn, MLK Jr Civic Center Park
Peace Wall and site of future Turtle
Island Monument
Proposed Turtle
Island Monument
Existing mature
trees to remain
Central lawn –
gathering space
Site Plan with Existing Elements to Remain
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Learning from feedback
on the 2020 Vision Plan
Key guidance from the feedback received
during the Vision Plan process was
applied to the updated design concept:

Avoid introducing too much new
hardscaping and retain as much green
space and softscape as possible.

Avoid removing existing trees if
possible, especially mature trees that
help create the iconic canopy and
support biodiversity
Keep Allston Way open for vehicle
circulation as a key east-west
connection through Berkeley
During the 2019/2020 Vision and
Implementation Plan effort, multiple
alternative design concepts were
developed for the park and neighboring
buildings, shown on the opposite
page. These options varied in levels of
intervention and big moves that organized
the park.

While the overall vision statement
was supported and accepted, the
recommended design concept was not
adopted or instructed to move forward.

For this design concept effort, the design
team employed a lighter touch towards
the park, seeking a balance between
retaining the historic character and key
elements with park enhancements for
everyday vitality and user experience.

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79 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets A
B
C
Phase 1 design concept site plans2019/2020 Vision Plan Alternative Site Plans City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Turtle Island Monument, MLK Jr Civic
Center Park (2023 rendering by PGAdesign)
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Monuments and
Memorials
The emerging design concept proposes
keeping the following monuments and
memorials in their current locations:

Turtle Island Monument
A proposed indigenous monument
that will restore the center of the park
and create a new focal point.

Peace Wall
Perimeter wall at fountain terrace,
with mosaic of individually decorated
tiles, rebuilt in 1988.

Existing Flag Pole
One of the first elements of the park.

It was relocated to its current position
in 2006.

Strawberry Tree Memorial
Two trees and a plaque were place
to honor Irish students who died in a
nearby balcony collapse.

Peace Marker
A small marker was placed here as
part of the Peace Pole Project, date
unknown.

Old City Hall Markers
This area has a few ground marking
plaques. A proposed sculpture is also
to be installed in this area.

A
B
C
D
E
F
D
AC
B
E
F

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81 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Peace Wall, MLK Jr Civic Center Park
Flag Pole, MLK Jr Civic Center Park
D
AC
B
E
F
Site Plan with Monuments and Memorials
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Improve pedestrian
safety and
usability of paths
2 In order to better connect the park to
its surrounding context and invite more
pedestrian activity, the design concept
shows a number of treatments to
increase safety and enhance the
pedestrian experience.

Key elements of these treatments include
pedestrian bulb-outs at intersections on
MLK Jr Way, new crosswalks between
Berkeley High School and the Park, and
a new flush-surface, shared street on
Center Street.

Another pivotal change is the realignment
of the park path network, elimination
of the secondary interior paths, and
widening of the perimeter sidewalks
to allow for a more comfortable walking
experience.

Funnycross, Madrid
Reconfiguration of Center
Street as a shared space
New crosswalk
to Berkeley High
Pedestrian bulb-outs
on MLK Jr Way
Simplified and
improved paths
New crosswalk
to Berkeley High
Wider perimeter sidewalks
around the park

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83 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Clematis Street, West Palm Beach
Pedestrian priority
shared street
Reconfiguration of Center
Street as a shared space
New crosswalk
to Berkeley High
Pedestrian bulb-outs
on MLK Jr Way
Simplified and
improved pathsNew crosswalk
to Berkeley High
Wider perimeter sidewalks
around the park
HtO Park, Toronto
Inviting and wider
paths
Site Plan with Pedestrian Improvements
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Parallel network of narrow
perimeter paths
Small open spaces left
between path divisions
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets The existing path system is notably
defined by the narrow perimeter sidewalk
and redundant par
allel path running
nearby. While the original intent was to
encourage more people to walk within
the park, both sets of narrow paths end
up providing a substandard pedestrian
experience. Additionally, this layout carves
the park into a multitude of small spaces
that are harder to occupy and program.

Existing Path System
MLK Jr Civic Center Park, Present

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85 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets The proposed path network eliminates
redundant internal parallel paths while
widening both the perimeter sidewalk
and the remaining internal pathways.

This provides a better pedestrian
experience while creating larger program
areas between the paths. It also better
accommodates furnishings for pop-up
programming.

Proposed Path System
Wider sidewalks around the perimeter
of MLK Jr Civic Center Park
Consolidated program areas
between fewer paths
Remiseparken, Copenhagen
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Green infrastructure
on Center Street
New undergrowth planting
around mature trees
providing tree root
protection
Permeable paving material
in plaza areas
New planting areas for native,
pollinator-friendly species
Expanded street
tree canopy
Existing Giant Sequioa and other mature
trees, Civic Center Park
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Enhance natural
features, promote
biodiversity and
green design
3 During the 2022/23 Design Concept public
engagement process, participants were
very clear about prioritizing nature in the
MLK Jr Civic Center Park.

The design concept incorporates this
commitment to nature in multiple
ways, including the retention of almost
all existing mature trees, a “Green”
Center Street that features stormwater
infrastructure and bioswales, and
enhanced planting areas to introduce
more pollinator-friendly, native, and less
water-intensive softscape to the park.

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87 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Green infrastructure
on Center Street
New undergrowth planting
around mature trees
providing tree root
protectionPermeable paving material
in plaza areas
New planting areas for native,
pollinator-friendly species
Expanded street
tree canopy
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets California Native Plant Society
Pollinator-friendly,
native plantings
SW 12th Avenue, Portland, OR
Bioswales and
permeable paving
for stormwater runoff
Site Plan with improved plantings & green infrastructure City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Landscape and Planting
Palette
While the mature tree canopy is an
irreplaceable asset for the Park that will
be retained in the design concept, other
existing softscape and planting areas
leave room for improvement.

The design concept proposes a series of
planting areas that ring the main open
space, enhance the existing mature tree
root zones, and help create a strong
buffer along MLK Jr Wy.

These planting areas will balance spaces
for nature with quiet spaces for people,
mixing a variety of species and programs
- from quiet seating under mature trees to
pollinator gardens to bioswales managing
stormwater.

Native, pollinator,
friendly species
Mix of groundcover
and gravel surface

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89 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets New undergrowth to
protect mature trees
Permeable
paving areas
Expanded street
tree canopy
Green infrastructure
for stormwater
management
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets “Green” Center StreetB
Bell Street Park, Seattle Bell Street Park, Seattle
Bell Street Park, Seattle Bell Street Park, Seattle
Green infrastructure and bioswales for
stormwater management and greening
Flush, curbless transition
from street to sidewalk
New street trees
throughout
Realignment to create plaza space in
front of Veterans Memorial Building
A space for all modes of transportation that prioritizes pedestrians and landscaping, aligned with the City’s Streets and Open Space Improvement Plan.

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91 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Occidental Ave, Seattle Woonerf, Odense
Green infrastructure and bioswales for
stormwater management and greening
Flush, curbless transition
from street to sidewalk
New street trees
throughout
Realignment to create plaza space in
front of Veterans Memorial Building
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Entry Plaza with
integrated public art
Central Lawn Food and beverage kiosks
with flex zone seating
B
A
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Expand invitations
for a variety of
everyday uses
4 While the existing park is well-activated
a few times a year for large events and
festivals, it lacks furnishings and sufficient
programs to enliven it on a daily basis.

Through upgrading existing park activity
areas like the skate spot and lawn, and
introducing new programs like food and
beverage and a multi-age play area, the
design concept expands the everyday
potential of the space.

Along with these key program areas,
upgrading and adding seating and lighting
will make the park a safer and more
inviting space.

Berggruen Museum, Berlin

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93 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Entry Plaza with
integrated public art
Central Lawn Food and beverage kiosks
with flex zone seating
B
A
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Jubilee Gardens, London The Italian Gardens Cafe, London Jubilee Gardens, London The Italian Gardens Cafe, London Site Plan with improvements for everyday uses
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets A Skate Spot
A plaza area with skateable
features and furnishings mixed
with general seating and
plantings.

Youth Centre, Oberhausen, Germany
Skate Plaza, Torroella, Spain
Spaces to
watch and rest
Skateable ledges
and benches

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95 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Skate Spot
B Playground
A natural play area for children
mixed with landscaping and
trees.

Tunnel Tops Park, San Francisco Osdorp Oever, Amsterdam Nature-based
play
Dynamic play
elements
Nature-inspired
play features
New benches to protect
tree root zones
Nature-inspired
play features
New benches to protect
tree root zones
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Seating and Furnishings
One of the key components of the design
concept is the desire to expand invitations
for people to use and stay in the Park by
increasing the amount, variety, and quality
of furnishings available.

Fixed benches in activity areas, cafe
seating near new food and beverage
options, and possibly larger signature
seating fixtures will create space for a
variety of users - from farmer’s market
attendees to Berkeley High students
on their lunch break. Additionally, well-
designed benches can be placed under
mature trees to protect the roots while
providing a quiet place of repose.

Beyond seating, other key opportunities
to improve the level of comfort and safety
for park users include upgrading lighting,
signage, art installations, and trash
receptacles.

Comfortable
microclimates
Play spaces for
all ages

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97 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Inviting places
to rest
Natural play
spaces
Flexible seating
for events
Cafe seating
Well-lit
pathways
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Enhance the
potential of the park
to host weekly and
special events
5 Along with the everyday experience,
the Park also needs to accommodate
a variety of weekly and special events.

The design concept focuses on a
few key areas that are able to flex
between everyday activity and the
special gatherings that happen at
Civic Center, from outdoor music
performances to craft fairs.

There is also an opportunity to
rethink the relationship between the
farmer’s market and the Park, and
create a more integrated experience
between the two.

MFA Concerts in the Courtyard, Boston Grand Park, Los Angeles Seating for
everyday social
gatherings
La Placita, Mission, San Francisco
Flexible space for
markets and fairs
Central green for
events and
performances

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99 Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets MFA Concerts in the Courtyard, Boston Grand Park, Los Angeles Seating for
everyday social
gatherings
La Placita, Mission, San Francisco
Flexible space for
markets and fairs
Central green for
events and
performances
MFA Concerts in the Courtyard, Boston Grand Park, Los Angeles Seating for
everyday social
gatherings
La Placita, Mission, San Francisco
Flexible space for
markets and fairs
Central green for
events and
performances
Site Plan with improvements for special events
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
C
Performance area with
upgraded electrical
infrastructure
Newly graded lawn to improve
drainage and seating configuration
New seating and space for pop-up
activation around perimeter paths
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Queens Park, Toronto Brunnsparken, Gothenburg
C
Expansive green for
everyday and
special events
Seating along
path edges
Performance area with
upgraded electrical hookups
Newly graded lawn to improve
drainage and seating configuration
New seating and space for pop-up
activation around perimeter paths
Central Lawn
A flexible, open green space
for daily recreation and public
gatherings.

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101
Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Space to allow the farmer’s
market to expand into the
park
Permeable
paving surface
D
Space to allow the farmer’s
market to open into the park
Permeable
paving surface
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Central Lawn Arts and
Market
Plaza
A dignified
accessible entrance
to the Veterans
Memorial Building
that integrates
Center Street and
the park.

Bell Street Park, Seattle The Porch at 30th, Philadelphia Space for markets
and commerce
Performance
areas
City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Flex ZoneE
Lower Sproul Plaza, Berkeley Monash University, Melbourne Note: All drawings are illustrative and conceptual, further landscape design will be required.

Flexible cafe
seating
Accessible
garden ramps
Lincoln Center, New York Flower Market, Barcelona
Pop-up outdoor
market
A space for food, beverage, and
outdoor seating that can flexibly
accommodate events, performances,
deliveries, and support functions for
the park.

E.0 - Everyday Seating E.1 - Performance E.2 - Outdoor Market E.3 - Support / Delivery New open back stair and
entrance to 2180 Milvia
New food and beverage
kiosks at rear of building
Permeable, drivable paving treatment
to accommodate a variety of uses
Flex ZoneE
Lower Sproul Plaza, Berkeley Monash University, Melbourne Note: All drawings are illustrative and conceptual, further landscape design will be required.

E.0 - Everyday Seating E.1 - Performance E.2 - Outdoor Market E.3 - Support / Delivery New open back stair and
entrance to 2180 Milvia
New food and beverage
kiosks at rear of building
Permeable, drivable paving treatment
to accommodate a variety of uses
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Flex Zone
A space for food,
beverage, and outdoor
seating that can flexibly
accommodate events,
performances, deliveries,
and support functions for
the park.

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103
Berkeley’s Civic Center Design Concept
Flex ZoneE
Lower Sproul Plaza, Berkeley Monash University, Melbourne Note: All drawings are illustrative and conceptual, further landscape design will be required.

E.0 - Everyday Seating E.1 - Performance E.2 - Outdoor Market E.3 - Support / Delivery New open back stair and
entrance to 2180 Milvia
New food and beverage
kiosks at rear of building
Permeable, drivable paving treatment
to accommodate a variety of uses
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets City Council Work Session
March 2023

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Siegel & Strain Architects
Design Concept - MLK Jr Civic Center Park & Surrounding Streets Study feasibility
and tradeoffs
of daylighting
Strawberry Creek
6 While public engagement revealed a
consistent desire to daylight Strawberry
Creek, it also brought up concerns of
feasibility, cost, maintenance, and spatial
constraints.

This alternate design concept illustrates
a partial-flow daylighting scenario that
minimizes disruption to the overall park
layout and key monuments, while reducing
Center St to a minimum-required driving
lane for emergency access. Deliveries and
drop-off to the Veterans Memorial Building
would be impacted, and need further
study. The size of the Arts & Market Plaza
has been reduced to a bridge spanning
the daylit creek, and the farmer’s market
would need to be relocated to another site.

Rockridge-Temescal Greenbelt, Oakland Los Angeles State Historic Park, LA Strawberry Creek, Berkeley
50-65’ width, partial-flow
creekbed scenario
Minimum access lane for
emergency vehicles on Center

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Berkeley City CouncilMarch 21, 2023

Berkeley City Council
March 21, 2023