AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: February 11, 2026
Sara Scrimshaw, Venue Supervisor – Historic Site
Subject: RECOMMENDATION BY ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION
COUNCIL LIAISONS MIRISCH AND WELLS TO CO-SPONSOR THE
BEVERLY HILLS INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL USE OF
GREYSTONE MANSION FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERTS IN
2026
Attachments: 1. 01.26.26 Arts and Culture Commission Council Liaison Meeting Report
RECOMMENDATION
Arts and Culture Commission Council Liaisons Mirisch and Wells recommend that the City co-sponsor the 2026 Beverly Hills International Music Festival (BHIMF) at Greystone Mansion and waive $5,960 in associated hard and soft costs.
INTRODUCTION
Similar to prior years, BHIMF is requesting the City’s co-sponsorship and use of Greystone Mansion to produce concert performances as part of the Beverly Hills International Music Festival, including in-kind services from the City of Beverly Hills, to offset the cost of Greystone facility rental fees. BHIMF was founded in 2004 as part of DMG Music Association, a non-profit organization that aims to bring classical and jazz music performed by local and internationally acclaimed musicians to Beverly Hills and the region to promote excellence in performance and musical education. For their 2026 festival, BHIMF requests the use of Greystone for three (3) concerts on Wednesday, April 22, Thursday, April 23, and Friday, April 24, 2026. All three dates are currently on hold for these events in the Greystone calendar and do not conflict with other programming.
Item Number: D-3
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Matthew Brown, Recreation Services Manager
Meeting Date: February 11, 2026
DISCUSSION
As has occurred in the past, BHIMF is requesting in-kind services from the City of Beverly Hills to offset the cost of Greystone facility rental fees and to help bring the concert performance to Beverly Hills. To facilitate the events, Greystone staff would provide dayof event support, including the set-up and break-down of Greystone chairs for the concerts. If a piano is needed for any of the concert performances, BHIMF would be responsible for supplying the piano, and coordinating any delivery and removal logistics before and after the concerts, with Community Services staff.
BHIMF will be charging for tickets, as has been done in prior years. Beverly Hills residents will be offered a 55% discount on ticket fees and all ticketing operations will be handled by BHIMF. Revenue from ticket sales help offset BHIMF operating costs, in addition to private donations. As planning for the concerts is still ongoing, exact ticket prices are still to be determined. Greystone can accommodate approximately 70 people for each performance. Partnering with BHIMF to co-sponsor the festival brings an exciting and eclectic range of additional musical performances for the community to enjoy at Greystone and provides an additional means of showcasing Greystone Mansion to the Beverly Hills and music-adoring community. As a non-profit organization, BHIMF aims to support young, aspiring, and professional musicians, and to make music accessible to all. The continued co-sponsorship and use of Greystone helps to fulfill their community-minded mission.
New for this year’s festival, BHIMF will include a short pre-concert talk to better engage and entertain the audience with information about the music and musicians featured at each concert. As part of the pre-concert engagement, BHIMF will offer one complimentary glass of sparkling wine or water to each ticket holder prior to the concert. This would take place outside in the courtyard and all necessary permits and licenses would be obtained by BHIMF.
FISCAL IMPACT
Community Services staff project hard costs of approximately $1,800 in Park Ranger and Greystone staff time for set-up and break-down, and approximately $4,160 in rental fees for use of space at Greystone for the concerts, for a total of $5,960 that would be waived to produce the concerts and covered by the City.
BHIMF would be required to provide the City with Comprehensive General Liability insurance, at their expense, with minimum limits in the amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence, including host liquor liability.
Stephanie Harris,
Director of Community Services
Approved By
Attachment 1
STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: January 26, 2026
To: Arts and Culture Council Liaisons Councilmember John Mirisch and Councilmember Mary Wells
From: Sara Scrimshaw, Venue Supervisor – Historic Site
Matthew Brown, Recreation Services Manager
Subject: Beverly Hills International Music Festival co-sponsorship request to use the Greystone Mansion
Attachments: None
INTRODUCTION
In alignment with requests from previous years, Beverly Hills International Music Festival (BHIMF) has requested the City’s co-sponsorship, and use of the Greystone Mansion, for the Beverly Hills International Music Festival in the spring of 2026. Last year, BHIMF returned to the Greystone Mansion for the first time since 2019, after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2025 was the 17
th annual festival - and BHIMF seeks to return the
festival again to Greystone for the 18th annual festival with performances in April 2026.
Founded in 2004, BHIMF as part of DMG Music Association, is a non-profit organization that aims to bring classical and jazz music, performed by local and internationally acclaimed musicians, to Beverly Hills and the region, to promote excellence in performance and musical education. For their 2026 festival, BHIMF requests the use of Greystone for three (3) concerts on Wednesday, April 22, Thursday, April 23, and Friday, April 24, 2026. All three dates are currently on hold for these events in the Greystone calendar and do not conflict with other programming.
DISCUSSION
As in prior years, to produce the concert performances, BHIMF is requesting in-kind services from the City of Beverly Hills, to offset the cost of Greystone facility rental fees.
To facilitate the events, Greystone staff would provide day-of event support, including the set-up and break-down of Greystone chairs for the concerts. If a piano is needed for any of the concert performances, BHIMF would be responsible for supplying the piano, and Meeting Date: January 26, 2026
coordinating any delivery and removal logistics before and after the concerts, with Community Services staff.
BHIMF will be charging for tickets, as has been done in prior years. Beverly Hills residents will be offered a 55% discount on ticket fees. All ticketing operations will be handled by BHIMF. Revenue from ticket sales help offset BHIMF operating costs, in addition to private donations. As planning for the concerts is still ongoing, exact ticket prices are still to be finalized. Greystone can accommodate up to 70 people for each performance. Partnering with BHIMF to co-sponsor the festival brings an exciting and eclectic range of additional musical performances for the community to enjoy at Greystone, and provides for an additional means of showcasing the Greystone Mansion to the Beverly Hills and musicadoring community. As a non-profit, BHIMF aims to support young, aspiring, and professional musicians, and making music accessible to all, and the continued cosponsorship and use of Greystone helps continue to fulfill the community-minded mission.
New for this year’s festival, BHIMF will include a short pre-concert talk to better engage and entertain the audience with information about the music and musicians featured at each concert. BHIMF also requests permission to offer one complimentary glass of sparkling wine or water to each ticket holder prior to the concert. This would take place outside in the courtyard and all necessary permits and licenses would be obtained by BHIMF, if permission is granted.
FISCAL IMPACT
In calculating the anticipated fees that would be waived for the performances, including facility and staffing costs, it comes to approximately $1,800 in Ranger and Greystone staff time for set-up and break-down, and approximately $4,160 in rental fees for use of space at Greystone for the concerts, for a total of $5,960 that would be waived to produce the concerts.
RECOMMENDATION
Following past practice and direction from City Council in prior years, Community Services staff recommend that the Arts and Culture Council Liaisons support the City’s cosponsorship of the BHIMF performances, and the waiver of associated staff time and Greystone rental use costs to produce the concerts.
Stephanie Harris,
Director of Community Services
Approved By