1 MEMORANDUM
PARKS AND
RECREATION
DATE: May 17, 2022
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Marisa Garcia, Park, Recreation, and Community Services Director BY: Kristen Smith, Parks and Recreation Deputy Director
SUBJECT: Discussion Paper - Increase Cultural Arts Funding
BACKGROUND
The City of Burbank (City) recognizes the value of arts and culture in the community by promoting arts through various avenues including: the Betsy Lueke Creative Arts Center; diverse art programming, activities, and events ; a well-establishment of an Art in Public Places Committee and diverse public art program; and a Burbank Cultural Arts Commission (Commission) whose mission is to enhance Burbank’s status as a regional arts destination. The abovementioned offerings are coordinated by the Parks and Recreation (P&R) Department (Department) with support of the P&R Board. Moreover, since the 1970’s the city has financially supported various performing arts organizations in Burbank the Performing Art Foundation (Foundation). The Foundation evolved into two entities now known as the Fine Arts Federation and Burbank Arts & Education Foundation.
To further support the arts in Burbank , in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 -2006 City Council (Council) set aside $100,000 in a reserve account (001.ND000.30015.1032) to establish a Performing Arts Endowment. The purpose of the endowment was to accrue interest on the $100,000. The interest would then in turn be used to sustain an arts program. In FY 2006-2007 Council made an additional appropriation of $100,000 into th e Endowment account for a total balance of $200,000 ($220,000 including interest). During FY 2021- 2022, then Vice Mayor Talamantes requested that additional funding be allocated to further support arts in Burbank. At the May 25, 2021, Council meeting, Council approved staff’s recommendation to appropriate $50,000 each year over the next four years from the Performing Arts Endowment to support performing art in the community. Thereafter, funding the annual allocation would be included in the City’s General Fund.
More recently a t the May 3, 2022, Council meeting, Mayor Talamantes requested to increase the Cultural Arts budget by an additional $200,000, utilizing one-time funds to be allocated over the next four years to increase the City’s support of the arts.
2 DISCUSSION
As supported by Council, throughout FY 2021-2022, staff worked with the Commission and P&R Board to develop an allocation plan for the use of the annual $50,000 appropriation. Prior to engaging with the stakeholders, staff researched various options on how best to utilize funds to support the arts in Burbank. A viable option was creating an art and culture grant program, similar to the Performing Arts Grant that actively supported performing arts in Burbank from 1993 through 2004. The grant program assisted local non -profit arts organizations, enhance d and diversif ied offerings, and encouraged arts participation and experiences for all members of the community.
As an important stakeholder group, staff first met with the Commission on October 14, 2021 to seek their recommendations on the use of funds. At the December 9, 2021, Commission meeting, the Commission recommended that the annual $50,000 allocation be used to pursue three goals: 1) Hire a consultant with grant writing experience ; 2) Create an arts grant program; and 3) Identify shared space for performances and events.
Thereafter, at the February 10, 2022 and March 10, 2022 P&R Board (Board) meeting, staff presented the Commission’s recommendations for the Board’s review and feedback.
The Board supported the recommendations with an additional suggestion of allowing staff to determine the appropriate funding amounts for each goal to allow for flexibility , if needed.
Staff is in support of Mayor Talamantes’ request of increasing Cultural Arts funding by an additional $200,000 ($50,000 annually) . With this request , the total funding to Cultural Arts programming will be $420,000. With Council’s commitment to cultural arts, these additional funds could support the three goals endorsed by the Commission and Board.
Moreover, the funds may be used to further the C ommission’s goals of expanding outreach, gain ing exposure, and highlighting artist and local organizations. Currently, funds needed to support many of the Commission’s efforts must be secured through in- kind donations.
FISCAL IMPACT
Increasing the Cultural Services Program Budget by an additional $50,000 for the next four (4) years beginning FY 2022-2023 will result in a positive impact of arts and culture throughout the City of Burbank.
CONCLUSION
Historically, the City has provided financial support for performing arts since the 1970’s.
Recently, additional funding has been directed to support arts and culture outside of P&R programming. As the Media Capital of the World , the Council is able to utilize one-time funding to support Commission events and allocate more monies towards a legacy grant program to actively foster, develop and assist organizations that encourage arts participation and experiences by and for all members of the public.