Anne Ambrose, Assistant City Manager, provided an overview of the Art in Public Places Fund. The following points were presented:
Background
How Requests are Currently Processed
Current Fund Balance Breakdown
Proposals Waiting to be Considered
Policy Consideration Options
Lauren Bright, Director of Wyld Womxn Art Collective, provided an overview of Wyld Womxn and expressed her support for keeping arts education funding available.
Chloe Lowell, expressed her support for Wyld Womxn and keeping arts education funding available.
Ivette Zamora Cruz, expressed her support for Wyld Womxn and keeping arts education funding available.
Juliette Vos, expressed her support of Wyld Womxn. She expressed her concern with decreasing the amount of funds available for arts education.
Sunshine Herrera, expressed the importance of arts education and feels this issue is not broken so why fix it. She wanted to make the Council aware that these funds are a fee not a tax. She expressed her support for option 5 as presented.
Gabby Armenta, Public Arts Commissioner for the City of Indio, expressed the importance of arts education and feels public art matters. She expressed her support for Wyld Womxn.
Alan Carvalho, stated that he is a former Public Arts Commissioner for the City and he would love to see past programs return. He discussed the Palm Springs requirements for Commissioners and feels we should mirror them.
Jayelle Lopez, local artist. Discussed the Joshua Tree Music Festival, supportive of Wyld Womxn programs.
The City Council provided feedback and asked clarifying questions, which were responded to by Staff and the City Attorney.
This item was for information and direction only, there was no formal action taken by the City Council. Staff will come back with an item to discuss the following options further:
Option 4 - Create an arts education program, funded annually by the general fund ($10-$20,000). The PAC could create an application process and assign a subcommittee to review and select applications to be proposed for approval by the City Council. This process would be similar to the process the City Council adopted for the community grants program.
Option 5 - Consider application of development fee to a broader array of projects to increase the funds available. Currently the ordinance only applies to new commercial or industrial construction over 15,000 square feet; however, the majority of new construction falls below that threshold, ranging from 2,000 to 6,650. Staff would need to conduct an analysis of the Cathedral City’s fee compared to area cities and report back to the City Council with recommendations.