Staff Report
City Council
Item No. {{section.number}}.D
Meeting Date: June 25, 2025
From: Anne V. Ambrose, Assistant City Manager
Title: FY 2025/26 Community Arts Grant Program Awards
RECOMMENDATION:
To approve the Public Arts Commission’s recommendation to fund grants through the Community Arts Grant Program.
BACKGROUND:
In FY 2024/25, the City Council approved the creation of a Community Arts Grant Program. The program allocated $20,000 from the General Fund for grants to local individuals or organizations to fund innovative projects that engage and enrich the community. Proposals were sought from artists, performers, dancers, authors, poets, musicians, designers, artist collectives, non-profit organizations, governmental, tribal and community groups and any other creative types who are passionate about using the arts as a means of community beautification, social transformation, cultural appreciation, and civic dialogue.
"Art" for the purpose of the application was defined in the broadest extent to include art expressed in any medium, including, without limitation, painting, sculpture, photography, lithography and other physical mediums; music, singing, spoken word, and other auditory mediums; plays, films, dance, and other performance medium; literature and poetry, art history and interpretation; clothing and fashions, and cultural expressions. Art education may be provided by any reasonable means that best achieves the purpose set forth above, including, without limitation, classes, lectures, tours, programs, events, festivals, exhibits, performances, writings, films, audio recordings, and similar means. The grant is not intended to fund permanent art pieces or installations.
DISCUSSION:
The grant application period for FY 2025/26 opened on March 13, 2025, and ran through April 18, 2025. A total of thirteen applications were submitted from the following organizations:
•All Peoples Presbyterian Church
•Artists Council
•Bernard Hoyes
•Brian Shields
•Cathedral City High School
•Coachella Valley Reparatory Theatre
•Desert Ensemble
•Green Room Theatre Desert
•TheatreWorks
•Larry Harris/Strong Words
•SCRAP Gallery
•Cathedral City Senior Center
•Cult and Classic Films, LLC
The Public Arts Commission held a special meeting on June 3, 2025, at 5:00pm to review the applications. The following applications have been recommended for funding:
Organization Award
Desert Ensemble $ 2,500
Green Room Theatre $ 2,500
Larry Harris/Strong Words $ 2,000
S.C.R.A.P. Gallery $ 5,000
Cathedral City Senior Center $ 5,000
Cult and Classic Films, LLC $ 3,000
Total to be awarded $20,000
The performance period for this grant is July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
DESCRIPTION GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT
CODES
PROJECT
CODE
AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2025-2026 Community
Arts Grant
100-500-510-
513-8650-8658 N/A $20,000 Ongoing
2025-2026 Total $20,000
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal F – Embracing, Inclusive Community
F-3 Promote additional community events and celebrations.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Grant Applications for:
•Desert Ensemble
•Green Room Theatre
•Larry Harris/Strong Words
•S.C.R.A.P. Gallery
•Cathedral City Senior Center
•Cult and Classic Films, LLC