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Staff Report
City Council
Item No. {{section.number}}.{{item.number}}
Meeting Date: September 24, 2025
From: Anne Ambrose, Interim City Manager
Title: Budget of $5,000 for the Inaugural Cathedral City Festival of the Arts Event in the Cathedral City Community Amphitheater.
RECOMMENDATION:
To approve a not-to-exceed budget of $5,000 for the inaugural Cathedral City Festival of the Arts event as recommended by the Public Arts Commission.
BACKGROUND:
Commissioner Stouder has presented at the past few Public Arts Commission meetings on plans for an arts festival in the City’s amphitheater. The event would focus on local and regional artists, charge a low admission fee to reduce barriers to entry, and not charge a commission to the artists to participate, allowing them to keep the full amount of any sales.
Commissioner Stouder has prepared an outline of the event and drafted rules for participation in the event. The Commission has been working in coordination with the City’s Communications and Events and Desert Recreation District staff to plan out the event activities. It is the commission’s hope that this can be a reoccurring event in the future.
DISCUSSION:
On September 9th, the Public Arts Commission discussed the proposed budget. Originally, the budget did not include any funding for entertainment and Commissioner Marks requested that budget be identified to allow some local performers to be able to participate in the event in order to promote performing art as well as fine art. The Commissioners voted to revise the initial proposed budget to include stipends for local performing artists and approved the not-to-exceed budget of $5,000 for the inaugural Cathedral City Festival of the Arts event.
The Public Arts Commission is seeking City Council approval of a not-to-exceed budget of $5,000 to cover direct expenditures for the event. Estimated expenditures include Item Cost
DJ/PA System $1,200
Promotional Materials/Banners $1,900
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Food Trucks $300
Performing Artists $1,000
Total $4,400
The remaining $600 would be for incidentals, if needed.
The participating artists would be charged an entry fee of $100.00. It is anticipated there will be between 32 and 40 spaces for artists, depending on the number of tents available.
Potential revenue could be up to $4,000.
FISCAL IMPACT:
DESCRIPTION GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT
CODES
PROJECT
CODE
AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2025-2026 Festival of the
Arts
100-500-510-
513-8300-8301 M03513 $5,000 ONE TIME
2025-2026 Total $5,000
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal F: Embracing, Inclusive Community
Action F-3: Promote additional community events and celebrations.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. PAC Staff Report
2. Event Outline
3. Draft Rules and Regulations