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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Request for the Utilization of One City Day Sponsorship at the Alex Theatre and Approval of Refined City Days Sponsorship Program Criteria
1. City Council motion to approve the utilization of one (1) City Day Sponsorship at the Alex Theatre for a concert; Gevorg Chakmanyan – Celebrating 35 Years on Stage and the 55th Birthday
2. City Council motion to Approve Refined Alex Theatre City Days Sponsorship Program Criteria
COUNCIL ACTION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Glendale’s Economic Development Division is requesting Council’s approval of the utilization of one of the City’s twelve annual rent-free dates at the Alex Theatre to sponsor a concert; Gevorg Chakmanyan – Celebrating 35 Years on Stage and 55th Birthday, organized by Star Production. The mutually agreed upon date between the organizer, and Evnsong, the manager/operator of Alex Theatre is tentatively scheduled for October 1, 2026. This request, if approved, would allow for five more remaining free City Day sponsorship requests for the 2026 calendar year.
Staff also seek Approval of Refined City Days Sponsorship Program Criteria to be taken effect at the beginning of 2027.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council consider approval of the utilization of one rent-free date at the Alex Theatre for Star Production and provide direction or approve the revised Alex Theatre City Days Sponsorship Program criteria.
ANALYSIS
As part of the Management Agreement for the City-owned Alex Theatre, Evnsong, the Item Type: Action Calendar
Approved forSeptember 1, 2026 calendar
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manager/operator agrees to provide the City with twelve annual days of Theatre use, free of facility rental charge, to make the theatre available for community use. In addition to events hosted by the City, the City may sponsor community groups, who meet the minimum criteria and receive City Council approval, by providing them use of one of these twelve dates. The facility rental fee is waived by the Theatre for these groups, but all other costs associated with the use of the Theatre are to be paid for by the group requesting the sponsorship.
Staff and the Alex Theatre Operator anticipate the City will use the Theatre for reoccurring events and are cognizant not to bring forward community events which would surpass the number of allocated dates considering these anticipated date uses.
The City Council has already approved the following shows for 2026:
1. Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural Association Choir
2. Glendale Unified School District Armenian American Heritage Night Celebration
3. Armenian Genocide Commemoration
4. Gomidas Choir's Annual Concert: 20th Year Celebration
5. Women's Equity Day
6. Dream Planet by Armenian Fairytales Inc.
Five additional dates were previously approved for use and have either moved to other locations or been cancelled, including Glendale Tech Week opening night, LA Youth Orchestra, Hollywood Arab Film Festival, Hovhaness Badalian 100 Centennial and The End of Aging – A Healthspan Salon. If City Council approves the request tonight, five of the twelve designated dates would remain available for 2026.
Event Details and Impact:
Gevorg Chakmanyan – Celebrating 35 Years on Stage & 55th Birthday Concert A special commemorative concert organized by Star Production, a for profit organization, honoring Gevorg Chakmanyan’s distinguished career and lifelong contributions to Armenian music and culture. The event will celebrate 35 years of artistic excellence while also recognizing his 55th birthday through an evening of live performances featuring some of his most beloved songs, accompanied by accomplished musicians and special guest artists.
This milestone celebration is intended to bring together members of the Armenian community, music enthusiasts, and supporters of the performing arts for an unforgettable cultural experience.
Economic Impact:
Previous events include the 2016 celebration of Gevorg Chakmanyan’s 15 Years on Stage and a 2024 tribute concert honoring the 100th anniversary of Legendary Armenian folk singer Ofelya Hambardzumyan. Both events took place at the Alex 7 0
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Theatre, attracting strong community participation with fully booked venues.
Attendance is expected to reach approximately 1,000 guests from Glendale, neighboring communities, and throughout Southern California. The estimated revenue from ticket sales is expected to be approximately $60,000.
Social Impact:
The event is expected to attract families, young adults, seniors, and members of the broader community who appreciate Armenian music and cultural programming.
Beyond entertainment, the concert encourages cultural preservation, intergenerational engagement, and community pride by honoring an artist whose work has contributed to the continuation of Armenian musical traditions.
Gevorg Chakmanyan is a respected Armenian singer whose career spans more than three decades. For 35 years, he has been recognized for his dedication to Armenian music and his commitment to preserving traditional and contemporary Armenian songs through live performances both in Armenia and throughout the Armenian diaspora.
City Days Program Criteria
Currently, the criteria used by City staff to facilitate consideration for subsidized use of the Theatre are the following:
- Non-weekend dates only (no Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) - Must be received 90-days prior to event
- Cannot request after agreement is already signed with theatre - Must be a previous user of the Theatre with at least 50% capacity in previous shows – or reasonable expectation of over 700 attendees
- No more than one request per organization per year
- The producer will be independently responsible for all other costs associated with using the Theatre including labor, rentals, equipment fees, etc.
When a request is received by staff that meets the criteria, the request is presented to City Council during a public meeting for their approval. The City has a maximum of twelve days available for requests. In return for City sponsorship, the producer will provide: Mention of the City of Glendale sponsorship in all marketing material and during the show.
During discussions at the January 28, 2026 and April 28, 2026 City Council meetings regarding City Day requests, the City Council inquired about the program’s eligibility criteria and suggested revisiting the existing provisions to ensure that the requirements more effectively align with the intended purpose and objectives of the program. 7 0
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Main ideas and concerns addressed by City Council included giving priority to Glendale based organizations, allowing for annual recurring events while also making sure opportunities are available for other organizations, and ensuring approved events provide a public benefit to the community. If City Council’s desire is to modify the requirements, some criteria for consideration include:
- Public Benefit – Organizer must have a non-profit status or that the event is open to the public and/or provides a demonstrated benefit to a defined segment of the community, and that primarily serves an educational, cultural, civic, charitable, recreational, health, safety, or other community purpose. The event must provide a benefit beyond the private interests of the event organizer and must be consistent with the City’s goals, policies, or community priorities. - Community Access – Priority to Glendale Based Organizations - Encouraging New Applicants – Priority may be given to organizations that have not received a City Day sponsorship within the previous three years.
In addition, to provide the City Council with a comprehensive understanding of event requests and a clearer view of the available options, staff will present City Day Sponsorship requests to City Council in two to three consolidated batches per year, rather than on an individual, as-requested basis.
If the suggested considerations for the City Day Sponsorship Program requirements, or any additional requirements recommended by the City Council, are modified, staff recommend that any such changes take effect beginning January 1, 2027.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Marketing for the event will take place through the organization’s large base, and all regular Alex Theatre ticket marketing outlets.
Details for those interested in requesting sponsorships can be found on the Alex Theatre website at: https://www.thealex.com/sponsorship
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no costs to the City of Glendale for sponsoring the one community event and refining the City Days Sponsorship Program Requirements. If attendance reaches the anticipated goal of 1,000 attendees, the City is expected to receive approximately $4,000 in revenue from ticket fees, which will be deposited in the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
CEQA does not apply to projects where the lead agency determines "with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment." CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs.) § 15061(b)(3). Here, the action involves hosting a show within a built environment. There is no possibility that the action of hosting continued shows within the Theatre may have a significant effect on the environment.
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CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1: Do not approve utilization of one City Day at the Alex Theatre for the concert organized by Star Production.
2: Do not approve refined City Days Program Sponsorship Requirements. 3: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
Prepared by:
Sevak Dishoian, Economic Development Coordinator
Soua Vang, Deputy Director of Economic Development
Domenica Megerdichian, Assistant to the City Manager
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
None.