September 13th, 2022
Economic Development
DATE: September 13, 2022
TO: Mayor Tom Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM: Shasa Curl, City Manager
Winifred Day, Arts and Culture Manager
Shané Johnson, Senior Administrative Analyst
Subject: Neighborhood Public Art (NPA) Mini Grant Awards Selection
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The funding for this grant program is not to exceed $71,759 and is included in the adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023 Arts & Culture division budget as follows:
$65,000 (01364065-400201), $6,759 (13564165-
400201).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
N/A
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
For over 10+ years, the Richmond Arts and Culture
Commission (RACC) has awarded funding to Richmond
residents for individual art projects. City staff is bringing forth funding recommendations from the RACC for the
FY 2022-2023 Neighborhood Public Art (NPA) Mini Grant
Program for review and approval by the City Council.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE the Richmond Arts and Culture Commission (RACC) grant awards to nine selected artists for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023, for a total combined amount not to exceed $71,759, for a term beginning November 1, 2022,
and ending June 30, 2023; and AUTHORIZE the City
Manager to negotiate and execute agreements with
approved grantees - City Manager’s Office, Economic
Development (Shasa Curl/Winifred Day 620-6592).
AGENDA
REPORT
September 13th, 2022
DISCUSSION:
For over ten years, the Richmond Ars and Culture Commission (RACC) Neighborhood Public Art (NPA) Mini Grant program has awarded funding to Richmond residents for individual art projects up to $8,000.
This year’s solicitation process included a Request for Proposals (RFP) distributed on June 1, 2022, to over 300 artists (Attachment 1). The distribution list included artists who attended RACC Community Outreach workshops, artists who had Richmond business licenses, non-profit arts organizations including the Richmond Art Center, Nurturing Independence Through Artistic Development (NIAD), East Bay Center for Performing Arts, and previous NPA Mini Grant award winners and applicants. The RFP was also posted in the City Manager’s Weekly Newsletter and several Social Media platforms including Facebook, etc. The proposal deadline was July 1, 2022.
On June 25, 2022, twenty people attended the optional Information Session via ZOOM.
At the July 1, 2022, application deadline, there were 16 candidates. The range of proposals included art banners, art exhibits, instrumental music classes, Children’s Choir performance, filmmakers, etc. The written applications included a letter of interest and project description, along with a concept design sketch.
On July 27, 2022, the interview selection panel conducted interviews with the top applicants. Subsequently, the panel made their selection of nine finalists based on the scores and rankings for each proposal (Attachment 2). The scoring rubric reviewed criteria that included: letter of interest, proposed project concept, resume highlighting public art experience, art project examples, and professional references.
City staff is recommending that the City Council approve the selection of the nine semi- finalists for NPA Mini Grant awards not to exceed a total combined amount of $71,759.
Once under contract, the artists will have until June 30, 2023, to complete the proposed project.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – NPA Mini Grant RFP
Attachment 2 – NPA Mini Grant Scoring Matrix