Arts and Culture
Richmond General Plan 2030
1 3
Community Vision
Richmond, California in 2030
The City is recognized as a thriving arts community that celebrates its artists, organiza- tions, programs and events. Strong City leadership, innovative partnerships and active citi- zenry ensure that arts and culture are woven into all aspects of community life.
Arts-related venues provide enjoyable environments. Works of art are integrated into pub- lic places, adding to the City’s attractiveness as a place to live. Richmond’s heritage and rich diversity are evident in its many forms of artistic expression. Longstanding arts insti- tutions are a source of civic pride, attracting both community members and visitors from the region to experience the arts. Residents of all ages enjoy access to meaningful enrich- ment opportunities that draw upon Richmond’s artistic and cultural resources.
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Arts and Culture
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Although it is not a state-required element, the City
is committed to supporting and expanding the local
arts community and its contributions to Richmond’s
character and vitality. The Arts and Culture
Element is consistent with the State of California
Government Code (Section 65303) which grants
authority to local jurisdictions to adopt additional
elements to those mandated by state law when they
relate to the physical development of the jurisdic-
tion.
1 Richmond enjoys abundant arts, cultural and his-
toric resources. The City boasts dozens of historical
landmarks and nationally recognized sites and struc-
tures. Strong partnerships with long-standing, local
arts institutions provide opportunities for residents
of all ages to engage in creating and experiencing
art. The City is also home to an active community
of arts practitioners. A sampling of local talent is
evidenced in the unique artwork featured later in
this Element (pages 13.13 to 13.17). Richmond
strives to expand its standing as a place where artis-
tic expression and cultural diversity can flourish,
and where a multitude of art forms are created, per-
formed, taught and exhibited.
The Arts and Culture Element:
• Describes the City’s arts and cultural resources;
• Highlights key findings and recommendations
based on an existing conditions analysis;
• Defines goals for integrating arts and culture into
the City’s future;
• Identifies policies and implementing actions to
address challenges and articulate opportunities to
nurture arts and culture;
• Provides a summary table identifying lead respon-
sibilities for each implementing action; and
• Reviews the existing regulatory framework that
guides arts and culture planning efforts.
Purpose of the Element
The intent of the Arts and Culture Element is to
preserve Richmond’s cultural assets, celebrate heri-
tage and expand opportunities for arts enrichment.
The Element outlines Richmond’s approach to inte-
grating arts and culture into the community to help
stimulate the local economy, contribute to livability
and enhance the urban environment. In order to
achieve these aspirations, Richmond will continue to
foster a civic environment where the arts can thrive.
This Arts and Culture Element represents an impor-
tant step toward legitimizing the arts as an essential
component of civic life that merits investment and
consideration in the City’s decision-making pro-
cesses.
Legal Requirement
The inspiration for this Arts and Culture Element
is the shared belief that the arts provide essential
contributions to the quality of life in Richmond.
Various forms of public art including murals and sculptures can be found throughout Richmond.
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13 Arts and Culture
of the availability of affordable housing and studio
space and the proximity to urban and natural envi-
ronments.
The following discussion provides a review of
Richmond’s existing arts and cultural resources
including: public art; nonprofit arts and cultural
institutions; cultural facilities; arts education and
program partnerships; and events and festivals.
Public Art
Beginning in the 1940s, the City of Richmond rec-
ognized a valuable role for art in public places, and
since has acquired an impressive collection of public
art including memorials, sculptures, murals, histori-
cal markers, reliefs and decorative panels, tapestries, banners and artist-designed community gardens.
Richmond’s installations are concentrated primar-
ily in the Downtown area with an additional cluster
at Marina Bay and other works of art distributed
among the surrounding neighborhoods of Point
Richmond Today
Arts and cultural activities have a direct effect on the daily lives of Richmond residents. The arts engage
people of all ages, revitalize the community and
celebrate Richmond’s cultural diversity. On an inter-
personal level, artistic endeavors develop essential
skills such as creativity, perception and imagination,
which fuel technology, entertainment and commu-
nications industries. The arts provide resources for
youth, improve self-esteem and motivation, reduce
absenteeism and promote tolerance and teamwork.
The arts bring people together to celebrate, learn
about and preserve the contributions of diverse
cultures. The local economy can potentially benefit
from arts-related employment opportunities, an
expanded tax base and increased property values.
The City of Richmond enjoys many arts and
culture-related assets. Community arts events and
festivals are held throughout the year in celebration
of history, culture and arts-related themes. The City
has many designated national, state and local histor-
ic landmarks and districts. In addition to abundant
historic resources, the community takes pride in its
extensive collection of public art. Richmond pro-
vides arts and cultural offerings including visual and
performing arts education through successful public
and nonprofit institutions. These Richmond-based
institutions provide opportunities for residents of
all ages to perform or experience theater, music and
dance, and to create or view the visual arts.
Home to an active community of arts practitioners,
Richmond is especially attractive to artists because
Public art adds character to public places. Various forms of public art such as murals and sculptures can be found throughout the City.
Richmond, Hilltop Bayview, Parchester and East
Richmond. The collection reflects unique expres-
sions of Richmond’s values and contributes to the
cultural backbone of the community.
Public art advances the goals of the City by: adding
to high urban design standards; attracting national
attention to the City’s leadership in the public art
arena; and providing a mechanism to meaningfully
involve citizens in the design of their environment.
2,3
Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Institutions
The City’s community-based arts institutions pro-
vide innovative programs and activities for both resi-
dents and visitors of all ages and abilities. Richmond
has five major nonprofit arts and cultural institu-
tions:
• The Richmond Art Center;
• The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts;
• The National Institute of Arts and Disabilities;
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13 Arts and Culture
are in poor condition and in need of maintenance,
seismic retrofit or upgrades. Following is an over-
view of each institution’s role, programming and
facilities.
Richmond Art Center
Founded in 1936, the Richmond Art Center (RAC)
is the Bay Area’s longest established art center. It
is a private nonprofit community center featur-
ing an array of educational programs both at the
Art Center’s Downtown facility and throughout
the community. The Center seeks to inspire active
engagement in visual arts for all ages through exhibi-
tions, education and in-school programs.
The Art Center’s well-equipped 25,000 square
foot facility is located in Richmond’s Civic Center.
The facility consists of 6,000 square feet of gallery
space, a sculpture courtyard and classroom and stu-
dio space to accommodate instruction in ceramics,
drawing, painting, weaving and jewelry-making. The
• The Masquers Playhouse; and
• ArtsChange.
T ogether these organizations involve around
3,000 participants and attract more than 38,000
audience members each year.
4 Annual operating
expenditures of nonprofit arts organizations in
Richmond were estimated at more than 4.7 mil-
lion dollars in 2006. These organizations generate
an estimated 3.4 million dollars for the Richmond
economy and support about 100 full-time equiva-
lent jobs.
5 The role and long-term vitality of these
institutions is particularly important in offsetting
reduced opportunities to participate in arts offer-
ings through West Contra Costa Unified School
District (WCCUSD) and the City.
Arts face significant financial challenges in meet-
ing their annual operating costs, qualifying for
matching grant funding and providing necessary
upgrades to their facilities. Many of these non-
profit organizations operate out of facilities that
RAC has an annual budget of about $600,000 and
the Center is supported by individual donors, grants
and the City.
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts
The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts
(EBCPA) is a highly respected nonprofit institu-
tion dedicated to ensuring broad community access
to high quality arts training. Founded in 1968, the
Center has earned prestigious local and national
awards. Part of EBCPA’s mission is to encourage
people to explore the use of cultural heritage and
personal creativity as vehicles for reconciliation and
social change. The Center offers long-term arts
education programs for all with instruction in dis-
tinctive cultural forms of theater, music, dance and
multimedia. A dynamic community performance
Nonprofit arts and cultural programs provide a rich array of opportunities for Richmond’s youth to explore their creative abilities through the performing arts.
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13 Arts and Culture
series features concerts, dance recitals, multimedia
presentations, plays and musicals.
The EBCPA’s main facility is a 12,500 square
foot, three-story building located in Downtown
Richmond. This facility is home to administrative
offices, 20 classrooms and performance space that
can accommodate an audience of up to 120. In
2007, EBCPA purchased the building from the City
at a nominal rate with an agreement to rehabilitate
the historic 1924 structure, which is in need of a
seismic and program retrofit. A capital campaign is
underway to complete facility renovations. EBCPA
has an annual budget of about $1,365,939, attracts
20,000-25,000 in attendance to performances and
events each year and serves more than 2,000 stu-
dents annually.
6 National Institute of Arts and Disabilities
This award-winning nonprofit art studio and gallery
provides a unique art program for adults with devel-
opmental and physical disabilities. The National
Institute of Arts and Disabilities (NIAD) Center
promotes creativity, independence, dignity and com-
munity integration. Participants enjoy opportunities
to exhibit work both at NIAD’s on-site gallery and
at other exhibitions. These opportunities contribute
to enhanced self-esteem and provide earnings for
personal use. The program fosters socialization and
inclusion both at the Center and on art-related field
trips, and enhances public understanding of artistic
capacities of people of all abilities.
NIAD serves an average of 35 adults each day from
diverse cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic back-
grounds. NIAD’s facilities are owned by the organi-
zation and in need of renovations estimated to cost
approximately $300,000. Their annual budget is
$526,000, most of which comes from the Regional
Center of the East Bay with the remaining derived
from grants and individual donations.
Masquers Playhouse
Masquers Playhouse, Inc., established in 1955, is
the oldest continuously active community theater
in Contra Costa County. The volunteer nonprofit
community theater produces high-caliber plays,
musical productions and other live theatrical events
for the entertainment and cultural enhancement of
the greater Bay Area. The Playhouse provides a cre-
ative outlet for amateur theater people and invites
community members of all ages to participate in a
full range of theater production responsibilities.
Masquers Playhouse operates a 99-seat theater
which attracts about 12,000 theatergoers annually
and is housed in a historic building in the Point
Richmond neighborhood. The building is owned
The RAC’s Community Gallery offers exhibit space for original work by local artists, students, faculty and community groups.
NIAD provides important art programs for adults with
developmental and physical disabilities.
The Masquers Playhouse produces high-caliber plays, musical productions and other live theatrical events.
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13 Arts and Culture
by the Masquers, but is in need of a seismic retrofit
which is estimated to cost $500,000 to $750,000.
Masquers operates as a nonprofit organization with
an annual budget of $165,000. Ticket sales account
for about 65% to 70% of funds with the rest com-
ing from individual donors and fundraisers.
ArtsChange
The ArtsChange Project has been instrumental in
providing widespread community access to the arts.
ArtsChange creates and installs diversity-themed
exhibitions in the waiting areas of County Health
and Social Service Centers with the goal of bring-
ing educational, arts and cultural programming to
these widely utilized public sites. Exhibitions are also shown at venues throughout the City. The project
was launched in 1996 as a joint endeavor of the
Richmond Health Center’s Community Arts and
Diversity Committee and Community Works, a
nonprofit community arts program. Objectives
include: promoting working relationships among
multicultural staff; celebrating the rich diversity of
Richmond; building tolerance and healthy com-
munities; and extending the benefits of the arts
to underserved communities. Since its initiation,
ArtsChange has produced more than five exhibits
each year, attracting 10,000 patients, residents and
others annually. ArtsChange operates as a nonprofit
organization with an annual budget of $130,000.
Cultural Facilities
In addition to the facilities that house Richmond’s
arts institutions, the Museum of History and
Richmond’s Memorial Auditorium and Convention
Center are also programmed for cultural activities.
These are further described below. Other com-
munity facilities such as libraries and civic build-
ings are discussed in the Community Facilities and
Infrastructure Element.
Richmond Museum of History
The Richmond Museum of History was founded as
a nonprofit organization in 1954 to promote and
facilitate study of Richmond’s history. Collections
housed here include highlights of Richmond’s pre-
history, agricultural beginnings, industrial achieve-
ments and cultural legacy.
Richmond Memorial Auditorium and
Convention Center
The Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center
is located in the heart of the Civic Center and
owned and operated by the City. The auditorium
plays an important role in the community, provid-
ing space for school dances and annual community
events. However, as Richmond’s largest performance
venue, the complex is underutilized. The building
has a seating capacity of 3,756 and seven meeting
rooms accommodating up to 480 people in total.
The complex is close to the multimodal BART/
Amtrak transit station with convenient vehicular
access to Interstates 80 and 580. With refurbish-
ment, new management and promotion, the City
hopes to maximize use of the Auditorium complex
as an anchor, attracting world-class entertainers and
artists and drawing visitors from beyond the region
to experience the arts in Richmond.
The Richmond Museum of History promotes and facilitates the study of Richmond’s History
The Richmond Memorial Auditorium may help ignite the area as a hub of arts and cultural activities.
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13 Arts and Culture
Arts Education and Program
Partnerships
Arts are a vital part of the educational experience.
Not only do the arts nurture creative thinking and
self-expression, but they can also cater to a broad
range of learning styles. Fine arts and music pro-
grams often inspire students who do not respond
readily to more academic curriculum or who are at
risk of dropping out of school. Arts enrichment pro-
grams for children and adults have several positive
benefits such as developing artistic talents, enhanc-
ing self-esteem, building critical thinking and social
skills and increasing overall motivation to learn.
West Contra Costa Unified School District
(WCCUSD) provides instruction and perfor-
mance opportunities in instrumental and choral
music to over 2,500 students across all grade levels.
The District has one of the most comprehensive
music education programs in the greater Bay Area.
However, because of the severe budget restrictions
faced by the public school system, the District relies
on partnerships with arts organizations to provide
fine arts and drama opportunities in the K-12 cur-
riculum. Thousands of elementary, middle and
high school students from the WCCUSD benefit
from excellent arts programs partnerships with the
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (EBCPA),
Richmond Art Center (RAC) and the San Francisco
Art Institute (SFAI). These partnerships are critical
to infusing arts curriculum into Richmond’s schools.
Richmond Art Center Education Programs
The Richmond Art Center’s (RAC) Education
Programs consist of: on-site classes and workshops;
community projects; the ArtReach outreach pro-
gram which includes custom-designed Artists in
Schools residencies; and artist-led tours of RAC’s
exhibitions for schools and community groups
including hands-on workshops for all participants.
The Artists-in-Schools Program places professional
artists at school sites throughout Richmond to con-
duct long-term, hands-on workshops reaching over
3,500 students in the West Contra Costa Unified
School District each year. The Center remains com-
mitted to sponsoring projects in the community.
It has spearheaded projects such as: a summer art
program at a local housing complex; a large-scale
community mural festival involving 30 local orga-
nizations; after-school programs at local community
centers; and free-of-charge, hands-on art activities
for children at community festivals such as Cinco de
Mayo and Juneteenth.
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts
Education Programs
The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts
(EBCPA) provides training and classes for com-
munity members of all ages at reduced costs or free
of charge, and also collaborates with WCCUSD to
provide invaluable on-site public school programs.
Every year, the East Bay Center programs ben-
efit more than 25,000 members of the ethnically
diverse and low-income communities in and around
Richmond. The EBCPA’s Art and Public Education
Division offers thousands of art classes at 10 - 15
public school sites, serving approximately 1,200
students each year. Sixty to 70 EBCPA professional
artists/instructors are involved annually in public
education programs, providing student instruc-
tion and teacher training workshops. The Center
has launched a groundbreaking model project in
three local schools, using an arts-based curriculum
EBCPA provides training and classes for community members of all ages at reduced costs for free of charge.
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13 Arts and Culture
to reach highly at-risk students. Additionally, the
Intensive Summer Institute and Emerging Artist
Fellowship programs provide advanced arts train-
ing and leadership opportunities annually for young
adults. The excellence of its programs and contribu-
tions to arts in the community have earned the East
Bay Center for Performing Arts prestigious local
and national awards from organizations such as the
Contra Costa Children and Families Policy Forum,
the Black Filmmakers, the National Endowment for
the Arts and the President’s Committee on the Arts
and the Humanities.
San Francisco Art Institute Partnership: City
Studio
The San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) is one of the
United States’ oldest and most prestigious private
schools of higher education in contemporary art. In
2005, the Institute partnered with local organization
Opportunity West and the West Contra Costa Unified
School District to offer City Studio, a arts education
program for underserved youth. The program is sup-
ported by grants from the James Irvine Foundation
and the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, and is designed
for high school juniors and seniors who have little or
no access to arts training in secondary school. Over a
two-year period youth participate in four 14-week proj- ects held locally, led by local artists and distinguished SFAI faculty members. A network of advising and
support services are also provided. Students are invited to participate in two summer intensive sessions held at the San Francisco undergraduate campus. Art material
costs are covered and stipends are provided to cover the cost of travel to and from the San Francisco campus.
Events and Festivals
Cultural events and festivals are socially and economi- cally significant. They provide opportunities to celebrate the City’s rich culture and history. If effectively marketed and executed, events and festivals can serve to attract visitors, bring economic benefits and elevate Richmond’s profile throughout the region.
There are several annual cultural events and fes-
tivals held in Richmond that draw attendees
from throughout the Bay Area including: North
Richmond Shoreline Festival, Cinco de Mayo
Festival; Fourth of July Festival; Home Front Festival
by the Bay; Juneteenth Festival; Music on the Main;
the Point Richmond Summer Concert Series; Black
History Month; The Art of Living Black Exhibition;
Holiday Lighting Ceremony and Reception; North
Richmond Shoreline Festival; and the October Arts
and Humanities Month Celebration.
7 Performances can help attract visitors to Richmond while supporting a tradition of arts in the community.
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13 Arts and Culture
Key Findings and
Recommendations
Richmond’s affordability, central Bay Area loca-
tion, plentiful supply of light industrial parcels
and proximity to world-class natural environments
attract professional artists and cultural organiza-
tions. Richmond enjoys the benefit of a number
of valuable arts institutions that provide high qual-
ity arts programming to the entire community. T o
ensure that this burgeoning arts community thrives,
it is critical that the City builds and maintains its
cultural foundation. Adequate staffing is needed to
meet service commitments and to build partner-
ships and funding in support of arts and culture. As
Richmond is a diverse community, additional priori-
ties revolve around celebrating differences, breaking
down barriers to arts program participation and
ensuring widespread opportunities for arts exposure.
Stimulating a healthy arts environment in
Richmond will continue to enhance the City’s iden-
tity and provide economic benefits. The economic
impact of the arts is substantial. At a national level, studies indicate that America’s nonprofit arts indus-
try generates $134 billion in economic activity every
year.
8 Cities and counties are finding that nonprofit
arts organizations contribute significantly to state
economic growth and job creation. Studies indicate
that the arts contribute far more to the economy in
income and jobs than they receive in private contri-
butions and public funding.
9 Additionally, an assess-
ment of cities and counties, both large and small,
that have integrated art into their respective commu-
nities revealed that spending on the nonprofit arts
(directly and indirectly) supports more than 115,000
California full-time and part-time jobs and adds $1
billion in income for the California economy.10
Public art, capital improvement projects and land-
scape design can make highly visible contributions
to the urban environment, creating more attractive
and inviting communities. Visual and performing
arts can become part of a city’s social fabric, creating enjoyable experiences for dialogue and thought. The
arts can draw communities together through local
events, partnerships and projects that engage a broad
spectrum of citizens. The City of Richmond enjoys
a strong basis from which to grow arts and culture.
The following key findings and recommendations
are derived from existing conditions in Richmond as
well as the community’s vision for the future.
Finding 1: The City has a rich arts and cultural
tradition that contributes to its unique identity –
Richmond seeks to continue to build this image
as a regional center for arts and culture.
Bringing arts to the forefront can positively raise
community perception, build civic pride, improve
quality of life for Richmond residents and culti-
vate the City’s cultural climate. Particularly in the
Downtown area, infill opportunities exist in unde-
rutilized buildings that could accommodate inde-
pendent artists and/or smaller arts organizations that
need affordable studio, gallery or production space,
or smaller performance venues. Some areas present
opportunities for developing or retrofitting spaces
for artists’ live/work use. Arts programs and services
can be expanded upon to ensure well-balanced and
equitably distributed offerings. Other opportunities
exist in developing organizational and decision-mak-
ing tools to guide Richmond’s long-term aspirations.
Richmond can strengthen arts and cultural offerings
by:
• Raising the visibility of Richmond’s assets and
showcasing successful artistic endeavors through
performances, exhibitions, sales and public art
installations;
• Developing incentives to grow the capacity of
local artists and arts
organizations;
• Examining opportunities to integrate live/work
artists studios;
• Providing arts and culturally-based programs and
activities for all ages and abilities;
Local artists can make a significant contribution to economic revitalizaiton.
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13 Arts and Culture
• Breaking down barriers to arts program participa-
tion and arts exposure to ensure direct benefits to
all community members;
• Developing a solid foundation for decision-mak-
ing through assessment studies, master planning
and a clarified City role in supporting arts and
culture.
Finding 2: Arts and Culture can play a strong role
in revitalization and economic development.
A healthy arts environment can contribute to the
City’s character, long-term revitalization and eco-
nomic development. Moreover, a thriving arts com-
munity can support local job growth and income
and attract tourists seeking cultural destinations.
Incorporating public art, improving facades and
identifying new uses for underutilized buildings and
sites will make the City a more attractive place to
live, work and visit. Richmond can also leverage its
multicultural diversity to establish a unique, market-
able identity, promote cultural tourism and elevate
the City’s profile throughout the region. The City
can enhance the contribution of the arts towards
economic development and revitalization in
Richmond by:
• Exploring the potential for defining focal areas
or districts as cultural, historic and/or arts-related
activity hubs;
• Identifying and assessing potentially catalytic
projects and reuse of underutilized buildings and
infill sites;
• Investing in storefront rehabilitation along key
corridors and housing rehabilitation in neighbor-
hoods;
• Incorporating public art throughout the City in
Downtown, along key corridors and gateways, as
well as in neighborhoods outside the City Center;
and
• Highlighting Richmond’s diversity by promoting
culturally relevant public art and culturally-based
programs, projects, retail stores and events.
Finding 3: Richmond benefits from nonprofit arts
institutions that provide high-quality programs
and services, but additional support is needed to
sustain these institutions and ensure their long-
term vitality.
Richmond’s nonprofit arts institutions make signifi-
cant contributions to the community by providing
arts and culturally-based programs for participants
of all ages and abilities. The lack of resources avail- able through West Contra Costa Unified School
District to fund arts-based curriculum further
elevates the role of the City and nonprofit arts
institutions in maintaining valuable partnerships
and sustaining rich educational arts and cultural
offerings for youth and teens. Institutions such as
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (EBCPA),
Richmond Art Center (RAC), the National Institute
of Art and Disabilities (NIAD) operate out of facili-
ties that are in need of maintenance, seismic retrofits or other upgrades.
Overall, they face major challenges in meeting annu-
al operating costs, qualifying for matching grant
funding and completing necessary facility upgrades
that will allow them to continue to deliver valuable
services and economic benefits to the community.
The City can support the long-term vitality of com-
munity-based arts institutions by:
• Creating opportunities, capacities and partner-
ships to enable local arts entities to thrive;
• Helping to identify reliable funding mechanisms
to support financially sound arts institutions that
are able to meet demands for increased programs;
• Developing resource allocation criteria and per-
formance measures to guide City decision-making
and to ensure accountability in arts funding dis-
tribution;
• Pursuing joint-use agreements to maximize use of
existing facilities for expanded programming;
• Strengthening existing partnerships and forging
new partnerships to promote the expansion of arts
and culture; and
• Encouraging local transit planners to improve
public transit connections and access to arts insti-
tutions.
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13 Arts and Culture
Goals
GOAL AC1: A Community Strengthened by the Arts
Celebrate diversity and raise social and cultural awareness of Richmond’s citizens and visitors through a variety of artistic programs and forms of expression. Arts can serve as a powerful medium to reflect the unique character, social history and cultural diversity of a place. In addition, arts and culture provide valuable contributions to the lives of Richmond residents. Build on the prestige of successful arts institutions, maximize program participation and arts exposure and enhance projects and programs that offer broad benefits to community members of all ages, cultural backgrounds and abilities.
GOAL AC2: Enhanced Economic Development Opportunities
Harness arts and culture as a key component of community revitalization. Arts and culture can contribute to both community character and economic well-being. The local economy can benefit from employment opportunities, an expanded tax base and increased property values. Weave arts and culture into all aspects of community life to build civic pride and identity, improve quality of life for residents and visitors, raise community perception and cultivate economic development opportunities.
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Policies and Implementing Actions
A range of policies and implementing actions are outlined below in relation to each of the goals. These policies mandate, encourage or allow certain actions to be pursued throughout the duration of the General Plan. T ogether they serve as strategic directions for City staff and partners, highlighting where time and resources should be focused.
Each policy may either be correlated with a number of actions, or simply a single key implementing action. Conversely, some actions may support a range of policies. The policies and implementing actions are organized in two parts. First, all goal-related policies are described and each policy description is fol- lowed by a list of its associated implementing actions. Then, implementing actions are described in greater detail in the following section.
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Policy AC1.1 Widespread Exposure to Arts
Promote arts to Richmond residents by incorporating art in widely-utilized public places, reducing barriers to program participa- tion and creating effective outreach for community programs and celebrations. Integrating the arts physically and socially into City life will ensure its continued relevance to and support from the community and establish it as an integral part of Richmond’s identify.
Policy AC1.2 Well-Balanced and Equitably Distributed Programs and Services Nurture creativity and artistic talent in local youth and adults through a rich offering of well-balanced and equitably distributed arts and cultural educational programs and services. A comprehensive understanding of existing resources and community needs will provide a solid foundation for elevating arts and culture in enrichment programs. Conducting research and developing deci- sion-making tools such as citywide needs assessment for recreational facilities, parks, programs and an updated Arts and Culture Master Plan, will help ensure a rich and equitable offering of arts programs, services and facilities. Joint-use agreements, public- private partnerships and dedicated City funds will provide resources to further expand programs and services in target areas.
Policy AC1.3 Community-Based Arts Institutions
Support community-based arts institutions that make significant contributions to the Richmond community and expand partner- ships and support for arts organizations where feasible to ensure their long-term vitality and continued benefits to the community.
GOAL AC1
A Community Strengthened by the Arts
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13 Arts and Culture
Action AC1.A Arts and Culture Master Plan
Regularly update Richmond’s Arts and Culture Master Plan. The content and level of detail of the Plan should be expanded to:
• Define public art and describe a comprehensive vision for arts and culture in the community; • Identify and prioritize locations for public art;
• Develop guidelines to prioritize support for artists, institutions, programs or projects that increase awareness and visibility of culturally diverse, socially relevant and historic arts in Richmond, and involve citizens in art form expressions related to social and cultural themes;
• Identify priority projects to determine where time, resources and funding should be focused; and • Develop criteria and a clear process for implementing arts-related improvement projects throughout the City.
Action AC1.B Art in Public Places Program
Amend the Art in Public Places Program to ensure that public art projects occur efficiently and in a way that meets citywide objectives. The Art in Public Places Program should be amended to:
• Include private development projects and utilize a percentage of their budgets; • Include parameters in relation to allocation of in-lieu developer fees; • Expand the definition of “public art” to include literary arts; • Extend into neighborhoods and areas outside of Downtown; • Outline specific criteria and selection processes for integrating public works of art; • Describe a mandated process for project implementation that includes coordinating with key City departments and stakehold- ers, providing a method for appointing representatives to the Public Art Selection Committee and specifying a method of selecting and contracting with artists for the design, execution and siting of public art; • Outline a dedication and disbursement process for the Public Art Projects Account; and • Clarify responsibilities for maintenance of public art.
GOAL AC1
A Community Strengthened by the Arts
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Action AC1.C Local Arts
Support arts endeavors and institutions. Support targeted grant proposals, public-private partnerships or other mechanisms that could help provide financial assistance toward: core support for general operating costs; facility upgrades; maintenance; arts equip- ment and supplies; teaching stipends; supplements for reduced or waived student fees; and technological upgrades to expand opportunities to develop technology-based expertise.
See also: ED1.I
Action AC1.D Joint-Use Agreements
Pursue joint-use agreements with West Contra Costa Unified School District, East Bay Regional Parks District, neighboring cities, public agencies, private entities and nonprofit organizations that own and operate facilities within the City. In addition to provid- ing more space for recreational and enrichment programming, strategic partnerships can provide the benefit of shared renovation, development, maintenance and operational costs.
See also: ED1.E, EH1.D, HW1.G, CF2.A and PR1.F.
Action AC1.E Strategic Plan for Arts Organizations
Update the Arts Strategic Plan to address the City’s needs in promoting the role of arts and culture in Richmond. The Plan should outline a solid framework of roles, responsibilities and operating procedures to assist in decision-making. More specifically, the Plan should:
• Clearly define the role of City government and leaders in promoting and supporting arts and culture; • List operating procedures and protocols for communicating between City staff and community arts groups; • Refine arts committee roles and streamline the organizational framework of arts committees; • Identify staff resources to conduct arts coordination and programming, and to build partnerships and funding in support of arts and culture; and
• Identify venues for collaborative programming and information exchange, joint-funding exploration, increased potential for joint-projects and synergy between City departments regarding arts-related interests.
GOAL AC1
A Community Strengthened by the Arts
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Policy AC2.1 Community Revitalization
Promote arts and culture as a key component of community revitalization. Building a foundation and context for arts and culture is an important aspect of growing arts-related activity in the area. The following types of uses may help to achieve this: a greater mix of building and public space uses; new higher density housing; live/work artists’ studios; expanded entertainment opportuni- ties Downtown and throughout the City; a diversity of venues to showcase the arts; expanded regional shopping and restaurants; and ethnically diverse eateries and marketplaces.
Policy AC2.2 Arts and Culture Identity
Build on the arts and cultural assets of Richmond to establish a positive image and business environment. T o strengthen its arts and cultural identity, the City encourages inclusion of multicultural and diversity-themed artistic offerings in new commercial and mixed-use developments; incentives such as affordable studio workspace for local artists and arts organizations; and sponsoring festivals and events to provide opportunities to draw the community together and welcome visitors to share in Richmond’s unique celebrations. Richmond’s unique heritage and strong diversity can be portrayed through theatrical performances, festivals, music, art shows and foods that reflect Richmond’s diverse population.
GOAL AC2
Enhanced Economic Development Opportunities
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Action AC2.A Culturally-Based Retail
Encourage culturally-based retail establishments and eateries that reflect Richmond’s diversity. Leveraging Richmond’s diversity can establish a unique, marketable identity for the City and promote cultural tourism.
See also: ED2.I
Action AC2.B Artists’ Incentives Program
Consider developing an incentives program to grow the capacity of local artists and arts organizations. Encourage developers and property owners to provide affordable, strategically-located studio workspace and performance and exhibit space in underutilized buildings. Encourage professional exhibitions and art sales. Support local artists as entrepreneurs by connecting them with grant applications and resources to secure support for their work. A web-accessible arts resource directory could provide key information for artists and those interested in arts services. The directory could include information such as lists and contact information for local artists, links to arts grants or grant libraries, grant applications, guidelines for applying for nonprofit and City funding and announcements for upcoming arts-related events.
Action AC2.C Public Art Guidelines
Regularly update public art guidelines and selection criteria to prioritize public art themes that relate to social and cultural themes such as social justice, anti-violence, cultural diversity, history and others. Strengthening and expressing ethnic and cultural identi- ties throughout Richmond is an important source of community pride. Multicultural and diversity-themed arts will help develop diversity as a niche of Richmond’s artistic offerings.
Action: AC2.D Public-Private Partnerships
Initiate conversations to expand existing partnerships and forge new innovative public-private partnerships to foster and promote art opportunities for maximizing funding, maintaining long-term viability of arts programs and creating new opportunities for enhancing arts education and arts programming in the community.
GOAL AC2
Enhanced Economic Development Opportunities
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13 Arts and Culture
Summary of Implementing Actions
The table presented on the following pages is a tool for guiding implementation of the City’s Arts and Culture Element. Organized by the community’s broad goals, the table provides an overview of policies and implementing actions detailed in the previous section. Each action is linked to a designated lead responsible party.
Related policies are identified in the final column.
Goal AC1: A Community Strengthened by the Arts
Action Lead Responsibility Supporting Policies
AC1.A Arts and Culture master plan Library Services AC1.1, AC1.2, AC1.3 AC1.B Art in public places program Redevelopment Agency AC1.1 AC1.C Local Arts Library Services AC1.1, AC1.2, AC1.3
AC1.d Joint-Use Agreements City manager’s office AC1.1, AC1.2, AC1.3 AC1.e Strategic plan for Arts organizations Library Services AC1.1, AC1.2, AC1.3 Goal AC2: Enhanced Economic Development Opportunities
Action Lead Responsibility Supporting Policies
AC2.A Culturally-Based Retail office of economic development AC2.1 AC2.B Artists’ incentives program Redevelopment Agency AC2.1, AC2.2 AC2.C public Art guidelines planning and Building Services AC2.2 AC2.d public-private partnerships Redevelopment Agency AC2.1, AC2.2
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Regulatory Framework
The City currently relies on a range of organizations
and regulatory tools to support and guide arts and
cultural growth in Richmond.
Organizations
A number of City-based and/or City-supported
organizations have been instrumental in the pres-
ervation of resources and the growth of arts and
culture in Richmond: Richmond Arts and Culture
Division, Richmond Arts and Culture Commission,
Arts Forum and the City Public Art Advisory
Committee. Roles and responsibilities of these
groups are described in more detail below. While
the level of activity in these organizations has varied dramatically over the years as a result of budget con-
straints, each has played a valuable role in advanc-
ing arts awareness and augmenting collaborations
among and with the City’s cultural
organizations.
Richmond Arts and Culture Division
The professionally staffed Arts and Culture Division
operates under the umbrella of the Library and
Cultural Services Department. The Division works
as a liaison between organizations, artists, the City
of Richmond and the community to promote the
arts.
Richmond Arts and Culture Commission
The Richmond Arts and Culture Commission
(RACC) was formed by the City Council in 1988,
when the Council and the Mayor appointed 11
City residents to serve a four-year term as unpaid
members. The RACC is funded primarily by the
City of Richmond, receiving project support from
the Richmond Redevelopment Agency, the National
Endowment for the Arts, First Five (Contra Costa
County Children and Families Commission), East
Bay Community Foundation and the Raymond
Family Foundation. The purpose of the Commission
as described in the enabling ordinance is to: advise
the City on public policy relating to the arts; coop-
erate with existing public and private agencies
to develop programs to further the development
and public awareness of the fine and performing
arts reflecting the cultural diversity and historical
resources of the City; facilitate communication and
cooperation among arts groups; develop funding
and resources of the City; disseminate information
concerning the arts and cultural programs; and serve
as a liaison between residents, artists, arts organiza- tions and City government.
11 Arts Forum
The Arts Forum, formerly known as the Richmond
Arts Administrators Group (RAAG), was active
from 2001 to 2003. The Forum, spearheaded and
staffed by the City’s Arts and Culture Division,
consisted of executive staff from each of Richmond’s
cultural institutions and nonprofit organizations.
The primary role of the Arts Forum was to convene
City staff with directors of each Richmond-based
arts organization to discuss challenges and potential
collaborations, share grant resources and consider
ways of furthering arts progress in Richmond.
12 This
monthly gathering of arts administrators served as
a solid foundation for collaborative programming.
The partnership between the Arts and Culture
Commission and the Arts Forum was critical to
many of the Commission’s accomplishments. The
Forum has not been meeting regularly since 2004
due to lack of funding (http://www.ci.richmond.
ca.us/documentview.asp?DID=118).
City Public Art Advisory Committee
Composed of community representatives, artists
and art professionals, the City’s Public Art Advisory
Committee reviews approved capital improvement
projects each budget year and develops a Public Art
Plan to guide the Percent for the Arts Program.
3 The Public Art Plan identifies sites, concepts and
approaches for integrating public art into Capital
Improvement Projects. Once projects are approved
by the Arts and Culture Commission and the City
Council, staff develops project parameters, initiat-
ing the artist selection process and coordinating the
artist’s work with the work of other professionals
involved in the project (http://www.ci.richmond.
ca.us/index.asp?NID=118).
Plans and Ordinances
Richmond Cultural Master Plan
Richmond’s most comprehensive background docu-
ment for arts, culture and historic resources is the
Cultural Master Plan, prepared by the Arts and
Culture Commission in 1994 and updated in 2002.
The intent of the Master Plan is to focus the City’s
overall activities and programs related to arts, culture and heritage. The original 1994 Cultural Master
Plan included a needs assessment that was not
reevaluated during the 2002 Master Plan Update.
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13 Arts and Culture
The Update focused on organizational development
and strategies for the Arts and Culture Commission
which faced shortages in funding and staffing. 12
That document is intended to serve as a work direc-
tive for the Arts and Culture Commission for a two
to five-year time frame.
Macdonald Avenue Economic Revitalization
Plan
Completed in 2004, the Macdonald Avenue
Economic Revitalization Plan guides long-term
development along Macdonald Avenue. Through
design guidelines, identifying opportunity sites and
economic development strategies, the Plan seeks
to transform Downtown into a pedestrian-friendly
urban village offering products, services, arts and
entertainment that reflect the community’s rich and
diverse heritage.
13 The Public Art Plan
The Public Art Plan identifies sites, concepts and
approaches for integrating public art into Capital
Improvement Projects through the Percent for Arts
Ordinance. The Plan is prepared annually and sub-
mitted first to the Arts and Culture Commission,
and then to the City Council for review and approv-
al. Once projects are approved, staff develops project
parameters, initiating the artist selection process and coordinating the artist’s work with the work of other
professionals involved in potential projects.
Percent for Arts Ordinance
The City’s Percent for Arts Ordinance allows funds
to be pooled from several capital improvement proj-
ects to locate public art throughout the City and
in its underserved neighborhoods. The Ordinance
was adopted in 1997 to ensure the involvement of
artists in City and Redevelopment Agency Capital
Improvement Projects. The program sets aside 1.5%
of eligible Capital Improvement Project budgets into
a Public Art Projects Account to cover costs associ-
ated with public art acquisition, siting, maintenance,
education programs and other projects approved as
eligible under the Annual Public Art Plan.
Historic Preservation Ordinance
The Ordinance guides the City in protecting and
restoring historic buildings, creating compatibility
with historic districts, acknowledging Richmond’s
industrial historic identity and celebrating the City’s long-standing multicultural background.
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13 Arts and Culture
Notes
1. Official California Legislative Information
Website. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/
displaycode?section=gov&group=65001-
66000&file=65300-65303.4.
2. Public Art Sites - Richmond, California.
Photography by Ellen Gailing. February, 2005.
3. City of Richmond, California. “Amendment to
the Art in Public Places Program Ordinance:
Chapter 15.14 of the Code of the City of
Richmond,” 2006.
4. Survey of Richmond arts and culture organiza-
tions conducted for General Plan update by
consultant team in support of the General Plan
update, 2007.
5. Americans for the Arts. “Arts & Economic
Prosperity Calculator.” http://www.artsusa.org/
information_services/research/services/econom-
ic_impact/005.asp.
6. East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. http://
www.eastbaycenter.org/index.php.
7. City of Richmond Arts and Culture
Commission. “Consumer Evaluation
2003.” http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.
asp?NID=104.
8. Americans for the Arts. “Arts & Economic
Prosperity: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit
Arts Organizations and Their Audiences.” 2002.
9. California Arts Council. “The Economic and
Cultural Impact of the Arts in California: Local
Officials T ell Their Communities’ Stories.”
http://www.cac.ca.gov/.
10. KPMG. “The Arts: A Competitive Advantage
for California.” California Arts Council, 1994.
11. City of Richmond Arts and Culture
Commission. “Cultural Master Plan Update,
2002,” City of Richmond. http://www.
ci.richmond.ca.us/documentview.asp?DID=15.
12. Seville, Michele. Informational Interview, City
of Richmond Arts & Culture.
13. BMS Design Group. “Macdonald Avenue
Economic Revitalization Plan: Public Art
Report.” Produced for the City of Richmond
Redevelopment Agency, 2004.
Cover Artwork
1. Left: Mural in Point Richmond by Unknown
Artist
2. Right: Artwork by Keiko Nelson