December 16, 2025
Economic Development
DATE: December 16, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development
Jordon Nesbitt, Administrative Assistant
Subject:
Contract Amendments with East Bay Center for the
Performing Arts, Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development, and Richmond Art Center for Annual Arts
Allocation
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed net increase of $100,000 per organization ($300,000 across all three) for the contract period
Funding is included within the approved fiscal year 2025- 2026 Economic Development Department’s Arts &
Culture Division’s General Fund budget (Account String:
01364065 – 400201).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
October 22, 2024
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
On October 22, 2024, the City Council approved three-
year funding agreements with East Bay Center for the
Performing Arts (EBCPA), Nurturing Independence
Through Artistic Development (NIAD), and Richmond Art
Center (RAC), allocating $150,000 annually to each
organization ($450,000 total per organization over three years). On June 24, 2025, Richmond City Council
approved the Arts and Culture Division budget which
included annual funding for the three art organizations at $200,000 each. City staff seeks to amend the
agreements to increase annual allocations from $150,000 to $200,000 for each of the remaining two-year terms of the contracts, for a total amount not to exceed $550,000 AGENDA
REPORT
December 16, 2025
per contract. This adjustment reflects the rising costs of delivering arts services, ensures sustainability of critical programming, and aligns City investment with the
organizations’ demonstrated impact.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE amendments to the Annual Arts Organization
Allocation Agreement with following organizations: (1)
APPROVE the first amendment with East Bay Center for
the Performing Arts (EBCPA) to increase the annual
allocation from $150,000 to $200,000 for each of the
remaining two fiscal years through June 30, 2027, and to increase the total not-to-exceed contract amount from
$450,000 to $550,000; (2) APPROVE the second
amendment with Nurturing Independence through Artistic
Development (NIAD) to increase the annual allocation
from $150,000 to $200,000 for each of the remaining two fiscal years through June 30, 2027, and to increase the total not-to-exceed contract amount from $450,000 to
$550,000; and (3) APPROVE the first amendment with
the Richmond Art Center (RAC) to increase the annual
allocation from $150,000 to $200,000 for each of the
remaining two fiscal years through June 30, 2027, and to increase the total not-to-exceed contract amount from
$450,000 to $550,000 – Economic Development
Department/Arts & Culture (Nannette Beacham 510-215-
4600/Jordon Nesbitt 510-620-6787).
DISCUSSION:
On October 22, 2024, City Council approved three-year funding agreements with East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (EBCPA), Nurturing Independence Through Artistic Development (NIAD), and Richmond Art Center (RAC) allocating $150,000 annually to each organization with a total not to exceed amount of $450,000 per organization over the three-year term.
Subsequently, during the June 24, 2025, adoption of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025–2026 budget, City Council approved an increase to the annual allocation amount by $50,000, for a new total annual allocation amount of $200,000 to each of the organizations for the purposes of sustaining critical programming and addressing rising operational costs.
The amendments proposed herein align the existing contracts with the FY 2025–2026 budget and formalize the new annual allocation amounts of an additional $50,000 for each of the remaining two-years within each contract, resulting in an increase to each contract’s not to exceed amount by $100,000 for a new total not to exceed amount of $550,000 per contract.
December 16, 2025
The City’s three primary arts organizations, EBCPA, NIAD, RAC, serve as cultural anchors providing educational programs, exhibitions, community events, and workforce development opportunities for youth and families. These institutions:
Serve thousands of Richmond residents annually through accessible arts programming.
Provide economic multipliers by drawing audiences to Downtown, Macdonald Avenue, and Civic Center corridors.
Leverage City investment with grants, donations, and earned income, multiplying the impact of public funds.
Since City Council’s approval in October 2024, each organization has reported increased demand for services, expanded programming, and growing operational costs.
City staff recommend increasing the annual allocation to strengthen their ability to sustain and scale programs in Richmond.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – EBCPA Executed Contract
Attachment 2 – EBCPA Drafted Amendment No.1
Attachment 3 – NIAD Executed Contract
Attachment 4 – NIAD Executed Amendment No. 1
Attachment 5 – NIAD Drafted Amendment No. 2
Attachment 6 – RAC Executed Contract
Attachment 7 – RAC Drafted Amendment No. 1