December 16, 2025
Economic Development
DATE: December 16, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager of Community
Services
Nannette J. Beacham, Economic Development Director
SUBJECT:
Contract Amendment No. 1 with Independent Arts & Media
for Strategic Plan for Arts Corridor and Status Update
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $15,000 expenditure is included within the approved Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget as part of the
$200,000 allocation to support future phases of the Arts Corridor project (Account String: 01364065 – 400201).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
June 25, 2024
October 1, 2024
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
On October 1, 2024, Richmond City Council approved a
contract with Richmond Renaissance, fiscally sponsored
by Independent Arts & Media, for the development of a
Strategic Plan for the Richmond Arts Corridor
(Macdonald Avenue and 23rd Street). The contract term
is January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025, with a payment
limit of $50,000. Richmond Renaissance was tasked with
producing a Community Needs Assessment and a
Strategic Plan for the Richmond Arts Corridor. The
purpose of this item is to provide City Council with a
progress report on the project, including completed
deliverables and community engagement efforts to date.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECEIVE an update on the Richmond Arts Corridor
Project, and APPROVE contract Amendment No. 1 with
Independent Arts & Media, serving as fiscal sponsor for Richmond Renaissance, adding $15,000 to the approved
not-to-exceed contract amount for a new total amount
not-to-exceed $65,000 with a term ending June 30, 2026, to provide additional community outreach for the
development of the Richmond Arts Corridor Strategic
AGENDA
REPORT
December 16, 2025
Plan – Economic Development Department/Arts &
Culture (Nannette J. Beacham 510-621-1306/LaShonda
White 510-620-6828).
DISCUSSION:
In October 2024, the City Council authorized City staff to enter into a contract with Richmond Renaissance—through its fiscal sponsor, Independent Arts & Media to develop a Strategic Plan for the Arts Corridor.
The project scope included:
Conducting a Community Needs Assessment of Richmond’s arts ecosystem Reviewing existing City policies and plans for alignment Facilitating broad community engagement through surveys, canvassing, and listening sessions
Developing a Strategic Plan that includes financial models, implementation strategies, and recommendations for sustainability
The Richmond Renaissance team has conducted extensive outreach through; listening sessions, canvassing, surveys, and neighborhood council engagement, ensuring broad representation and community input to shape the Arts Corridor Strategic Plan.
Richmond Renaissance has completed Phase 1 and the majority of Phase 2 of the contract scope. To date, the following deliverables have been submitted:
Policy Review Report – Analysis of Richmond’s General Plan, Public Art Master Plan, Urban Greening Master Plan, zoning, and comparable cultural districts. Conceptual Framework – Outlining vision, goals, and potential impacts of the Arts Corridors.
Community Survey – Launched online and in-person, collecting feedback on needs, opportunities, and community priorities.
Community Engagement Summary Report – Findings from grassroots outreach, canvassing, and listening sessions.
Receipts and Documentation – For outreach, canvassing, and listening sessions.
Community engagement efforts included:
Seven community listening sessions targeting residents, youth (e.g., Eastbay Center for the Performing Arts (EBCPA), RYSE Center, Nurturing Independence Through Artistic Development (NIAD) and the Richmond Arts Center (RAC)), and neighborhood councils (Richmond Neighborhood Coordinating Council (RNCC)). Distribution of a City-wide survey (online and in-person). Canvassing along Macdonald Avenue and 23rd Street.
Engagement with schools and philanthropic partners (EBCPA, RAC, NIAD).
December 16, 2025
Contract Amendment for Expanded Community Outreach
This first amendment to the Richmond Arts Corridor Contract adds expanded outreach intended to deepen community engagement, broaden representation in the planning process, and provide new data and insights to inform development of the Richmond Arts Corridor Strategic Plan.
Under the amendment, the consultant team will conduct enhanced canvassing, host targeted focus groups, distribute additional outreach materials, and engage more cultural institutions and stakeholders. These activities are intended to supplement the original contract’s community engagement, policy analysis, and stakeholder communication objectives, and the resulting materials will inform the Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan.
Expanded canvassing will help reach more corridor businesses, residents, and cultural partners at an early stage. Focus groups will provide deeper qualitative insights from communities that have historically been underrepresented in civic arts planning.
Additional outreach materials will support clearer communication across diverse stakeholder groups. Engagement with Cultural District partners will also help assess readiness, feasibility, and interest in pursuing a future Cultural District designation within the Arts Corridor.
The $15,000 contract amendment will increase the contract amount from $50,000 to $65,000 and extend the term from December 31, 2025, to June 30, 2026. The Contractor shall provide the reports, summaries, and materials described in this amendment as conditions for payment under the amended contract.
Next Steps
Upcoming deliverables include:
Analysis and Draft Strategic Plan (Phase 3) – Synthesizing community input, producing financial projections, and preparing recommendations. Final Strategic Plan and Presentation (Phase 4) – To be delivered to City Council by the end of the contract term (currently December 2025, to be amended to June 30, 2026).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – The Richmond Arts Corridor Slide Deck and Strategic Plan Progress Report – December 2025
Attachment 2 – Original Contract with Richmond Renaissance, fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media, for the Strategic Plan for Arts Corridors Attachment 3 – First Contract Amendment with Richmond Renaissance, fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media, for the Strategic Plan for Arts Corridors