CONSENT CALENDAR
City of San Bernardino
Request for Council Action
Date: September 16, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
From: Eric Levitt, City Manager
Department: City Manager's Office
Subject: Approve Funding in the Amount of $42,250 to Conduct a Creative Economy Study in Partnership with Arts
Connection: Arts Council of San Bernardino County (All
Wards)
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Approve partnering with Arts Connection: Arts Council of San Bernardino County to co-fund a Creative Economy Study in an amount not-to-exceed $42,250 using Cultural Development Funds; and
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute any necessary documents associated with the City's participation in the Creative Economy Study, subject to review and approval by the City Attorney's Office
City Manager's Comments
The Arts Connection has requested the City’s partnership in co-funding a Creative Economy study. The City’s funding would come out of the $1 million Cultural Development Fund that the City Council allocated.
Executive Summary
The City of San Bernardino has a variety of arts, cultural, and creative assets that contribute to the City's identity and have the potential to support downtown revitalization and economic development. To better understand these opportunities and establish a data-driven foundation for future decisions, Arts Connection: Arts Council of San Bernardino County (Arts Connection) is proposing to partner with the City to conduct a Creative Economy Study. The study will establish a baseline of San Bernardino's creative economy, including an assessment of the E Street corridor; evaluate potential funding and financing mechanisms to increase revenue; and develop a fiscal planning roadmap for future actions. The study will provide the City with a final report and analysis that can be used to evaluate potential investments, policies, and funding strategies related to arts, culture, downtown revitalization, and economic development. The total cost of the study is $84,500, with the City contributing $42,250 and Arts Connection providing the remaining funding. The City's contribution will be funded from the $1 million allocation approved by the City Council for arts initiatives, which was included in the FY 2026-27 adopted budget and funded through Cultural Development Funds.
Background
The creative economy includes businesses, workers, and organizations whose activities are based on creativity, culture, and artistic expression. It comprises industries such as arts and entertainment, music and film, and other creative businesses and occupations. A strong creative economy can generate jobs and business activity while also contributing to downtown revitalization, investment, and quality of life.
San Bernardino has an established network of arts and cultural organizations that contribute to the City's identity and creative ecosystem. Organizations such as Arts Connection, the Garcia Center, San Bernardino Arts Collaborative, and SSB Collaborative, among others, have worked to support the City's creative community and increase participation in the arts. The City also plays a role in this network as it owns significant cultural assets, including the California Theatre, which can serve as a geographic focus for cultural and economic activity.
Discussion
Arts Connection has proposed partnering with the City to commission a comprehensive Creative Economy Study, which would be conducted by CVL Economics. The study will be conducted over eight months and will examine how the City's existing arts and cultural assets can contribute to downtown revitalization and broader economic development. The resulting analysis will provide a formal assessment of the City's current creative economy, identify how its existing assets can be leveraged to support economic development, and highlight areas where additional investment may provide the greatest economic benefit.
The total cost of the proposed study is $84,500. The City would fund 50% of the study, or $42,250, with Arts Connection covering the remaining 50%. The City’s share of the costs would be funded from the $1 million allocation that the Council approved for arts initiatives, which was included in the FY 2026-27 adopted budget and funded through Cultural Development Funds.
Creative Economy Study
The Creative Economy Study will provide the City with a final report and supporting analysis that can be used as a planning tool when considering future economic development and downtown revitalization initiatives. The final report is anticipated to be completed in April 2027 and will serve as an objective assessment of the economic role that arts, culture, and other creative businesses have in San Bernardino.
Specifically, the study will:
1. Establish a baseline of San Bernardino's creative economy, including employment, businesses, wages, and occupations. The baseline analysis will provide information regarding the size and characteristics of the local creative economy and identify areas where the City may have opportunities for additional economic development.
2. Assess the E Street corridor, including real estate conditions, property ownership, vacancy, rents, and creative business activity. The study will establish an inventory of corridor assets and evaluate how those assets relate to the City's broader creative economy. The assessment will also provide a recommendation regarding the potential geographic boundaries of a cultural district along the corridor.
3. Evaluate potential funding and financing mechanisms that could support arts and culture, downtown revitalization, corridor improvements, and related activities.
The evaluation will identify the potential benefits, limitations, requirements, and implementation considerations associated with the various mechanisms.
4. Develop a Fiscal Planning Roadmap identifying potential near-term, medium- term, and long-term actions. Near-term opportunities may include ordinances or budget actions that could be pursued within the current fiscal year. Medium-term opportunities may require additional stakeholder engagement or a ballot process, while longer-term opportunities may require more significant structural commitments.
Upon completion, the study will produce a final report and presentation summarizing the analysis and recommendations developed through the study. Key deliverables will include:
•E Street Corridor Opportunity Assessment Memo
•Priority Mechanisms and Supporting Mechanisms Council Digest •Fiscal Planning Roadmap and Talking Points Memorandum
•Final Report and Presentation Slide Deck
Strategic Goals and Priorities
Commissioning a Creative Economy Study aligns with Key Target No. 4: Economic Growth and Development by producing a final report and fiscal planning roadmap that can be used to help revitalize the City’s downtown and promote economic development.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact associated with this action is $42,250 in Cultural Development Funds.
Sufficient funding exists through the $1 million arts allocation that is included in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 adopted budget to support this cost.
Conclusion
It is recommended that the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California:
1. Approve partnering with Arts Connection: Arts Council of San Bernardino County to co-fund a Creative Economy Study in an amount not-to-exceed $42,250 using Cultural Development Funds; and
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute any necessary documents associated with the City's participation in the Creative Economy Study, subject to review and approval by the City Attorney's Office
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Creative Economy Study Proposal
Ward:
All Wards
Synopsis of Previous Council Actions:
N/A
CC