ARTS, CULTURE & LIBRARY
COMMISSION UPDATE
Bill Sherwood, Assistant Library Director
BACKGROUND
• The City Council approved the merger of the Arts
Commission and the Library-Historical Commission into the Arts, Culture & Library Commission on December 5, 2022. • Appointments were needed to this newly-created
commission, the Arts, Culture & Library Commission’s first meeting was in April 2023.
• As part of the merger approval, Council directed staff to do a 1-year progress report.
2 OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES
& OPPORTUNITIES
• The Arts Commission and the Library-Historical Commission had the same operational challenges:
• Quorum, attendance, appointment issues, and a lack of agenda items.
• Commission staffing capacity issues.
• Community Police Review Board
• Library-Historical Commission
• Arts Commission
• Opportunity to leverage the Library’s expertise in delivering diverse arts and culture programs in service of the Arts Master Plan.
3 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Not one meeting of Arts, Culture & Library Commission has been cancelled due to a lack of a quorum or a lack of agenda items.
• The Arts, Culture & Library Commission has had a very productive first year:
o Supporting the 2023 Cherry Festival with funding for
the Giant Puppets Save the World program.
o Funding the 2023 and 2024 Comedy in the Plaza
event.
o Funding the Holiday Art Trees Project – a partnership with the San Leandro Improvement Association.
4 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
(CONTINUED)
o Collaborating with the Public Works Department to
select the art component for the Steven Taylor
Sanctity of Life Pavilion.
o Funding an updated exhibit at the San Leandro
History Museum.
o Funding a new leased sculpture for the Hesperian
Triangle.
o Collaborating with the Community Development
Department on the 2024 Mural Art Project.
o Reviewing the Library Department’s revised Rules of
Conduct.
5 6
ARTS & CULTURE GRANTS
PROGRAM INNOVATIONS
• FY21, the former Arts Commission received 8 applications and awarded $20,000 in grants.
• No Arts Commission Grants awarded FY22 & FY23.
• FY24 Arts & Culture Grant Program Innovations:
• Streamlining the grant application process.
• Targeting local individual artists.
• Increased the grant budget to $80,000.
• Increased the grant awards limits to $5,000 per individual and $10,000 per non-profit organization.
ARTS & CULTURE GRANTS PROGRAM RESULTS
7 FY24
Applications:
• 26 requesting $153,843 in grant funding
Awarded:
• 12 grants awarded:
o 8 to individuals.
o 4 to non-profit organizations
• $78,663 total
Previous Arts & Culture Grants
Applications:
• 8 requesting $20,000 in grant funding.
Awarded:
• 8 grants awarded
• $20,000 total
The results of the innovations were record setting and dramatically increased community participation:
8 ARTS & CULTURE GRANTS
PROGRAM
GRANTEES
• Art workshop to inspire local artists to illustrate what they like and love about living in San Leandro.
• Stories inspired by local San Leandro cafes & restaurants and told through paintings.
• “Tricks to Happiness” comedy and magic show and workshop about how to live a happier life.
• Short-form film documentaries of San Leandro entrepreneurs. • 2024 Holiday Belly Dance Showcase
Eric Shea, “San Leandro: Order Up”
Frank Oliver, “Tricks to Happiness”
9 ARTS & CULTURE GRANTS
PROGRAM
GRANTEES (CONTINUED)
• A community collage art project.
• Teen and young adult creative reuse project.
• An award-winning San Leandro author completing her current book and teaching a writing workshop.
• Disability services art programs and show.
• Free art classes for artists of all ages.
• Turning the Bell Planter into a work of art with mosaics. • Creative writing workshops for Latinx girls in 6th-8th grades.
Davis Street, “Disabilities Services Art
Program and Show”
San Leandro Improvement Association,
“Bell Planter Mosaic”
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
SUPPORT
Questions & Answers