Agenda Item: 3
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: July 14, 2026
SUBJECT: ARTS MASTER PLAN 2035: VISION AND ACTION
DEPARTMENT: Economic Development
PRESENTER: Tracy Sullivan
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council receive report and adopt the Arts Master Plan 2035: Vision and Action.
BACKGROUND
The City Council adopted the City of Santa Clarita’s (City) first ten-year Arts Master Plan in March 2016 to establish a long-term vision for the community’s arts and cultural programs. Over the last decade, the plan has guided significant growth and development in the City’s arts and cultural offerings, including expanded arts programming, adoption of the City’s Civic Art Policy, and continued investment in Old Town Newhall as an Arts and Entertainment District.
To build on the success of the first Arts Master Plan, the City Council awarded a contract to Keen Independent Research on January 14, 2025, to develop the Arts Master Plan 2035: Vision and Action (Arts Master Plan 2035). Keen Independent Research was tasked with evaluating existing programs, conducting community outreach, and assisting staff in identifying new initiatives to guide the next ten years.
Planning Process and Community Engagement
The development of the Arts Master Plan 2035 included a comprehensive review of the City’s existing arts programs, policies, and priorities, along with community engagement to help identify future opportunities and areas of focus.
Throughout the planning process, more than 500 community members provided feedback via an in-person discovery meeting, stakeholder interviews and focus groups, a virtual workshop survey, visioning sessions with the City Council, Arts Commission, and City staff, as well as ongoing public feedback opportunities through a hotline and dedicated email.
The outreach process identified several strengths within the City’s arts ecosystem, including strong community support for arts and cultural programming, continued City investment in arts initiatives, and the success of Old Town Newhall as a recognized Arts and Entertainment District. Outreach also identified challenges, including limited arts funding, a need for additional arts spaces and venues, a desire for more geographically distributed programming, and opportunities to improve awareness of existing arts resources and programs.
Based on this outreach and research, the Arts Master Plan 2035 identifies 16 goals organized into the following five thematic categories:
• Cultivate the Arts Throughout Santa Clarita
• Facilitate Community Arts Efforts
• Support Artists and Arts Nonprofits
• Review Arts Governance, Policies, and Procedures
• Plan for Arts Venues, Spaces, and Resources
Arts Commission Review and Revisions
The Arts Master Plan 2035 was first presented to the Arts Commission on March 12, 2026.
Following its review, the Arts Commission recommended that the plan be adopted by the City Council.
The plan was brought before the City Council for consideration at the April 14 Regular Meeting.
At the meeting, the City Council directed staff to return the plan to the Arts Commission for additional public review and discussion prior to adoption.
The Arts Commission subsequently held a Study Session on May 21 to further review the plan and receive public input. At the Study Session, the Arts Commission proposed several revisions to improve clarity, incorporate community feedback, and assist with implementation.
Key revisions include adding recommendations to evaluate the City’s Arts Grant Program and funding levels, review prior arts-related plans and feasibility studies, expand Commissioner-led community outreach and engagement, and further specify potential future arts facility and venue opportunities.
The Arts Commission recommended adoption of the Arts Master Plan 2035, as revised, at its regular meeting on June 11.
The complete plan is available in the City Clerk’s Reading File. An Executive Summary outlining the plan’s goals and showing the Arts Commission’s revisions in tracked changes is attached to this agenda report.
Pending City Council approval, implementation of the Arts Master Plan 2035 will begin, with recommendations prioritized over time based on available resources and community needs.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact.
ATTACHMENTS
Executive Summary - Arts Commission Recommended Revisions Revised Draft City of Santa Clarita Arts Master Plan 2035 (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)