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Item 1.G.
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| City Council Regular | |
| Date: | 01/09/2023 |
| Title: | Donation from Big Sky Economic Development in support of the Mobilize the MAGIC City Project |
| Presented by: | Elyse Monat |
| Department: | Planning & Community Services |
| Presentation: | No |
| Legal Review | Not Applicable |
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council accepts the $2,500 donation from Big Sky Economic Development in support of the Mobilize the MAGIC City Project.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
The City of Billings was awarded an Our Town creative placemaking grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in support of its Mobilize the MAGIC (Making Art Grounded in Community) City Project. The grant from the NEA is for $50,000. This project is a partnership between the City of Billings, the Billings Arts Association, Healthy By Design, and the NEA.
The Mobilize the MAGIC City Project will work with a contracted artist-in-residence for one year to engage the community, develop at least two creative placemaking hubs (public art installations heavily informed by public input) along Billings' first neighborhood bikeway, document the process in a "Placemaking Playbook," and conduct a feasibility study for a public arts committee for the City of Billings.
The grant from the NEA must be matched dollar-for-dollar. Part of the match will come from in-kind donations such as staff and volunteer time from City staff and committee members. The other part of the match will be a cash match. The project leadership team hopes to raise $20,000 in support of the project from local organizations. At this point, the City is not providing any cash for the match. Donations will go towards supporting the artist-in-residence stipend and improving or expanding creative placemaking hubs.
City staff are very grateful to BSED for its $2,500 donation towards the project and creative placemaking in Billings. In BSED's own words, "placemaking is the practice of creating or enhancing a community's assets to improve its overall attractiveness and livability...Placemaking is more than just public art. It is creating welcoming and engaging places where people want to gather and connect-even to linger." Through the Mobilize the MAGIC City Project, the City will use BSED's donation to create the type of places that BSED describes-places that help create vibrant neighborhoods where residents want to gather.
The Mobilize the MAGIC City Project will work with a contracted artist-in-residence for one year to engage the community, develop at least two creative placemaking hubs (public art installations heavily informed by public input) along Billings' first neighborhood bikeway, document the process in a "Placemaking Playbook," and conduct a feasibility study for a public arts committee for the City of Billings.
The grant from the NEA must be matched dollar-for-dollar. Part of the match will come from in-kind donations such as staff and volunteer time from City staff and committee members. The other part of the match will be a cash match. The project leadership team hopes to raise $20,000 in support of the project from local organizations. At this point, the City is not providing any cash for the match. Donations will go towards supporting the artist-in-residence stipend and improving or expanding creative placemaking hubs.
City staff are very grateful to BSED for its $2,500 donation towards the project and creative placemaking in Billings. In BSED's own words, "placemaking is the practice of creating or enhancing a community's assets to improve its overall attractiveness and livability...Placemaking is more than just public art. It is creating welcoming and engaging places where people want to gather and connect-even to linger." Through the Mobilize the MAGIC City Project, the City will use BSED's donation to create the type of places that BSED describes-places that help create vibrant neighborhoods where residents want to gather.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
- Accept the donation; or,
- Not Accept the donation.
FISCAL EFFECTS
If Council accepts this donation, it will provide $2,500 in support of the Mobilize the MAGIC City project.