4.
City Council Work Session
- Meeting Date:
- 03/26/2013
- Submitted For:
- Karl Eberhard, Comm Design & Redevelopment Mgr
- From:
- Karl Eberhard, Comm Design & Redevelopment Mgr
- Department:
- Economic Vitality
Co-Submitter:
TITLE:
Flagstaff Cultural Partners - Art Incubator Update.
DESIRED OUTCOME:
Receive informational update, provide direction as appropriate.
INFORMATION:
On Tuesday March 26, 2013, Laura Kelly of Flagstaff Cultural Partners will provide the City Council with an update on the efforts to evaluate the feasibility of developing an Arts Incubator for Flagstaff (update attached). The arts industry is important to Flagstaff as it generates $72.9 million in total economic activity. This spending—$37.8 million by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and an additional $35.2 million in event-related spending by their audiences—supports 2,497 full-time equivalent jobs, generates $55.7 million in household income to local residents, and delivers $7.6 million in local and state government revenue.
In April of 2011, Bruce Aiken, Chair of the Beautification and Public Art Commission (BPAC), presented to the City Council on behalf of BPAC a series of ideas the Commission had developed that would stimulate the arts industry in Flagstaff. The development of an Arts Incubator was one of these ideas. The City Council provided direction to explore the development of an incubator with the understanding that long-term financial commitments would not be supported by the City Council. This was followed by a series of meetings of a working group of potential partners including among others key industry figures, Northern Arizona University, the City of Flagstaff, the Chair of BPAC, and Flagstaff Cultural Partners.
After some discussion by the working group, a strategic plan was implemented that called for the development of a program for such a facility, a determination of community interest and potential partnerships, and the preparation of a business plan that would not require long-term financial support by the City Flagstaff. There was some discussion of a physical plant but the group felt that the program development needs and the rest of the feasibility explorations would be necessary in order to truly understand the needs for a physical plant. The group also felt that a point person was needed to shepherd the effort responsibly. Having reached this conclusion, Flagstaff Cultural Partners, working with the City of Flagstaff, applied for an Our Town Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to fund the feasibility study and a project leader.
In July of 2012 the grant was awarded and after a formal hiring process Laura Kelly was hired from six applicants to lead this effort. Since that time Laura has developed the working group into a steering committee, met with key industry figures and potential partners, interviewed numerous members of the arts community, and worked with ECoNA for technical assistance on the business planning side. This presentation and attached report will expand upon the progress with greater detail.
In April of 2011, Bruce Aiken, Chair of the Beautification and Public Art Commission (BPAC), presented to the City Council on behalf of BPAC a series of ideas the Commission had developed that would stimulate the arts industry in Flagstaff. The development of an Arts Incubator was one of these ideas. The City Council provided direction to explore the development of an incubator with the understanding that long-term financial commitments would not be supported by the City Council. This was followed by a series of meetings of a working group of potential partners including among others key industry figures, Northern Arizona University, the City of Flagstaff, the Chair of BPAC, and Flagstaff Cultural Partners.
After some discussion by the working group, a strategic plan was implemented that called for the development of a program for such a facility, a determination of community interest and potential partnerships, and the preparation of a business plan that would not require long-term financial support by the City Flagstaff. There was some discussion of a physical plant but the group felt that the program development needs and the rest of the feasibility explorations would be necessary in order to truly understand the needs for a physical plant. The group also felt that a point person was needed to shepherd the effort responsibly. Having reached this conclusion, Flagstaff Cultural Partners, working with the City of Flagstaff, applied for an Our Town Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to fund the feasibility study and a project leader.
In July of 2012 the grant was awarded and after a formal hiring process Laura Kelly was hired from six applicants to lead this effort. Since that time Laura has developed the working group into a steering committee, met with key industry figures and potential partners, interviewed numerous members of the arts community, and worked with ECoNA for technical assistance on the business planning side. This presentation and attached report will expand upon the progress with greater detail.