Title
Arts and Culture Council Policy Framework
Action
Action:
Approve the Arts and Culture Policy Framework to support and sustain a vibrant arts and culture sector that is essential to a healthy community and Charlotte’s future economic and social development.
Body
Committee Chair:
Malcolm Graham, Jobs and Economic Development Committee
Staff Resource(s):
Tracy Dodson, City Manager’s Office
Priya Sircar, City Manager’s Office
Proposed Framework
§ The Arts and Culture Policy Framework (Framework) establishes guidelines for Council decision-making, policy development, and investments as it relates to arts and culture, including FY 2024, the final year of the Infusion Fund, and beyond.
§ The Framework is comprised of seven items:
- City funding for the arts and culture will continue after the Infusion Fund expires at the end of FY 2024, subject to annual budget approvals by Council.
- Discussions will be conducted with private funders to determine their potential continuing involvement in arts and culture funding after the Infusion Fund expires.
- Efforts will be made to diversify funding support to new partners and revenue sources.
- The future funding plan will ensure adequate funds are provided to programs based in city-owned facilities.
- The Arts & Science Council (ASC) will continue to manage the city’s percent-for-art program.
- Subject to agreement with private funders, other grants shall be awarded by established organization(s)(like the ASC), identified in the Charlotte Arts and Culture Plan, that have established presence in the areas supported by the Plan.
§ The allocations to these funding organizations will reflect key Council priorities, as reflected in the January 3, 2023 Charlotte City Council Arts and Culture Policy Memorandum.
§ This grantmaking will be accompanied by an admin fee in line with those payable to other grantmaking organizations and the city does not intend to support the operations of grantmaking bodies.
§ The final State of Culture Report is expected by the end of February 2023.
- The State of Culture Report includes eight Emerging Insights that will become the foundation for the development of the Charlotte Arts and Culture Plan.
§ Following the State of Culture, and simultaneous to Council’s Policy development, a comprehensive community arts and culture plan, the Charlotte Arts and Culture Plan, is under development.
§ This Plan, expected in Spring/Summer 2023, will set forth recommendations for consideration by Council and the community.
- The Framework above provides a lens for Council to evaluate recommendations from the Charlotte Arts and Culture Plan. It does not preclude recommendations from the Plan from being adopted or enacted by the city.
Committee Discussion
§ In Summer 2022, Council began discussion of developing a priority framework to provide to city staff and the city’s arts and culture advisory board.
§ In September 2022, the mayor referred the city’s arts and culture work to the Jobs and Economic Development Committee, with the understanding that Mayor Pro Tem Winston, Councilmember Graham (committee chair) and Councilmember Driggs (committee vice chair) would lead development of a priority framework with input from the rest of council.
§ In December 2022, Councilmember Driggs put forth a draft memorandum outlining the above, proposed policy framework for council discussion.
§ At the January 30, 2023 Annual Strategy Meeting, council agreed to revisit a proposed strategy framework to be put forth by councilmembers Winston, Graham, and Driggs.
§ During this process, Council has received regular updates on progress of the Charlotte Arts and Culture Plan process, including drafts of the State of Culture Report.
Attachments
Attachment(s)
January 3, 2023 Charlotte City Council Arts and Culture Policy Memorandum