TO: Sheryl Sculley, City Manager
FROM: Felix N Padr?n, Director - Culture and Creative Development
THROUGH: Edward Belmares, Assistant City Manager
COPIES TO: Councilwoman Ivy Taylor, District 2; Councilman Diego Bernal, District 1; Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, District 5; Councilman Joe Krier, District 9
SUBJECT: Proposed Revisions to FY 2015 Arts Funding Guidelines
DATE: April 7, 2014
SUMMARY:
This ordinance proposes revisions to the Arts Funding Guidelines, which were last adopted in September of 2011 by City Council. The proposed guidelines provide increased access to artistic and cultural activities in San Antonio by aligning with the vision of SA2020 and investing in arts and cultural organizations, festivals and community celebrations, neighborhood-based arts activities, artist re-granting programs and individual artists. It is expected that the increase of programs will expand community and visitor access to artistic and cultural excellence and awareness.
BACKGROUND:
One of the traditional functions of the Department for Culture and Creative Development (DCCD) has been the distribution of funds to local non-profit arts organizations through a competitive funding process in order to further artistic excellence and diverse public awareness of the role the arts play in San Antonio. The funding distributed through this process comes from Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). As required by the Esperanza Consent Decree that was approved by City Council on October 18, 2001, all arts funding guidelines that relate to the distribution of these funds through a public process must be reviewed in a public forum, adopted by City Council and thereafter adhered to. By state law, up to 15% of the local HOT collections can be utilized to fund arts and cultural activities. However, this 15% allocation to the arts, per the Financial Policies adopted by City Council in September 2012, takes place after debt service payment...
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