DEPARTMENT: Department of Arts & Culture
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Debbie Racca-Sittre
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All Council Districts
SUBJECT: Briefing and consideration of the Music Strategic Plan component of the Cul-TÚ-Art Cultural Plan
SUMMARY:
The Department of Arts & Culture and the San Antonio Arts Commission’s Music Committee has led the development of a Music Strategic Plan that supports the City of San Antonio’s commitment to enhancing the awareness of the local music industry and connecting musicians with tools and resources to help advance their craft. The Music Strategic Plan is one of six components of the Cul-TÚ-Art Cultural Plan. The Music Committee and the San Antonio Arts Commission approved the plan, which relied heavily on community and expert feedback. The Department of Arts & Culture now seeks the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Committee’s approval, to ultimately move forward with the plan’s implementation.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Cul-TÚ-Art Cultural Plan is a coordinated planning document that is comprised of six focus areas including: Film, Centro de Artes, Arts Agency Funding Guidelines, Public Art, Music, and Cultural Districts Framework. The Cul-TÚ-Art Plan is intended to guide the City of San Antonio’s investments in arts & culture to provide equitable opportunities that encourage San Antonio’s arts community, residents and visitors to thrive in a culturally inclusive environment that celebrates San Antonio’s identity. The development of the Music Strategic Plan began in late 2016.
The City of San Antonio and its Department of Arts & Culture is dedicated to promoting and advancing the local music industry, an industry that generated almost $1 billion in economic impact and supported 10,748 local jobs in 2015 per the San Antonio Music Study by San Antonio Sound Garden. This study included three community feedback sessions, a survey, music expert feedback, and economic impact data, and also served as a foundation for the development of a Music Strategic Plan.
The members of the San Antonio Arts Commission’s Music Committee created the Music Strategic Plan, with community input added following a session of 80+ attendees facilitated by Mary Flanagan of Strategy & Leadership LLC. The Music Committee members are:
1. Henry Brun, Chair, D7 Representative, Musician
2. Suhail Arastu, Arts Commission Mayoral Appointee, Musical Bridges Around the World
3. Mark Rogers, D10 Representative, The Heart of Texas Concert Band
4. Carlos Alvarez, Azteca Music Group
5. Joan Carroll, Musicians Society of San Antonio
6. Julie Good, San Antonio College
7. Keith Harter, Harter Studios
8. Jon Johansen, Sam Ash Music Store
9. Faith Radle, Independent Producer and Manager
10. Stan Renard, UTSA
11. Edwin Stephens, San Antonio Sound Garden
ISSUE:
The Music Strategic Plan, approved by the Music Committee and the San Antonio Arts Commission, sets a vision for San Antonio’s music industry for the next five years that San Antonio will have a thriving music economy that embraces its roots and advances opportunity for the next generation. Three goals, with corresponding strategies, to achieve this vision are to Develop and Tell the San Antonio Music Story, Establish Music-Friendly Policies and Programs, and to Enhance Professionalism in the San Antonio Music Industry.
It is important for the Music Strategic Plan to be adopted to continue and further build San Antonio’s reputation as a music-friendly community and to help develop a sustainable music industry in San Antonio.
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council could choose to not move forward with this planning effort. As a result, the goals and corresponding strategies that were developed through the planning efforts would not be implemented.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The implementation of strategies identified in the Music Strategic Plan will utilize services and resources already allocated department-wide. In addition, music-friendly programs and policies identified in the plan will be add-ons to already established programs or new programs that do not have a monetary impact.