DEPARTMENT: Department of Arts & Culture
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Debbie Racca-Sittre
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
SUBJECT:
Performing Arts Strategic Plan and Funding Guidelines
SUMMARY:
Approval of the Performing Arts Strategic Plan and Funding Guidelines.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Since 2017, the Department of Arts & Culture developed six components of its Cul-T?-Art Cultural Plan, a coordinated planning document to guide investments in the arts to provide equitable opportunities that encourage San Antonio's arts community, residents and visitors to thrive in a culturally inclusive environment. The six individual strategic plans included in the Cultural Plan are: Film (2017), Centro de Artes (2017), Arts Agency Funding (2018), Public Art (2018), Music (2019), and Cultural Districts (2019). The Performing Arts community is a large piece of the San Antonio arts landscape, representing $924 million of the $4.8 billion total creative economy. Therefore, the Department proposed development of a Performing Arts Strategic Plan as a department goal for FY2020 during the budget process. To develop the plan, staff distributed a survey, researched best practices, facilitated focus groups and community workshops.
In 2017, the department contracted with a national research company to distribute an arts and culture survey among three different segments: residents, visitors and art patrons. As a part of the Cul-T?-Art plan, the department planned to replicate the survey every 2 years. In fall of 2019, the department replicated the 2017 survey but added questions related to performing arts and venues in anticipation of the Performing Arts Strategic Plan. The survey, distributed between August 20 and September 16, 2019, used a representative sample of residents and visitors and was also distributed by 45 local arts non-profit agencies to their patrons (called "Arts Patrons" through online and paper surveys). The survey was available in English and Spanish. ...
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