AGENDA ITEM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE*
title
FY25 Town Arts and Culture Award Program Recommendations
presenter
RESPONSIBLE STAFF, TITLE, DEPARTMENT*
Atlas Logan, Director, Community Arts & Culture Department
Steve Wright, Public Art Coordinator, Community Arts & Culture Department
STAFF RECOMMENDATION*
Staff recommends that Council adopt a resolution to authorize the Town Manager to enter into performance agreements with the recommended local nonprofit agencies to conduct arts- and culture-related programs for the benefit of the Chapel Hill residents and approves the fund distribution.
body
ACTION/DECISION POINTS*
Note: It is possible that at least one council member will need to ask council to approve a motion to recuse them from acting on this resolution, as they may serve on one or more of these boards that would receive funds.
LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT*
In 2023, the Council authorized staff to create an Arts & Culture Award Program to enter into performance agreements with local nonprofit agencies that agree to conduct art-related projects for the benefit of the residents of Chapel Hill.
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT*
Now in its second year, this program received 13 applications for project funding, totaling $122,500 in requests. The award program review team, comprised of Town staff, local artists, and representative(s) of groups serving historically marginalized communities, is responsible for evaluating applications and advising Council of funding needs. The Town will enter into Performance Agreements with these agencies that will establish performance measures and reporting requirements. Funds are allocated to the program and paid out to approved applicants in the same fiscal year.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Town will provide these funds as grants to these organizations. The FY25 Town Arts & Culture Award program budget allocation is $43,500. Because funding the top five finalists would cost a total of $45,000, we split the $1,500 difference equally among the finalists.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION
Staff applied an equity lens to their selection by creating a diverse selection committee including the Town’s Human Relations Officer, Community Relations Manager, Director of Library and Community Arts & Culture, local artists, and representative(s) of groups serving historically marginalized communities, and two previous award winners. A rubric was used to score applications and the top five are being proposed for approval.
ATTACHMENTS
Town Arts and Culture Award program_Resolution
Town Arts and Culture Award program_Project Summaries
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