HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-12-2016 - City Arts Commission - 05 Staff Report Master Plan for Arts and Culture
TO Newport Beach City Arts Commission
FROM: Library Services Department
Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director
949-717-3810, thetherton@newportbeachca.gov
PREPARED BY: Tim Hetherton
TITLE: Master Plan for Arts and Culture
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Arts Commission submit the draft Master Plan for Arts and Culture for
City Council approval.
DISCUSSION:
In September 2013, the City of Newport Beach contracted with Arts OC to develop a Master Plan for
Arts and Culture. Arts Orange County (Arts OC) is the non-profit, county-wide arts council of Orange
County, California. It has served as the official local arts agency and state-local partner of the County of
Orange since 1995.
At the April 8, 2014 City Council Study session, staff presented the Arts OC proposal for the preparation
of an Master Plan for Arts and Culture. City Council reviewed the proposal and recommended that the
City Arts Commission proceed on the Master Plan for Arts and Culture. The City Arts Commission
appointed a Steering Committee as an Ad Hoc Sub Committee to guide the actions of the plan and make
strategic decisions.
To evaluate the arts, culture, and community resources within the City of Newport Beach, Arts OC
engaged in an inventory and assessment process known as cultural asset mapping. Their activities
consisted of:
• 25 one-on-one interviews with key stakeholders;
• 6 focus groups comprised of 75 leaders from the arts, business, education, and city affiliates;
• An online survey: Arts OC contacted approximately 39,000 citizens via multiple e-mails, as well as
distributing information through every Homeowners Association and a variety of arts and
community organizations, in order to make them aware of the opportunity to attend the public
forum and to participate in the online public survey;
• A community forum was held on September 29, 2014, to gain an in-depth perspective on the wider
community’s opinions on several emerging themes derived from previous stakeholders and focus
groups input.
Using the results of these findings, Arts OC prepared a Newport Beach Master Plan for Arts and Culture
document that was presented to City Council at the November 25, 2014 Study Session. Council
reviewed the plan and the City Manager directed staff to present the document again in early 2015.
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At the Council Study Session on April 14, 2015, staff presented a draft Master Plan for Arts and Culture to
the City Council to consider. This plan included the following 9 recommendations:
1) Grow public investment in arts and culture;
2) Establish an appropriately-staffed Division of Arts and Culture;
3) Establish arts-friendly City policies;
4) Develop a 21st century arts and culture communication plan;
5) Develop a multi-faceted approach to arts and culture programming;
6) Refine the City’s Public Art Policy;
7) Develop new accessible creative spaces;
8) Animate existing City parks, beaches, and other public spaces with unique programming,
signature events and neighborhood festivals;
9) Establish key partnerships that support arts education;
10) Include aesthetic considerations in City processes which review and approve public and private
development of the built environment.
At the Study Session, City Council considered the draft plan and provided direction to the Commission.
City Council requested the City Arts Commission to:
1) Identify goals and objectives based on the Master Plan for Arts and Culture recommendations
and develop a long- term vision for arts in the City;
2) Remove the Master Plan for Arts and Culture recommendation No. 10, “Include aesthetic
considerations in City processes which review and approve public and private development of
the built environment.”
3) Focus on ways to expand private support for public arts programs to lessen the burden on public
funds;
4) Provide options for Council action.
City Council also questioned the amount of public engagement conducted by Arts OC. The City Arts
Commission responded by scheduling 3 Study Sessions devoted to soliciting input from the public in
regard to the Master Plan for Arts and Culture.
In response to these directives, the Master Plan for Arts and Culture Steering committee drafted the
following goals and objectives for each recommendation:
1. Grow public investment in arts and culture
A. Support and augment the efforts of the Newport Beach Arts Foundation (NBAF) to
provide private funding, promote donations, increase membership support and
volunteer support to enhance arts and culture activities in the City of Newport Beach.
The City arts will be available and engaged in the NBAF’s efforts to grow membership
through the establishment of multiple guilds, each with a signature event.
B. Establish, via the NBAF or City Arts Commission (CAC), an annual signature event with
the goal of raising $50,000. The event will provide financial support for arts and cultural
programming in the City. The event will raise awareness for the arts in the community
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and encourage businesses and residents to invest in the arts. These invitational events
will also serve as opportunities for local businesses, foundations, service organizations
to meet and facilitate investment for the growth of City Arts Commission programming.
C. Leverage the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park’s status as the signature program
of the City Arts Commission to raise private money, expand the membership of the
NBAF, and provide an opportunity for the community to invest in City arts
programming:
• Provide sponsorship opportunities for the sculptures in the Exhibition and
encourage business, corporate and high level sponsorship for each of the 20
works of art.
• Use I-13 funds to provide for acquisition and maintenance of the Civic Center
Sculpture Garden program as a permanent public art installation.
• Continue to use the rotation art into the Civic Center Sculpture Exhibition as a
means to promote cultural tourism as a source of revenue.
D. Continue to support the efforts of non-profit, private and community organizations to
apply for public and private grants and promote donations to support arts and cultural
activities. The recent Cultural Arts Grants to the Newport Beach Film Festival, Baroque
Music Festival, ExplorOcean, Southland Opera, Festival Ballet Theatre, OCMA and the
Balboa Island Improvement Association are good examples of this support. Increase the
amount of funds available through Cultural Arts Grants which directly benefit
community organizations, residents, and businesses – a significant benefit as the
administrative liabilities are absorbed by the funded entities.
E. Use City funds to leverage private investment in public art, and use public art to
leverage private investment in other City ventures and programming:
• Implement a mechanism in which the City provides matching funds to private
funds for a specific public art project.
• Make the Sculpture Garden available for public events to engender the financial
support of the Sculpture Garden, as a Civic Center amenity/attraction for private
local events that generate revenue for the City.
• Use the Sculpture Garden to drive economic support for all events on the City
Civic Green, Community Room and Central Library.
F. Continue to budget support for arts and culture in the community. Utilize the Master
Plan for Arts and Culture to increase funding to support programming via public/private
collaborations and financial support.
G. Stage annual arts awards to stimulate arts programming.
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2. Establish an appropriately-staffed Division of Arts and Culture
A. For the sake of prudent fiscal management, a better aesthetic, and community
engagement, use contract labor to manage, coordinate, and consult on City Arts
Commission special projects.
B. Designate a portion of Visit Newport Beach funds to hire a Newport Beach Arts
Foundation Development Manager. This position would be funded for a period of up to
3 years. During that time, the Development Manager would develop the Arts
Foundation Board, work with the community to implement the vision of the Master Plan
for Arts and Culture, write grants, and fundraise.
C. Retain a contracted arts management entity to consult on arts and cultural
programming for specific projects.
3. Establish arts-friendly City policies
A. Encourage the incorporation of public art into larger commercial projects that enhance
the City’s community character as well as its built environment, i.e., sculpture, murals,
monuments, decorative way finding signage, for the Sculpture Garden.
B. Research concepts and ideas from other governmental entities at the local, regional,
state, and national level to support arts-friendly policy positions in the City of Newport
Beach, i.e., art and culture master plans, public/private partnerships, etc.,
C. Use I-13 funds to provide for the acquisition and maintenance of permanent art
structures and installations, and ongoing projects such as the Sculpture Exhibition in
Civic Center Park.
D. Reduce and/or waive fees for City sponsored arts and cultural events, as recommended
by the City Arts Commission.
E. Create more venues for the display of banners and kiosks for the dissemination of arts
and cultural information throughout the City, to engage residents and businesses in the
community. Ideally, there should be 2 banners for each of the 7 Council districts, as well
as kiosks in the Civic Green and Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park.
F. Encourage City and private investment in the preservation of City historical assets and
to raise awareness of the City’s history and cultural assets.
G. Establish a list and continue to monitor City historical assets such as photos, plaques,
public art, monuments, historical buildings and architecture. Establish a maintenance
schedule and log for historical preservation and maintenance of historical assets.
Collaborate with the local historical societies and Sherman Library and Gardens.
H. Collaborate with the historical societies, Recreation & Senior Services and local
organizations to promote, protect and enhance arts and culture and history in the City
of Newport Beach. Establish a local wall for NBAF donors in order to recognize their
contributions to arts and cultural programming in the City.
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4. Develop a 21st century arts and culture communication plan
A. Promote Newport Beach as a nationally and internationally recognized arts city and
tourist destination, by allying with Visit Newport Beach to promote cultural tourism in
Newport Beach to attract visitors and tourists interested in cultural events.
B. Build public awareness and encourage participation in the City’s arts and cultural
activities through social media; define the target audience(s), and determine when and
how frequently to communicate with stakeholders.
C. Use social media and NBTV to promote performances and events to create interest and
encourage public participation. Collaborate with NBTV to create and broadcast arts and
cultural activities in the City.
D. Create a master arts calendar that includes both City Arts Commission and private
sector arts events throughout the City. The calendar should be inclusive local schools,
chambers, homeowners associations, businesses, and individual residents.
E. Establish a City arts and culture newsletter to highlight events, to raise awareness in
regard to available programming, and to encourage business and community
investment in arts and culture.
F. Encourage opportunities for civic dialogue about important City issues, and enhance
opportunities for all citizens, neighborhoods and organizations to participate in the
planning and creation of art and arts programming. Utilize the City Arts Commission
speaker’s bureau to visit each City district and deliver updates for arts programming to
engage the community.
G. Create increased public engagement through outreach in regard to public art and
performing arts, and encourage more public participation in the selection of public art
and public arts programming.
H. Convene community forums, to explore and share ideas, policy, and private sector best
practices at the city, county, state, and national level.
I. Implement post-event surveys to gather community input on the quality of
programming and suggestions for enhancement.
J. Perform an annual arts survey to evaluate City Arts Commission programs and to
evaluate resident and business interest in the arts.
K. Utilize homeowner association websites as a cost saving vehicle to distribute arts and
cultural information.
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5. Develop a multi-faceted arts and culture program plan
A. Expose children, teens, adults, and seniors to artistic, cultural, and historical
experiences.
• Children:
o Stage art exhibitions showcasing the art of local school children.
o Provide art instruction and educational opportunities that support
school curriculums, including the use of technology for artistic pursuits.
o Implement a Young Master’s program for children K through 8th grade.
o Explore potential to use larger facilities indoors to stage cultural
performances and increase outreach in programming K-8.
• Teens:
o Provide opportunities to participate in performing arts to create an
original theatrical work or film, musical composition and performance,
spoken word performance, etc.
o Provide an opportunity for a “Battle of the Bands” competition in the
Civic Green for both local musicians with planning for long range
regional competition.
o Implement a Young Master’s program for Young Adults, 9th through 12th
grade; use this program to develop talent with arts scholarships for
exceptional individuals.
o Provide a summer theatre arts conservatory.
o Provide opportunities to present an original two-dimensional or three-
dimensional art work; include opportunities to create set design and
construction to support a summer theatrical production from the
theatre arts conservatory.
• Adults:
o Provide opportunities to participate in arts activities, such as community
orchestras, symphonies, quartets, jazz and rock ensembles, spoken
word events, film productions, and juried art shows.
o Create a signature lecture series similar to the Witte Lecture series,
bringing renowned speakers to the City, and providing the public with a
forum for ideas and conversation about the arts and other
contemporary cultural issues.
o Plan and implement arts tours in which local residents open their homes
and art collections to the public. These events will be used as NBAF
fundraisers.
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o Plan and implement a major culinary or wine event.
• Seniors
o Partner with OASIS to provide art instruction and art exhibitions for
seniors.
o Partner with OASIS to create opportunities for seniors to participate in
performing arts, i.e., senior tap dancing, theatrical performances, choirs,
quartets, a cappella groups, etc.
B. Continue to provide established City Arts Programming, such as the Concerts on the
Green, the Newport Beach Art Exhibition, and special events augmented with new
programming, such as an outdoor series in collaboration with the Newport Beach Film
Festival, and theatre and dance programming in the Civic Green and other City venues.
C. Stage a cultural arts fair, with food, music and performing arts, in celebration of the
City’s diversity.
6. Refine the City’s Public Art Policy
A. Establish a vision for art in public places in the City:
• Enhance the aesthetic environment of public places within the City through
engaging, unique and high quality public artworks.
• Incorporate art into the design of public buildings, infrastructure, and even
private development that receives public support. Artists now commonly work
on projects involving workaday elements—electrical substations, pedestrian
bridges, storm water retention ponds, and parking garages—in addition to
traditional civic sites like parks and libraries. Murals of historic importance may
be considered in the planning or revitalization of publicly accessible City spaces.
• Place public art in prominent locations that are visually accessible to the public,
and places where public life occurs, i.e., murals and exhibitions, may be
provided at Central Library, Marina Park, Newport Coast Community Center,
and the Interpretive Nature Center, in collaboration with parks, Beaches, and
Recreation.
• Select public art projects that are related to the nature of the facilities or the
places where they are located, as well as to the identity of the City as a whole –
in particular, beaches, coastal areas, canyons, and the Back Bay.
• Encourage public art that engages aspects of the Newport Beach’s landscape,
history, and culture: all the elements that make the City distinct. Public art
projects should be integrated, to the extent possible, into architectural,
landscape, and infrastructure design.
• Identify art that creates a sense of identity, community, and connection to local
history and culture. The story of the City is layered and complex, and art
projects should document, celebrate, and explore the community, i.e., the 2014
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Rex Brandt Centennial, 2016 Joan Irving Brandt Centennial, the proposed 2017
Phil Dike exhibition, and the proposed Surf Culture exhibition.
• Create an endowment fund through the Newport Beach Arts Foundation for the
maintenance of City-owned public art, similar to the Lenahan fund.
• Provide a master plan for public art and exhibitions of art in a variety of city
accessible spaces and venues.
B. Revise Council Policy I-11, Acquisition of Art by the City of Newport Beach, so that the
donation of funds for long term maintenance of art acquired by the City of Newport
Beach is a condition of acceptance.
C. Collaborate with Community Development so that the placement of public art is in
harmony with the General Plan.
D. Facilitate a master plan for public art in collaboration with Community Development,
Parks, Beaches, and Recreation, and a public arts consultancy.
7. Develop new accessible creative spaces
A. In order to establish a vision for performing arts in the City:
• Evaluate existing sites and venues in the City suitable for arts programming:
waterfront, harbor, beaches, canyons, and Back Bay.
• Encourage the continuation and expansion of cultural arts events and programs
such as festivals, seminars, workshops, concerts in the parks, parades, and
community cultural festivals.
• Create a facility plan to address the community’s need for a 350 - 600 seat
auditorium for lectures, City Arts Commission programs, NBAF programs, Library
Foundation programs, and performing arts, including dance, concerts, and
theatre.
• Create a facility plan to address the community’s need for gallery and exhibition
space to showcase local historical assets and collections.
• Create a facility plan to address the community’s need for a center for art
classes, open studio programs, and events for all ages in fully equipped art
studios.
• Create a facility plan for an outdoor amphitheater in a City park to stage plays,
dance, concerts, and films.
• Increase the use of NBTV and podcasts to make arts programming more
accessible to everyone.
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8. Animate existing City parks, beaches and other public spaces with unique programming,
signature events and neighborhood festivals.
A. Maintain the Civic Center, with all of its accessibility and amenities, as the nucleus of
arts activities in the Newport Beach. Signature artistic and cultural events in the Civic
Center Community Room and Civic Green include the Sculpture Garden Exhibition, the
annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition, Shakespeare plays, and Concerts on the Green, as
well as monthly art exhibits, signature arts and culture events, film festival programs,
and lectures at the Central Library.
B. Provide opportunities for the community to come together by supporting cultural
festivals and local history celebrations to raise cultural awareness in the City.
C. Create a signature annual arts event for each of the City’s seven districts, bringing art
and music to City spaces in each district several times per year. Draft an event plan for
art, music, and food in collaboration with Parks, Beaches, and Recreation.
D. Add arts programming elements to signature neighborhood events: CDM Christmas
Walk, Newport to Ensenada Race, Chalk Art Festival, Murals Under the Stars, Balboa Art
Walk, Balboa Island Improvement Association, Baroque Music Festival, Film Festival,
Christmas Boat Parade, and Sister Cities events. Collaborate with the NBAF, local
businesses, chambers of commerce, Sherman Library and Gardens, historical societies,
OASIS Senior Center, CDMRA, to host community events.
E. Engage the support of local businesses and community organizations, homeowner’s
associations and residents to promote and support arts and music programming at the
neighborhood level.
F. Identify ways to engage new developments, new residents and new businesses with
public art and performing arts programming.
Provide a “Welcome to the City of Newport Beach” (arts and culture passport and
package) to inform, engage, and encourage investment in arts and culture in the City,
possibly generating a relationship and membership in the Newport Beach Arts
Foundation.
G. Engage the public in the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park by providing tours and
by hosting arts events in Civic Center Park.
9. Establish key partnerships that support arts education - partner with the community to
encourage and strengthen arts education for children, youth, adults and seniors in the City.
A. Augment arts education in the schools through lecture series targeting young people.
B. Implement educational arts opportunities for local students.
C. Support field trips from Newport-Mesa Unified School District students to City arts
programming.
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D. Foster relationships with local community colleges and university arts programs.
E. Promote City arts programming to local schools, and collaborate with local schools to
engage the public and create programming in the City for the benefit of the residents.
F. Provide lectures and seminars focused on applied arts where arts and commerce meet:
landscaping, textiles, culinary arts, fashion design, etc.
Pending City Arts Commission approval, this draft plan will be submitted to City Council for approval.
NOTICING:
This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at
which the City Arts Commission considers the item).
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