Arts Commission Regular Meeting of the Arts Commission - This meeting will be held with some members attending IN PERSON and others ATTENDING REMOTELY.
REGULAR MEETING of the ARTS COMMISSION June 16, 2025, at 6:00 PM Austin City Hall, Council Chambers, Room 1001. 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Some members of the ARTS COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than Noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Jesús Varela at jesus.varela@austintexas.gov or at 512-974-2444. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Gina Houston - Chair, Acia Gray - Vice Chair, Keyheira Keys, Monica Maldonado, Felipe Garza, Heidi Schmalbach, Muna Hussaini, Celina Zisman, Faiza Kracheni, Sharron B Anderson, Nagavalli Medicharla AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Arts Commission Regular Meeting on May 19, 2025. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Report of the Art in Public Places Liaison concerning actions taking during the June 2, 2025 meeting of the Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Maldonado 3. Discussion on Calder Kamin’s canceled AIPP corridor project 4. Discussion of the City of Austin’s Art Policy goals 5. Discussion on HOT leftovers transparency request for potential emergency funding. 6. Presentation and Discussion of recommendations regarding Austin's support for independent artists and creative workers through its cultural funding programs by Jane Hervey, Founder & Director, Future Front STAFF BRIEFINGS 7. Staff briefing on the Cultural Arts Division contract with The Long Center by Erica Shamaly, Music & Entertainment Division Manager 8. Staff briefing regarding an update on the Hotel Occupancy Tax by Matthew Schmidt, Acting Cultural Arts Division Manager 9. Staff briefing regarding The Creative Reset by Morgan Messick, Assistant Director of ACME 10. Staff briefing regarding update on the Cultural Arts Funding Programs by Jesús Pantel, Cultural Funding Supervisor 11. Staff briefing regarding an update on Art in Public Places by Jaime Castillo, Art in Public Places Manager DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 12. Approve the Selection Process Recommendations for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) Airport Expansion & Development Program …
Cultural Funding Third Party Administrator Arts Commission Briefing Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) June 16, 2025 Agenda – Cultural Funding Third Party Administrator 1. 2. Purpose Request for Qualifications 3. Master Agreement 4. 5. Roles & Responsibilities – City of Austin Roles & Responsibilities – The Long Center Purpose • City of Austin Purchasing personnel shortages made facilitating over 600 City of Austin contracts with Cultural Funding Grantees untenable • Ongoing Grantee contracting and payment delays were growing to the point that Grantee programs were at risk • Music Commission Recommendation 20201019-2bi stated that “The Fund should be administered by a local nonprofit organization having familiarity with Austin’s music community and demonstrated expertise in managing funding for various music and arts entities.” Request for Qualifications Solicitation No: RFQS 5500 TVN4006 • Purchasing invited 23 City of Austin Pre-Qualified Vendors to respond • Publish Date: 8/1/2022; Closing Date: 8/31/2022 (closing date extended by one week at the request of one of the respondents) • Purchasing received 1 complete response by the extended closing date (The Long Center) • Purchasing conducted a formal evaluation of the response with a panel of six EDD Staff • Response exceeded Purchasing’s requirements for City of Austin contracting Master Agreement • Master Agreement 5500 - NA230000017 was established between City of Austin Purchasing and The Long Center for an up to 5-Year term and $100,000,000 purchasing authority to cover expected admin expenses and grant budgets for FY2023, FY2024, FY2025, FY2026 and FY2027 • The Master Agreement’s scope of work details all potential administrative tasks that could be needed in a Fiscal Year • An annual contract amendment detailing scope updates, fiscal year grant budgets and required Administrator tasks is negotiated each fall based on the approved fiscal year budget just passed by City Council and fiscal year program guidelines • Each Fiscal Year Amendment includes detailed budgets, costs, and required tasks, which are listed in “Exhibit 2 - Cultural Funding Budget & Contractor Administration Fees” Roles & Responsibilities – City of Austin • Determines fiscal year grant award budgets for City Council approval • Creates / updates Cultural Funding program guidelines per fiscal year, including application scoring & evaluation processes and Awardee reporting requirements • Directs The Long Center on application & reporting build-out in Submittable • Applicant assistance lead creator and facilitator related to cultural funding program guidelines • Application evaluation creator …
Hotel Occupancy Tax Update Arts Commission Meeting May 19, 2025 Hotel Occupancy Tax – May 2025 Approved Budget Amended Budget May w/ Encumb Year-to-date w/Encumb Year-End Estimate Total Revenue $169,901,585 $169,901,585 $12,926,793 $117,947,091 $165,125,757 Transfer to Cultural Arts Fund $16,217,879 $16,217,879 $1,234,509 $11,263,947 $15,762,004 • Total HOT Collections May 2025 = $12,926,793 • 69% of FY25 Approved Budget of $169,901,585 • Cultural Arts Fund May 2025 = $1,234,509 C I TY O F A U S T I N Hotel Occupancy Tax Collections – Significant Contributing Events • Besame Mucho Festival – April 5 • Capitol 10K – April 6 • Texas Association of Museums 2025 Annual Conference – April 6-9 • ICRI 2025 Spring Convention – April 13-16 • Moontower Comedy Festival – April 9 – 19 • Austin Blues Festival – April 26-27 • Real Places Conference 2025 – April 23-25 AUS Passenger Totals: 1,875,980 (April 2025) C I TY O F A U S T I N HOT Cultural Arts Fund - FY25 C I TY O F A U S T I N Approved Budget for FY25: $16,217,879 FY25 HOT Cultural Arts Fund to date: $11,263,947 HOT Collections (FY22 – FY25) C I TY O F A U S T I N Questions? C I TY O F A U S T I N
Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) Cultural Arts Funding Update JUNE 16, 2025 The Creative Reset Updates The Creative Reset: Community Engagement The ACME Program Funding evaluation is still underway Community Engagement that has informed the process • Focus Groups • One-on-ones • Meeting-in-a-box • Survey • Listening sessions (next one is tomorrow –June 17, 2025 @ the PDC) • Feedback via active Commission Working Groups ACME staff has been receiving, synthesizing, and incorporating the feedback into updates funding guidelines for FY25. The Creative Reset: Data Informed Additional Data the informs the Process • Historical Community Feedback (2020-2025) • Benchmarking look at peer cities • Information from The Long Center on Applications • Information from Law Department on HOT The Creative Reset Information Dashboard publicinput.com/a88770 The Creative Reset Timeline Goals Road to drafting guideline updates In progress this week First draft of updated guidelines: - - Next steps: Share with commissions and community for review and feedback Integrate feedback, review with Law department Send back to commissions to preview final version ahead of July Commission presentations - - ACME leadership plan to be back at the July meeting to present our final guidelines, requesting your support ahead of going to City Council at the July 24 meeting. AustinTexas.gov/acme/creative-reset Here’s what we’re hearing so far… - Historical feedback (2020- 2025) Focus groups - - One-on-one meetings Survey responses - Listening sessions - Stay in the Loop with ACME AustinTexas.gov/ACME Questions? Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) Thank You For Your Partnership
Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) Cultural Arts Funding Update June 16, 2025 Agenda 1.Contracts & Payments 2.Cultural Arts Funding Updates 3.Grant Funded Activities Contracts & Payments Contracts & Payments (As of 6/12/25) FY23 Elevate FY23 Nexus (Fall/Winter) FY24 Nexus (Spring/ Summer) FY23-24 Thrive (Year 1) FY23-24 Thrive (Year 2) Total Contracts Signed & Processed Contracts Test payments issued & verified Payment 1 Issued Payment 2 Issued Payment 3 Issued 199 199 (100%) 199 (100%) 199 (100%) 198 (99%) 190 (95%) 51 51 (100%) 51 (100%) 51 (100%) 50 (96%) n/a 51 51 (100%) 51 (100%) 51 (100%) 46 (90%) n/a 36 36 (100%) 36 (100%) 36 (100%) 35 (97%) n/a See year 1 N/A N/A 35 (97%) 35 (97%) n/a Total Dist. to date Total Allocation $6,215,000 (99%) $6,250,000 $254,500 (99%) $255,000 $225,500 (88%) $255,000 $3,893,000 (99%) $3,816,500 (98%) $3,901,500 $3,901,500 *Each grant has a different reporting deadline. Final Payments are issued upon successful close out of Final Report. Cultural Arts Funding Updates Final Report Delinquency Process Final Activity • Or end of grant period Final Report due • 30 days after Final Activity, rounded to end of the month Delinquent Letter 1 sent Delinquent Letter 2 sent • 5 business days to • 10 business days to correct correct Delinquent Letter 3 sent • Immediate termination Final Report Delinquency History Out of 6,093 contracts • 0.049% in breach of contract ~$10,000 out of $136,197,269 • 0.0073% of awarded funds 3 terminated contracts in 20+ years Final Report Review Process All Final Reports are reviewed • Completed activities • Required questions • Logo and publicity statement • VisitAustin posting • Miles Partnership tourism videos • Expense Documentation Form 10% are audited • New grantee • New staff • Prior oversight considerations • Random Receipts and Expense Documentation Form Grant Funded Activities FY 24 – 25 Grantee Activities Mery Godigna Daily through June 30 Really Small Museum (District 1) – Ann & Roy Butler Trail 10th Annual Nourishing the Soul Juneteenth Festival June 18 Capitol View Arts (District 3) – The Historic Victory Grill The City We Built: Black Leaders of Austin June 18 Terry Mitchell (District 1) – Black Pearl Books Concerts for Human Harmony/Improvisational Soundscapes June 19 and 21 Cosmic Intuition Productions (District 3) – Monks Jazz Club FY 24 – 25 Grantee Activities Carrying the Torch June 20 Torch Literary Arts (District 7) – African …
Art in Public Places Resolution Response June 16, 2025 update Resolution No. 20250306-029 – Status Update 6/12 Phase 1 (March – May) Resolution + Program Assessment • • • Historical Data Benchmarking Reviewed current polices, contracts, programs Redlined current policies Review program needs Targeted focus groups (AIPP Panel Guidelines WG) Themes Local artist participation Lack of understand of % for Art program • • • • Recommendations • Update policies for clarity + inclusion • Update communications + marketing for transparency + education Explore resources for artists • T N E M S S E S S A T N E M E G A G N E S N O I T A D N E M M O C E R + S E M E H T Phase 3 (Sept-Dec) Phase 4 (2026) • Ordinance update (Council) • Guidelines and policy updates (Panel + Commission) • Launch Open Calls w/ changes from Phase 1 + 2 Announce + Implement new programs Community outreach Community outreach Phase 2 (June – August) Council Status Update Resolution Establish Cross-departmental • WG + action plan for implementation Review draft Ordinance, Guidelines policies recommendations • • Needs assessment plan + feasibility study • UT Landmarks assessment ACME Leadership Updates • Targeted focus groups (Stakeholder internal + external) Themes Lack of understand of % for Art program Artist support Recommendations Transparency of process Process flow chart Resources for artists • • • • • Resolution No. 20250306-029 – Phase 1 (March – May) Engagement • • AIPP Staff AIPP Panel Working Group Recommendations Programmatic Curatorial Services Art Call updates AIPP Panel name change Private Property Public Art support Program needs assessment • • • • • Communication/Marketing • Mentorship, trainings • • Non-AIPP funding resources for Contract review meeting artists Resolution Items P3 Integration Private Developments Flexible funding Art placement Artist barriers to apply Curatorial services Stakeholder engagement Private propertyy resources Contract updates (deaccession) Program Assessment Historical Data Benchmarking Reviewed current polices, contracts, programs Redlined current policies Review program needs • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Themes • • • Local artist participation Lack of understanding % for Art program Artist assistance with permitting, storage, or other delays at no fault of artist/AIP Recommendations Ordinance, Guidelines, Policy Inclusion of P3 requirement Encourage Private Development participation Clarity on total 2% cost Clarity on sponsor dept support …
Selection Process Recommendations for Phase III AUS Airport Expansion & Development Program AIPP Opportunities: Restroom Entries Agenda Item #11 Arts Commission Meeting June 16, 2025 Art In Public Places Austin-Bergstrom International Airport AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III Artist Selection Panel Recommendations Sponsoring Department: Aviation Project Budget: Total $2,904,000 ➢ Restroom Entries: $80K (x 9 restroom sets) ➢ Amenity Lounges: Mobility Lounge & Sensory Lounge $546K (x 2 lounges) ➢ Spaces for Children: High Energy & Quiet Energy $546K (x 2 spaces) Council District: District 2 Project Manager: Alex Irrera 1 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III PROJECT BACKGROUND Commissioning bodies* sponsored an open call for Austin-based artists/artist- led teams to submit qualifications in consideration of collaboration, design, fabrication, and installation of new public art opportunities located throughout the new Concourse B and the new Arrivals and Departures Hall: two spaces for children, a sensory lounge, a mobility lounge and 18 restrooms. *The City of Austin Art in Public Places program (AIPP) of the Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development Department (EDD) and Austin- Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) 2 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III: Restroom Entries Restroom Entries (9 sets) • Sites: A/D Hall and Concourse B • Estimated Budget. $80K per restroom set • Project Summary. • This opportunity focuses on creating visually impactful restroom entrances to support intuitive wayfinding in the airport. • Artists should draw inspiration from Austin’s local culture, landmarks, history, flora, fauna, and environment. • Designs should feature harmonious themes and color palettes to enhance the traveler experience. • Up to nine artists will be selected, with one artist assigned to each set of restrooms. 3 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III SOLICITATION PROCESS: Open Call to Austin-Based Artists Evaluation Criteria • Professionalism and applicable experience • Technical skills and aesthetic appeal of past work • Consistent quality and production of artwork • Communication of ideas and intentions 4 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III: Restroom Entries SELECTION MEMBERS Voting Val Britton, Artist, Portland, OR Rex Hamilton, Artist, Austin, TX Leslie Moody Castro, Curator and Writer, Austin, TX & Mexico City, MX Non-Voting Advisory Robert Mercado, Program Manager / Architect, AUS Nick Garcia, Program Design Manager, AEDP, AUS Monica Maldonado, AIPP Panel Liaison 5 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III: Restroom Entries APPLICATION RESULTS 173 87 COMPLETED PHASE III APPLICATIONS ELIGIBLE RESTROOM ENTRY APPLICATIONS SELECTION RESULTS – RESTROOM ENTRIES MAY 22, 2025 Selection Panel Convened/Reviewed Eligible Completed Applications (4 hours) RECOMMNEDED ARTISTS – X1 RESTROOM SET EACH …
Selection Process Recommendations for Phase III AUS Airport Expansion & Development Program AIPP Opportunities: Amenity Lounges & Spaces for Children Agenda Item #12 Arts Commission Meeting June 16, 2025 Art In Public Places Austin-Bergstrom International Airport AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III Artist Selection Panel Recommendations Sponsoring Department: Aviation Project Budget: Total $2,904,000 ➢ Restroom Entries: $80K (x 9 restroom sets) ➢ Amenity Lounges: Mobility Lounge & Sensory Lounge $546K (x 2 lounges) ➢ Spaces for Children: High Energy & Quiet Energy $546K (x 2 spaces) Council District: District 2 Project Manager: Alex Irrera 1 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III PROJECT BACKGROUND Commissioning bodies* sponsored an open call for Austin-based artists/artist- led teams to submit qualifications in consideration of collaboration, design, fabrication, and installation of new public art opportunities located throughout the new Concourse B and the new Arrivals and Departures Hall: two spaces for children, a sensory lounge, a mobility lounge and 18 restrooms. *The City of Austin Art in Public Places program (AIPP) of the Cultural Arts Division, Economic Development Department (EDD) and Austin- Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) 2 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III: Amenity Lounges & Spaces for Children Amenity Lounges (x2) • Mobility Assistance Lounge • Site: Departures Ticketing • Estimated Budget. $546K • Sensory Lounge • Site: Concourse B • Estimated Budget. $546K • Project Summaries Spaces for Children (x2) • High Energy • Site: Concourse B • Estimated Budget. $546K • Quiet Energy • Site: Concourse B • Estimated Budget. $546K • Project Summaries • Two signature lounges at AUS aim to enhance Guest Services by supporting passengers needing accessibility assistance. • Artistic interventions should help create welcoming, inclusive, and comforting environments for individuals with special needs and their families. • AUS is seeking to create two dedicated children's spaces that integrate play into the functional components of the artwork. • One space should promote high energy, movement, and exploration, while the other should offer a calming and serene experience. • Artists are encouraged to incorporate contemporary, whimsical concepts • Opportunities may involve collaboration with local subject matter experts using analog and/or simple digital interactivity. and artists with disabilities. • One or two artists or artist-led teams will be selected to design these • Two artists or artist-led teams will be selected—one for each lounge. distinct environments. 3 AUS-AIPP AEDP Phase III SOLICITATION PROCESS: Open Call to Austin-Based Artists Evaluation Criteria • Professionalism and applicable experience • Technical …
• Project: St John Redevelopment Site • Artist(s): Maxwell Emcays, Jessica Bell, & Olaniyi Akindiya • Phase: Artist Selection Process • Sponsoring Department: Financial Services Department • Project Budget: $250,000 • Council District: 4 • Project Manager: Ryan Runcie AIPP PANEL MEETING AGENDA ITEM 7 DATE:06/09/2025 St. John Redevelopment Site The St. John Redevelopment site is located at 7211 and 7309 North Interstate 35 (the former Home Depot & Chrysler Dealership). The improvements on the 19-acre mixed use plot of land include: • • • • • Affordable Housing Retail space Community clubhouse Existing park expanded Increased access to the park from Blackson Ave and St John Blvd. Art In Public Places Request for Qualifications (RFQ) Project Goals • A work of art of redeeming quality that advances public understanding of visual art and enhances the aesthetic quality of public places Honors the St John neighborhood’s history and legacy Conceptualizes a strong overall artwork design approach that integrates with the site and surrounding natural environment Is easily maintained and vandal resistant in an exterior environment Is permanent with an expected life span of at least 20 years • • • • Request for Qualifications 2025 Open to Texas-based artists from 2/03/25 to 3/15/25 Artist Information Meeting 2/17/25 29 eligible applicants Selection of three artists to interviews 4/15/25 Interviews held 5/30/2025 Budget – $250,000 Sponsor Department – Financial Services Department (FSD) 3 Artist Selection Panelists Voting Panelists • Arielle Austin, practicing artist • Damon Moseley, practicing artist • Nailah Sankofa, practicing artist Non-Voting Panelists • Dr. Patricia Alford, Community Member • Raymond Castillo, Community Member Emilie Young, Community Member • Stephanie Lemmo, LA-N-D • • Callie Phillips, Greystar • Carson Chapman, TBG Partners City Staff • Christine Fruendl, FSD Project Manager 4 St John Redevelopment Site R E C O M M E N D E D A R T I S T Maxwell Emcays Selection Panel Comments: “Maxwell Emcays' presentation was the most impressive, thorough, relatable and well- thought out. His vast past public art experience, knowledge and creative technical skills as well as his visit to Austin to personally tour the St. John's Redevelopment project site further emphasized his professionalism, community engagement and ability to design, coordinate/manage, implement, complete and navigate the various complex aspects of this AIPP project. “ “I believe he made a compelling case for what role public art could play …
6/16/25, 2:58 PM Mail - Varela, Jesus - Outlook Outlook Fw: Request to add these questions to the agenda as an item called "HOT leftovers transparency -- > emergency funding?" From Anderson, Sharron - BC <BC-Sharron.Anderson@austintexas.gov> Date Mon 6/16/2025 2:48 PM To Cc Varela, Jesus <Jesus.Varela@austintexas.gov> Houston, Gina - BC <BC-Gina.Houston@austintexas.gov>; Means, Angela <Angela.Means@austintexas.gov> Hi, Jesús. Please add the email below, a seconded request for specific information in Agenda Item number 5, to the official back-up for the meeting. Thank you, Sharron From: Anderson, Sharron - BC Sent: Friday, June 6, 2025 5:48 PM To: Schmidt, Matthew <Matt.Schmidt@austintexas.gov>; Shamaly, Erica <Erica.Shamaly@austintexas.gov>; Varela, Jesus <Jesus.Varela@austintexas.gov>; Pantel, Jesus <Jesus.Pantel@austintexas.gov>; Bobby Garza <bgarza@thelongcenter.org> Cc: Houston, Gina - BC <BC-Gina.Houston@austintexas.gov>; Duchen, Marc <marc.duchen@austintexas.gov>; Grant, William <william.grant@austintexas.gov>; Falgoust, Neal <Neal.Falgoust@austintexas.gov> Subject: Request to add these questions to the agenda as an item called "HOT leftovers transparency --> emergency funding?" Hello, Jesús. Please add this item to the agenda for the Arts Commission meeting on June 16, 2025: "HOT leftovers transparency request for potential emergency funding." I've cced Gina Houston here, who expressed an interest in providing a second. The following questions are posed here to Matthew Schmidt, Erica Shamaly, Jesús Pantel, and third- party Long Center Chief Program Officer, Bobby Garza. NOTE: If thorough answers to these questions require Long Center staff or any other City employees (such as Legal) to appear at the Arts Commission meeting on June 16, we respectfully request that those arrangements be made by City Staff early in the coming week — so that there are no questions on this list for which the answer will be, “We don't know — the Long Center handles that.” We encourage Long Center staff to attend this Arts Commission meeting to ensure the most thorough discussion. We request that the answers to these questions be included in the backup for the June 16 meeting, which means they should be sent in a reply to this thread (ccing Jesús Varela) by Wednesday, June 11. (Please confirm that this timing is correct for inclusion in backup, Jesús.) Thank you so much, everyone. 1. How many total HOT-funded grants (ie, Arts/Culture [Nexus, Elevate, Thrive], Live Music, Heritage, CSAP) from the 2022/2023 cycle (which should have been closed out in calendar year 2024) are incomplete as of today (no final report/last 10% went unpaid)? https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAQkAGQzZTAxYTc4LTQ4NmQtNDM0Yy05NTNkLTk0ZjJlNzRmNTAzMAAQALpnN7bktEhBjdewY3%2B3p… 1/3 6/16/25, 2:58 PM Mail - Varela, Jesus - Outlook We are …
Questions from the Arts Commission on HOT funded grant contracts Submitted by Commissioner Sharon Anderson, via email on Friday June 6 1. How many total HOT-funded grants (i.e., Arts/Culture [Nexus, Elevate, Thrive], Live Music, Heritage, CSAP) from the 2022/2023 cycle (which should have been closed out in calendar year 2024) are incomplete as of today (no final report/last 10% went unpaid)? [complete tally of programs, divided by grant category] Status of final payments for active contracts for all ACME Funding programs Key terms for this matrix on contracting: 1. Forfeited: Grantee proactively gave up award; Unresponsive 2. Open Contracts: Granted an extension; Still within their new terms 3. Noncompliant: Not submitted Final Report; Noncompliant, Responsive; Noncompliant, Unresponsive; Noncompliant, Extension Expired 2. Leftovers: Those 12 total unsatisfied contracts equal how many total dollars of unclaimed HOT funds (i.e., the 10% left in the funding buckets by all HOT grantees who abandoned their final reports in breach of contract)? - Total cost of leftover funds as of June 9, for awardees who have been marked as “forfeiting” their funds is $100,000 total. (*$70,000 is for Live Music Fund, and cannot be used for Cultural Arts) - Contracts actively being worked with to move towards final report compliance (but currently marked as noncompliant) is $847,500 total (*$550,000 is specific to Live Music Fund, and cannot be used for Cultural Arts) 3. Please clarify where these leftover dollars are located? Some of the funds are with The Long Center, and some are still within the ACME division budgets. We typically send money over as we are getting ready to distribute funds (communicating within Department level finance, City of Austin corporate level budget office, and The Long Center finance team). Funding that is “left over” in one fiscal year is typically incorporated into the following fiscal year for use. For the question of “can we pull the funds together and create a new funding program”: Not if it’s already been encumbered for another use; other funds could possibly be pulled and reassigned in our budget, but it would not be a quick process and would require program development, vetting, and contract development/management to ensure compliance as with all other funding mechanisms. Additionally, we fully expect Final Reports to be successfully submitted. It is an extreme rarity in our funding history that we can’t work with awardees to ensure contract compliance. 4. How is the City …
IN SUPPORT OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS + CREATIVE WORKERS — RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN’S ARTS & CULTURE (ACME / CREATIVE RESET) FUNDING GUIDELINES WHAT IS HAPPENING? The City of Austin’s ACME is conducting a three-week community engagement process through June 5 around upcoming changes to its funding programs, titled The Creative Reset: https://www.austintexas.gov/page/creative-reset WHAT IS ACME? The City of Austin’s Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) was established in 2024 to streamline the city's cultural efforts into one hub, combining all resources for cultural arts, public arts, heritage centers, heritage tourism, music, and special events. ACME’s goals are to “enhance coordination, improve services, and create synergistic opportunities to sustain and develop Austin’s rich creative ecosystem and places, ensuring Austin remains a global destination for creative experiences while honoring the city’s rich heritage.” WHAT CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING OPTIONS ARE UNDER REVIEW THROUGH “THE CREATIVE RESET?” Funding programs’ guidelines, policies and operating structures for the following City of Austin grants are currently under review: ● Nexus Grant Program ($5,000 grants to individual artists) ● Elevate Grant Program (up to $80,000 grants to individual artists and arts organizations) ● Thrive Grant Program (up to $150,000 grants to arts organizations) ● Austin Live Music Fund ● Creative Space Assistance Program ● Heritage Preservation Grant ● Art in Public Places (AIPP) Ordinance and Program Three of these programs (the Nexus Grant Program, Elevate Grant Program and Thrive Grant Program) are two years old and were reintroduced after a three-year community engagement process in 2024. ———————————————————————————————————————————— WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE ACME PROGRAMS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT ARTISTS AND CREATIVE WORKERS, AS WELL AS ARTS ORGANIZATIONS? Peer models and case studies indicate that independent artists, creatives and cultural workers are vital stakeholders in the shared memories and traditions that make our communities places to visit and populate. The City’s current funding strategies promote cultural tourism, which rely on the continued availability of cultural events, projects and organizations that champion continued and sustained local visitorship, promote community memory-building & contribute to organic storytelling around the City of Austin and its residents. As such, when it comes to the culture of our communities, independent artists, creatives and cultural workers are vital stakeholders. Funding guidelines must include these stakeholders with equal weight and consideration as creative businesses, organizations and institutions. Future funding programs should also continue to provide a range of funding opportunities that meet …
