Cultural Funding Review Process presentation — original pdf

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ENHANCING EQUITY AND ACCESS ACROSS EDD HOT TAX FUNDED CULTURAL PROGRAMMING MEGHAN WELLS, MANAGER, CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION Goal Building off of the progress  of the Cultural Funding  Review Process, EDD will  emerge with a consistent  and replicable approach to  executing & evaluating HOT  tax funded program policy,  practice and community  engagement, focused on  community members Leading with a Racial Equity Lens in the Economic Development Department City goal of achieving a point at which race is no longer  a predictor of quality of life outcomes.  The Equity Office helps normalize, organize, and  operational race‐forward efforts across city  departments In Strategic Direction 2023, “Equity” is not a  separate effort, but infused throughout Ensure that we are not further “othering,”  marginalizing, or displacing through good  intentions Commit together to continue this work throughout all  of CAD’s programs to broaden and deepen community  access to City investment in the arts and remove  barriers to participation "These challenges … require a reckoning with the racial disparities that exist in every corner of life in this city. We have to recover, but shame on us if we rebuild systems as inequitable as before. Let us embrace the remarkable gift it is to have so much undecided and up in the air. Let’s celebrate the opportunity born of the necessity to rebuild. Let’s commit to be guided by a search to deliver justice. Let’s join in a DISRUPTIVE RECOVERY, seizing the moment rebuild in a just and equitable way." - Mayor Steve Adler, State of City, August 5, 2020 Historic Cultural Funding Data gathered from past and current contractors shows an acute disparity in the distribution of funds. In FY20 alone, Black cultural contractors account for 5% of total dollars awarded and other BIPOC contractors account for only 20%. White cultural contractors account of the majority for funds awarded at 54%. This inequitable distribution of City funds, if not corrected, would further exacerbate the economic crisis facing many of the City's most vulnerable cultural contractors. Cultural Funding Review Process Listen Refine Recommend Feedback Draft & Vet What We Have Heard Disconnected &  Diverging Views Vision &  Leadership Effectiveness in  the Grantmaking  Process Role of the   Commission The Meaning of  “Diversity” and  “Equity” C I T Y O F A U S T I N C U L T U R A L A R T S Organizational Characteristics:  Internal Change City‐Wide Priorities:  Civic Change Accountability:  Capacity Change Implications:  Values Change C I T Y O F A U S T I N C U L T U R A L A R T S Strategic Themes Pandemic / Pivoting • Moved up pre‐contract & final report submission due dates for cultural  contractors ‐incentivized early completion  • ADA quiz no longer required every year • Reduced # of questions in final report questionnaire  • Developed automated insurance requirements forms • Created videos for pre‐contract orientation/final reports • Working closely with Office of Design and Delivery to improve contract  management efficiency and ease admin requirements • Created and distributed CARES Act (over $8.4M through 3,566 unique grants  to creative individuals and orgs) and SAVES funds ($5M for live music)  • Facilitated focus groups with creative community to help inform Austin’s  Regional Recovery Plan • Included two artistic projects in the Austin Civilian Conservation Corps and  assisted with Black Austin Matters/Black Artists Matter projects •Staff wearing multiple hats, working double duty, two CAD vacancies,  reimagining the Cultural Funding Process and administering 600+ cultural  contracts; Finance and Purchasing overloaded Citywide  C I T Y O F A U S T I N C U L T U R A L A R T S Community Engagement December 2019 – January 2021 • Dec. 2019: Live Music Fund Community Forum • Apr 2020: Live Music Fund Working Group Meeting 3 • Aug and Sept 2020: Heritage Tourism Division and MJR Partners  presented to Historic Landmark Commission on the joint equity focus • Oct 2020: Building and Equitable Cultural Funding Review Process:   Arts, Heritage, Music (meeting 1)   • Dec 2020: Building an Equitable Cultural Funding Review Process:    Arts, Heritage, Music (meeting 2) • Monthly reports to Arts Commission; Staff Open Office Hours • Virtual comment box and information hub on CAD website  • Video and coming soon:  comprehensive Q&A web page C I T Y O F A U S T I N C U L T U R A L A R T S Image: Austin Kleon City Funds are ONE PIECE of a Puzzle: Federal Relief Private Funders Community Partners Cultural Trust Commercial Platforms