Back Up Agenda Item 28_Funding Marketing & Community Engagement Staff for Cultural from Asian American QoL Advisory Commission — original pdf

Backup

ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20250318-07 Date: March 18, 2025 Subject: Recommendation on the FY 2025-26 Budget Marketing & Community Engagement Staff for Cultural Centers Motioned by: Drafted by: Hanna Huang (Chair) & AARC Workgroup Seconded By: AARC Additional Staffing for Performance Pavilion Description The 4 culture centers of the Asian American Resource Center, George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center, Mexican American Culture Center, and the Dougherty Arts Center within the Arts, Culture, Music, & Entertainment (ACME) Office’s Museums & Cultural Programs Division all serve unique sectors of the culture and arts communities in the City of Austin. These centers were all constructed due to community pressure for spaces that value specific arts and cultural communities that were not being adequately served by other City services. Due to their beloved statuses and long histories of community engagement, each requires marketing representatives and community engagement staff to appropriately engage and respond to the needs of the communities they were created in response to community needs for. Staff at each facility have reported the need over the years each facility having an overwhelming workload related to community engagement and marketing that has been split by current full- time staff or done by temporary staff. This division has several ongoing capital development and action plans in progress that require significant planning for community input and progress updates. Previously, the Public Information team from the Parks and Recreation Department or consultants were heavily relied on to complete these community input processes at the expense of construction bond dollars. This recommendation proposes having a dedicated Marketing Representative and Community Engagement Specialist for each site to preserve the institutional knowledge needed to keep the public up to date on each facility’s long-term planning processes, and unmet needs as well as deepen community connections. Lastly, each facility often is a hub and outlet for gathering input or sharing other City news from their specific cultural communities. For example, the City’s engagement in various surveys,  action plans, etc with Asian American communities is often low. Oftentimes, the Asian American Resource Center marketing staff and facility are asked to help expand outreach to Asian American communities due to their use by that community. Recommendation The commission recommends the addition of the following positions 2 positions for each cultural facility. While we understand the marketing representatives may be housed within a central division or public information office, we recommend there’s 1 FTE with a dedicated portfolio of serving a given facility. 1. Marketing Representative A - Communicates via social and news outlets each facility’s programs, identifies sharing of related City-wide initiatives needing more input from cultural and arts communities tied to each facility. 2. Community Engagement Specialist - Seeks community input into public planning processes, attends community events to share about programs, services, and updates on capital projects. Department Office of Arts, Culture, Music, & Entertainment (ACME) / Museums & Cultural Programs Division / AARC Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities: Culture & Lifelong Learning: Quality, accessibility, and diversity of civic and cultural venues, events, programs, and resources; Appreciation, respect, and welcoming of all people and cultures; Vibrancy and sustainability of creative industry ecosystem; Quality of lifelong learning opportunities. Health & Environment: Accessibility to quality parks, trails, and recreational opportunities Government That Works for All: Condition of City facilities and technology; Stakeholder engagement and participation; Public engagement and participation; Equity of City programs and resource allocation;  Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest: