Item 37: Draft Recommendation — original pdf

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RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Joint Inclusion Committee Recommendation Number: [20260325-037]: Supporting the Latino Artist Access Program (LAAP) Date of Approval: Recommendation: Recommend that Austin City Council approve an additional $515,000 annual investment in the Latino Artist Access Program (LAAP) at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) to strengthen its role as a civic launchpad for Latino performing arts and address longstanding inequities in cultural funding and infrastructure. Description of Recommendation to Council: ● Allocate $515,000 in additional annual funding to LAAP to support: o Dedicated technical support and staffing capacity o Marketing, audience development, and revenue strategy support o Essential lighting and sound infrastructure upgrades o Expanded cohort size and structured incubation programming ● Transition LAAP from a space-access model to a full incubation model, enabling: Integrated production and promotion support o o Skill-building in contracts, revenue diversification, and organizational development o Long-term sustainability planning for participating artists ● Establish LAAP as a coordinated civic anchor within a broader Latino theatre ecosystem by: o Strengthening partnerships across venues and institutions o Supporting storytelling, visibility, and documentation of Latino arts o Advancing language equity through dedicated Spanish-language outreach and evaluation criteria ● Ensure language and cultural equity by: o Allocating a meaningful percentage of resources to Spanish-language programming o Supporting bilingual marketing and audience engagement o Recognizing linguistic and cultural context in evaluation and funding decisions Rationale: Austin’s Latino community represents approximately 33% of the population but receives only 9% of cultural funding, reflecting a significant structural inequity in access to resources, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability. While LAAP has successfully expanded access to MACC facilities and supported artists in securing contracts, funding, and partnerships, it currently operates as a space-access model with limited, inconsistent support, resulting in uneven outcomes and limited long-term sustainability for artists. Key gaps include: Inconsistent technical and production support ● ● Limited staffing capacity to support artists across cohorts ● Lack of structured pathways for revenue diversification and audience development ● Insufficient infrastructure to meet professional production standards The proposed investment would enable LAAP to evolve into a true incubation model, addressing three critical elements simultaneously: 1. People (staffing and technical expertise) 2. Infrastructure (lighting, sound, and production capacity) 3. Program capacity (expanded cohorts and structured curriculum) This approach ensures that artists leave not only with a production, but with: ● A sustainability roadmap ● Diversified revenue strategies ● Increased digital and audience visibility Additionally, investing in Spanish-language performing arts advances language equity as a structural priority, recognizing that language is central to culture and economic opportunity. Supporting Spanish-language artists strengthens Austin’s cultural identity while expanding access to historically underserved audiences. Finally, this recommendation positions the ESB-MACC to function as a civic launchpad within a coordinated Latino arts ecosystem, leveraging community Hispanic/Latino artists’ role in alignment, storytelling, and partnership-building to ensure long-term impact and sustainability. Motioned By: Seconded By: Vote: (Add the vote number here, even if unanimous) Example: 8-0 For: (For this and the below sections, list commissioner names in alphabetical order, starting with officers. If none, put “None.”) Against: Abstain: Off the dais: Absent: Attest: __________________________________ (Staff or commissioner can sign)