Item 7. Presentation and recommendation by the Coalition for Austin’s Arts & Spanish-Language Theatre (CAAST) — original pdf

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Coalition for Austin’s Arts and Spanish- Language Theatre From Access to Incubation Strengthening LAAP to Support Emerging Artists A partnership between the ESB-MACC and CAAST Who We Are Coalition of Spanish-language performing artists and companies Active in Austin for 20+ years, with local and national recognition Focused on aligning existing City infrastructure to better support artists Coalition for Austin’s Arts & Spanish-language TheatreWhy LAAP Must Evolve Current realityLAAP has expanded access to MACC facilities for Latino artistsThe program has been intentionally designed as a space-access model,supported by technical assistance, professional development, and staff support.LAAP artists have gone on to contracts, funding opportunities, rentals, and Citypartnerships.Core insightLAAP has laid a strong foundation; but evolving into an incubator requires sustainedcapacity to deliver consistent, repeatable outcomes for artists.The Gap We’re Addressing The level of hands-on support can vary by project and timing due to limited staffing capacity. Outcomes vary across cohorts based on artist readiness and available staff support. Sustained progress is not experienced consistently from project to project. What It Takes to Do This Right To move LAAP from access to true incubation, investment must address three things simultaneously: 1. People 2. Infrastructure 3. Program capacity. Funding only one or two elements would perpetuate the current gap rather than resolve it. Our proposal calls for an additional annual $515,000 investment, which represents the minimum level required to deliver consistent production readiness, artist empowerment, and language equity as a cohesive system. Design Principles for a True Incubator 1. Production Readiness 2.Artist Empowerment and Sustainability 3.Language and Cultural Equity What Production Readiness Requires C. Centralized Marketing & Audience Development Support (FTE) A. Dedicated Technical Support (FTE) Removes technical burden from artists Ensures consistent quality across productions Builds in-house expertise rather than outsourcing B. Lighting & Sound Infrastructure Upgrades Enables artists to work at professional standards Reduces technical barriers for future cohorts Positions MACC for scalable programming without Phase 3 construction Investment: $87K + $300K + $78K = $465K PRODUCTION READINESSBuilds artists’ long-term audience capacityReduces burnout and inequityStrengthens ESB-MACC’s relationship withSpanish-speaking communitiesFrom Access to Incubation Current LAAP: ~$90K annually 11–15 artists/groups Access to space Limited project-based support Artists operate largely independently Total investment: $465K + $50K = $515K Proposed Expansion: +$50K annual investment ~20 artists/groups Infrastructure + technical staff Integrated production and promotion Practical skill-building Artists exit with tools to sustain their practice PRODUCTION READINESSCapacity-Building Beyond the Stage of ESB-MACC Building on existing efforts, LAAP would deepen and formalize capacity-building supports such as: Grant readiness and navigation of City funding processes Creative business and organizational development Artistic documentation and portfolio development Visibility and ecosystem navigation opportunities These supports build on work MACC already does; additional capacity would allow them to be delivered more consistently and intentionally. ARTIST EMPOWERMENTMaking Language Equity Structural Policy proposal Allocate a minimum percentage (e.g., 40–50%) of LAAP resources to Spanish-language performing arts Ensure dedicated Spanish-language outreach and promotion Apply evaluation criteria that recognize linguistic and cultural context Why this matters Language is culture Spanish-language artists have been historically underinvested This is corrective, not exclusionary LANGUAGE & CULTURAL EQUITY CAAST’s Role in Supporting LAAP CAAST would support the expanded LAAP by: Coordinating artist outreach and communication Providing feedback loops from participating artists Supporting evaluation and documentation Assisting with advocacy and public storytelling CAAST is not seeking to operate the program. It is seeking strengthening it in partnership with ESB-MACC. What We’re Asking of the MACC Advisory Board We are requesting that the MACC Advisory Board recommend a $515,000 increase to the FY2027 LAAP budget to support: Dedicated technical and marketing staff capacity Essential lighting and sound infrastructure upgrades Expanded cohort size and capacity-building support This recommendation would position MACC to deliver on its incubator vision and advocate for a sustainable, equity-centered LAAP model at the City level.