TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

Director, Office of Cultural Affairs

SUBJECT:

City Support for Festivals and Celebrations - Staff Position

 

RECOMMENDATION

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

On October 10, 2002, Council approved a new policy framework which articulated objectives and broadened the scope for City support of festivals and celebrations, as outlined in Appendix A. Council also established two new grant categories: "Celebration Grants" for community-based festivals and celebrations, and "Opportunity Grants" to support new initiatives, one-time major events, and joint ventures with cultural tourism or community development objectives.

PURPOSE

On October 10, 2002 when Council approved new funding and a more pro-active policy for festivals and celebrations, it deferred consideration of a related staff position "until a future meeting to enable staff to meet with the FEST committee to investigate alternatives to creating a staff position." This report presents staff recommendations regarding the position, following further review.

BACKGROUND

For over 25 years the City of Vancouver has consistently supported festivals, celebrations and other special events:

· grants to not-for-profit organizers of festivals and celebrations
· the use of City parks, streets and other public spaces for special events of all types
· the provision of police and engineering services for special events of all types

At one time City also allocated staff resources to the development and direct delivery of festivals, but by the end of the 1980's it had moved away from this approach. Cultural Affairs staff involvement with festivals gradually diminished as staff resources were reallocated to address new initiatives and responsibilities in such areas as public art, cultural diversity, facility planning, and assistance to the major exhibiting institutions. Currently, the cultural planner responsible for arts festival and celebration grants spends at least 75% of his time on work unrelated to festivals.

Primary responsibility for the City's regulatory, service and funding roles as they pertain to festivals and special events is shared by several City branches. The Office of Cultural Affairs develops and manages the relevant grant programs, and consults with the Film and Special Events Office when civic regulations or services are involved. The F&SE Office reviews operational aspects of cultural, sporting and the many other types of special events held on civic property, and routinely expedites approvals. When required, the F&SE Office convenes the FEST Committee (Festival Expediting Staff Team) to facilitate agreement between event applicants and civic departments directly involved in regulation or service delivery for an event.

In 2001, made aware that existing policies, regulations and budgets for festivals and other special events were not keeping pace with needs, expectations or growth, City Council requested that staff in the Office of Cultural Affairs and in the Film and Special Events Office review and report on existing policy and practice in their respective areas of responsibility.

Cultural Affairs' report on City assistance for festivals and celebrations was presented to Council in October 2002. It recommended a policy framework to guide Vancouver's support in this area and proposed two new types of grants that would expand the scope of City assistance: Celebration grants for community-based festivals, celebrations and parades; and Opportunity grants to assist new festivals, one-time city-wide celebrations, and joint ventures that contribute to community development or cultural tourism.

The report also recommended that Council approve the creation of a new, full-time staff position to fulfill the objectives of the framework and enable the City to pursue a more pro-active role in supporting existing festivals and celebrations and in helping to catalyze new ones. On October 10, 2002, when the report was considered, Council approved the policy framework and the two grant categories, but deferred consideration of the recommended staff position.

DISCUSSION

Many larger cities have staff with full-time responsibilities related to festivals and special events. The level and type of staffing varies according to the nature of a city's engagement with these events. For example, the City of Toronto has 30 employees involved in producing over two dozen festivals and celebrations, an approach that the policy report presented to Council last October did not recommend for Vancouver. The City of Montreal has an Office of Festivals and Public Animation with a staff of five responsible for funding programs, administrative support, community relations, event logistics, technical assistance and sectoral development.

As indicated in the "Background" section of this report, the City of Vancouver's regulatory, service and funding relationships with festivals and special events are carried out by staff in various City branches. As presented in the original report, the recommendation for a regular staff position emerged from the Office of Cultural Affairs' review of civic support for festive events, conducted in consultation with Film and Special Events Office staff and other FEST Committee members. The recommendation was based on an assessment that community needs and developmental opportunities relating to festivals would be better served if, in addition to providing services and funding, the City took a more hands-on and pro-active approach, with a dedicated staff position to implement it.

Following Council's October 10, 2003 deferral motion, staff reviewed the subject and again concluded that there are types of assistance and developmental opportunities for festivals and celebrations that cannot be addressed using current staff resources. In this context, staff recommend establishment of a full-time position in the Office of Cultural Affairs with multiple responsibilities that include:

· catalyzing and facilitating the creation of new events and the growth of existing ones
· promoting awareness of the city's festivals and celebrations in the city and elsewhere
· providing planning and other types of assistance to smaller, less-experienced event organizations
· managing the recently established grant processes for festivals and celebrations

Developmental role:

While it will not entail a producing role, the staff position will enable the City to work with community organizations to promote greater awareness of festive events throughout the city and to encourage new activity. A staff person familiar with public and private sector funding sources, and using the City's Opportunity Grants as leverage, can help catalyze new events and assist existing ones by bringing together potential partners. A telling example of the proactive role the City can play is its success in securing the 2003 Capital of Culture award of up to $500k, which includes funding for the community towards the development of a new waterfront festival.

Advice and assistance to smaller organizations:

Staff on the FEST Committee offer event organizers direction on civic regulations and services, but they generally agree that newer, smaller events need more specific and earlier information on matters such as site selection, the cost implications of various program options, operational solutions, technical needs, time lines, and potential community impact issues. Various problems could be avoided if a staff person were available to advise less-experienced event organizers on preliminary planning, and to help them with community consultation processes. Over the long term this type of assistance should help improve the operational practices of festivals and other special events, and lead to a better utilization of City and event organizers' resources.

A staff person with an overview of festival activities will be strategically placed to address a range of needs in addition to event management. For example, smaller or newer festivals and celebrations often lack access to information about fund-raising, publicity, marketing, budgeting, and other organizational requirements. The City would make a useful contribution by developing and disseminating information resources in all these areas, similar to the management tools that Montreal's Office of Festivals has produced for events organizers.

Managing grants:

The range of responsibilities attached to the proposed position is extensive, and includes the co-ordination of grant programs for festivals and celebrations. Grants provide an important point of contact with the community, and are a valuable tool for pursuing civic objectives for festivals and celebrations. The Office of Cultural Affairs has implemented the new $75,000 Celebration Grant program with existing staff resources and the advice of community representatives, but the scope of related outreach and assistance it can deliver without a new staff position is limited, especially given the number of applications (19 in the first round). Nor does it have the staff resources to undertake the pro-active, developmental role that would ensure the most effective utilization of Opportunity Grants, which provide for an annual budget of up to $400k in matching funds for festival initiatives, as described earlier in this report.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The establishment of a regular full-time position with responsibility for festivals and celebrations within the Office of Cultural Affairs will cost an estimated $74,000 annually, subject to classification by the General Manager of Human Resources. Together with start-up costs of $5,000 (for furnishings, equipment and supplies) the cost for 2003 will be $30,500, source of funds to be Contingency Reserve. The position would be included in the 2004 Operating budget, without offset.

CONCLUSION

Many cities have focussed considerable staff and financial resources on festivals and celebrations, recognizing their effectiveness in creating a sense of community, generating significant economic activity, including cultural tourism, and building a city's reputation for diversity, livability and vitality. The new policy framework and funding that Vancouver City Council approved last October have the potential to catalyze new activity, strengthen existing events, and enhance the contribution of festivals to our community. These objectives would be significantly advanced by the establishment of the full-time staff person recommended in this report. The Director of Cultural Affairs believes it is unlikely that significant progress can be made in this area without the pro-active approach and ongoing expertise that dedicated position would provide.

* * * * *

Appendix a
Page 1 of 2

Approved Framework for Festivals and Celebrations Policy

City Objectives for Supporting Festivals and Celebrations

· Enriching the quality of life for residents and enhancing the experience of visitors by providing for a variety of quality activities accessible to people of all ages and walks of life.

· Contributing to community development by supporting events that celebrate the city's heritage, culture, and diverse communities, creating a sense of community ownership.

· Contributing to economic development by raising Vancouver's profile as a tourist destination and a place to invest in, by supporting distinctive events, as well as initiatives designed to promote them.

Event Categories

The term "special event" generally encompasses a wide range of activities that take place in parks, streets and other City-owned spaces, including runs, walks, demonstrations, picnics, fairs, block parties, and a variety of festivals and celebrations. This document focuses on two categories of special events: festivals and celebrations, defined as follows:

Festival

· annual (or bi-annual) cultural event
· short duration
· taking place indoors or outdoors
· actively programmed around a central format or theme
· encompassing multiple performances, exhibitions, & other activities related to arts & culture
· organized by the same non-profit society every year
· primarily for the benefit and enjoyment of city residents
· publicized city-wide
· primarily non-competitive
· originated in Vancouver (includes locally organized component of an event hosted by the city)

Appendix a
Page 2 of 2

Festivals include:

Celebration

· one-day outdoor event
· with a significant cultural component
· actively programmed around a theme, anniversary or companion activity (e.g. Grey Cup festivities)
· organized by the same non-profit society every year
· primarily provided for the benefit & enjoyment of all Vancouver residents
· publicized city-wide
· primarily non-competitive
· originated in Vancouver (includes locally organized component of a one time visiting event held in the City)

Celebrations include:

cs20030710.htm

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© 2002 City of Vancouver