|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
September 3, 2003 | |
Author: |
Lorenz von Fersen | |
Phone No.: |
604.871.6005 | |
RTS No.: |
03547 | |
CC File No.
|
1259
| |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director, Office of Cultural Affairs |
SUBJECT: |
Cultural Presentations at Council Meetings |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT City Council APPROVE expenditure of up to $7,755 for artist honoraria and related program costs for cultural presentations at Council in 2003. Source of funds to be the 2003 Contingency Reserve budget.
B. THAT Council APPROVE, in principle, an annual budget for a program of cultural presentations at Council in 2004 of up to $18,000, to be managed by the Alliance for Arts and Culture. Source of funds to be the 2004 Operating Budget.
GENERAL MANAGER COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of "A", and presents "B" for Council's CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
On February 7, 2003 Council approved having regular cultural presentations at the beginning of Council meetings, based on a joint Memorandum provided at Council's request by the Director, Office of Cultural Affairs and the City Clerk.
PURPOSE
This report recommends payment of artist's honoraria for performances given at Council meetings from January through December of 2003. Further, payment of consulting costs for an implementation plan, and initiation of the first call to artists, leading to a juried selection for performers appearing in 2004, is recommended. Approval in principle for presentations in 2004, with an annual budget of up to $18,000, is presented for consideration.
BACKGROUND
In response to a request from Councillor Green, a brief musical performance in recognition of Black History Month was presented at the outset of the January 28th, 2003 Council meeting. Councillor Green also requested that staff look at the issues involved in starting future Council meeting with short presentations by a musician, poet or singer. The Director of Cultural Affairs and the City Clerk responded in a Memorandum dated Feb 7, 2003 (Appendix B) that these issues would involve equality of opportunity for performers, application of artistic standards, and a number of practical operating considerations. An annual cost ranging from $15,000 to $18,000 was projected to address the following:
1. Payment of artist honoraria and recognition of performance rights.
2. Selection criteria and the use of an independent jury.
3. Management of selection, contracting, and scheduling.
4. Technical issues, given sound system and space limitations.
On February 28, while continuing to have presentations on an informal basis, Council approved the Memorandum as the basis for implementing cultural presentations. The Alliance for Arts and Culture was engaged to work with Office of Cultural Affairs and City Clerk staff to develop a systematic approach to implementation. In the interim, performances continued to be presented. In keeping with Council's intent that artists be provided with some consideration for their contribution, staff budgeted for all performers, including those that have already appeared, to be given an honorarium. The estimated cost to date is $2,290 in honoraria for 10 presentations. With the addition of a $1,600 program development fee, total expenditures to date are $3,890.
The implementation report (Appendix A) from the Alliance is based on discussions with the Vancouver Musician's Association and Shaw Cable; consultations with City Clerk's staff about scheduling and communication issues, and an examination of the technical options for improving sound quality. In addition, recommendations are provided to address artist's honoraria and performance rights, the selection process, program management costs, and an estimated annual budget. With this information in hand, consideration can be given to the costs and benefits of the full implementation of this initiative in 2004.
DISCUSSION
The benefits flowing from cultural presentations at the beginning of Council meetings include some of the following:
· The range of artistic and cultural diversity in Vancouver is given a high-profile showcase.
· Placement of the presentation at the beginning of the meeting demonstrates that artistic expression contributes to democratic deliberations.
· Vancouver's reputation as a city which identifies itself with arts, culture and the creative spirit is enhanced.
The challenge is to secure these benefits in a manner that is fair and equitable to performers, applies consistent artistic standards, and addresses the practical management and technical issues of these brief presentations. An implementation proposal has now been provided to resolve these issues in the following way:
Payment
The implementation plan proposes honoraria that are consistent with the Vancouver Musician's Association (VMA) standards, and recognizes performer's rights arising from Shaw Cable broadcasts by providing a "step-up" fee for the broadcast of the performance. Shaw Cable has agreed to maintain the performances as an integral part of its Council meeting broadcast, and not to use the performances for other purposes. A standard SOCAN (Society of Canadian Composers, Authors and Music Publishers) fee is also budgeted in cases where copyrighted music is used.
The honoraria are:
$100 for an individual performer
$200 for two performers
$250 for groups of three or more performers.
Step-up fees for VMA members: |
$25 each |
SOCAN fee involving music: |
$29 per performance |
Selection
A widely-distributed open "call", explaining to interested performers the nature of the opportunity, and the criteria for eligibility will advise the arts and cultural community of this opportunity. The call will welcome proposals from a diversity of cultural traditions and is open to both emerging and established artists. An arms-length independent jury of three, with extensive knowledge of the arts, would evaluate the proposals and recommend artists for the program. The jury process would be conducted twice per year.
The proposed criteria for eligibility are:
· Priority is given to Vancouver-based performers. The jury may consider national or international performers on occasion.
· The proposals have to be feasible within the technical and space constraints, and able to be completed in under 5 minutes.
The proposed evaluation criteria are:
· Artistic interest and level of accomplishment.
· Previous history of public presentations.
The Memorandum endorsed by Council noted that there is to be a clear separation between City staff involved in grant decisions and artist selection. Further, the need to manage the selection process, contracting other administrative issues was noted, with the recommendation that an independent not-for profit cultural organization be engaged to maintain the independence of artist selection while delivering the required administrative services. Staff note that selections made by the jury are recommendations to Council, and will not diminish Council's ability to control its own agenda, as scheduled by the City Clerk. Staff recommend that if full implementation is adopted, that the Alliance for Arts and Culture be engaged to perform the management role. The Society has a broad membership representing all arts disciplines and has the required administrative and communications capacity.
Management tasks will include:
Communication Designing and distributing the call to artists and responding to inquiries. Communication with City Clerk's staff regarding scheduling and technical needs. Providing artist's bios to the media in advance of performances.
Program management Selecting and managing juries. Contracting artists, providing technical information and scheduling performance dates. Arranging for payments and providing an annual report.
Technical Ensuring that any electronic equipment such as cassette or CD players are cleared by City Clerk's staff as appropriate for use in Council Chambers. In consultation with Commercial Electronics Ltd., the rental of an additional microphone and sound mixer for the use by the performer has been recommended on a trial basis. This would permit staff to evaluate the advisability of adding dedicated equipment in 2004.
Budget
The estimated cost for the full implementation of the program is up to $18,000, consisting of the following:
Artist fees and expenses |
$6,090 |
Communication |
2,125 |
Jury fees and co-ordination |
1,900 |
Program management |
4,600 |
GST and contingency |
1,000 |
$15,715 | |
One-time costs: |
|
Microphones and mixer system |
2,675 |
Total |
$18,390 |
Staff note that if Council approves Recommendation B (approval in principle of the full program next year) there would be an opportunity to put out a call to artists this fall, for presentations beginning in January 2004. The table below provides overview of expenditures to date, and the estimated costs of the call to artists, rental of equipment, and the continuation of the informal presentations until the end of the year.
Costs: January - July 2003 10 meetings |
September - December 2003 max. 8 meetings | |
Honoraria |
$100 per artist x 17 = $1,700 |
$100 per artist x 16 = $1,600 |
Step-up fee |
$25 per member x 12 300 |
$25 per member x 10 250 |
SOCAN fee |
$29 per meeting x 10 290 |
$29 per meeting x 8 232 |
2,290 |
2,082 | |
Sound equipment rental 283 | ||
Alliance |
Program development 1,600 |
Call, jury, coordination 1,500 |
$3,890 |
$3,865 | |
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Up to $7,755 will be required to address the costs to the end of the year if Council agrees to implementation in principle. Source of funds to be Contingency Reserve in 2003. If Recommendation B is approved, up to $18,000 will be required, source of funds to be the 2004 Operating Budget.
CONCLUSION
The Director, Office of Cultural Affairs notes that the performances by artists at Council meetings provide a valuable showcase for the diversity of Vancouver's cultural community.
Payment of artist's honoraria until the end of this year is recommended. Now that a plan resolving the issues noted in the February Memorandum is available, the costs and benefits of a fully implemented program, based on an independent selection process and program management by the Alliance for Arts and Culture, is proposed for Council's consideration.
- - - - -
APPENDIX A
CITY OF VANCOUVER
Cultural Presentations for Council Meetings
Coordinated by the Alliance for Arts and Culture
PROGRAM INFORMATION
The Opportunity:
The City of Vancouver is celebrating the cultural and creative spirit of our community and invites artists to perform at the beginning of regular Council meetings. These 3 - 5 minute mini-presentations will reflect the cultural and creative diversity of Vancouver, and provide artists and Council with the occasion to celebrate the arts as part of civic life. The presentations will be carried on Shaw Cable, reaching a wide audience of Vancouver residents.
Artists will be paid an honorarium for their presentations, and appropriate recognition for performance rights will be included. The honorarium is:
$100 for an individual artist
$200 for 2 artists
$250 for groups of 3 or more artists
Eligibility Criteria:
The opportunity is open to individual artists and arts and cultural organizations, regardless of discipline. Community, emerging and professional artists are encouraged to apply. Participation from a diverse range of cultural traditions and from artists of all ages is also encouraged.
Given the limitations of space and technical support available in the Council Chambers, solo or duo presentations by performing or literary artists are most easily accommodated. All applications are subject to availability of presentation opportunities and to the selection process described below.
The following criteria will apply:
_ Priority is given to applicants who are resident in the City of Vancouver and/or with a majority of the applicant's creative work taking place within the city.
_ Artistic merit.
_ History of public presentation, in a community or professional environment.
_ Feasibility of the proposal in the context of the space and technical limitations of the Chambers.
_ Proposed presentations must meet broadcast requirements both for appropriate content (i.e. suitable for a daytime television audience), and be less than 5 minutes in length.
Application Process:
1. In order to be considered, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria, and complete an Application Form and Artist Agreement.
2. Interested parties can obtain an Application Form and Artist Agreement from the Alliance for Arts and Culture's website at www.allianceforarts.com or by calling 604-681-3535.
3. All applications must include the required support materials and be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on deadline date (either March 15 or September 15). Deadlines that fall on a weekend date will be extended to 5:00 p.m. the following Monday.
Proposal Evaluation & Selection Process:
1. Applications will be reviewed for eligibility by the Program Coordinator.
2. Eligible applicants will be assessed and judged by a Selection Committee, based on the Eligibility Criteria.
3. The Selection Committee will make every effort to choose presentations that reflect a wide range and variety of artistic styles, experiences, diversity and disciplines whenever possible.
4. Successful applicants will be contacted by the Program Coordinator to discuss the date and time of their presentation.
5. Unsuccessful applicants will receive written notification. They may, at the sole discretion of the Selection Committee, be kept on file to be considered as part of the next selection review, and/or in case of a cancellation.
6. City Council retains its right to control the meeting agenda, as scheduled by the City Clerk.
Selection Committee:
A Selection Committee of three persons shall be appointed annually by the Alliance for Arts and Culture, and shall be composed of members of the community with extensive professional knowledge/experience in at least one of the following disciplines: dance, music, theatre, performance art, and literature. City staff and elected officials are not involved in the selection.
Terms of appointment for the Committee will be 1 year, with an option to renew, to a maximum of three years for each Committee member. Committee members will be asked to complete a "Conflict" form before each adjudication and in the case of a conflict with an applicant group/individual, the Committee members shall absent themselves from the discussion and decision on that applicant.
Adjudication meetings shall take place at a mutually agreeable time for the Committee members, no later than 3 weeks after the twice-yearly application deadlines. The Committee will be asked to prioritize and select sufficient applicants to fill the schedule of Council meetings for the subsequent 6-month time period.
Administration:
This is a program of the City of Vancouver and is administered by the Alliance for Arts and Culture.
The Alliance for Arts and Culture works with a Council Liaison appointed by Vancouver City Council. The Liaison assists in the following areas:
_ Communication of the program to the diverse communities of Vancouver.
_ Identifying presentation opportunities for specific Council meetings.
_ Acknowledgement of presenters.
_ Council relations.
The Alliance for Arts and Culture, working under the direction of the City Clerk's department, is responsible for the scheduling of selected artists for meetings in the Regular Council Meeting Schedule, on a 6-month basis. In addition, the Alliance for Arts and Culture oversees the application and adjudication process.
APPENDIX B (2-page memorandum from Director, Office of Cultural Affairs, and City Clerk)
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