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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
January 28, 2004 | |
Author: |
B. Taylor/ L. von Fersen/ D. Low | |
Phone No.: |
604.871.6004 | |
RTS No.: |
03939 | |
CC File No.: |
4201 | |
Meeting Date: |
February 12, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets |
FROM: |
Director, Office of Cultural Affairs |
SUBJECT: |
Cultural Capitals of Canada 2005 |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the City of Vancouver's participation with the other 2003 Cultural Capitals: Red Deer, Alberta; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Rivière du Loup, Quebec; and Caraquet, New Brunswick in a joint proposal consistent with the concepts outlined in this report, to the Cultural Capitals of Canada - Innovative Bridges program.
B. THAT Council approve, in principle, and conditional on the multi-city initiative receiving matching funding from the Cultural Capitals of Canada program, an allocation of up to $50,000 in civic funds on a matching basis. Source of funds to be the Opportunity funds of 2004 (up to $10,000) and 2005 (up to $40,000).
C. THAT Council approve the establishment of a $25,000 Cultural Capital Program Contingency within the approved 2003/2004 Cultural Capitals funding, as a program management tool for the execution of the Agreements entered into by the City with the designated producers of the Cultural Capitals events.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
In September 2002 Council adopted an "Opportunities" policy framework for considering the funding of three types of cultural development initiatives from Contingency Reserve.
Council has previously approved the City's participation in matching funding programs with senior governments, most recently with the 2003 Cultural Capitals of Canada program.
PURPOSE
This report seeks Council approval to undertake a joint initiative and cultural exchange with the four other Canadian Cultural Capitals of 2003; to apply for matching funds from the 2005 Cultural Capitals of Canada - Innovative Bridges program; and, to approve, in principle, and conditional on the success of the application, up to $50,000 from the Opportunity Fund as the City of Vancouver's matching share of the project costs.
Approval is also requested to establish a $25,000 Cultural Capitals Program Contingency within the approved 2003/2004 Cultural Capitals budget.
BACKGROUND
The Cultural Capitals of Canada Program
On May 31, 2002, the Department of Canadian Heritage announced the Cultural Capitals of Canada program, a national competition which recognizes excellence in municipal cultural development and offers matching funds of up to $500,000 to help support new initiatives.
The program sets as its priorities two types of initiatives:
(1) Activities that celebrate culture and build a legacy for arts and culture through community planning, and
(2) Innovative projects involving partnership activities that celebrate community identity through cultural exchanges among communities in at least two provinces.
Cultural Capitals of Canada Program Award for Innovative Cultural Bridges
The Cultural Capitals of Canada Program is based on the understanding that arts and culture play important roles in building innovative, attractive, and healthy communities and contribute in important ways to quality of life. The "Bridges" program recognizes the importance of cultural exchange as the basis for inter-cultural understanding and the strengthening of our cultural diversity and national identity. The Program recognizes excellence in cultural development actions by municipalities and offers municipalities matching funds of up to $500,000 to help undertake large-scale activities and cultural partnerships - joint proposals involving partnership activities aimed at celebrating culture and building legacies through exchanges among communities.
Cultural Capitals Program Contingency 2003/4
In July 2002 Council approved preparation of an application to the Cultural Capitals of Canada program. In October 2002 Council approved the application details and a budget of up to $250,000 in matching funds, conditional on Vancouver's request being successful. On May 8th, 2003, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced that the Vancouver entry had been successful. In July 2003 Council approved planning funds for the projects.
In December, 2003, Council approved for the City to enter into an agreement with the Greater Vancouver Society to Bridge Arts and Community for the provision of services to produce the Vancouver Arts Awards, subject to the satisfaction of the Director of Legal Services and the Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs. In constructing this agreement with the Society to Bridge Arts and Community, concerns were raised in regards to the implications and treatment if the event resulted in either a deficit or a surplus position. Therefore the establishment of a Cultural Capitals Program Contingency, is an appropriate program management tool as a way to address this.
DISCUSSION
Innovative Cultural Bridges 2005
At the time that City Council approved establishment of the Opportunity Fund, it also approved an application to the Cultural Capitals of Canada program as an initiative that demonstrated how the Opportunity funding could be used to lever funds from other sources for the development of festivals and special events. As a result of this initiative, Vancouver became the first major Canadian city to win the CCC award, securing $500,000 toward the Vancouver Arts Awards (happening March 19th), and the new waterfront festival being developed for 2005. While the Opportunity Fund is primarily intended to support community initiatives in which the City may or may not be a partner, only municipalities can apply for Cultural Capitals matching fund. Given this unusual condition and the immediate opportunity to advance the City's objectives for festivals and celebrations, staff present an innovative partnership initiative as a possible second CCC application.
At a recent meeting of the Mayors of the five successful 2003 Cultural Capitals of Canada (Red Deer, Alberta; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Caraquet, New Brunswick; Rivière du Loup, Quebec and Vancouver, BC), it was suggested that the cities build upon their initial success by exploring ways that the original cultural capitals could continue to develop their cultural relationships. It was felt that the Cultural Bridges Program provided a unique opportunity for the cities to achieve such an objective. Staff in each of the communities were invited to develop a joint proposal.
Staff from the five cities have consulted and agreed, in principle, that a joint application should be prepared to reflect the partnership. Deadline for application: March 15th, 2004.
The following concepts were identified for further development and consideration by the respective City Councils:
Canadian Festival Showcase
All five cities host various festivals throughout the summer months. Vancouver has more than a dozen with a wide range of disciplines and creative programs. Working in partnership with their host Festivals in the summer of 2005, each municipality could host a selection of artists presenting a cultural showcase bringing together a variety of music, dance, song, literature, storytelling and tradition from each of the five 2003 Canadian Cultural Capitals in a series of cultural showcases and exchanges.
The Creative Journey
All five cities have public art programs or festivals of visual art. Rivière du Loup is currently developing a proposal for "The Cultural Journey". Working in partnership with the rail companies across the country, a travelling public art exhibit or creative process is being discussed. The railway is a powerful symbol of Canada's development. All five cities have agreed to investigate ways in which their visual artists could come together to work on a project under this theme art either being created as it traveled across the country, or art created by each of the five cities for permanent display.
Cultural Capitals Program Contingency 2003/4
As outlined in the December 2004 Report, implementation of the Vancouver Arts Awards
is based on a combination of known revenues in the form of matching grants (City and Federal Government) plus anticipated revenues from in-kind support, sponsorships, and ticket sales.
Given that anticipated revenues may be either higher or lower than budgeted, it is recommended that the agreement cover either eventuality by providing that:
· Any surplus will be returned to the City, to be used as working capital and applied to development of the 2005 Vancouver Arts Awards,
· a deficit may be addressed by drawing from a contingency, subject to review of costs and approval by City staff.
Approval of the Cultural Capitals Program Contingency will permit the agreement with the Society to proceed, and ensures that a tool for managing contingencies is available for the duration of the current Cultural Capitals program. A $25,000 contingency is recommended. The source of funds is the $500,000 in Federal matching monies awarded to Vancouver. Establishing the contingency does not change the global total of $750,000 in matching funds available for project activity, although a draw-down by the Arts Awards would reduce the funds initially available to the waterfront festival.
Establishment of a Cultural Capitals Program Contingency permits the Bridge Society and the City to conclude the agreement for delivering the Arts Awards, and establishes a mechanism to manage contingencies for the duration of the current Cultural Capitals program.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Innovative Cultural Bridges 2005
Approval in principle for the application to the 2005 Cultural Capitals program will commit, in principle, up to $10,000 from the 2004 Opportunity Fund, and up to $40,000 from the 2005 Opportunity Fund. If the application is successful, the City's $50,000 would lever a further $50,000 from the Federal Government program. The Cities together could lever $250,000 toward the projects.
Cultural Capitals Program Contingency 2003/4
Given the surplus matching capacity in the Vancouver Arts Awards project, the $25,000 Cultural Capitals Contingency can be provided from Federal matching share. Any use of contingency funds by the Vancouver Arts Awards project would reduce funds available to the Waterfront Festival. However, there would be no impact on the City's budget.
CONCLUSION
Innovative Cultural Bridges 2005
The Cultural Bridges Program provides a unique opportunity for the five 2003 Cultural Capitals of Canada (Red Deer, Alberta; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Caraquet, New Brunswick; Rivière du Loup, Quebec and Vancouver, BC) to build upon their initial success. If successful, the project will contribute to local festival networks and programming; will continue to develop our national relationships through cultural exchange, and, will extend the national recognition of our respective creative communities.
Council approval of the initiative will enable staff meet the deadline for application: March 15th, 2004.
Cultural Capitals Program Contingency 2003/4
The Cultural Capitals of Canada program has provided the City with excellent opportunities to recognize the creative community in Vancouver and to celebrate our waterfront heritage. However, these types of initiatives come with a degree of inherent risk. Ensuring that a contingency is in place will add appropriate protection for the City and partnering Societies.
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