|
CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
July 2, 2004 | |
Author: |
Alice Niwinski | |
Phone No.: |
604.871.6007 | |
RATS No.: |
4230 | |
CC File No.: |
4251 | |
Meeting Date: |
July 20, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director, Office of Cultural Affairs |
SUBJECT: |
2004/05 Theatre Rental Grants |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council confirm its previous in principle approval of rental grants to 13 organizations for use of the Civic Theatres in Spring 2004, including adjustments to four grants to reflect reduced actual use, for a total of $975,438, as listed in Table 1, source of funds to be the 2004 Theatre Rental Grants budget.
B. THAT Council approve a $60,918 increase in the Theatre Rental Grants budget to account for the costs of Civic Theatre Rental rate increases, as detailed in this report, source of funds to be Contingency Reserve.
C. THAT Council approve 12 rental grants totalling $781,380 for uses of the Civic Theatres in Fall 2004, within base levels or reserve uses, as listed in Table 1, source of funds to be the 2004 Theatre Rental Grants budget.
D. THAT Council approve, in principle, 13 rental grants totalling $987,720 for uses of the Civic Theatres in Spring 2005, within base levels or reserve uses, as listed in Table 2, subject to the 2005 Operating Budget Review process.
E. THAT Council approve a grant of $100,000 to the Vancouver Symphony Society to offset the rent payable under the lease with Civic Theatres for the period of January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004, source of funds to be the 2004 Theatre Rental Grants budget.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
In 1979 and again in 1983, City Council affirmed the principle that Theatre Rental Grants are available to cultural organizations that use the Civic Theatres annually and have been assigned annual "base level" uses of the Civic Theatres by Council.
Council approved the current process for Theatre Rental Grants in 1995, providing for seasonally based grants allocated in July of each year for the coming "Fall" (the second half of a given year) and "Spring" (the first half of the following year). Recommendations for Spring of the following year are approved in principle, subject to the Operating Budget Review for that year
Council policy provides for an increase in the annual Theatre Rental Grants budget to accommodate the impact of increases in the Civic Theatre rental rates on rental grants provided after September 1st, when the rates go into effect.
On September 12, 2000, Council approved the establishment of a "reserve pool" of theatre rental uses to assist established performing arts organizations that do not have designated "base level" uses of the Civic Theatres. Reserve uses may also be applied to additional uses by regular Theatre Rental Grant applicants.
Approval of grant recommendations require eight affirmative votes.
SUMMARY
As listed in Table 1, staff recommend confirmation of 13 rental grants for Spring 2004, which Council approved in principle in July 2003, for a total of $975,438. Approval will leave an unallocated balance of $820,462, which includes the $100,000 designated for the Vancouver Symphony's lease of offices in the Orpheum Theatre.
Within the established base levels and reserve uses, staff recommend approval of 12 grants totalling $781,380 for Fall 2004, and approval in principle of 13 grants totalling $987,720 in Spring 2005, as summarized in Table 2. An adjustment of $29,635 in the 2004 Theatre Rental Grants budget will be required to accommodate the increase in Civic Theatre rental rates effective on September 1, 2004. A further increase of $31,283 to account for previous rental increases that were not factored in when they were implemented because rental grant request levels were down, is also recommended, as discussed in the Financial Implications section of the report.
Staff also recommend approval of a $100,000 grant to the VSO to cover the lease costs of its office in the Orpheum.
PURPOSE
In accordance with the process Council established in 1995, this report recommends (1) confirmation of Spring 2004 rental grants that Council approved in principle on July 29, 2003; (2) Theatre Rental Grants for the 2004/2005 season; and (3) a grant to cover the Vancouver Symphony Society's lease of office space in the Orpheum. It also recommends an increase in the 2004 Theatre Rental Grant budget to adjust for increases in the Civic Theatres rental rates.
BACKGROUND
Spring 2004 Grants
The Theatre Rental Grants budget for 2004 is $1,795,900, which includes the $100,000 annually designated for the VSO's office space rental in the Orpheum. From this budget, staff recommend that the 13 Theatre Rental grants for Spring 2004, which were approved in principle by Council last year, be formally approved in the amount of $975,438. This amount provides for decreases in the grants to Ballet British Columbia, the Bach Choir, Vancouver Opera, and Vancouver Symphony to reflect actual uses (Table 1).
Confirmation of these grants will leave an unallocated balance of $820,462 in the 2004 Theatre Rental Grants budget, the allocation of which is discussed later in this report.
Table 1 - Spring 2004 Theatre Rental Grants
Organization |
$ Approved in Principle |
$ Final Recommended |
Academy of Music |
23,925 |
23,925 |
Ballet British Columbia |
43,500 |
39,150 |
Coastal Jazz & Blues Society |
17,400 |
17,400 |
Friends of Chamber Music |
9,200 |
9,200 |
Music in the Morning Concert Soc. |
4,350 |
4,350 |
Van. Bach Choir |
30,300 |
24,900 |
Van. Chamber Choir |
13,050 |
13,050 |
Van. New Music Society |
4,600 |
4,600 |
Van. Opera Association |
160,950 |
152,250 |
Van. Playhouse Theatre Co. |
240,925 |
240,925 |
Van. Recital Society |
35,300 |
35,300 |
Van. Symphony |
419,850 |
406,363 |
Van. Youth Symphony Orchestra |
4,025 |
4,025 |
TOTAL |
1,007,375 |
975,438 |
Reserve Uses
While the core group of not-for-profit organizations with base level uses has remained stable in recent years, their actual uses of the Civic Theatres varies. In 2000, Council approved the transfer of "surplus" base uses to a "reserve pool" of rental grant uses for performances by frequent users of the theatres that have not been assigned base uses because they have not had a long-term, consistent level of annual performances. As a second priority, the reserve may also be used to provide regular Theatre Rental Grant applicants with additional performance uses over their base levels.
The reserve pool gives the City greater flexibility in responding to shifting patterns of use among applicants. Grants from the reserve are subject to available funds, and do not cover rehearsal uses. At present the reserve provides for up to four uses of the Orpheum or Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and up to seven uses of the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre.
Requests for 2004/05
For the 2004/05 season, 16 theatre rental grant requests totalling $1,830,240 have been received, as listed in Appendix A. These include a request over base levels from Ballet BC, a request for "holdover" weeks from the Playhouse Theatre Company, and requests for reserve uses from four applicants without base levels.
DISCUSSION
Vancouver Symphony Society Lease
On October 24, 1989, as one of the measures designed to stabilize the VSO during its financial crisis, Council approved the lease of the Orpheum basement to the VSO for offices. The annual rent was set at $100,000, to be offset by a City grant in the same amount. This arrangement allows the society to use the City contribution as leverage in its fund-raising efforts. The lease has been renewed annually, subject to approval of the grant from the City.
Staff recommend that this lease be renewed for the period of January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004 inclusive, and the rent for the period be set at $100,000. It is further recommended that a grant of $100,000 be approved to cover the lease cost; the source of funds to be the Theatre Rental Grants category of the 2004 Cultural Grants budget.
Theatre Rental Grant Recommendations
As summarized in Table 2, 12 grants totalling $781,380 are recommended for Fall 2004, and 13 grants totalling $987,720 are recommended in principle for Spring 2005. These recommendations are within base levels and utilize seven of the 11 reserve uses available.
Details on each application are provided in Appendix B, which consists of the front pages of the applications, with staff comments and recommendations.
Table 2 - 2004/05 Theatre Rental Grant Recommendations
Organization |
$ Fall `04 |
$ Spring `05 |
$ Total |
Uses |
Base |
Academy of Music |
9,050 |
24,900 |
33,950 |
4 |
4 |
Ballet B.C. |
47,525 |
63,350 |
110,875 |
14 |
14 |
Coastal Jazz & Blues Society |
0 |
18,100 |
18,100 |
2 |
2 |
Dancing on the Edge Festival |
4,600 |
0 |
4,600 |
2* |
- |
Friends of Chamber Music |
7,170 |
9,560 |
16,730 |
7 |
7 |
Holy Body Tattoo Society |
0 |
4,780 |
4,780 |
2* |
- |
Music in the Morning Society |
6,800 |
0 |
6,800 |
1 |
1 |
Van. Bach Choir |
34,580 |
32,910 |
67,490 |
12** |
11 |
Van. Chamber Choir |
13,575 |
13,575 |
27,150 |
4 |
6 |
Van. New Music Society |
0 |
2,390 |
2,390 |
1* |
- |
Van. Opera Association |
160,650 |
126,700 |
287,350 |
41 |
46 |
Van. Playhouse Theatre Co. |
163,760 |
237,275 |
401,035 |
196 |
230 |
Van. Recital Society |
18,100 |
27,660 |
45,760 |
8 |
9 |
Van. Summer Festival Society |
8,700 |
0 |
8,700 |
1* |
- |
Van. Symphony Society |
306,870 |
419,720 |
726,590 |
100 |
100 |
Van. Youth Symphony Orchestra |
0 |
6,800 |
6,800 |
1 |
1 |
TOTAL |
781,380 |
987,720 |
1,769,100 |
396 |
431 |
*Covered by reserve uses.
** Includes 1 reserve use for Messiah, which it is the Bach Choir's turn to present this year.
