SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1 CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
OCTOBER 9, 1997
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: September 23, 1997
CC File: 2051
TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
FROM: Director, Office of Cultural Affairs

SUBJECT: 1997 Cultural Grants: Project and Organizational Development Requests

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve the following grants from the Organizational Development component of the 1997 Cultural Grants budget, leaving an unallocated balance of $23,300:

(1) Vancouver New Music: $ 450

(2) Theatre MOM: $4,000

B.THAT Council approve the transfer of the unallocated balance of $34,960 in the 1997 Operating Grants category to the Project Grants category.

C.THAT Council approve the following Project Grants, leaving an unallocated balance of $25,960:

(1) Electric Company Theatre Society: $4,000

(2) VPTA (Spring Break Theatre Festival): $5,000

D. THAT Council designate $20,000 in the Project Grants category for the Artists and Communities Pilot Program, to be reported on with specific grant recommendations in January 1998.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A, B, C and D.

COUNCIL POLICY

Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report makes recommendations on requests for Organizational Development and Project grants from the 1997 Cultural Grants budget, and asks Council to designate funds for the Artists and Communities Pilot Program.

BACKGROUND

City Council approved a 1997 Cultural Grants budget of $2,958,981 on March 13, 1997. Following subsequent Council approval of specific recommendations for grants from this budget, the current unallocated balance is as follows:

TABLE 1

Cultural Grant Category Balance Notes

Incentive:

Organizational Development $ 27,750 (includes $15,000 for POD)

Cross-Cultural Initiatives $ 50,000

Operating $ 34,960 (transfer to Projects)

Project $ 0

TOTAL $112,710

As in previous years, recommendations for the POD (Partners in Organizational Development) and Cross-Cultural Initiatives programs will be presented to Council in November.

DISCUSSION

Organizational Development Grants

Organizational Development funds are intended to assist with arts administration training costs, to address specific operational issues, to support long-range planning, and to undertake joint audience development initiatives. In recent years, the City has been encouraging joint initiatives that can benefit a number of organizations.

There is currently a balance of $27,750 in the Organizational Development component of the Cultural Grants budget, including the $15,000 for the POD grant program.

Vancouver New Music:

Vancouver New Music has requested a $450 grant toward the costs of sending its general manager to three Non-Profit Management workshops organized by Simon Fraser University. The program consists of Financial Management, Fundraising and Resource Development, and Communication Skills for Non-Profits, and costs a total of $915. Staff recommend a grant of $450.

Theatre MOM:

Theatre MOM (Theatre Modular Organizational Management Society) has asked for a $5,000 grant toward the costs of a joint audience development project by seven alternative performance organizations: Rumble Theatre, Ruby Slippers, Pink Ink, Out West, Origins Theatre, the Electric Company, and Battery Opera. The initiative is intended to create public awareness and interest in the productions of the partnering companies; to sell season passes, as well as individual tickets; and to develop a computerized mailing list. The project includes the development and distribution of a joint brochure/poster to promote the events planned by the seven companies during the 1997/98 season. A final report, including financial statement, statistical documentation, and future plans, will be provided. Staff recommend a grant of $4,000.

Approval of the above recommendations will leave an unallocated balance of $23,300 in the Organizational Development component of the Incentive Grants category.

Project Grants Category

Project Grants are provided to assist new and developing arts organizations, as well as for special projects. If funds are available after the annual grants process is completed each spring, the City will consider grant requests for projects that were developed after the annual grants deadline and which will take place no later than March of the following year. The source of funds for addressing such requests is the Project Grants budget, or funds transferred from the Operating Grants budget.

As indicated in Table 1, there is currently an unallocated balance of $34,960 in Operating Grants, which staff recommend be transferred to the Project Grants category.

The Electric Company:

The Electric Company Theatre Society has requested a $5,000 Project grant to help with the costs of developing and presenting a full-length version its successful one-act workshop production of "Brilliant: the Blinding Enlightenment of Nikola Tesla." The applicant is an innovative young company that is receiving strong endorsement from Vancouver professional theatre community, and has already secured Canada Council support for this project. Its full-length production of "Brilliant" will take place early next year. Staff recommend a Project grant of $4,000.

Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance (VPTA):

Local theatre groups that perform for youth are planning a new event designed to showcase their touring productions in theatre facilities, and to provide appropriate and affordable activity for the whole family during the next Spring Break. The participants in the Spring Break Theatre Festival, which will be held in Granville Island venues, are Axis Theatre, Carousel, Green Thumb, Theatre la Seizieme, Theatre Terrific and Vancouver Theatresports, all members of the VPTA’s Theatre for Youth Caucus.

The VPTA has asked for a $5,000 grant for this collaborative project. Staff recommend approval of a one-time Project grant of $5,000 for the 1998 Festival, and request a report back on the initiative once it is completed. Approval of the two Project grants will leave an unallocated balance of $25,960 in the Project Grants category.

Artists and Communities Pilot Program

In May 1997, the Canada Council, together with the Province of B.C., City of Vancouver and Vancouver Foundation, announced that British Columbia would be one of three locations in the country for the new Artists and Communities Pilot Program. The other two pilot programs are in Toronto and Newfoundland.

The program will support collaborations between artists and community groups resulting in artistic works that meet shared community and artistic goals. It is designed to provide opportunities for more people to directly experience and participate in the process of artistic creation, and for artists to explore community issues and build new community relationships.

Each of the three pilot programs is being developed locally, with input from the Canada Council. This approach represents significant progress in co-operation and sharing of expertisebetween the funders involved. For more detail on the B.C. program, please see Appendix A.

Three B.C. partners have contributed a total of $224,000 to the program ($29,000 for administration, $195,000 for grants), as follows:

Canada Council $114,000

B.C. Arts Council $ 60,000

Vancouver Foundation $ 50,000

To date, the City has contributed $4,500, in the form of a grant for administrative and orientation costs to the Assembly of B.C. Arts Council, which oversees the program.

Staff recommend that Council approve an allocation of $20,000 from the Project Grant category as the City’s contribution toward the cost of grants provided through the Artists and Communities Pilot Program, with specific grant recommendations to be reported on at a later date. The grant approval process would be similar to the one used for the Partners in Organizational Development program (POD), in which the City only contributes to grants for Vancouver-based groups.

Council should note that due to the number of groups requesting more time to develop their proposals, the deadline for the program has been extended from October 1 to October 29, 1997. Depending on the number of applications, this change may mean that Cultural Affairs staff will not be able to report back on specific grant allocations until January 1998.

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(c) 1997 City of Vancouver