Good afternoon.

Welcome to the Education and Culture Committee.

It's July 16th and just after 1 30, and we're here with one very exciting topic today to get an update on the cultural plan that our Arts and Humanities Council and partners have been working on furiously over the last several years at this point.

And so we're really excited to get the presentation and hear about all the uh work that has been done and give some feedback and what is to come.

Uh I think it's an important time.

You know, we often talk about how beautifully diverse our county is and uh having a robust cultural plan that embraces all that diversity but also uh charts a path forward for us uh to improve upon how we are inclusive of everybody is really important.

So thank you for all the work that's been done and excited to hear about it.

So I'll uh first turn it to Ms.

Cummings if there's anything you'd like to add, and then I'll turn it over to our Arts and Humanities Council team.

Thank you, Chair Jolando.

I'll keep it very brief.

We have a wonderful presentation coming up ahead.

Um, but as you mentioned, today the EC committee will hear an update on the findings of the cultural plan from the Arts and Humanities Council and their uh co-collaborators, Metro Arts Consulting.

Cultural planning is defined by Americans for the arts as a public process in which representatives of a community undertake a comprehensive community assessment and create a plan of implementation for future cultural programming.

Um, the last complete a cultural plan that the county had was in 2001.

So certainly time for an update.

Um this plan was developed over the course of several years with an intensive focus over the last 15 months, um, during which time the Arts and Humanities Council and their collaborators engaged with um many community members, local organizations, uh local government, and other stakeholders to respond to the framing question how can Montgomery County help its residents lead culturally rich lives and best support community backed priorities through arts, culture, and humanities.

And then today's session it's an opportunity for the committee to um hear an overview of the cultural plan findings and an initial opportunity for um some feedback.

Following today's meeting, there will be a pause for public review and comment on the plan.

And um Art and Humanity Council's goal is for the plan to be adopted in the fall with a request that the cultural plan be adopted by the county council.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

And important note, I'll I'll turn it over to our great team, to Ms.

Jenkins and team.

Uh the actual plan is not ready for prime time.

It will later this week or next week, I heard, or something like that, as far as when it's actually up and available for the public to view.

That's correct.

Okay.

That's correct.

Yes.

Well, I'll turn I'll turn it over to you for any introductory comments, and I want to thank the director of the recreation department for being here, uh, former Councilmember Albanaz as well.

But turn it over to you, Ms.

Jenkins, for any comments to get into the presentation.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Jawondo.

Well, first I want to express deep gratitude for the opportunity to present the draft today.

You know, as you said, uh we've been working on this piece of it for about 18 months, but before that, we spent about two years gathering data that we served up to the consultants.

We eventually uh hired to do the work.

Um this work has been deep, extensive, and uh sometimes grueling uh going out to the community, making sure that we were bringing in voices that we hadn't heard before, making a place at the table for opinions that we hadn't heard before.

And so we're really proud to be able to serve this draft today.

Um, as Kristen mentioned, uh we will be uh after today.

The public will have about 30 days to take a look at the draft.

And the question is do you see yourself here and do you see the comments that you made to us before here?

Once we hear from them, we'll come back to you and ask for the plan to be ratified, making any adjustments that we've heard from the community.

But what we're offering to you today is full of community comment.

Everything in it has been called from community comments that we've had from various uh and sundry different engagements, which my colleagues Ann Gadwa Nicodemus from Metris Arts Consulting, Susan Fitter Harris from Metro Arts Consulting, and May Almoya from Metris Arts Consulting will tell you.

And today we're also joined by our board chair, Cinder Cooper Barnes, who's here uh also to support us and to answer any questions.

So thank you very, very much for this opportunity.

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to bring this draft to you today.

And I'll turn it over to my colleague Anne from Metris.

Thank you.

Well, I want to extend my thanks to Chair Jawanda and the entire ENC committee for this opportunity to present this update on the Montgomery County Cultural Plan with you all.

Next slide.

So I'm Ann Gadwood Nicodemus.

I lead Metro Arts Consultant Consulting, and I'm honored to serve as the project director for the Montgomery County Cultural Planning Process.

And today I'm joined by my Metris colleagues, Susan Fitter Harris and Mae Emily.

And on behalf of the entire Metris team, I we're just thrilled to share this update with you.

And I also want to just really emphasize that the team is so much bigger than Metris.

Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County has been a true partner, not just a client, and I want to take a moment to thank Susan, Joe, and your board for your visionary leadership and hands-on collaboration.

Next slide.

They have helped us identify and connect with different Montgomery County stakeholders, served as accountability partners, and helped shape and vet the proposed plan objectives and recommendations.