Sacramento Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Commission Meeting - August 9, 2021

The Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Commission held a virtual meeting via Zoom on August 9, 2021, starting at 2:00 PM. Vice Chair Donnie Blumenstock presided in the absence of Chair Steven Winlock. The meeting included approval of prior minutes, discussion and a vote on recommendations for American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, an update on the Creative Edge budget allocation, the Director's Report, Chairperson's Report, and commissioner comments. No public comments were made.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Meeting Minutes (June 14, 2021): The commission voted to approve the minutes from the June 14, 2021 meeting. The motion passed with a roll call vote: Commissioners Enriquez, Lavallo, Laporte, Perez, Wilson Ramsey, and Blumenstock voted yes; Commissioner Gott was absent during the vote; Commissioner Hastings arrived later but did not vote; Commissioner Naranjo arrived later but stated he would have voted yes. The minutes were approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public signed up to speak on matters not on the agenda or on any agenda items during the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Item 2: Themes for Creative Economy ARP Funds – Megan Van Voorhis, Cultural and Creative Economy Manager, presented a one-page summary reflecting the commission's discussions from May and June 2021. The recommendation asks the City Council to allocate $12–15 million from the city's American Rescue Plan allocation to provide grants for restarting and scaling up the creative economy, including training programs for youth and individual artists, funding for creative space needs, and expanding neighborhood-level access to creative activity. Desired outcomes include supporting reopening and recovery, building capacity of organizations representing communities of color, fostering collaboration, stimulating employment, expanding space, and increasing access for under-resourced neighborhoods. Key principles emphasize community reach, diversity, equity, inclusion, sustainability, jobs, alignment with the Creative Edge plan, and data-driven outcomes. After brief discussion, Commissioner Enriquez moved to approve the recommendation and direct staff to submit it to City Council; Commissioner Gott seconded. The roll call vote: Commissioners Enriquez, Gott, Hastings, Lavallo, Perez, Wilson Ramsey, and Blumenstock voted yes; Commissioner Laporte abstained; Commissioner Naranjo was initially absent but later joined and voted yes; Chair Winlock was absent. The motion passed (9 yes, 1 abstain).
• Item 3: Update on Creative Edge Budget Allocation for FY2022 – Megan Van Voorhis presented the $2.6 million budget allocation approved by City Council on June 8, 2021. Funds are allocated across four key areas: arts education (including an Arts Education Consortium using the Artlook Map data tool, partnership with Friends of Sacramento Arts, teaching artist training, and career pathways exploration); cultural equity ($525,000 for the Cultural Equity Investment Program, support for a second cohort of legacy organizations, mentors, racial equity training for arts organizations, and a racial equity audit); general operating support for arts nonprofits ($500,000); marketing partnerships with Visit Sacramento; foundational research on the creative economy; a pilot film incentive; creative space and district research; neighborhood-level project support via a grassroots matching program; and artist development training. Commissioners expressed enthusiasm and asked about communication strategies for disseminating grant information to the community. Megan noted that a grants calendar is being developed and that the commission's role in sharing information through their appointing council members is important. The report was received and filed.
• Item 4: Director’s Report – Megan Van Voorhis reported on several developments: the transition of clerk support to the City Clerk's Office (Mindy Cuppy introduced the new webinar format and follow-up log process); an upcoming arts education report in September; involvement in the city's General Plan update (reviewing land use and youth/family sections); a planned needs assessment for creative space and housing, with conversations with the housing policy manager and CDFIs; submission of an NEA subgranting application for artists; and efforts to revive the Racial and Cultural Equity Task Force to operationalize equity work. Megan also noted productive conversations with the Latino community regarding the community mural program and past concerns. Commissioner Naranjo emphasized the importance of maintaining community roundtables and listening. The report was received and filed.
• Item 5: Chairperson’s Report – Vice Chair Blumenstock reported on a Latinx Leadership program where Commissioner Naranjo and Maria Costa (Latino Center for Arts and Culture) spoke. He highlighted an issue where dirt was dumped on the Latino Center's property, threatening the Day of the Dead celebration, and suggested creating a mechanism for arts organizations to get city advocacy support. Commissioner Hastings promoted a new project, the Sacramento Music Hall and Performing Arts Center on Ramona Avenue, and requested that staff distribute information. Commissioner Enriquez suggested adding equity training for commissioners and requesting census data to understand community needs. These items were noted for the follow-up log.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar (minutes of June 14, 2021) unanimously.
• Approved the recommendation on ARP funds (Item 2) with a vote of 9 yes and 1 abstention, directing staff to submit the themes document to the City Council for consideration.
• Received and filed the Creative Edge budget allocation update (Item 3) and the Director’s Report (Item 4).
• Follow-up items added to the agenda log: (1) exploring advocacy support for arts organizations facing city-related issues, (2) consideration of a presentation on the Sacramento Music Hall and Performing Arts Center, (3) diversity, equity, and inclusion training for commissioners, and (4) review of census data to inform commission priorities.
• Next steps: Staff will transmit the ARP recommendation to the City Council; the September meeting will include a fuller report on arts education and the Arts Education Consortium.