[Arts & Culture Committee on May 8, 2024. ]
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COLLEAGUES, GUESTS AND CITIZENS.
AS CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, I'M HONORED TO CALL TO ORDER THIS INAUGURAL MEETING.
WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE AND CHAMPION THE VIBRANT CULTURAL LIFE OF HOUSTON, A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR CITY'S IDENTITY AND GROWTH.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO MAYOR WHITMEYER FOR HIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP IN ESTABLISHING THIS COMMITTEE.
HIS COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE EXEMPLIFIES THE SPIRIT OF HOUSTON.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I HAVE VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER MARIO CASTILLO, AND I HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JULIAN RAMIREZ.
AND THEN WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, WHO'S HERE AS WELL.
AND SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME ALSO, WE HAVE OTHER MEMBERS THAT, UH, MAY BE PRESENT.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER TARSHA JACKSON FROM DISTRICT B, AND COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARD POLLARD FROM DISTRICT J, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN, WHO'S THERE AT LARGE FIVE, WHO ARE A PART OF THIS ACTUAL COMMITTEE.
AND SO I'D LIKE AT THIS TIME, UH, TO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING GREETINGS AND ANY COMMENTS THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, IT IS VERY EXCITING TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE AND, UH, TO SERVE ALONGSIDE YOU AS THE, THE VICE CHAIR.
I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND, UH, THE MAYOR FOR ESTABLISHING THIS COMMITTEE AND VALUING THE ARTS AND CULTURE IN HOUSTON ENOUGH TO CREATE A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AROUND IT.
UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL ALLOW US TO LOOK AT WAYS WE CAN ENHANCE, UM, THE ARTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT AND, AND EXPAND ON OUR DIVERSE CULTURE AND, UH, HOW WE, UH, CELEBRATE THOSE, UH, AND ALSO UTILIZE THOSE TO ATTRACT MORE FOLKS TO HOUSTON.
AND SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO THIS JOURNEY.
AND, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT ALL OF THE POTENTIAL THAT CAN COME FROM OUR WORK.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO.
AND I THINK I'VE SHARED BEFORE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS REALLY, UM, MY NICHE, SO TO SPEAK, BUT I'M GONNA LEARN A LOT AND I'M CERTAINLY GONNA APPRECIATE A LOT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME FORWARD, WHO HAVE THESE SKILLS AND TALENTS.
AND I, I THANK YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR COMING.
AND I THANK MEMBERS OF THE STAFF OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE COME IN AS WELL.
AND SO, BASED ON LONGSTANDING COUNCIL PROCEDURE, WE WILL, UH, ADHERE TO THE CUSTOM OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PRESENTATIONS.
ALTHOUGH AT THIS TIME, WE DO NOT HAVE A QUORUM.
AND SO I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR, OUR AGENDA SPEAKER.
UH, AND I THINK OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS GOING TO BE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
AND WE ARE GONNA HAVE AN OVERVIEW BY OUR WONDERFUL DIRECTOR, NICOLE IRVIN.
AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, SHE WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION AND IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A PERIOD WHERE QUESTIONS CAN BE POSED, UH, BY THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND CERTAINLY IF WE HAVE SPEAKERS AT SOME POINT, WE WILL, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE MEETING.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU CHAIR EVAN SHABAZZ AND VICE CHAIR CASTILLO FOR THE INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE CREATED BY MAYOR WHITMEYER.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT FOR THE CREATIVE ECONOMY, UM, AND THE ECOSYSTEM.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY WELCOME TO ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE HERE IN THE ROOM.
WE HAVE AMAZING, UH, CREATIVES AND ARTS ADMINISTRATORS, HEADS OF INSTITUTIONS AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY THAT, AGAIN, REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE VALUE, UM, THAT THIS COMMITTEE WILL BRING TO OUR CITY.
TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS
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BEFORE WE HEAR FROM OUR CONTRACTOR AND PARTNER HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE, AND THE WORK THEY CARRY OUT TO ADVANCE THE CITY'S GOALS.THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVANCES CULTURAL PRIORITIES THROUGH CITY POLICIES, PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNICATIONS.
MOCA IS THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR MANY OF THE CITY'S ARTS INVESTMENTS AND IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT THE CITY'S ARTS AND CULTURE PLAN.
THE PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2015 AND LED TO THE CREATION OF THIS OFFICE.
THE PLAN WAS GROUNDED IN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT RESULTED IN 27 RECOMMENDATIONS TO FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH ART AND CULTURE FLOURISH FOR THE SHARING AND BENEFIT OF ALL RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE A COLLECTIVE CALL FOR ACTION AND SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION OF MOCA'S WORK.
THE ADOPTION OF THE CURRENT PLAN HAS INCREASED OVERSIGHT, LEVERAGED INVESTMENTS, AND STRENGTHENED POLICIES TO SUPPORT THE ARTS.
AN ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THIS CITY.
ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS SURVEY, THE NONPROFIT ARTS AND CULTURE INDUSTRY GENERATES OVER 1.3 BILLION IN ANNUAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE GREATER HOUSTON REGION, SUPPORTING OVER 21,000 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT JOBS AND GENERATING 251.7 MILLION IN TAX REVENUE.
IN 2016, MOCA BEGAN AN EVALUATION AND SUCCESSFULLY REDESIGNED THE CITY'S ARTS GRANT SYSTEM TO EXPAND ACCESS AND DEEPEN IMPACT.
RESTRUCTURED AND ELEVATED THE CIVIC ART PROGRAM, AND BEGAN FOCUSING WORK IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, WHICH IS AN UNDERTAPPED HOUSTON ASSET.
THE NEXT FEW FEW SLIDES WILL HIGHLIGHT MOCA'S WORK IN GRANTS WITH A SNAPSHOT OF RECENT COVID-19 FUNDING, PUBLIC ART AND MUSIC.
SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE PLAN IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR A REDESIGN OF THE HOW THE CITY DISTRIBUTED ITS HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX, OR HOT REVENUE DEDICATED TO THE ARTS FOCUS WORK OVER SEVERAL YEARS WITH HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE HAS RESULTED IN A STRONG AND CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING GRANT SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN NOTED IN SEVERAL NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS.
YOU'LL LEARN MORE DETAILS DURING HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE'S PRESENTATION, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT REPORTS THAT WERE RECENTLY SHARED, WHICH EACH WITH EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEIR OFFICE ON LAST YEAR'S GRANTS IN EACH OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
AS WELL AS AN OVERALL REPORT ON GRANTS FOR THE AT LARGE MEMBERS.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO EACH OF YOU TO PARTNER ON WORKSHOPS, OUTREACH AND PROMOTION.
IN ADDITION TO OUR HOT GRANTS, MOCA ALSO SEEKS AND ADMINISTERS OTHER FUNDING.
THREE EXAMPLES ARE A $1 MILLION GRANT FROM BLOOMBERG ON A PUBLIC ART CHALLENGE FOCUSED ON WITHIN THE TEMPORARY ART SPACE AND OUR WORK AROUND HOMELESSNESS.
A RECENT EPA GRANT WITH STORYTELLERS ON A PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN CALLED HOUSTON INSPIRA AND THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OR OPERA FUNDING FOR THE ART SECTOR.
WE WILL BE POSTING A FULL REPORT THIS WEEK, BUT WANTED TO PROVIDE A SNAPSHOT OF THE MAY, 2023 COUNCIL APPROVED $5 MILLION INVESTMENT OF APA FUNDS IN COLLABORATION WITH MID-AMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE, A REGIONAL ARTS ORGANIZATION THAT EMPOWERS COMMUNITY THROUGH ART FOR THE SIX STATE REGION.
THAT INCLUDES TEXAS FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023 TO 62 ORGANIZATIONS VIA AN OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS.
THIS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IMPACTED BY COVID-19 WAS AWARDED ACROSS 10 OF OUR 11 COUNCIL DISTRICTS TO ORGANIZATIONS RANGING IN SIZE AND DIVERSITY OF DISCIPLINE.
THE PROGRAM MET ITS OBJECTIVE TO BE A RESOURCE AND FUNDED STAFF, HOUSTON BASED ARTISTS AND MARKETING.
THIS WAS A NEEDED AND VALUED INVESTMENT
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IN THE SECTOR, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, EACH OF YOU FOR APPROVING THAT SUPPORT.THE SECOND FOCUS AREA IS PUBLIC ART.
MOCA COMPLETED AN EVALUATION OF THE CIVIC ART PROGRAM, BEGAN MANAGING THE PROGRAM AND HIRED THE FIRST CIVIC ART PROGRAM MANAGER WHO HAS AND IS BUILDING PRACTICES AND POLICIES TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT AND OVERSIGHT ACROSS THE CITY.
UNDER MOCA'S LEADERSHIP, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ROBUST.
MOCA PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT AND EQUITY REVIEW OF THE OVER 800 SESSIONED WORKS IN THE CITY'S CIVIC ART COLLECTION.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A CITYWIDE COLLECTION APPRAISAL, UM, AND THE CREATION OF A NEW COLLECTION WEBSITE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MORE ON THAT.
UM, IN FUTURE MEETINGS, INCREASING PUBLIC ART IN NEIGHBORHOODS WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL CABINET OR TSDC MURAL PROGRAM WAS CREATED.
THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A VEHICLE FOR INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND COUNCIL OFFICES TO SPONSOR MURALS ON CITY-OWNED CABINETS.
THERE ARE OVER 300 MINI MURALS ACROSS THE CITY TODAY.
MOCA ALSO WORKS WITH DEPARTMENTS AND ANY INTERESTED PARTY TO UTILIZE PUBLIC SPACE AS LOCATIONS FOR TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATIONS.
THOSE TEMPORARY PUBLIC ART PERMITS, UM, ARE ISSUED OVER A 90 DAY PERIOD WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TWO EXTENSIONS.
THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED POET LAUREATE PROGRAM SELECTS AN ARTIST EVERY TWO YEARS TO SERVE AS THE CITY'S AMBASSADOR FOR THE LITERARY ARTS.
THIS INCLUDES A COMPLETION OF A COMMUNITY PROJECT.
COMMUNITY BASED PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED IN FOR PREVIOUS POET LAUREATES, A BOOK ON HOUSTON'S FAVORITE POEMS, MENTAL HEALTH BANNERS DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC, AN ALBUM AND VIDEO CELEBRATING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH, UH, POETS FROM THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SPOKEN ARTISTS.
OUR CURRENT HOUSTON POET LAUREATE IS S CAN BROWN, THE YOUNGEST, UM, POET LAUREATE, SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE CITY.
AND THEN FINALLY, IN THE PUBLIC ART SPACE, EXHIBITIONS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSTON BASE ARTISTS TO PRESENT HERE AT CITY HALL.
THE 20 24 20 25 THEME FEELS LIKE HOME IS ALIGNED WITH THE CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITY.
THE THIRD FOCUS AREA THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH YOU TODAY AND SHARE, UM, IS MUSIC.
FOLLOWING THE REDESIGN OF THE GRANT PROGRAM, A GAP IN SUPPORT FOR MUSIC WAS IDENTIFIED.
COUNCIL APPROVED DEDICATED COVID FUNDING FOR MUSICIANS AND MUSIC VENUES, AND THE CITY COMMITTED TO SEEKING THE MUSIC FRIENDLY STATE CERTIFICATION.
WE SUCCESSFULLY, EXCUSE ME, WE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THAT GOAL, AND HOUSTON WAS CERTIFIED TWO YEARS AGO.
ADDITIONALLY, COUNCIL APPROVED A NINE PERSON ACTION ORIENTED ADVISORY BOARD.
THE BOARD SERVE AS LIAISON BETWEEN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY AND THE CITY, AND HELP FOSTER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL MUSICIANS AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
A NEW RESOURCE IS THE HOUSTON MUSIC DIRECTORY, A SEARCHABLE DATABASE.
IT IS A GREAT WAY TO FIND LOCAL CREATIVES, MUSICIANS, MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
PROFILES ARE FREE AND EASY TO CREATE, AND WE ENCOURAGE ALL IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TO JOIN THE CITY.
ALSO, COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATING ANNUALLY IN THE GLOBAL LIVE MUSIC CELEBRATION CALLED MAKE MUSIC DAY, WHICH OCCURS ON JUNE 21ST.
THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH YEAR PARTICIPATING.
LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A 37% GROWTH IN THIS DECENTRALIZED CELEBRATION, WHICH INCLUDED 192 REGISTERED EVENTS AND PERFORMERS.
WE HOPE EACH OF YOUR OFFICES WILL HELP DOUBLE THAT NUMBER THIS YEAR.
SO JUST A LITTLE CHALLENGE I THOUGHT I PUT OUT THERE.
BEFORE CONCLUDING, I'D LIKE TO LIFT UP ADDITIONAL CITY INVESTMENTS WITH THE CITY, WITH THE, EXCUSE ME, WITH THE SIX CITY OWNED CULTURAL FACILITIES AND
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THE SEVEN STATE CERTIFIED CULTURAL DISTRICTS.AND I WANNA JUST BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THE SEVEN STATE CERTIFIED CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THESE ARE AREAS THAT DECIDED TO BRAND THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VIA THE CREATIVE ECONOMY.
MOCA WORKS AT THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS, CULTURAL CONTRACTORS, AND THE PUBLIC TO IMPLEMENT OUR CITY'S CULTURAL POLICIES.
THIS SNAPSHOT OF MOCA'S WORK IS DONE WITH A TEAM, AND THAT IN TEAM INCLUDES OUR CIVIC ART PROGRAM MANAGER, THE MUSIC AND CULTURAL TOURISM OFFICER, OUR FOUNDER AND PROGRAM MANAGER FOR LIVE MUSIC AT OUR TWO AWARD-WINNING AIRPORTS.
THE PROGRAM IS CALLED HARMONY IN THE AIR AND IS FUNDED BY THE AIRPORT SYSTEM, OUR COMMUNITY LIAISON.
AND MYSELF, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS OVERVIEW OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
I WISH I COULD JUST PICK YOUR BRAIN, RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU GOT SO MUCH GOING ON.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OTHER THINGS THAT WILL COME TO PASS IN THE CITY.
I CERTAINLY WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON FROM DISTRICT B, WHO'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS, UH, RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN FROM DISTRICT C, AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ FROM DISTRICT I, WHO HAVE JOINED US AS WELL.
AND SO, AT THIS TIME, IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK OF THE DIRECTOR, THEN THIS WOULD BE YOUR TIME TO DO SO.
OH, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME, SO I'M LIKE, OH, WHO IS THAT? AND WHAT DO THEY WANT? OKAY.
NO, I'M GONNA FIRST RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
UH, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A FEW MEETINGS ALREADY, UH, ON DIFFERENT THINGS IN DISTRICT.
I, AND JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RESCHEDULED, UH, BILINGUAL, UM, GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP.
UH, IT'S ACTUALLY BE NEXT WEEK, UH, THE 14TH.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, DEFINITELY EXTENDING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO THE FOLKS IN, IN DISTRICT I SPECIFICALLY, BUT OF COURSE, ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY'S WELCOME TO THAT EVENT AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN KIND OF, AND I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ALREADY AS FAR AS THE HOT, THE HOT CONTRACT, AND THAT SHOULD BE COMING UP SOON.
WHAT, WHAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE FROM YOUR OFFICE AT THE MOMENT, JUST TO GET US TO THAT POINT WHERE, WHERE WE, WE WILL SEE SOMETHING, UH, MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE? SURE.
SO THE HOT CONTRACT FOR GRANTS REDISTRIBUTION THROUGH HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE IS A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT THAT ENDS IN DECEMBER.
THAT CONTRACT DOES HAVE, UM, A TWO YEAR EXTENSION OPTION.
AND SO WE WERE IN DIALOGUE AND CONVERSATION WITH AM MAYOR AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
UM, THE WORK THAT WAS DONE, UM, IN THIS CURRENT CONTRACT HAS TRULY BEEN TRANSFORMATIVE.
UM, AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE QUALITY OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE AND THEIR GRANTS TEAM, AND ENSURING THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO COMMUNITY, UM, AND THAT DOLLARS ARE BEING, UH, DISTRIBUTED BECAUSE APPLICATIONS ARE COMING FROM ACROSS THE CITY, REALLY LIFT UP THE VALUE OF THAT PARTNERSHIP AND THE WORK.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, DIRECTOR.
'CAUSE I, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WAS PRIOR TO THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT WAS WERE THOSE DOLLARS BEING EQUITABLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
AND SO WE HAVE SEEN THE VALUE OF IT.
UH, AND SO WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TIMELINE NORMALLY TAKES FOR A RENEWAL, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS AN EXTENSION OF TWO YEARS, I BELIEVE, AS YOU MENTIONED MM-HMM
UM, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S CHANGING IN THAT CONTRACT, IT'D BE DEFINITELY GREAT TO, UH, KIND OF GET A HEADS UP ON SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE ITEMS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, AND WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UH, NEXT WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER.
WELL, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND A LITTLE BIT JEALOUS OF MY NEIGHBOR WHO'S IN THE HOT SEAT TODAY.
COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABAZZ, UM, WHAT EXCITING WORK YOU DO.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, BUT ALSO, UH, MY OFFICE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE SPONSORED, UH, THE OPTIONS FOR SPONSORSHIP THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE, ESPECIALLY MOST RECENTLY, THE NOTABLE ART IN OUR CITY, IT JUST, YOU HAVE TO SMILE AT AT THE THOUGHT OF THE, THE COLOR IT BRINGS, THE LIFE IT BRINGS.
AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON IS ICONIC ALREADY, BUT I THINK YOU'VE JUST ADDED A LOT OF VALUE TO
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THAT.I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER, AND I REALLY WANT TO LIFT UP THE CREATIVES THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY.
WE HAVE SO MANY DYNAMIC INDIVIDUALS, UM, ARTISTS ACROSS ALL DISCIPLINES.
WE HAVE SUCH STRONG INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF WORK THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY, UM, AND ACROSS THE GLOBE.
WE CAN STAND UP AGAINST ANY INSTITUTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ACROSS THE GLOBE.
UM, AND I REALLY LIKE TO THINK ABOUT US FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND NOT JUST NATIONAL.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WHAT WE ARE ALSO SEEING IS THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR HOUSTON TALENT, UM, BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT TALENT STAYS HERE AND IS SUPPORTED.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO LIFT UP AND HIGHLIGHT, THAT WE DID SOME DOCUMENTATION OF, UH, FIVE OF OUR SITE SPECIFIC COMMISSION ARTWORKS LAST YEAR.
AND WHEN I SAY DOCUMENTATION, WE ACTUALLY COMMISSIONED A FILMMAKER TO FOLLOW THOSE ARTISTS AND ARTISTS TEAMS THROUGHOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS, THEIR, UH, FABRICATION, THEIR WORKING COMMUNITY, AND THE INSTALL.
AND WHAT THAT DID WAS IT TRULY BROUGHT A NEW UNDERSTANDING AND DYNAMIC TO WHAT PUBLIC ART IS AND WHAT GOES INTO THE CREATION OF A PIECE OF ART THAT YOU SEE, UM, THE FINAL RESULT.
BUT ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND ALL OF THE SKILL SETS THAT ARE A PART OF THE CREATIVE SECTOR.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN.
THANK YOU CHAIR, UM, DIRECTOR, IT'S SO GREAT TO HAVE THIS UPDATE AND PRESENTATION, UH, AS WELL AS OVERVIEW.
UM, SOME IN THE ROOM HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH THE PANDEMIC, UM, OUR ARTS COMMUNITY WAS ONE OF THE INDUSTRIES HIT HARDEST.
UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OUR THEATERS AND OUR MUSEUMS THEATERS WERE THE FIRST TO CLOSE, THE LAST TO OPEN.
UH, I'M, YOU KNOW, WE WORK ON THE, WE WORKED VERY HARD, UH, ON THE 5 MILLION GRANT, UM, TO THE ARTS ALLIANCE, AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PRESENTATION COMING UP.
UH, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS BROUGHT YOUR ENTIRE TEAM INTO THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
AND FOR ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED IN LEADERS IN THE AUDIENCE, THANK YOU ALL BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS A HUGE, UH, NOT ONLY ECONOMIC DRIVER, BUT LOCAL INDUSTRY, UH, THAT NOT ONLY BRINGS IN THE HOT TAXES, BUT KEEPS PEOPLE EMPLOYED, UM, AND BRINGS JOY AND EXPRESSION AND EDUCATION AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO WITH THAT.
THAT BEING SAID, UM, I KNOW THAT UNDER THE ARTS ALLIANCE PRESENTATION, THERE'S A GREAT BREAKDOWN THAT WE'LL SEE ON, UH, DIVERSITY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST BRINGING MORE PEOPLE INTO THE FOLD.
UM, I KNOW WE PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT AS, UH, MADAM CHAIR, WE MOVE INTO, UH, BUDGET HEARINGS.
THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO SEE IN TERMS OF, UM, ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, CORNERS OF OUR CITY THAT WE ARE REACHING OUT TO AND BRINGING INTO THE FOLD, BOTH IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT AND ARTISTS, UM, OF EVERY LEVEL.
UH, THE OTHER THING I JUST, I HAD TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT.
Y'ALL DO SOME INCREDIBLE WORK AS A DISTRICT.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIPS.
I WAS LITERALLY JUST IN A MEETING WHERE EVEN MORE NEIGHBORHOODS WANT TO INVEST AND PARTNER WITH US IN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING AS SMALL AS A MINI MURAL THAT BRINGS SO MUCH BEAUTY AND JOY.
BUT I HAVE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, AND I'M GIVING A FEW SHOUT OUTS, UH, AS WELL ON THAT, THE, WHAT IS HAPPENING COLLEAGUES IN THE CITY IS HOUSTON IS GETTING THE PROPER RECOGNITION THAT IT DESERVES.
SO WE ALREADY SHOULD BE ON THE MAP WHEN IT COMES TO MUSIC.
UH, BUT THROUGH THE WORK OF VOLUNTEERS AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND YOU ALL ARE DOING, WE'RE FINALLY STARTING TO GET THAT ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION.
AND THE MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT, BUT THAT CAN BE SHOWN IN BASICALLY EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE TOUCHED ON HERE.
I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO STAY THIS WHOLE TIME, SO IF THERE'S ANYONE SPEAKING AFTERWARDS, I JUST WANNA PREFACE WITH THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO JUST TOUCH ON THREE THINGS.
THE FIRST, UM, IT IS BECAUSE OF LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S LEADERSHIP AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL, THAT THIS CITY INVESTED IN THE ARTS SECTOR DURING COVID, DURING
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THE PANDEMIC.AND THAT INCLUDED, UH, $5 MILLION IN RELIEF FUNDING THAT WENT THROUGH HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE AND MIDAMERICA.
UM, AND THEN 5 MILLION IN ARPA FUNDING THAT WENT THROUGH MIDAMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE MUSIC ADVISORY BOARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER CAYMAN WAS WITH US WHEN WE CELEBRATED OUR CERTIFICATION AS A MUSIC FRIENDLY CITY.
UM, AND JUST RECENTLY WE BROUGHT, UM, TO THE CITY AN AND FOUNDER OF A SOUND DIPLOMACY, UH, AN, AN ORGANIZATION BASED OUT OF LONDON, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF AND HOW MUNICIPALITIES CAN INCREASE THE STABILITY AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF MUSIC INDUSTRIES THROUGH POLICY WORK.
UM, SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, DISTRICT C HAS SO MANY OF OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND CREATIVES THAT YOUR CONTINUED VIGILANCE IN ADVOCACY FOR THAT IS VALUED.
LOOK AT YOU
UM, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN DOING A QUITE A LOT OF WORK IN DISTRICT B IN FIFTH WARD, UM, WHICH IS A CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
UM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE, THE MAKE MUSIC DAY.
UM, IN FACT, I'M, I WOULD LIKE TO SING, UM, IF YOU CAN FIND ME A SPOT, I'LL GO AND SET UP AND DO SOME SINGING OR MAKE YOU CAN, YES, I CAN SING.
AND I'M TRYING TO GO SEE THE SOUND OF MUSIC THIS WEEKEND, SO IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH GETTING TICKETS THERE, DISCOUNT TICKETS, LET ME KNOW.
BUT AGAIN, I'M EXCITED ABOUT BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADVANCING ART CULTURE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS WE TALK ABOUT MUSIC.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON TELEVISION AND FILM.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW, UM, WITH, UM, HOUSTON, FIRST, THAT'S ONE OF THEIR PRIORITIES IS TO MAKE HOUSTON A, YOU KNOW, A DESTINATION FOR TELEVISION AND FILM, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A, A LOT OF GREAT ARTISTS, UM, FILM DIRECTORS, UM, ACTORS.
IN FACT, I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH KENDRICK SAMPSON FROM INSECURE AND ISSA RAY, AND WE'RE TRYING TO TURN, UM, GREENSPOINT MALL INTO A SOUNDSTAGE DESTINATION LOCATION, AND WHERE WE'LL BE DOING A PRESENTATION ON THAT TOMORROW.
AND SO, JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS DOING TO ADVANCE THAT.
I KNOW HOUSTON FIRST IS DOING IT, BUT, UM, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO ADVANCE TELEVISION AND FILM.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS, LIKE WITH THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL CABINETS, THE ARTS THERE, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A GENTLEMAN A MONTH AGO ABOUT SOLAR PANELS AND HOW, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAVE, YOU KNOW, LAND THAT WE DON'T USE USING THAT LAND AS SOLAR TO PUT SOLAR PANELS THERE.
BUT, UM, COUPLING IT WITH ART, YOU KNOW, ART IN, IN, IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR, HOW ARE YOU COLLABORATING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS LIKE THAT IN RE IN REGARDS TO RESILIENCE? YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RESILIENCE AND OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IN THE CITY, HOW ARE WE CONNECTING THOSE ISSUES TO THE ARTS? AND SO, AGAIN, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE.
YEAH, WE CAN HAVE A LOT OF FUN HERE.
UM, IT IS SUPER EXCITING THAT FIFTH WAR CULTURAL DISTRICT, UM, WAS THE SIXTH CULTURAL DISTRICT CREATED, UM, HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND A BIG PART OF THAT WAS THE DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP OF, UM, TWO OF OUR DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS.
ONE THAT WE RECENTLY LOST JESSE LOT AND THE SECOND MALE CHIN, UM, THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS BEEN THE LEADER IN THIS WORK WITH HARRISON GUY LEADING THAT CULTURAL DISTRICT.
WE ARE SUPER EXCITED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY MADE AN INVESTMENT.
SO WE MADE AN INVESTMENT IN DECEMBER, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THE DELUXE THEATER BECAME, AGAIN, AN ART HOUSE, UM, WHICH MEANS THEY WILL HAVE THE FILM CAPACITY TO, UM, TO HAVE PREMIERS.
IN FACT, WE JUST DID A PREMIER A FEW MONTHS AGO, UM, WITH ALEX STAPLETON, WHO, UM, WITH GOD LOVES TEXAS, I TALKING ABOUT THE OIL INDUSTRY.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAD OPPORTUNITY TO GO DOWN TO, UM, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
SHE HAD, THERE WAS A PREMIER THAT WOULD, WOULD PARAMOUNT PICTURES ON HOW DID MUSIC GET FREE, AND THESE ARE LIKE HOUSTON ARTISTS, UM, AND DIRECTORS.
AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO BRING THEM BACK HOME AND SO THAT THEY CAN SHOOT THEIR, THEIR FILMS AND, UM, DO THEIR WORK RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, SO, SO WE ARE, SO WE'VE MADE A RECENT, UM, INVESTMENT IN THAT SPACE.
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BUT SOME, UM, FILM PROJECTS THAT COME FROM TO RECEIVE HOT DOLLARS, SO APPLY FOR THOSE FUNDINGS.UM, BUT THIS IS TRULY A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, AND THAT INCLUDES THE HOUSTON FILM COMMISSION AT HOUSTON FIRST, UM, WHICH IS AN ESSENTIAL PARTNER IN THIS PROCESS.
IT INCLUDES THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS OUR UNIVERSITIES.
SO HOUSTON CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, UM, HAS BEEN BUILDING AND GROWING THEIR FILM DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW CERTIFICATION AT TSU AND AT UFH THAT'S REALLY HELPING TO BUILD SOME OF THE TECHNICAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN THE FILM INDUSTRY.
WE HAVE SEEN MEDIA AND ARE SEEING WORK THAT'S HAPPENING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE INCREASING OUR STUDIO SPACES, UM, HERE IN HOUSTON IN SEVERAL COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
AND THEN THE FINAL PIECE IS OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION GOVERNMENTAL CHANNELS.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HTV AND HCC AND HI, UM, HISD CHANNEL AND HOUSTON MEDIA SOURCE, THOSE ARE ALL RESOURCES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE CITY.
UM, SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT EQUIPMENT, WE THINK ABOUT TECHNICAL CAPACITY.
THOSE ARE ALL PLACES, UM, THAT WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT, UM, OUR EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED FILMMAKERS ARE AWARE OF.
AND THEN THE FINAL PIECE ARE OUR HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY TECH LINKS.
UM, SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE SPACES THAT ARE OFFERED, UM, FOR FREE BY THE CITY.
SO THOSE ARE CITY INVESTMENTS INTO THE FILM AND MEDIA, UM, GROWING SECTOR OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY.
FINALLY, YOUR QUESTION AROUND RESILIENCE.
UM, WE, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO DURING OUR REDESIGN OF THE GRANT PROGRAM, LOOKED AT ONE OF OUR GRANT CATEGORIES, CITY INITIATIVE, UM, AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALIGNED IT MORE CLOSELY WITH CITY PRIORITIES.
AND SO IT HAS THREE FOCUS AREAS.
ONE IS AROUND CONFERENCES, UM, THAT COME INTO GRB AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
THE SECOND IS AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATIONS, AND THE FINAL ONE IS AROUND RESILIENCE, ART, AND RESILIENCE.
AND SO WE'VE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THAT CONTINUED FUNDING AND CREATIVITY, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT LISTED AS ONE OF THE METRICS IN THE RESILIENT HOUSTON REPORT AS WELL.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, WE MAY HAVE TO HAVE A SING OFF OR, OR A DUET FOR OUR NEXT JOB IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
UH, NEXT WE'LL HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, VICE CHAIR.
THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THE OVERVIEW AND, AND THE INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
UM, ON THE SEVEN CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
CAN YOU SHARE MORE INFORMATION AROUND HOW THOSE COME TO BE? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE STATE PLAYS A ROLE AND HOW THEY INTERACT WITH AND ENHANCE THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITIES THEY OVERLAP WITH.
SO THE STATE CERTIFIED CULTURAL DISTRICTS IS TRULY THAT, AND I, I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR IN THAT DISTINCTION BECAUSE HERE IN HOUSTON WE HAVE, UM, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS WITH MANY NAMES, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, ORGANIZED IN A VARIETY OF FASHIONS.
UM, THE STATE CERTIFIED CULTURAL DISTRICTS MADE AN INTENTIONAL CHOICE TO APPLY FOR THIS CERTIFICATION, AND IT IS AN APPLICATION PROCESS, UM, THAT INCLUDES A PEER REVIEW PANEL, UM, PRETTY EXTENSIVE PROCESS, UM, THAT A COMMUNITY GOES THROUGH.
ONCE THAT, UM, CERTIFICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED, IT ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY BOTH ACCESS TO STATE FUNDING, UM, THROUGH TCA, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS AND REQUIRES THAT THE COMMUNITY THEN REPORT BACK TO THE STATE, UM, ON HOW THEY ARE ADVANCING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING, UM, HERE WITH OUR SEVEN STATE CERTIFIED CULTURAL DISTRICTS, SO OUR TWO OLDEST IS THE MUSEUM DISTRICT AND THE DOWNTOWN HOUSTON THEATER DISTRICT.
UM, THE NEXT THREE THAT WERE CERTIFIED, UM, WAS MIDTOWN ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS DISTRICT, ARTS DISTRICT, HOUSTON AND EAST CULTURAL DISTRICT.
AND THEN THE FINAL TWO, FIFTH WARD AND THIRD WARD.
EACH OF THOSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE MANAGED, UM, BY A VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONS, WHETHER THEY BE AN
[00:35:01]
ARTS INSTITUTION LIKE THE ARTS DISTRICT.HOUSTON IS MANAGED BY FRESH ARTS.
AND THE THIRD WARD CULTURAL DISTRICT IS MANAGED BY PROJECT ROWHOUSE.
WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE MANAGED BY MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS, UM, THAT'S EAST END AND MIDTOWN.
WE HAVE ONE THAT'S MANAGED BY A COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, AND THEN TWO THAT ARE MANAGED BY ASSOCIATIONS.
AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE HOW THEY OPERATE DIFFERS BASED ON THE RESOURCES, UM, THEIR MEMBERS AND WHO AND HOW THEY ARE, UM, ORGANIZED.
UM, BUT EACH OF THOSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN MEETING AND WORKING TOGETHER.
AND SO IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY THINK STRATEGICALLY ON HOW THE SEVEN OF THEM, UM, CAN SERVE AS ADVOCATES AND ANCHORS FOR THIS CITY.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN ARE COORDINATED EFFORTS AROUND ACTIVATIONS AND CONVERSATIONS.
THE SEVEN CULTURAL DISTRICTS ACTUALLY HOSTED THE VERY FIRST MAYORAL FORUM, UM, LAST YEAR.
UM, SO THAT WAS A DEFINITELY A POINT OF HONOR, UH, FOR THE CREATIVE SECTOR AND FOR THOSE SEVEN CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
WE ARE, UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH HOUSTON FIRST RECEIVING QUARTERLY DATA AROUND VISITORS TO THE CITY.
UM, IN THE LAST QUARTERLY REPORT, WE SAW THAT, UM, 17% OF ALL VISITORS TO THE CITY, UM, SPENT TIME IN A CULTURAL DISTRICT.
WE KNOW WHEN TRAVELERS COME, LEISURE TRAVELERS STAY LONGER THAN BUSINESS TRAVELERS.
UM, AND THOSE CULTURAL OFFERINGS ARE A SIGNIFICANT WAY THAT WE SEE MORE INVESTMENTS MADE ACROSS THE CITY.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR IRVIN FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR THE WORK YOU DO AND FOR THE WORK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM DOES TO, UM, PROMOTE THE ARTS AND CULTURE HERE IN HOUSTON.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES HOUSTON A WORLD CLASS CITY, AND I HOPE GOING FORWARD WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, TO PROMOTE IN, IN THE SAME WAY.
UM, I, I WOULD ASK EVERYONE HERE, I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS WE'RE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH SOME, UH, CHALLENGING FINANCIAL TIMES.
SO I'D ASK EVERYONE TO THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT CONTINUE THESE INITIATIVES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
I THINK, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION SHOWS THAT SOME OF THE FUNDING COMES FROM ARPA, UH, FUNDING, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW IS GONNA BE GOING AWAY, WHICH THREATENS NOT ONLY, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, BUT OTHER THINGS RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS AND MANY OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES.
AND SO EVERYBODY, I HOPE EVERYBODY, UH, GETS CREATIVE ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE THESE INITIATIVES.
UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR WHAT YOU DO.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THE CITY OWNED CULTURAL FACILITIES.
UM, AND IT'S ONE THAT'S MAINTAINED BY HOUSTON.
IT'S, UH, LENTO LINGE OVER NEARBY IN OUR SECOND WARD.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THE LEASE ON THAT FACILITY IS GONNA BE UP LATER THIS YEAR.
DO, ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT? UM, JUST GENERALLY I WON'T ASK YOU ANY.
SO IT, SO IT, THE, THE LEASE ON FOR THE OPERATOR WILL BE UP LATER THIS YEAR.
AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH ANY, UH, GENERAL PARAMETERS ON, ON WHAT TYPE OF, UH, ENTITIES OR, OR, UH, OUTFITS CAN, UH, LEASE THAT, THAT FACILITY GOING FORWARD? SO THAT WOULD BE, UH, UH, A MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION FOR HOUSTON FIRST.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THE CURRENT OPERATOR FOR THAT FACILITY, UH, CAME ON BOARD AT THE URGING OF THE CITY.
UM, IT WAS AFTER THE, UM, AT THE TIME ORGANIZATION THAT HAD BEEN OPERATING THE FACILITY, UM, WAS DISSOLVED.
UM, AND SO THE CITY ASKED FOR, UM, THE CURRENT OPERATOR TO, UM, TO COME IN.
UM, AND THEN, UM, COVID HIT, UM, THAT OPERATOR HAS BEEN DOING, UM, A, A GOOD JOB IN THE FACILITY AND ENSURING THAT IT MAINTAINS ITS IDENTITY AS A CULTURAL, UH, A CULTURAL LATINO FAC LATINO CULTURAL FACILITY, UM, IN NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN THE CITY.
UM, THE LEASE WITH THE OPERATOR IS WITH HOUSTON FIRST, AND SO THAT PROCESS, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UM, WOULD BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE CITY AND HOUSTON FIRST.
I, I BELIEVE THERE'LL BE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT, UH, IN GETTING THAT LEASE, YOU
[00:40:01]
KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, UH, THIS TENANT MOVES OUT.AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M SURE GOOD DECISION WILL BE MADE ON, ON WHO GOES IN THERE AND WE'LL KEEP IT, UH, AN ASSET TO THAT SECOND WARD COMMUNITY AND TO ALL OF US.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND DEFINITELY, UM, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS AS IT RELATES TO THAT FACILITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION, SO I TALKED ABOUT THE ARPA FUNDS AND SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, FUNDING THAT HAS COME TO THE ARTS SECTOR.
UM, THOSE WERE ADDITIONAL, UM, INVESTMENTS THAT THE CITY MADE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, OUR GRANTS FUNDING FOR THE ARTS IS, UM, THROUGH OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX DOLLAR REVENUE.
AND THEN OUR OFFICE IS FUNDED THROUGH, UM, THOSE SAME FUNDS.
ONE QUESTION, UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON, YOU ACTUALLY REMINDED ME OF THIS.
UM, I TALKED ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE MINI MURALS.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, UH, THAT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO ADDRESS, BUT HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY FORWARD ON DIRECTOR AND WE'D LOVE, UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT'S INPUT IN, IS OUR RESIDENTS LOVE MINI MURALS SO MUCH, UH, NOT JUST MINI MURALS, EXCUSE ME, MURALS IN GENERAL.
AND WE'RE SEEING THE COUNTY MAKE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS, UH, WITH MURALS AND BEAUTIFICATION.
A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR MORE LARGE SCALE, UM, MURAL PROJECTS, AND THEY MAY NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT THAT CAN OWN, UH, THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'D LOVE, AND MADAM CHAIR I BRING TO THIS COMMITTEE IS WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN FIND A WAY FORWARD IN WORKING WITH RESIDENTS IN AREAS WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE AN ENTITY THAT CAN TAKE ON THAT AGREEMENT, BUT CAN WE STILL GET BEAUTIFICATION IN, UH, ON A LARGER SCALE THAT'S NOT JUST A UTILITY BOX.
UH, SO JUST AGAIN, SOMETHING I WANNA BRING FORWARD BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO GET THOSE ASKS AND IT'S SUCH A VALUE ADD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'D LOVE FOR US TO FIND A, A WAY TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE AND SUPPORT TO THE EFFORTS THAT THE RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE IN THAT WAY.
UH, LASTLY, UH, MADAM CHAIR, YOU AND I BOTH SHARE, UH, THIS AREA AND ARE VERY PROUD, BUT I SEE SOME OF THE TEAM FROM, UH, MFAH AND I JUST WANNA SAY HAPPY, HAPPY, UH, HUNDREDTH CENTENNIAL.
UH, IT'S A VERY SPECIAL YEAR FOR YOU ALL.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ENTITIES IN THE ROOM.
I DON'T WANT TO CALL ANYONE OUT DIRECTLY, BUT I DID JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT WHAT A SPECIAL, UM, INSTITUTION WE HAVE THAT WE GET TO CELEBRATE A HUNDRED YEARS THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR.
A HUNDRED YEARS FROM MFAH, UM, WE CELEBRATED A HUNDRED FROM MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER LAST YEAR, UH, 75 YEARS FOR THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM AND ART LEE HOUSTON, UM, 30 YEARS FOR PROJECT ROW ROWHOUSE.
UM, SO SOME AMAZING, UM, MILESTONE CELEBRATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING RECENTLY.
UM, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS ON, UM, REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CLARITY ON THE RULES AND, UM, PRACTICES AND PROCESSES AS IT RELATES TO ART ON INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WOULD LOVE TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMITTEE, UM, AS THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR SEE FIT.
UM, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AROUND, UM, ADDITIONAL ART AND PUBLIC ART IN SPACES.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.
UM, AND WANNA APPRECIATE, UH, MY, MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO, UH, HE BROUGHT UP THE, UM, THE DIFFERENT, UM, CULTURAL DISTRICTS AND I JUST, IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE'S SOMEWHAT OF A STRATEGY POSSIBLY, BUT IT, HAVE Y'ALL BEEN ABLE TO DIVE INTO SOMETHING WHERE IT'S A BIT MORE OF A STRATEGIC PLAN WITH, WITH THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS AND WHAT MOCA'S RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE TO SUPPORT 'EM? I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT LEADERSHIPS, DIFFERENT WAYS OF HOW THEY OPERATE, BUT I, I THINK IF THE CITY COULD PROVIDE SOME OF THAT, THAT SUPPORT THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO A COUPLE MORE THINGS SPECIFICALLY, UH, IN THE EAST END.
I KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT THAT CULTURAL DISTRICT'S BEEN AROUND FOR SOME TIME AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, THEY HAVE THE EAST END FOUNDATION AS WELL, WHICH SUPPORTS SOME OF THAT.
UH, BUT JUST TO, UM, DEFINITELY PROVIDE SOME OF THAT MORE, UM, FUN FUNDAMENTAL, UM, GRASSROOTS SUPPORT, UH, SUPPORT THAT THROUGH, THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE, FOR, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMING, COMING MONTHS TO OR YEAR TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU STRATEGIZE WITH ALL CULTURAL DISTRICTS? SO WE HAVE BEEN, UM, AND CONTINUE TO REMAIN IN DIALOGUE WITH EACH OF THOSE, EACH OF THOSE CULTURAL DISTRICTS INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY.
THEY HAVE JUST RECENTLY GONE THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING AND
[00:45:01]
WORK, UM, COLLECTIVELY.UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, UH, HOW THEY ARE PLANNING ON MOVING FORWARD.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YOU SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED EAST END, UM, AND I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE CITY PROVIDED, UM, SOME SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR, AT THE TIME WHEN WE HAD FIVE CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
WE HAD BEEN DOING SOME DIRECT SUPPORT FOR, UM, OUR TWO OLDEST CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
SO WE DID A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THE OTHER THREE AT THE TIME AND IN EAST END THAT RESULTED IN THEIR CURRENT, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, AND THE WORK THAT THEY ARE NOW IMPLEMENTING, UM, IN THE EAST END.
SO WE'RE SUPER, UM, ENGAGED IN THAT SPACE.
ON LAST YEAR WE DID DO AN INVESTMENT ACROSS ALL SEVEN CULTURAL DISTRICTS WITH WHAT BECAME THE 7 1 3 WALKS.
AND SO IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO BUILD, UM, AN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE, UM, IN THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
AND SO IT WAS A CURATED ART WALK IN EACH OF THE SEVEN DISTRICTS OVER THREE MILES THAT INCLUDED A PARTNERSHIP WITH A BUSINESS IN THAT CULTURAL DISTRICT AND AN ACTIVATION.
UH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY STRUCTURE THERE, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S JUST, UH, JUST, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE MORE.
UM, AND IT'S NOT A LOT OF, UH, HEAVY LIFTING.
IT SHOULDN'T BE AS MUCH HEAVY LIFTING SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE THERE IS NO CULTURAL DISTRICT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HOPE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK ON, WE'VE, UH, RECENTLY BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PARTNERING WITH HOUSTON FIRST TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SEVEN CULTURAL DISTRICTS ON THE VISIT HOUSTON WEBSITE.
AND SO WE NOW HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
THE QUESTION IS HOW DO, HOW DO WE LIFT IT UP? HOW DO WE PROMOTE IT SO THAT WHEN VISITORS, WHEN RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING AND SEEKING FOR THINGS TO DO THAT, THOSE ARE AS WELL HIGHLIGHTED.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
AND SO THANK YOU DIRECTOR IRVIN.
AND IF YOU COULD JUST LEAVE THOSE GLASSES TO FINISH OUT MY OUTFIT, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
UH, NEXT, UH, WE WELCOME MR. JOHN ADI, CEO OF THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE.
MR. ADI, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR YOUR IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORTING THE ARTS COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON.
MY NAME IS JOHN ABIDI, I'M THE CEO AT HAA.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
I'LL BE HONEST, AS PUBLIC SPEAKING DOES, I AM NERVOUS.
UM, BUT I'M REALLY THRILLED TO BE HERE TO ILLUMINATE FOR YOU SOME OF THE REALLY GREAT WORK THAT'S DONE AT HAA.
UM, UH, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HOLDING THIS POSITION SINCE JUST AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY IN NOVEMBER, 2017.
UM, A LOT'S CHANGED SINCE MY ARRIVAL.
UM, I WILL COVER WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, AND HOW WE DO IT FOR THE CITY AND IN SOME OF OUR PRIVATE INITIATIVES.
UM, I'M SURE YOU'LL HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT I LOOK AT THIS AS THE START OF A CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
WE ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO YOU, UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING DATA, MORE INFORMATION, AND OF COURSE HEARING YOUR INPUT.
UM, SO AT OUR CORE HA A'S PURPOSE IS ABOUT HELPING ARTISTS AND NONPROFITS BE BOLD, PRODUCTIVE, AND STRONG, UM, OUR JOB IS TO SUPPORT THE ART MAKERS IN HOUSTON, UM, AND WHO MAKE IT A VIBRANT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT, UM, OUR VALUES, UH, WE ENACT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE SEEK TO BE PROFESSIONAL, TRANSPARENT, STEADY, APPROACHABLE, AND TRUSTED.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SO FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SO FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UM, IN EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, UM, WE ALWAYS HAVE ROOM TO GROW AND IMPROVE.
OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS LISTENING TO BE BETTER, UM, AND TO MAKE OUR VALUES A REALITY.
UM, WE WERE FOUNDED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.
UH, WE USED TO BE WHAT SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER, THE CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, BUT TODAY, UH, WE ARE A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS FOUNDED UNDER MAYOR BILL WHITE, UH, TO BETTER ORGANIZE THE CITY'S INVESTMENTS IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT TRANSFORMATION, TODAY WE HOLD TWO CITY CONTRACTS, UH, ONE TO BUILD PUBLIC ART PROJECTS PER THE CIVIC ART ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
AND ONE TO DISTRIBUTE COMPETITIVE GRANTS TO ARTISTS AND NON-PROFITS FOR ARTS PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, OUR CONTRACTED WORK IS OVERSEEN BY NICOLE AND HER TEAM AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, WHOSE PARTNERSHIP WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR.
THEY'VE BEEN IN A REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, UH, GUIDE AND, UH, IMPLEMENTER OF THE CITY'S VISION, VALUES AND GOALS FOR ITS ARTS INVESTMENTS.
SO I, I HAVE TO INTRODUCE MY TEAM TO
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YOU.THIS IS JUST THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AT THE HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE.
WE ARE ACTUALLY 23 PEOPLE IN TOTAL.
THAT INCLUDES OUR CITY CONTRACT WORK AND OUR PRIVATELY FUNDED WORK.
UM, BUT, UH, I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE PROUD OF A SET OF PEOPLE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH IN MY LIFE IN A, IN A 25 YEAR CAREER IN THE ARTS.
AND EVERYTHING THAT I'M PROUD OF TODAY IS THEIR WORK AND THE WORK OF SOME OF THEIR PREDECESSORS.
THEY'RE ALL IN THE ROOM WITH US TODAY.
UM, AND, UM, SO I WANT TO THANK THEM AND I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE, THE TEAMS UNDERNEATH EACH OF THEM TOO, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO.
UM, WE ALSO POST INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BOARD PUBLICLY.
UM, UH, OUR BOARD'S EVOLVED A LOT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO EACH YEAR WE SURVEY THE BOARD AND WE POST AN INFOGRAPHIC ABOUT WHO THEY ARE, UH, AGE, UH, RACE AND ETHNIC SELF IDENTITY, GENDER SELF IDENTITY, THE INDUSTRIES THEY REPRESENT, AND OTHER INFORMATION.
UH, WE DO THIS AS AN ACT OF TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE WE STEWARD PUBLIC FUNDS BECAUSE THESE FOLKS ARE OUR FIDUCIARIES FOR PUBLIC FUNDS.
UM, THEY ARE AN INCREDIBLY HARDWORKING AND DEDICATED GROUP.
SEVERAL OF THEM ARE IN THE ROOM TODAY JUST TO BE WITH US.
UM, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO AS VOLUNTEERS, UM, FOR HAA TOO.
UM, WE ALSO POST INFORMATION, WE POST THEIR NAMES, OF COURSE, WE POST INFORMATION ABOUT HOW OUR COMMITTEES WORK BECAUSE OUR BOARD COMMITTEES AS WELL AS OUR BOARD, OUR FULL BOARD, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSIGHT OF OUR CITY CONTRACTED WORK AND OUR PRIVATELY FUNDED WORK.
UM, WE PUT ALL OF THAT ONLINE SO THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHO OUR SENIOR MOST LEADERSHIP IS AND HOW THEY'RE GUIDING THE INSTITUTION.
SO, UNDER THE TWO CITY CONTRACTS, WE RECEIVE ABOUT A THOUSAND APPLICATIONS PER YEAR.
THAT'S FOR BOTH GRANTS AND CIVIC ART COMPETITIONS.
UM, OUR JOB FOR THE CITY IS TO DESIGN COMPETITIONS FOR PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR THE ARTS.
WE PUBLISH AND DISTRIBUTE THAT INFORMATION IN ADVANCE OF COMPETITION DEADLINES, AND THEN WE EXECUTE THOSE COMPETITIONS, UH, WITH FIDELITY AND INTEGRITY AS PROMISED TO THE CITY AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, VERY IMPORTANTLY, IN THE, IN THE WAY WE DESIGN THESE COMPETITIONS, HAA BOARD AND STAFF DO NOT INFLUENCE DECISIONS ON INDIVIDUAL APPLICATIONS.
RATHER, PANELISTS WHO ARE HOUSTON COMMUNITY MEMBERS READ AND SCORE EACH OF THOSE 1000, ROUGHLY 1000 APPLICATIONS THAT WE GET.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THIS SLIDE A QR CODE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE A PANELIST.
I INVITE ANY OF YOU, IF YOU WISH, TO AUDIT A PANEL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PROCESS IS LIKE.
UM, AND ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE ARE WATCHING HERE TODAY TO BECOME OR VOLUNTEER TO BE A PANELIST FOR US.
UM, THE PANEL PROCESS PUTS POWER, UH, TO DECIDE DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC RESOURCES INTO THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S A LONG PRACTICE METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING PUBLIC FUNDS.
IT'S USED LOCALLY, IT'S USED NATIONALLY, UM, IN THE ARTS, AS WELL AS IN OTHER FIELDS SUCH AS EDUCATION AND HOUSING.
UM, EACH PANEL IS ROUGHLY FIVE TO 10 PEOPLE, UH, THAT ENSURES THAT THE DECISIONS ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL APPLICANT ARE MADE BY A INTELLIGENT GROUP READING AND DISCUSSING THE APPLICATION AS OPPOSED TO ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL.
UM, ALSO IMPORTANTLY, UM, ALL APPLICANTS EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROCESS, THE SAME TIMELINES.
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME INFORMATION.
THIS IS CRITICAL TO OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE EQUALITY AND EQUITY IN DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC RESOURCES.
UM, AND I WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU, IT MUST BE SAID THAT THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY IS CRITICAL TO THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'S CRITICAL TO THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.
UM, IT'S PARTICULARLY TRUE FOR INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AND FOR OUR SMALLER INSTITUTIONS, BUT IT IS OF COURSE TRUE FOR OUR LARGE ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS AS WELL.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT.
UM, AFTER THE PANEL PROCESS, WE PUT ALL OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMP, EACH OF OUR COMPETITIONS INTO WHAT WE CALL A RECOMMENDATION PACKET.
THE PACKET IS REVIEWED BY COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD VOTED ON, AND THEN ADVANCED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THEN ONTO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS FOR THE FINAL APPROVALS, UH, INSIDE THE CITY.
UM, THOSE BOARD REVIEWS, THOSE BOARD REVIEWS, THOSE BOARD COMMITTEE REVIEWS DO NOT INFLUENCE THE RESULTS OF THE PANEL, RATHER THE BOARD AND THE COMMITTEE'S JOB IS TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WE PROMISED THE CITY IN TERMS OF THE DESIGN OF THE COMPETITION WAS FOLLOWED WITH INTEGRITY.
UM, SO LEMME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GRANTS.
UM, THE CITY ARTS GRANTS ARE FUNDED WITH 19.3% OF THE CITY'S HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX RECEIPTS OF THAT, UH, HAA RECEIVES 93%.
AND OF THAT 93% HERE ON THIS SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THE MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED.
HAA RETAINS 9% TO EXECUTE THE WORK OF THE CONTRACT.
SO STAFFING, TECHNOLOGY, COMMUNICATIONS, OUR OFFICE SPACE, ET CETERA.
UM, UH, AND OTHER WAYS THAT WE MAKE THE GRANTS COMPETITION SUCCESSFUL.
UH, MILLER THEATER RECEIVES 16.5% OF THAT MONEY.
UM, WE DO NOT OVERSEE MILLER'S PERFORMANCE.
[00:55:01]
MORE LIKE WE, OUR JOB IS TO PASS THOSE FUNDS ONTO THEM WHEN THE MONEY'S RECEIVED BY HAA.AND THEN 74.5% IS DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY AS COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
UM, BREAKING DOWN THAT 74, SO THE CIRCLE ON THE RIGHT, ON THE SLIDE, 36% IS RESERVED FOR A COMPETITION FOR ORGANIZATIONS WITH OVER $10 MILLION BUDGETS, 36% FOR ORGANIZATIONS WITH UNDER $10 MILLION BUDGETS, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS FESTIVALS AND OTHER GRANT PROGRAMS. TWO AND A HALF PERCENT IS USED FOR A PROGRAM CALLED CITY'S INITIATIVE.
THAT'S ONE NICOLE REFERENCED, UH, THAT HAS THE FOCUS AREA OF NEIGHBORHOODS RESILIENCE, ET CETERA.
UM, AWARD AMOUNTS ARE DETERMINED BY FORMULA.
THEY'RE NOT SUBJECTIVE, AND THEY RANGE FROM $2,000 UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, DEPENDENT ON, UH, VARIOUS FACTORS INCLUDING AN ORGANIZATION'S BUDGET, THE REQUEST, UM, ET CETERA.
UH, LAST YEAR, HAA DISTRIBUTED ABOUT $17 MILLION IN HOT FUNDS THROUGH THESE COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS. UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS IS EXECUTED THROUGH FIVE COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEED, SERVE THE DIVERSE AUDIENCES OF OUR CITY.
UH, GRANTS ARE GIVEN, AS I NOTED, TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AS WELL AS 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFITS.
THEY'RE ALSO GIVEN IN ORDER TO CREATE FLEXIBILITY FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY TO FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECTS.
UM, AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO MAY NOT KNOW, THAT'S AN IRS TAX STRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS INFORMAL PROJECTS TO RECEIVE TAX DEDUCTIBLE FUNDING, SUCH AS HOT GRANTS.
HOT FUNDS ARE GOVERNED BY A STATE LAW THAT LIMITS THEIR ALLOWABLE USE.
OF COURSE, THE ARTS ARE INCLUDED IN THAT USE.
UM, AND A LOCAL ORDINANCE ALLOCATES THAT PERCENTAGE OF 19.3, UM, OF HOT RECEIPTS TO THE ARTS.
UM, 19.3 IS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED BY STATE LAW TO DEDICATE TO THE ARTS ACTUALLY, YEAH, THANKS, UM, TO DEDICATE TO THE ARTS.
UM, SO THAT'S IN HOUSTON'S, UH, THAT'S TO HOUSTON'S FAVOR.
UM, AND IT MAKES AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE.
UM, AND IT DEMONSTRATES THE COMMITMENT OF THE COUNCIL AND OTHERS TO THE, TO THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WITHIN THE GRANTS PROGRAM, WE RECEIVE ABOUT 600 APPLICATIONS AND THEY, AND THEN WE MAKE ABOUT 350 GRANT AWARDS TO ARTISTS AND INDIVIDUALS AND, UM, COLLECTIVES AROUND THE CITY.
UM, I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE HAA GRANT PROCESS DOES INCLUDE AN APPEAL OPPORTUNITY.
SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN ORGANIZATION RECEIVES A NOTE, UM, A, A SORT OF, UH, A NOTE OF DIS UH, A DISPLEASING RESULT, UM, THEY CAN INITIATE AN APPEALS PROCESS AFTER RECEIVING THAT.
UM, THE APPEALS PROCESS DOES NOT INVITE THEM TO QUESTION NECESSARILY THE PANEL'S SUBJECTIVE EXPERT SCORING, BUT IT DOES ALLOW THEM TO AUDIT THE HAA STAFF PROCESS, WHICH IS ALL OF THE OBJECTIVE, YES, NO RIGHT OR WRONG SORT OF THINGS SUCH AS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
UH, WE CREATE THAT PROCESS, UH, VERY PURPOSEFULLY TO ENSURE THAT HAA IS ACCOUNTABLE AND POROUS AND THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN CALL US OUT SHOULD WE MAKE A MISTAKE.
I'M GLAD TO SAY IT DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN.
WE DO RECEIVE APPEALS, UM, BUT IN MY SEVEN YEARS HERE, UH, WE HAVE BEEN CALLED OUT, UH, ONE TIME WHERE WE WERE ACTUALLY INCORRECT.
THAT IS A MOMENT WHERE I'M VERY GRATEFUL WE HAVE THE APPEALS PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN TURN AROUND AND FIX WHAT WE DID, UH, INCORRECTLY.
UM, SOMETHING THAT SETS HOUSTON APART FROM ITS PEER CITIES, NOT JUST IN TEXAS, BUT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IS AN ANNUAL EVALUATION PROCESS.
WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
SO IN THE GRANTS DIVISION, EVERY JANUARY WE WRITE AN EVALUATION THAT IDENTIFIES OUR PRIORITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT, AND WE IMPLEMENT THOSE PRIORITIES WITH BOARD OVERSIGHT AND CITY APPROVAL BY THE SUMMERTIME WHEN WE LAUNCH OUR ANNUAL GRANTS PROGRAMS, UM, UH, AND, UM, MOST CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I'M NOT AWARE OF A SINGLE FUNDER AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT'S DOING THIS.
I'M, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS AN INFORMAL PIECE OF DATA I'M OFFERING YOU, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT VERY FEW PUBLIC ARTS AGENCIES HAVE THIS PROCESS AS PART OF WHAT, UM, WHAT THEY DO EACH YEAR.
AND IT KEEPS US ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND IT KEEPS US ALWAYS GROWING AND ALWAYS RESPONDING TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE FIELD.
THE BEST PART OF THIS IS, UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING THE EVALUATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT LAST YEAR WE IMPLEMENTED A NEW METHOD OF WRITING THE EVALUATION.
AND THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY KILLER.
UH, WE BRING IN MEMBERS OF THE ARTS COMMUNITY, ARTS MANAGERS FROM INSTITUTIONS OF VARYING SIZES, MAYBE THEIR VOLUNTEER, ALL VOLUNTEER, MAYBE THEY'RE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR INSTITUTIONS.
WE BRING IN ARTISTS AND WE HAVE THEM SIT DOWN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THEY AUDIT EVERYTHING WE DO.
WE PUT ON THE TABLE EVERY PIECE OF THE GRANT CYCLE FROM HOW WE COMMUNICATE ABOUT THE GRANTS, TO WHAT THE ELIGIBILITY RULES ARE TO THE PANEL PROCESS, TO WHAT THE CONTRACTS SAY.
AND WE LISTEN TO THEM TELL US EVERYTHING WE MIGHT COULD DO BETTER OVER TIME.
AND THAT IS NOW HOW WE WRITE THE EVALUATION.
AND IT'S A VERY POWERFUL WAY TO, TO BRING OUR SERVICES IN VERY TIGHT ALIGNMENT TO THE PEOPLE WHO, AS I LIKE TO SAY, EITHER SUFFER OUR SERVICES OR BENEFIT FROM OUR SERVICES.
UM, AND I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THE GRAND TEAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS LAST YEAR.
IT'S MADE OUR EVALUATION MUCH MORE
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POWERFUL AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THIS INTO THE FUTURE.UM, I DO WANT TO NOTE, UM, AND THIS WAS IN NICOLE'S PRESENTATION ALSO UNDER THE HOT CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY.
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CULTURAL EVENTS CALENDAR.
UM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR NEW COMMS DIRECTOR, WHO'S A REMARKABLE PERSON.
WE REBUILT THE GRANTS, UH, THE, UH, CULTURAL EVENTS CALENDAR RECENTLY.
IT WORKS MUCH BETTER NOW AND WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT SOME BUGS, BUT THEY'RE MINOR BUGS.
UM, THAT CALENDAR HOSTS OVER AROUND 4,000 EVENTS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD ITS AUDIENCES TOO.
UM, AS NICOLE MENTIONED, EVERY GRANTEE HAS A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION TO PUT THEIR EVENT IN THERE THAT CREATES A CRITICAL MASS OF EVENTS INSIDE THE CALENDAR.
AND MANY OTHERS THEN VOLUNTEER TO PUT THEIR EVENT IN THERE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY.
UH, A FEW RECENT STATS THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF, UH, REGARDING OUR GRANTS WORK.
UM, LAST YEAR WE HAD A 55% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS TO THE GRANTS PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE GREAT WORK OF THE GRANTS TEAM AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT HAD, UM, I'M, I, I WISH I COULD SAY A DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH, BUT WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE IN THESE OUTREACH EFFORTS.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AND NOT IN THE ROOM.
WE REACH OUT TO YOU EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND ASK IF YOU'D LIKE TO CO-HOST A WORKSHOP, A GRANTS WORKSHOP WITH US.
YOUR ABILITY TO AMPLIFY OUR MESSAGING HAS HELPED VERY MUCH TO BRING IN MANY FIRST TIME APPLICANTS, MANY NEW APPLICANTS, AND TO HELP US BUILD TRUST WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE AS, UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT AT HAA, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT KNOWING THIS OPPORTUNITY IS THERE.
IT'S ABOUT BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL GET A FAIR SHAKE FROM HAA IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO PUT AN APPLICATION IS.
SO OUR JOB IS TO BUILD TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY ENOUGH THAT THEY WILL CHOOSE TO APPLY.
AND THIS IS A, A HAPPY SET OF DATA THAT SHOWS US THAT WE ARE GETTING SOME OF THAT WORK DONE.
UM, I WANNA TOUCH ON OUR CIVIC ARTWORK.
UM, SO THE CIVIC ART, NICOLE, THIS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF A REPEAT, I'LL GO QUICKLY.
BUT, UM, THE CIVIC ART PROGRAM IS GOVERNED BY THE CIVIC ART ORDINANCE PASSED IN 1999.
THIS ORDINANCE ASSIGNS 1.75% OF ELIGIBLE CITY CAPITAL PROJECTS TO PUBLIC ART.
UM, SO THE CIVIC ART FUNDING IS DETERMINED BY THE CITY'S OWN EXPENSES FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES RELATED TO ITS CAPITAL WORK, AND COMES FROM THE CAPITAL PROJECTS BUDGET.
UH, LAST YEAR, HAA MANAGED ALMOST 60 CIVIC ART PROJECTS, TOTALING FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WENT INTO THE COMMUNITY, THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
UM, THESE RANGE FROM SMALL CONSERVATION PROJECTS OF A COUPLE THOUSAND TO $1 MILLION BESPOKE COMMISSIONS FOR SOME OF OUR LARGER SCALE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS SUCH AS THOSE THAT TAKE PLACE AT THE AIRPORTS.
UM, EXCUSE ME, THERE ARE MORE THAN 800 PIECES OF ART IN THE CITY'S COLLECTION, AND THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN 500 ARTISTS.
UM, THE CONTRACT EXPIRED IN NOVEMBER, EXCUSE ME, IN DECEMBER.
UM, IT IS IN NEGOTIATION NOW, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING SOMETHING IN FRONT OF COUNCIL FOR A VOTE VERY, VERY SOON.
UH, FINALLY I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, OUR WORK THAT'S PRIVATELY FUNDED.
HAA IS A 5 0 1 C3, UH, BY DESIGN.
AND SO WE DO RAISE PRIVATE FUNDS FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAM THAT IS PRIVATELY FUNDED IS OUR RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY PRO UM, DIVISION, EXCUSE ME, UM, IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY.
THERE IS NO OTHER LOCAL ARTS FOCUSED RESILIENCY AND RECOVERY PROGRAM, UH, EVEN IN MUCH LARGER CULTURAL ECONOMIES SUCH AS LA AND NEW YORK.
UM, IT'S BEEN ACTIVATED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE OUR FOUNDING, INITIALLY AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY, UM, BECAUSE OF COURSE HOUSTON GETS ITS FAIR SHARE OF DISASTERS, UM, AND WE'RE HAPPY IT'S THERE.
UM, OUR JOB FUNDAMENTALLY, UH, PREVIOUS SLIDE PLEASE.
OUR JOB FUNDAMENTALLY IS TO HELP THE ARTS COMMUNITY BUILD RESILIENCE BEFORE A DISASTER AND RECOVER MORE QUICKLY AFTER THE DISASTER.
UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE ARTS ARE NOT ALWAYS INCLUDED FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY WITH OTHER SECTORS BY THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, INDUSTRY.
UM, WE, UH, WE FUNDAMENTALLY DO THREE THINGS.
WE DO ADVOCATE TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO INCLUDE US FAIRLY.
WE, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THAT SPACE, AND THEY'VE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS TO US OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UH, WE BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE SECTOR TO PREPARE FOR AND RECOVER FROM DISASTERS DIRECTLY, AND WE PROVIDE FINANCIAL HELP AND OTHER SUPPORTS TO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS AFTER EMERGENCIES.
SO, ONE EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE IN THAT SPACE, UM, AS PART OF A LARGER COLLECTIVE.
UM, THIS WAS BEFORE WE LAUNCHED OUR PROGRAM, BUT WE WERE PART OF A COLLECTIVE THAT HELPED TO RAISE AND DISTRIBUTE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY.
IT WAS GIVEN TO ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, DURING COVID, WE RAISED ABOUT $375,000 WITH A COALITION OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZED A SMALL GROUP OF PANELISTS TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS TO INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE FACING DIRE PERSONAL FINANCIAL NEED.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, WHEN AN ARSON
[01:05:01]
ATTACK DISPLACED ABOUT A HUNDRED ARTISTS FROM WINTER STREET STUDIOS, HAA RAISED 273,000 FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UM, TO HELP THEM RECOVER THEIR LIVELIHOOD AT THE TIME.UM, I HAVE TO SAY NOTHING WE DO IN DISASTER, WE DO ALONE.
WE HAVE REMARKABLE PARTNERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, NONPROFITS, BUSINESSES, ET CETERA.
UM, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH FRESH ARTS AND ARTS DISTRICT, AS WELL AS DEAL CO AND, AND SAWYER YARDS AROUND THE ARSON ATTACK, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WORKED WITH GROUPS OF ORGANIZATIONS TO LAUNCH OUR PROGRAM, UH, GROUPS OF ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE COVID FUND.
AND OF COURSE, HURRICANE HARVEY WAS A COLLECTIVE.
UM, AND, AND I ALSO WANNA THANK THE CITY BECAUSE IN EACH OF THESE CASES, THE CITY SUPPORTED THIS WORK TO A SUBSTANTIAL, UH, EXTENT FOR THE ARSON ATTACK.
UM, AND SO THE PUBLIC SECTOR HAS SHOWN UP IN THIS WORK REMARKABLY, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET CITY FUNDS INTO THE HANDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED IT MOST, UM, AFTER, UH, AFTER SOME OF THESE TRAGIC EVENTS.
UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
UM, I DO HAVE SOME PACKETS OF INFORMATION I'LL LEAVE WITH EACH OF YOU.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND IF IT HELPS, UH, I'M NERVOUS UP HERE TOO.
UH, ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS? WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, PEOPLE IN THE QUEUE.
I'M GONNA START OUT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, STARTING WITH, I BELIEVE THE FIRST ONE WAS COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL TO KIND OF HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THE MAYOR'S, UM, OFFICE OF CULTURE, UM, AFFAIRS COLLABORATE WITH, UM, YOUR OFFICE.
UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, RECOMMEND SOME CONSTITUENTS TO SERVE ON PANELS.
AND IN FACT, I JUST RECEIVED A PHONE CALL ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
THEY WANTED TO SERVE ON ANOTHER PANEL BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A LIBERATING EXPERIENCES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE INCLUSIVENESS, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE PROCESS SO THAT WHEN WE DO SEE ART GO UP, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY KNOW THEY WERE PART OF THE PROCESS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
AND, UM, YEAH, AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT MY CONSTITUENTS KNOW THAT THEY CAN JUST ALWAYS SIGN UP.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE TO GET ON THE PANEL.
THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, ENGAGE REGULARLY.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
UM, AND JOHN JUST WANNA ALSO MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH YOU ALL AS WELL FOR THIS, UH, GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP NEXT WEEK.
SO, UH, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM, UH, THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE AS WELL.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UH, YOU MENTIONED, UM, AND JUST TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION, RIGHT, THERE'S THE HOT CONTRACT, BUT THEN THE CIVIC ART CONTRACT THAT'S EXPIRED IN DECEMBER.
UM, HAS THAT CAUSED ANY DELAYS WITH ANY PROJECTS? 'CAUSE THE CONTRACT'S NOT IN PLACE, AND IF IT'S, IF SO, WHAT CAN WE DO TO BE HELPFUL? YEAH, A HANDFUL OF PROJECTS HAVE CONTINUED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE LAST CONTRACT, UM, BUT NO NEW WORK HAS BEEN INITIATED.
SO IT, IT, UH, I WOULD SORT OF EDITORIALIZE AND SAY I THINK IT DOES CAUSE A BIT OF A STRESS ON SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE PROCEEDED.
UM, BUT WE LOOK FOR, I THINK IT'S IN THE HOME STRETCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT ACTIVATED PRETTY SOON.
UM, I, AND I GUESS TO PUT SOME CONTEXT TO THAT, RIGHT, SO THERE'S SOME THAT ARE, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEW BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT EXPIRED, ARE WE, UH, THIS LAST CONTRACT WHERE THEY'RE IN THE QUEUE AND THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH, BUT ARE WE GONNA BE BEHIND THEN? OR IS THERE A CERTAIN, UH, NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT FOR THIS CONTRACT NOT BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT AN AGREEMENT WE'RE GONNA BE KIND OF CHASING OUR TAIL TO TRY AND GET 'EM DONE, OR YEAH.
WHAT DOES THAT DO? WHAT I COULD, WHAT I WILL OFFER IS TO SAY, UM, I DO FEEL A SENSE OF URGENCY.
UM, I THINK THAT WE'VE EXCEEDED, AT LEAST INTERNALLY, ACCORDING TO MY TEAM, WHAT WE FELT COMFORTABLE THE, THE SORT OF PER AMOUNT OF TIME OUT OF CONTRACT THAT WE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH.
AND I AM NOW IN A POSITION OF FEELING LESS COMFORTABLE IN THIS PARTICULAR TIME PERIOD.
SO I WOULD URGE URGENCY SO THAT WE DON'T, IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, FIND OURSELVES IN A TOUGH SPOT MEETING THE CITY'S ESSENTIALLY CONSTRUCTION NEEDS.
WHAT'S THE AVERAGE TIMELINE TO GET RUN THROUGH A PROJECT? RIGHT.
UM, IT COULD BE AS SHORT AS THREE, FOUR MONTHS AND IT CAN BE AS LONG AS 18 MONTHS OR, OR LONGER.
I MEAN, WE EXPERIENCED SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DELAYS AROUND COID AND THE GLOBAL PRODUCTION ISSUES THAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT.
UM, BUT BARRING THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, UM, COULD BE UP TO TWO YEARS DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY AND THE SCALE OF THE ARTWORK.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, ONE OF THE REASONS WE'D LOVE TO GET THE CONTRACT BACK IN OPERATION IS 'CAUSE THE QUALITY OF ARTWORK TENDS TO GO UP AND THE COST OF PROJECTS CAN BE BETTER CONTROLLED WHEN WE ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF A CAPITAL PROJECT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT RUNNING ELECTRICITY
[01:10:01]
LIGHTING WHERE, UH, NECESSARY FIRE, UH, ALARM SYSTEMS GO, ALL OF THAT STUFF CAN BE WORKED OUT AROUND WHERE THE ARTWORK IS SUPPOSED TO GO.BUT IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THAT ARCHITECTURAL POINT, YEAH.
AS OPPOSED TO THE CONSTRUCTION POINT, YOU LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN THE SPACE TO HOLD THE ARTWORK YOU WANT THAT THE CITY WANTS TO HAVE IN THE SPACE.
SO ISSUES LIKE PERMITTING COULD BE AN PROBLEM AS WELL.
PERMITTING CAN BE A CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, UM, PERMITTING CAN BE A CHALLENGE.
UM, RETROFITTING SPACE CAN BE A CHALLENGE.
UM, GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN CAN BE A CHALLENGE.
IT'S A, IT'S ACTUALLY A VERY COMP IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
CONSTRUCT PUB CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLICATED AND RARELY EXACTLY HITS AS PLANNED, RIGHT? UM, PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION CAN BE EVEN MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT PUBLIC BUREAUCRACIES.
AND THEN WHEN YOU ADD TO THAT, THAT YOU ARE ENGAGING ARTISTS IN CREATING AN OBJECT THAT'S NEVER BEFORE EXISTED IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR JOB AS ARTISTS AND WANTING TO PUT THAT IN THAT SPACE, YOU'RE ADDING LEVELS OF COMPLEXITY ON COMPLEXITY.
UM, GRACE AND HER TEAM DO REMARKABLE WORK, KIND OF PUZZLING THROUGH THAT STUFF.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THERESA ESCO'S PARTNERSHIP AS THE CITY CIVIC ART PROGRAM MANAGER, UM, WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WELL AS ALL THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENTS.
I WANNA BE APPRECIATIVE, UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE ALL, WE'RE, WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THOSE COMPLEXITIES THAT ARISE.
UM, AND YOU SAID IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S COMING SOON.
SAY AGAIN, THAT THE CONTRACT'S COMING SOON.
I'LL HAVE TO DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES INSIDE CITY HALL, UM, THAT IT'S NOW SITTING AND CITY HALL, WE'VE DONE OUR FINAL LOOK OVER THE MOST RECENT VERSION.
AND JOHN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO.
A QUESTION YOU MENTIONED IN REGARDS TO, UH, WHEN WE HAVE DISASTERS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO, UH, TO HELP WITH THE ARTS A LITTLE BIT MORE, DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC REQUESTS OF, OF HOW THEY MIGHT IMPROVE IN, IN THEIR EFFORTS? UM, FIRST OF ALL, SIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
I MEAN, HEARING THAT FROM A PUBLIC OFFICIAL IS, IS WHERE THAT CONVERSATION REALLY STARTS TO MAKE PROGRESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, IF YOU'LL PERMIT ME, I WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN WITH MY TEAM AND GET THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, RIGHT.
AND BE IN TOUCH WITH YOUR OFFICE.
WE WOULD LOVE ANY SUPPORT WE COULD GET FROM YOU ON THAT.
BUT I ALSO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THE OVERSIGHT BY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON THE ARTS NEEDS HAS EVER BEEN MALICIOUS OR INTENTIONAL.
I THINK IT'S ALWAYS BEEN UNWITTING.
AND WHEN WE'VE KNOCKED ON DOORS SLOWLY AND STEADILY, STAYED AT THE TABLE, BEEN AT MEETINGS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THAT GREAT WELCOME.
THEY'RE VERY WELCOMING, THEY'RE OPEN.
UM, AND SO, BUT I WOULD, WE WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN WHATEVER WAY YOU MIGHT OFFER IT.
UM, SO IF I COULD, I'D LOVE TO BE IN TOUCH AFTER THIS WITH YOUR OFFICE.
UH, AND, AND WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, AFTER, AFTER THE FLOOD AND, AND BEFORE THE FLOOD AS WELL.
SO YEAH, WE'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, VISIT WITH THEM ABOUT IT AND VISIT WITH YOU GUYS FIRST.
ANY SPECIFIC REQUESTS YOU'VE GOT? OKAY.
THANK YOU, JOHN, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR YOUR TEAM AND BOARD TO BE HERE, UH, IN SUPPORT.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL OF THEM ON THE SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE GRANT FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER FOR GRANTS ORGANIZATIONS, LESS THAN 10 MILLION.
ABOUT HOW MANY DOLLARS ARE WE TALKING PER EACH OF THOSE BUCKETS? UM, SO LAST YEAR WE GAVE AWAY ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 17 MILLION, AND I'VE GOT, UH, MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS IN THE PACKETS FOR Y'ALL, SO YOU'LL HAVE 'EM.
UM, AND SO IF, UH, FORGIVE ME, I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO DO THE CALCULATION MYSELF, BUT I, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CAN'T QUOTE YOU THE EXACT AMOUNT FOR EACH.
UM, BUT IT'S 36% IN THE TWO BIG BUCKETS.
UM, WE GAVE, UM, I WILL BALLPARK IT AND SAY WE GAVE AWAY ABOUT, I WANNA SAY BETWEEN A MILLION AND A MILLION AND A HALF TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS.
UM, AND, UM, AND THEN THE, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY, SO I'M GONNA SAY MAYBE THREE TO 4 MILLION IF I'M NOT GETTING THAT NUMBER WRONG, UM, GOES TO THE, THE ORGANIZATIONS UNDER 10 MILLION MM-HMM
AND THEN THERE'S SMALLER SUMS GO TO THE LET CREATIVITY HAPPEN, UH, WHICH IS BY DESIGN.
UM, A HAS A BIT OF A FASTER TURNAROUND AND IS A SMALLER AMOUNT OF MONEY AND A SIMPLER APPLICATION FOR THE COMMUNITY, $2,500 EACH PROGRAM, EACH A GRANT.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AND WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS, LARGE AND SMALL INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, UM, IT, IT, IT IS SIGNIFICANT.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING, HOW THEY'RE INCREASING, UM, THE
[01:15:01]
DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT GOES TO THAT JUST HIGHLIGHTS THAT THAT WORK.AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING THAT THERE IS A DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOUSTON HAS ITS FAIR SHARE OF DISASTERS.
AND SO THE FACT THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE ARTS COMMUNITY, UH, WHICH IS HEAVILY IMPACTED, UH, BY THESE, UH, TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND CAN OFTEN BE OVERLOOKED, UM, I, I JUST THINK THAT IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT WE ARE DOING THAT.
WE ARE PRIORITIZING THAT WE ARE WORKING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
AND, UH, I'M GLAD THAT'S A PART OF Y'ALL'S WORK.
AND OUR FINAL QUESTION COMES FROM STEVEN JAMES, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR DISTRICT D.
UH, THANK YOU MR. ABDI LEE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE AND, UM, UH, I LIKE TALKING ABOUT OUR PROJECTS.
I LOOKED ON YOUR, UH, UM, PRESENTATION WHERE, UH, DISTRICT D HAD A 39% INCREASE IN APPLICATIONS.
FIRST BEING, HOW MANY OF THOSE APP ARE YOU ABLE TO TELL ME HOW MANY OF THOSE APPLICATIONS WERE FUNDED OR APPROVED? UM, YEAH, I CAN, I WANNA QUOTE THE RIGHT NUMBER AND PULL IT OUTTA MY, UM, THE DATA SHEETS I HAVE IN HERE, IF YOU'LL LET ME.
SO IT'LL TAKE SO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DON'T WANNA MISQUOTE THAT NUMBER, BUT, BUT I CAN GET YOU THAT DATA OUTSTANDING.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, UM, AND I KNOW YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS AT THIS TIME AS WELL, BUT WERE THERE ANY PROJECTS FOR SCULPTURE? I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE TEAM TO LOOK INTO THE DATABASE AND VERY, AND WE'LL, WE CAN REVIEW EACH PROJECT SCOPE AND DOUBLE CHECK.
I, THAT, THAT'S A TOUGHER QUESTION, BUT WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION TO YOU.
BUT THAT WOULD BE A FORM OF ART THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION MAY, UM, BE INVOLVED IN.
YEAH, WE FUND ALL ART FORMS. IN FACT, WE INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO TELL US WHAT THEIR CREATIVE PRACTICE IS.
WE FUNDED CREATIVE NAIL TECHS, HAIR WORK, CULINARY.
UM, THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON IS, UM, DIVERSE IN THEIR INTEREST, IN THEIR EXPERTISE.
AND WE INVITE ALL OF IT TO COME IN.
SO IT COULD BE 2D, IT COULD BE 3D, IT COULD BE TEMPORARY, IT COULD BE PERMANENT, IT COULD BE ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, YEAH, IT'S PART OF SUPPORTING THE VISION OF THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY IS LETTING THEM TELL US WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
UH, NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
WELL, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS COME TO SHARE AND AT THIS TIME, UH, THIS MEETING IS HEREBY ADJOURNED.