Title
Florida Division of Cultural Affairs General Program Support, Local Arts Agency Grant (NB)
This item requests approval by the City Commission for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (PRCA) to accept, if awarded, a FY15-16 Local Arts Agency grant from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs.
Explanation
Since being designated as the Local Arts Agency (LAA) for Alachua County in 1985, the City of Gainesville Parks Recreation and Cultural Affairs' Department, Cultural Affairs Division, has applied a number of times to the State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) for a general program support grant in the LAA category. Cultural Affairs Division qualifies as a Level III organization and can apply for the highest level of funding, $150,000. PRCA recently received notification of full funding for it FY14-15 request for this amount and has applied for the same program support grant for FY15-16.
PRCA seeks to continue initiatives begun with the FY14-15 LAA grant award with its application for General Program Support Grant for FY15-16. Requested funds for FY15-16 will be applied to initiatives that will build local arts agencies' capacity, including the partial salary of the PRCA Tourism Marketing Technician who services the Cultural Resource Center. The grant will provide funding for the "352ArtsRoadmap" Cultural Master Plan implementation for the City of Gainesville and Alachua County, and related marketing initiatives. In addition, it will provide support for the Thomas Center Galleries' exhibitions curation and marketing; artists' fees for the "Jest Fest!" series at Bo Diddley Community Plaza, and the continuation of the very successful "Music at the Thomas Center" monthly concert series in partnership with Shakerag Culture Center, Inc. Lastly, the grant will provide resources for a feasibility study for the new amphitheater/arts center, which is envisioned in the PRCA "Vision 2020" Master Plan.
The recent grant submission deadline was June 2, 2014; a panel review of applications will be scheduled for September, and final funding recommendations will be announced in June 2015.
Fiscal Note
The FY15-16 General Program Support $150,000 grant, which has been applied for in the LAA category, will be matched 1:1 by expenditures within the PRCA operating budget. No additional funds will be necessary to facilitate this request.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) authorize the City Manager to accept the FY15-16 Local Arts Agency grant from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs if awarded; and 2) authorize the City Manager or designee to execute any grant related documents subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.