Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Amy Kelly, Chair of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager Casey Toomay, Budget Manager
Date:	August 18, 2009
RE:	Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission Request to Reallocate 2009 Expenditure

At the request of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission, please place the following item on the consent agenda for the August 25, 2009 City Commission meeting:

Approve a request from the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission to reallocate approximately $12,000 of budgeted 2009 funds designated for the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit to an effort to improve community awareness of arts activities in the community, if appropriate. 

Background:

Early in 2009, the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission (LCAC) and City staff were closely monitoring the State Legislature’s discussion regarding alcohol tax funding.  Alcohol tax revenue funds 100% of the LCAC budget.  At that time, there was a proposal circulating that would have eliminated all alcohol tax funding to the City effective mid year, which would have effectively reduced the LCAC 2009 budget by one-half.  Also at the same time, the LCAC was in the early stages of reviewing public art entries for the 2009-2010 Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibition.  In light of the discussion at the Legislature, the LCAC had the difficult decision of proceeding with the 2009-2010 Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, possibly spending all of its 2009 budget (if the reductions occurred), and having no remaining funding for arts grants or the Phoenix Award program; or work with the 2008-2009 Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibition artists to ascertain their willingness to hold over their work for another year at a reduced honorarium.  The LCAC chose the latter course, which resulted in approximately $11,700 in savings.  A majority of artists chose to allow the City to keep their artwork on display for a reduced honorarium. 

LCAC Request:

The LCAC has discussed ways to best reallocate the savings from this year’s earlier expenditure cut.  Discussions of the LCAC and the preliminary results of a recent community survey about the arts in the community led the LCAC to decide to pursue a communications project to enhance community awareness of arts activities in the community.  The LCAC has not yet solidified its specific plans for this effort.  However, there have been discussions about some seed funding for an online arts calendar that could be developed in conjunction with other agencies. It is anticipated that discussions with the Arts Center and perhaps other agencies will proceed this Fall on the subject.  Any project would be underway or appropriately encumbered prior to the end of the 2009 calendar year.

Below is a break down of the 2009 budget as approved and the recommended reallocation of funds.

Requested Action:

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission requests that the City Commission approve a reallocation of the 2009 budget to include a community arts awareness effort as described.