Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
CC:	Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
Date:	November 10, 2011
RE:	Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission recommendation to fund Final Fridays support and fund an economic impact analysis of Final Fridays with the Science, Technology and Art (STArt) Alliance

Please place the following item on the consent agenda for the November 15, 2011 City Commission meeting agenda:

Approve the recommendation of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission to fund operational assistance for Final Fridays for a one-year period and authorize the Cultural Arts Commission to engage the STArt Alliance to conduct an economic impact analysis of Final Fridays.

Background:

In 2009, the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission suspended its Outdoor Downtown Sculpture exhibition for a one year period when state alcohol tax funding was threatened by cuts at the state level.  This resulted in unspent funds related to the sculpture program in 2009.  In late 2009, the City Commission authorized the carryover of $10,000 of unspent funds for the Cultural Arts Commission. $5,000 was spent in 2010 to help initiate the Final Fridays art events in Downtown Lawrence.  There is currently $5,000 remaining in unspent funds. 

At its September 2011 meeting, the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission heard an update about Final Fridays.  Final Fridays is now being managed by a part-time coordinator and is managed by the Lawrence Arts Center.  Final Fridays has now been underway for approximately 18 months.  Recently, a funding partner for Final Fridays was lost, leaving a gap to support the coordination effort.  The Cultural Arts Commission voted to approve spending $3,600, or $300 per month, for a one year period to assist the Arts Center with the coordinator position from September 2011-September 2012.  Staff has drafted a letter of agreement with the Arts Center regarding the transfer of these funds.  These funds would come from the remaining unspent carryover funds.

At its meeting in October, the Cultural Arts Commission authorized a Request for Proposals for an economic impact analysis for Final Fridays.  Some attendance and sales data has been collected at the events and there is a desire to understand the current and future impact of these events on the downtown as a whole.  Two proposals were received regarding the analysis.  One proposal was from The Community Land Use Economics Group from Arlington, Virginia.  One proposal was from the STArt Alliance of Lawrence.  Both proposals have a budget of a flat $3,500.  At its November 2011 meeting, the Cultural Arts Commission discussed the proposals and recommend utilizing the STArt Alliance for the analysis due to their knowledge of the Final Fridays activities and ability to conduct in-person surveys due to their local presence.  The Cultural Arts Commission recommends expending the remaining carryover funds plus redirecting some unspent Outdoor Downtown Sculpture Exhibition funds from the 2011 budget to fund this study.

Both of these items can be funded within the carryover funds or existing budget resources.

Recommendation/ Requested Action:

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission recommends that the City Commission authorize funding operational assistance for Final Fridays for a one-year period through the Lawrence Arts Center and utilizing the STArt Alliance to conduct an economic impact analysis of Final Fridays.