Antioch Set to Tweak Arts and Cultural Programs, How Funding is Awarded

On Tuesday, the Antioch City Council received a report on the arts and cultural programs and services in the City of Antioch.

Nancy Kaiser, Parks & Recreation Director, said that they are entering a new era of arts and culture programs in the city of Antioch. This comes after the resignation of Diane Gibson-Gray as Executive Director for ACFA

“Earlier this year, the arts & cultural foundation of Antioch provided notice to the city that they were going to terminate and end the agreement they had with the city of Antioch to provide services on our behalf per the contract and operate and manage the Lynn House Gallery,” explained Kaiser.

The Arts and Cultural Foundation of Antioch has been providing citywide programs and services, and managing the Lynn House, for twelve years.

According to the staff report, the art and cultural programs are valuable components for building community and increasing unity. Antioch is host to several nonprofit and community organizations that provide programs such as the Delta Blues Festival and Black History Exhibit. The ACFA will continue to serve the community with programs; most notably their Celebration of Art exhibit at the Antioch Historical Society.

Kaiser explained in the short-term, the budget is $71,000 for Fiscal year for 2018 and 2019. The City has expended $35,500 in Fiscal Year 2017-2018 for arts and cultural programs per the professional services agreement with the Arts and Cultural Foundation of Antioch (ACFA)

Kaiser stated that they wanted to continue two programs which was operating and managing the Lynn House to have it available for community use. They also want to continue with the summer concert series for 2018.

“They may not look the same, we are going to try to re-invent it, bring some new ideas and certainly take ideas from the community,” stated Kaiser.

Mayor Pro Tem Lamar Thorpe asked about how organizations come to the city and ask and receive funding from the city council.

Kaiser explained how the city entered an agreement with the Arts & Cultural Foundation to provide programs relating to arts and culture basis which became a partnership through an agreement using funding through the Civic Arts Fund is developed from Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenues with some funding from the general fund. Meanwhile Other organizations receive funding through the general funds.

Thorpe questioned the way the city distributed the funds and shared his concerns.

“I have a concern that we only give money to certain groups and I am concerned that there is no healthy competition for other groups to percolate throughout the community because we wouldn’t know about them because we don’t do an RFQ or RFP for groups to bring us their ideas and proposals,” said Thorpe. “I hope that perhaps rather than just looking at this as a single issue with the arts and cultural foundation, that perhaps we re-think how we distribute these funds and think about it as we block grant a certain amount of money and empower the economic development commission to help facilitate the process for folks to bring their ideas. I don’t think it’s right we are giving certain groups money when we don’t know what else is out there.”

Councilwoman Monica Wilson highlighted back during the budget process, she proposed that they provide “x” amount of funds then early on in the fiscal year a call for groups to make a proposal for a program to submit to the city.

“They would in a sense use as a bank to facilitate their program,” said Wilson. “A program like that may be better facilitate what Mayor Pro Tem Thorpe is talking about making sure that we put it out there that we have a grant type process so many groups know they can get funding.”

Mayor Sean Wright stated this was a concept he was going to bring up with the city manager and bring up at the strategic planning session.

The City Council unanimously agreed to file the report and will discuss in the future a new concept of how money will possibly be dispersed for programs.