Title
Evaluation of Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Proposals. The Public Art Commission will hold a public hearing to review, evaluate, and rank submittals for City Council approval and appropriation of funds in response to the Request for Proposals to provide public art funds for cultural arts and arts programming in Alameda
Body
To: Honorable Chair and
Members of the Public Art Commission
From: Lois Butler
Economic Development Manager
Date: February 28, 2018
RE: Evaluation of Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Proposals. The Public Art Commission will hold a public hearing to review, evaluate, and rank submittals for City Council approval and appropriation of funds in response to the Request for Proposals to provide public art funds for cultural arts and arts programming in Alameda
BACKGROUND
Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-98 Public Art in New Commercial, Industrial, Residential and Municipal Construction (the "Ordinance”) requires that major development projects include on-site public art. The Ordinance also permits an applicant to pay a fee in lieu of providing the art on site. Any in-lieu fees collected are deposited in the dedicated Public Art Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund can then only be used by the City to provide or support public art.
In August of 2017, the Public Art Commission (“PAC”) approved a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to provide $87,500 of Fund monies for cultural arts and arts programming in Alameda. The RFP was released on September 21, 2017, with all proposals due on December 19, 2017. A separate RFP was also issued for Physical Arts at the same time; this item will be presented at a separate meeting.
The Cultural Art and Arts Programming RFP (Exhibit 1) included five different award levels at the following amounts:
• One $35,000 award
• One $25,000 award
• One $15,000 award
• One $7,500 award
• One $5,000 award
The purpose of tonight’s meeting is to review the Cultural Arts and Arts Programming proposals and recommend one award in each category to City Council for appropriation of funds.
DISCUSSION
A total of 14 proposals were received in response to the Cultural Arts and Arts Programming RFP. The evaluation process for these proposals, as described in the approved RFP, includes three steps:
1. Staff pre-screening: All applications will be pre-screened by City staff to ensure that they meet the minimum qualifications:
a. Includes all of the elements listed in the “Proposal Requirement” section.
b. Proposing organization is a non-profit or public agency.
c. Proposed cultural arts event will be free of charge to general public, and located within the City of Alameda.
2. Selection Panel Review: The Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Selection Panel will review applications meeting the minimum requirements, and rank them according to the selection criteria established in the RFP.
3. PAC Review: The PAC will review the top three finalists in each award category, and make a recommendation to City Council for the appropriation of funds in all award categories.
On July 19, 2017, the PAC established an ad hoc committee to act as a selection panel for the cultural arts and arts programming evaluation process. On January 3, 2018, the PAC appointed five cultural arts and arts programming selection panelists, which included two PAC members and three outside panel members. The outside members were selected through a public Call for Selection Panelists. A list of the Cultural Arts Selection Panel members is includes in Exhibit 3.
On January 9, 2018, staff conducting the pre-screening of proposals. Ten proposals (Exhibit 2) were qualified to move on to the next round of evaluation and four were disqualified because they did not meet the minimum proposal requirements. Reasons for disqualification included: the proposed event was not located in the City of Alameda; the proposed artwork was physical, not cultural art; and because the proposer was not a non-profit or public agency.
On January 25, 2018, the Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Selection Panel (the “Panel”) met to review and rank the qualifying proposals for cultural arts and arts programming, utilizing the evaluation criteria established in the RFP. The Panel’s scores and comments are summarized below, and in Exhibit 4.
The PAC is asked to review the proposals and the Panel’s scores and comments, and decide, for each award category, if it would like to:
1) Recommend the Panel’s top-ranked proposal go to the City Council for appropriation of funds; or
2) Evaluate and score the proposals during this PAC meeting, and send the PAC’s top-ranked proposal to the City Council for appropriation of funds.
It should be noted that the Panel did not recommend funding for proposals in the $15,000 and $5,000 award categories. If the PAC agrees with its recommendation, the PAC can choose to withhold award funding in either or both of those categories, or in any other categories it does not believe should be funded. In this case, the funding would return to the Fund for redistribution for cultural arts and arts programming at a future date.
Alternatively, funds could be used to award multiple grant proposals in a different award category, as long as the complete requested grant amount can be funded. Any remaining unused funds would return to the Fund for redistribution for cultural arts and arts programming at a future date.
$35,000 Award Category
Rhythmix Cultural Works
Average score: 97
The Panel liked the storytelling and inclusivity of this event, and would like to see a lot of people attend. They also identified an opportunity to connect the event to 2018 by including a contemporary art perspective.
Downtown Alameda Business Association/Phoenix
Average score: 65
The Panel was concerned that proposer’s level of experience wasn’t commensurate with the award level, and felt that the working relationship between DABA and Phoenix needs to be more clearly articulated.
Island Alliance of the Arts (not recommended for funding)
Average score: 38
The Panel felt that the organizational budget was unclear, which raised concerns regarding the organization’s capacity. The expectation of the Panel was that an organization applying for a $35,000 grant could submit a detailed budget for the institution. The Panel was also concerned that there might be a conflict of interest with a large budget line item going to an applicant-owned company. While the Panel felt that the group’s support of the art walk is strong, members were concerned that the proposed programming would not directly affect the public’s experience of the event, and that there was not enough money for art or artists in the proposal. Based on the application as submitted, the Panel recommended that this application not be funded.
$25,000 Award Category
West End Arts and Entertainment District
Average score: 84
The Panel would like to support the creation of a dance festival in Alameda. The Panel noted that finding the right location would be crucial to the success of the event. One panelist suggested that the proposer consider events or locations elsewhere in addition to Alameda Point.
Pacific Pinball Museum
Average score: 77
The Panel was concerned that it would be difficult to identify locations for this event, and that the cost to secure locations was under-budgeted.
Alameda Chamber of Commerce
Average score: 64
The Panel was concerned that there was not enough funding in this proposal going to arts or arts programming.
$15,000 Award Category
Island Alliance of the Arts (not recommended for funding)
Average score: 34
The Panel felt that the organizational budget was unclear, which raised concerns regarding the organization’s capacity. The Panel was also concerned that there might be a conflict of interest with the largest single budget line item going to an applicant-owned company. While the Panel felt that the group’s support of the art walk is strong, members were concerned that the proposed programming would not directly affect the public’s experience of the event, and that there was not enough money for art or artists in the proposal. Based on the application as submitted, the Panel recommended that this application not be funded.
$7,500 Award Category
Sacred and Profane
Average score: 89
The Panel was enthusiastic about the proposed program, and curious about where the event would be located. They suggested that some of the City’s historic landmarks or resources might be used.
Frank Bette Center for the Arts
Average score: 74
One panelist felt that the two events add a lot to the Alameda cultural experience. Others were concerned that the marketing budget was too high, and curious about how the increase in awards to artists would improve the public experience.
$5,000 Award Category
Frank Bette Center for the Arts (not recommended for funding)
Average score: 61
The panelists were concerned that the majority of funds was going to capital improvements, as opposed to programming. The Panel felt that the connection between capital improvements and programming was not clear, and that there was not a strong argument that the funding would benefit the visitor experience. Based on the application as submitted, the Panel recommended that this application not ‘be funded.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The review and evaluation of cultural arts and arts programming proposals is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act.
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
The meeting was advertised in the newspaper and posted on the City website.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the PAC review the Selection Panel’s scores and comments, and decide, for each award category, if they would like to:
1) Recommend the Selection Panel’s top-ranked proposal go to the City Council for appropriation of funds; or
2) Evaluate and score the proposals again, and send the PAC’s top-ranked proposal to the City Council for appropriation of funds; or
3) Decline to award funding in the category. Unused funds would return to the Fund for redistribution for cultural arts and arts programming at a future date. Alternatively, they could be used to fund multiple proposals in a different category, as long as the complete requested grant amount can be funded.
.
Respectfully Submitted,
Amanda Gehrke
Management Analyst
Exhibits:
1. Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Request for Proposals
2. Qualified Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Proposals
3. Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Selection Panel Members
4. Cultural Arts and Arts Programming Selection Panel Scores and Comments