Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Emily Kotay, Management Intern
CC: DATE:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager Jonathan Douglass, City Clerk Susan Tate, Director, Lawrence Arts Center February 22, 2013
RE:	Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission Program

Background:

The City with the Lawrence Arts Center requests the approval to submit a letter of interest to the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) for its Creative Economy Project Support program by March 6, 2013.

KCAIC’s Creative Economy Project Support provides funding to programs that encourage dynamic partnerships between public, private, and cultural sectors that create jobs, generate real income, promote economic development, revitalize communities, and draw cultural tourists. Applications to be considered for this program should have a strong commitment to inter-sector collaboration that seeks to strengthen the creative assets of their community.

Program Details:

As the City Commission, on February 12, 2013, established a cultural district and authorized the Mayor to establish a task force related to the newly created cultural district.  The Lawrence Arts Center has asked to partner with the City in applying for the KCAIC’s Creative Economy Project Support program and has submitted a letter of support for the project. No other local cultural arts entities have asked to partner with the City in applying for this program.  The Lawrence Arts Center and the City would also partner with Callahan Creek, as the required business partner in the project. 

The City would request $75,000 from KCAIC’s program. KCAIC’s program requires a one-to-one match, which the City can provide through its existing funding commitments in 2013. Those funding commitments the City can use as a match include funds for the Lawrence Arts Center funding in the Special Recreation Fund, the funds set aside to purchase the common arts space near the Lawrence Arts Center, and funds dedicated to improvements at the Poehler and Cider buildings in the cultural arts district. Thus, no additional funds other than those already committed are proposed to serve as match for the project. 

The concept for the project is still being developed in order to provide the letter by the due date.  The short time frame between the release of these funding guidelines in mid-February and the due date for the letter of interest makes it a challenge to pull everything together.  However, the concept is to request funding assistance to hire a consultant to complete a community-wide cultural plan.  As a corollary effort, Callahan Creek would be involved in creating a marketing plan and developing marketing materials that would leverage the cultural district and support the recommendations identified in the cultural planning process. 

The Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission discussed this grant program at its February 13 meeting.  There was nothing specific at that time developed for them on which to provide a recommendation to the City Commission.  However, in their general discussion, they were supportive of seeking funding but cautious that other organizations might be interested in seeking to partner with the City.  As previously indicated, no other organizations have approached the City at this time. 

Timeline:

The letter of interest is due March 6, 2013. If the Commission approves moving forward in submitting a letter of interest, the City and Lawrence Arts Center would then seek approval to move forward with the program application, which is due May 15, 2013.

Action Requested:

Approve submitting a letter of interest to KCAIC’s Creative Economy Project Support program due March 6, 2013.