Q&A
Challenges with SBS public realm grant program for cultural organizations
1:33:09
·
4 min
Panelists discuss various challenges associated with the SBS public realm grant program, particularly for smaller cultural organizations. Key issues include reimbursement-based funding, project complexity, and timing constraints.
- Ryan Gilliam highlights the mismatch between grant sizes and small organizations' operating budgets
- Caron Atlas emphasizes timing issues and cash flow challenges for small groups
- Panelists note the need for more sustainable, long-term funding approaches
Ryan Gilliam
1:33:09
Well, let me start, and you can narrow me down.
1:33:11
Okay.
1:33:13
So just to say, I think the public realms ground that's been talked a lot about today at SBS.
1:33:19
I think it's a really awesome, you know, program, and I love seeing how it's focused and thinking about arts and culture as different than just professional arts, but thinking about the cultural experience of a neighborhood.
1:33:33
Right?
1:33:33
But it is tricky.
1:33:36
As they said, it's $650,000.
1:33:41
We got a grant to do a lighting project.
1:33:44
We're 1 of 10 grantees, and it's a $100,000 grant.
1:33:48
This is a reimbursement based grant.
1:33:50
My operating budget is $450,000 So just right there you can see that it's a bit of a stretch for a smaller organization to even come into, you know, taking something like that on.
1:34:03
The other thing I would say is these are very complicated projects.
1:34:05
These lighting projects require all kinds of permissions from DOT, electrical support.
1:34:11
I did one of them last year.
1:34:12
I'm involved in another one this year happening in Sarah Roosevelt Park, which is also kind of trying to address.
1:34:17
It's bringing together culture and safety at the same time in a park that has a lot of issues going on.
1:34:24
But the time frame in which I find out from doing the grant and the time it has to be done.
1:34:32
It's not actually so hard on the on my end to put my partnerships together, but it's very slow working with DOT.
1:34:39
Getting them to approve anything.
1:34:42
Parks is trying hard to work with us, but I would just say that there's a timing issue up and with these ambitious projects.
1:34:52
And there there certainly is a, you know, liability concern.
1:34:57
I'm signing off to these contracts to be the liable partner on them.
1:35:03
And, you know, that's that's certainly something I have to think about carefully.
1:35:09
I would also just say that there are 2 few projects.
1:35:12
Right?
1:35:13
It's a great program, but it's hitting neighborhoods once, and then they're gonna move on to other neighborhoods.
1:35:18
So this is not a sustainable program even though I think they're trying to be very innovative about how they activate public space.
1:35:27
So those are my initial thoughts there.
Caron Atlas
1:35:34
Well, I would yeah.
1:35:37
I'd also Is it a?
1:35:40
Yeah.
1:35:40
I would underscore the timing issue.
1:35:45
For a small group.
1:35:46
We're very small, and then we work on behalf of even smaller groups.
1:35:51
And so for the work and the reimbursement nature is really difficult.
1:35:56
For we front all the money for the Kensington Cultural Council all have to wait months then to get reimbursed for it.
1:36:04
None of the small groups could do that.
1:36:06
They wouldn't have the cash flow to do that.
1:36:09
So that's a big challenge.
1:36:11
I think the other thing is I'm really intrigued and really wanna promote this idea of other inf other forms of infrastructure that are network based.
1:36:22
And so there you know, the idea of a bid is one kind of infrastructure, but so is a naturally occurring cultural district.
1:36:28
So is a community network.
1:36:31
They we have so many examples of them.
1:36:34
We just did work in 5 communities, including on the with fab, to really drill deep on what makes these work and how they function, and that's on our website that that participatory action research we did.
1:36:51
And I would call for more transparency the funding we get from SBS.
1:36:56
We had no idea to assisted.
1:36:58
We found out about it because our council member brought it to our attention because it was a discretionary grant.
1:37:05
And then we had a council member who worked closely with us, council member, Lander, and then Hanif, to really develop a mechanism like the Kensington Cultural Council.
1:37:16
So it was a real great partnership of developing this alternative form of community infrastructure.
1:37:24
So those are just a few things.
1:37:25
And then when you're funding a network, you have to look at it differently.
1:37:29
So many grants are about funding one group.
1:37:33
And if you're trying to have equity and you're trying to decentralize and really form a network, it's a different form of funding that allows you to bring multiple groups together to ask for money, and you can still be accountable with that model.
1:37:47
But people need to understand better how networks work and how they actually further equity.
