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Q&A
Council member input and alternative funding initiatives for cultural organizations
2:34:21
ยท
131 sec
Commissioner Laurie Cumbo addresses the involvement of council members in the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) expansion process and highlights alternative funding initiatives for supporting cultural organizations.
- DCLA has spoken with many council members about the CIG expansion
- Other initiatives support organizations that may not become CIGs:
- Theaters of Color Initiative
- Energy coalition for organizations on city-owned property
- Multiple entry points and funding tools exist to provide deeper support for organizations
- CIG status is just one aspect of the toolkit for supporting cultural institutions
Carlina Rivera
2:34:21
Wendell, there are many cultural organizations like black spectrum, like many many others that could benefit from the support of the city funding for their their energy costs, the other operational costs that they incur.
2:34:35
Did the agency reach out to any council members for input on the decision making process?
Laurie Cumbo
2:34:41
We've spoken with many of the council members.
2:34:44
Some are here at this dais.
2:34:47
We've had conversations to discuss moving forward with the cultural institutions group.
2:34:54
One of the things that we are really one of the things that we are really excited about in this process is that this is going to allow us the ability to serve organizations.
2:35:06
As you've mentioned from my time in the City Council, we created collaboratively what we know as the Theaters of Color Initiative.
2:35:15
So organizations like you referenced Black Spectrum Theater and many others have been a part of that coalition.
2:35:22
So there are many ways in which city support helps organizations, whether it's through the theaters of color initiative, which is one way that we support and provide deeper resources into organizations that have been underserved.
2:35:36
We also have what's known as the energy coalition.
2:35:40
So organizations that are on city owned property, when I was on that side of the table, we made sure that organizations that were on city owned property, but were not cultural institution groups, are part of what's now known as the energy coalition, or the energy relief coalition, or the utility relief coalition as some may refer to it.
2:35:58
This was the city's ability to be able to put those resources into those organizations to make sure that they have the stability to continue and to maintain.
2:36:08
So there are many ways of entry point that have been created by both the council as well as the administration to to provide deeper support for organizations.
2:36:19
Status as a cultural institution group is just one of those in the toolkit, but it's certainly not the only aspect to be able to do it.
2:36:29
There are many others in terms of how we've considered this process.