Title
Approval of a Recommendation to Transition Cultural Events from a Partner Model to a Sponsored Model
Recommended Action
Move to approve the recommendation to transition to a sponsored approach for cultural event programming.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the recommendation to transition to a sponsored approach for cultural event programming.
Staff Contact:
Olivia Salazar de Breaux, Culture and Belonging Manager, Parks, Arts and Recreation, 360.753.8343
Paul Simmons, Department Director, Parks, Arts and Recreation, 360.753.8462
Presenter(s):
Olivia Salazar de Breaux, Culture and Belonging Manager
Paul Simmons, Parks, Arts and Recreation Director
Background and Analysis:
Since June 2021, the City has partnered with community organizations and leaders to co-host public events for Juneteenth, Black History Month, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month; Hispanic Heritage Month, and Indigenous Peoples' Day. The partnership model is unique in that the partnering organization or leader envisions and implements a community cultural event, while being provided with significant support and collaboration from the City.
Under this partnership model the City of Olympia provides most of the event funding and in-kind contributions including City staff time (dedicated staff for administrative support, day-of-event staffing, marketing and graphic design services), planning tools and resources, facilities use and/or rental procurement, and City Council recognition.
While these cultural events add to our City's vibrancy by fostering community engagement, tourism, and economic development, we have also faced challenges in managing and supporting these events effectively due to limited staff capacity, resource constraints and increased demand for cultural programming. As a result, it has become evident that a new approach is required to ensure the longevity and success of cultural events in our City.
We propose a shift from a partner...
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