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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/13/2014 - City Arts Commission - 04 Master Arts & Culture PlanNewport Beach ARTSCULTUREand Prepared for the City of Newport Beach by Arts Orange County MASTER PLAN Introduction The beauty of Newport Beach is arguably its greatest asset, and its citizens share the belief that it can and should be reflected throughout all areas of civic life. To some, this means aspiring to the highest aesthetic ideals in all physical planning for the community through imaginative architecture, landscape and public works design. To others, it means defining the community through unique signature artistic experiences distinct from those offered in other cities or it means reinforcing the economic vitality of the City. To capture the dreams of those who call Newport Beach home and to recommend a number of ways the City can bring them to fruition, the City of Newport Beach contracted in May 2014 with Arts Orange County (Arts OC) to develop Phase I of a Master Arts and Culture Plan. The successful implementation of such a plan would ideally achieve a number of broad goals: • Highlight stories of this unique place • Establish engaging public spaces • Celebrate diversity • Give all citizens access to the arts • Attract and retain a creative class and an educated work force • Attract world-class art and culture • Promote an environmental ethic • Nurture community and reinforce neighborhoods • Fuel economic development The objectives of the plan were to: • Gather widespread input from the community about how they envision the role of arts and culture in the life of the City • Document the City’s current cultural assets and venues and identify gaps that exist and how they might be filled • Identify obstacles preventing greater community participation in the arts and suggest ways to overcome them • Research the economic impact of the arts within the City and provide data on how it compares to other cities • Explore opportunities for collaboration among organizations and businesses to maximize service to the community • Identify ways the City can help advance its own artistic programs, those of local organizations and its overall arts ecology This document contains Arts OC’s recommendations as a result of its 6-month process of research and evaluation. While no such report can be a comprehensive roadmap for future planning, this Master Arts and Culture Plan can serve as an important resource for the City to understand its needs and a valuable tool in its efforts to address them.Aeriel photo of Newport Beach by D. Ramey Logan Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan City Council * Michael F. Henn District 1 Tony Petros District 2 Rush N. Hill, II, Mayor District 3 Leslie Daigle District 4 Edward D. Selich , Mayor Pro Tem District 5 Nancy Gardner District 6 Keith D. Curry District 7 Newport Beach Arts Commission Rita Goldberg Chair** Arlene Greer Vice Chair** Caroline Logan Secretary** Judy Chang Lynn Selich Robert Smith Charles Ware City Staff Project Manger Tim Hetherton Library Services Director * City Council members as of November 1, 2014** Master Arts and Culture Plan Sub-Committee City of Newport Beach Elected Officials November, 2014 Arts Commissioners Serving Previous Terms On behalf of the City, we acknowledge the dedication, commitment, & passion of citizens who have served on the Arts Commission since its inception: Gerald Allison Dennis Baker Lyn Belasco Sandy Blatterman Denise Blake Carole Boller Wendy Brooks Pat Brubaker Arlene Cartozian David Colley Michael Coon Lila Crespin Katherine Delsack Phyllis Drayton Janet Ennis Gail Floor Roya Fouladi Pat Gibbs Jeffrey Gould Robyn Grant Don Gregory Kathy Harrison Novell Hendrickson Howard Herzog Roberta Jorgensen Pat Kendrick Jeff Kolin Gilbert Lasky Molly Lynch Mary MacIntyre Michaell Magrutsche Kenneth Marshall Helen McCarthy Beryl Cameron Melinkoff Cathy Michaels Carl Neisser Pamela Nestande Bud Pashley Deborah Polonsky Jerrell Richards Kirwan Rockefeller Madeline Rose Patti-Gene Sampson Carol Starcevic Shelli Stewart Marilee Stockman Al (A.Z.) Taft Betty Tesman Christopher Trela William Valentine Amy Vieth Nancy Warzer-Brady Kym Young Wally Ziglar The mission of the Arts Commission is to promote and support a wide range of accessible cultural programs, activities and facilities to address the needs and interests of residents and visitors in the Newport Beach community. Appointed by City Council, the City Arts Commission acts in an advisory capacity to the City Council in all matters pertaining to artistic, aesthetic and cultural aspects of the City. The City Arts Commission also recommends to the City Council the adoption of such ordinances, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary for the administration and preservation of fine arts, performing arts, historical, aesthetic and cultural aspects of the community. On behalf of the City, the Arts Commission actively encourages programs for the cultural enrichment of the community and performs such other duties relating to the arts as the City Council may require. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan “Morning Mood” cover artwork by Rex Brandt Newport Beach Art Exhibition Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan 1 | Executive Summary 3 | A Rich Legacy of Arts and Culture in Newport Beach 7 | Why Now for Newport Beach? 9 | Research Methodology 13 | Economic Impact of Arts and Culture 18 | Arts and Culture Community Assets 21 | Recommendations 38 | Next Steps Appendix: See separate document A-1 Newport Beach General Plan, Chapter 9, Arts and Cultural Element 2 Council Policy I-9: Art in Public Places 3 Council Policy – I-10: Financial support for Arts and Culture 4 Council Policy – I-11: Donation of Art to City of Newport Beach 5 Council Policy – I-13: Public Art and Cultural Facilities Policy B-1 Participants in Stakeholder Interviews and Focus Groups 2 Public Survey Data 3 Public Forum Data C-1 Newport Beach arts organizations reflected in Economic Impact data 2 Creative Industries in Newport Beach (Dun and Bradstreet) D-1 Primary Assets 2 Potential Partners 3 Current & Potential Venues E-1 Arts and Culture Coordinator Job Description (November 2013) 2 Examples from other cities of Arts Staffing Levels F Newport Beach Cultural Arts Guide (2004) G Arts Commission Art Site Suitability Ad Hoc Committee Report May 2014 H Newport Mesa Unified School District: Strategic Arts Plan I Balboa Village Theatre Potential Audience Survey Report Table of Contents Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan At a time when cities are competing to enhance quality of life opportunities for their residents, generate longer visitor stays though cultural tourism attractions, and to respond to the business community’s need for a creative workforce, the City of Newport Beach has embarked on the creation of a new set of recommendations for its arts and culture policy. Newport Beach has reinforced the City’s legacy of cultural engagement and learning with the building of the Civic Center and Library, which now functions as an arts and cultural hub of the community. These architectural achievements represent the city’s vision to establish a higher aesthetic within the context of Newport’s built environment. These achievements, along with the commitment to design and implement a cultural plan, testify to the City’s desire to embrace fully the benefits offered by a robust arts and cultual landscape in Newport Beach. This timely action parallels the cultural planning initiatives of other great cities where arts and culture are recognized as an integral facet of community pride, civic health, and economic vitality. The 2014 Newport Beach Master Arts and Culture Plan represents the results of a six-month process designed to re-visit existing city policy for the arts, consider the current community assets, and envision a road-map of recommendations to guide next steps. This community process included stakeholders, focus groups, a public forum and a public survey to provide the frame by which Arts OC crafted these recommendations. Executive Summary Page 1 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan 1. Grow public investment in arts and culture Sustain current sources of funding for the arts as well as increase the investment through a variety of funding mechanisms with the goal of matching or surpassing the national average for cities funding arts & culture. 2. Establish an appropriately-staffed Division of Arts and Culture Establish a separate division and a full-time position for arts and culture at the manager level working in close cooperation with the Department of Library Services and the Department of Recreation & Senior Services in order to effectively implement the Master Arts and Culture Plan, explore new initiatives and community partnerships, and effectively work across all city departments. 3. Establish arts-friendly City policies Create a process and guidelines by which “arts friendly” policies can be established and non- profit arts and culture organizations can benefit. 4. Develop a 21st century arts and culture communication plan Build public awareness of arts and culture offerings and promote tourism by establishing an effective marketing and public relations plan. 5. Develop a multi-faceted approach to arts and culture programming Develop a program plan that includes expanded support for City-sponsored arts programs as well as support for and collaborations with Newport based organziations, venues and potential regional arts and culture partners. Plans should give special consideration to unique programming as well as signature events. 6. Refine the City’s Public Art Policy Establish public art policy according to national best practices that addresses all selection of art, suitable sites, sustainability and maintenance. 7. Develop new accessible creative spaces Create a facility plan that would address the community’s need for a 350 seat flexible venue, creative meeting spaces, classrooms, artist studios and a creative teen center. This plan should take into account the renovation of the Balboa Theatre as well as other existing sites and new construction. 8. Animate existing City parks, beaches, and other public spaces with unique programming, signature events and neighborhood festivals Collaborate across City departments to include and support potential unique programming in city parks and beaches and evaluate infrastructure needs. 9. Establish key partnerships that support arts education Collaborate and partner with public and private schools to support and provide relevant programs for youth. 10. Include aesthetic considerations in City processes which review and approve public and private development of the built environment Provide for appropriate input by arts and design experts in the community at the earliest possible conceptual phases of public facilities and infrastructure planning. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 2 RECOMMENDATIONS Concerts on the Green An appreciation for arts and culture has shaped the growth and development of Newport Beach from its origin as a beach town to its rise as a coastal city. Since its incorporation in 1906, the culture of Newport Beach, like most of Southern California, has been closely associated with the quest for an aspirational lifestyle. Alongside the natural beauty of the ocean and harbor, residents filled their desire for rejuvenation, leisure and inspiration with a pursuit of aesthetics and knowledge. At the turn of the century they engaged in creative activities where there were opportunities to embrace lifelong learning in all arts disciplines. In a similar manner, the city formally established a precedent for educational and cultural values, as libraries were built throughout the village- based neighborhoods. Highlights of the city’s long-standing support for the arts include the founding of the Orange County Museum of Art in 1962 (previously the Newport Harbor Museum of Art) and the beginnings of South Coast Repertory on Newport Blvd. in 1964. A Rich Legacy of Arts & Culture in Newport Beach Page 3 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan 1906 ‘72‘62 ‘64 South Coast Repertoryopens its doors onNewport Blvd. * Timeline not to scale ** Not a complete list ‘28 ‘49 Port Theatre opened ‘76‘74 Newport Beach Arts Commission is established ‘79 ‘81 Baroque Music Festival is founded ‘84‘38 Lido Theatre opened Newport Beach Arts Committee is established Susan Spiritus Gallery opened Ritz Theatre opens (renamed Balboa Theatre in 1939) ‘86 Newport Harbor Nautical Museum (now ExplorOcean) opened Newport Harbor Museum of Art (now Orange County Musuem of Art) is founded Musical Theatre Academy of Orange County opened Newport Beach has been home to many artists such as renowned painter Rex Brandt, animator Chuck Jones, fashion icon Don Ed Hardy, writers Dean Koontz and Joseph Wambaugh, architect William Pereira, violinist Jascha Heifetz, “The King of Surf Guitar” Dick Dale, actors June Allyson, Joey Bishop, Ray Milland, John Wayne, Buddy Ebsen, Kelly McGillis and the legendary Helena Modjeska. As Newport Beach has grown to be a burgeoning and sophisticated city, the role of arts and culture has become even more prominent. In 1972, the city’s arts and cultural infrastructure was formally established with the birth of the Newport Beach Arts Committee. The group transitioned into the Newport Beach Arts Commission in 1974. In 1997, the city council studied the creation of an Arts and Cultural Plan as well as an arts foundation. Although no plan was completed at this time, the City Council formalized the Newport Beach Arts Foundation, an organization designed to fund public art, arts and cultural organizations, and art related events in the city. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 4 2014 21st Century Master Arts and Culture Plan recommendations ‘09 Coastline Art Gallery opened ‘99 Newport Beach Film Festival began ‘13‘07 Grace Lane Galleryopened ‘96 Southern California Children’s Chorus formed ‘97 Orange County Women’s Chorus is founded Inaugural Sculpturein Civic CenterPark exhibition Newport Beach Arts Foundationis established 2000 Hutchins Consortis founded New Civic Center & Civic Center Park opened City of Newport Beachis incorporated ‘02 Arts and Culture chapter incorporated into City’s General Plan Newport Theatre Arts Center opened The Reserve Fund for Arts and Culture is created Page 5 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 6 In 2002, members of the Newport Beach Arts Commission engaged in strategic planning sessions to chart the commission’s goals and to develop a public arts policy, and an Arts and Cultural chapter was incorporated into the city’s General Plan. (See Appendix A) This chapter was written to “provide improved and expanded arts and cultural facilities and programs to the community.” The arts and cultural elements chapter of the city’s general plan outlines 3 goals and policies: 1. Active and vital arts, cultural, and literary activities and programs that enrich the community. 2. Adequate physical facilities and venues that support cultural art and literary programs. 3. Establish a broad range of public and private funding sources to support cultural arts goals and activities. Incorporating an arts and cultural element into the city’s General Plan was a major milestone for the city in recognizing the role and value of the arts and culture within the built environment and community’s interests. In 1981 the Reserve Fund for Culture and Arts was formed, giving $55,000 annually to “specific cultural or artistic planning, promotion and/or construction projects.” During 2003-2006, the city created a policy outlining regulations for a funding stream for the arts. Development fees were also established to help fund the construction of arts and cultural facilities. These fees have helped create the Oasis Senior Community Center as well as the Civic Center and Central Library. These venues have become cherished and well-used resources for arts and cultural programming in Newport Beach. With a solid foundation of local community arts and culture assets and an established Arts Commission, The Newport Beach Master Arts and Culture Plan is the next step in laying the groundwork for arts and culture infrastructure. The plan also demonstrates the city’s commitment to establishing specific action items for expanding arts and culture in the city. Most importantly, the plan provides a pathway for new opportunities so that current and future generations who live in, work in and visit Newport Beach can embrace the enhanced quality of life offered by arts and culture programs and events. Newport Beach Art Foundation’s “Art in the Park” Orange County Museum of Art The current General Plan cites the importance of arts and culture for Newport Beach and the expectation that continued vibrant and meaningful programs will require “coordination, preservation, and promotion” in order to avoid unintended losses of cultural assets. The creation of a new master plan is important and appropriate in light of City-sponsored programming at the Civic Center, the Libraries, OASIS, and Newport Coast Community Center, plus the planned community centers at Newport Ridge and Marina Park and the potential City development of other assets such as the historic Balboa Theatre. The plan is also important to the City’s expressed desire to continue nurturing the other cultural assets within its borders, such as these non-profit arts organizations which call Newport Beach home: the Newport Beach Festival, the Newport Beach Jazz Festival, the Southern California Children’s Chorus, Coastline College Art Gallery, Baroque Music Festival of Corona del Mar, and the Hutchins Consort. Creative businesses have also established themselves in the city such as Grace Lane Gallery, Brett Rubbico Gallery and Susan Spiritus Gallery as well as the top five architectural and advertising firms in Orange County as ranked by the Orange County Business Journal. The City’s arts commission now hosts performing arts events at the Civic Center, and the Newport Theatre Arts Center is well-established as a local community theatre. Other cultural venues include The Balboa Theatre, The Lido Theatre, and The Port Theatre. Why Now for Newport Beach? Right outside the geographic boundaries of the city exists the cultural campus at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa that is home to world-class performing arts organizations and is soon to be home to the Orange County Museum of Art. Also nearby are the University of California, Irvine, with its theatres and galleries, the Irvine Barclay Theatre, a major professional performing arts venue, and the City of Laguna Beach, a historic and vital arts colony with major arts institutions. Although important cultural assets exist in Newport Beach, the arts scene is still viewed by citizens and professionals alike as not having achieved the same level of development as neighboring communities. The opportunity to create a new Master Arts and Culture Plan can now stand on the shoulders of the excellent work completed in the past and the timing is right to implement a specific action plan that has measurable outcomes. Page 7 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan “I am excited to see my city step it up a notch and focus on a strategy for arts and cultural planning!”- Business Focus Group Participant Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 8 Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park To evaluate the arts, culture, and community resources within the city of Newport Beach, Arts Orange County (Arts OC) engaged in an inventory and assessment process known as cultural asset mapping. Using this industry best practices approach, Arts OC embraced a broad definition of culture and conducted 25 one-on-one interviews with local leaders from various sectors spanning the arts and culture field, business, and City officials. Six focus groups were conducted which included stakeholders representing the fields of Arts Education, Artists, Arts & Cultural Organizations, Potential Arts Partners, City Affiliates, Teens from the Mayor’s Youth Council, and the Business Community. On-site visits were made to many locations including six of the largest community parks, Newport Theatre Arts Center, Sherman Library and Gardens, Coastline College Art Gallery, ExplorOcean, Balboa Theatre, Orange County Museum of Art, and the Cannery, as well as programs of these and other organizations such as Baroque Music Festival of Corona del Mar, Newport Beach Film Festival, and the City of Newport Beach Art Exhibition. Research Methodology A community forum was held to gain an in-depth perspective on the wider community’s opinions on several emerging themes from previous input from stakeholders and focus groups. The last step in the process was to distribute a public survey to gather additional input from the community at large. Arts OC utilized a number of databases to reach approximately 39,000 citizens via e-mail as well as distributing information through every Homeowners Association and a variety of arts and community organizations, in order to make them aware of the opportunity to attend the public forum and to participate in the online public survey. Of further value to the process was Arts OC’s existing knowledge of the community and familiarity with its cultural assets. The recommendations in this report reflect the opinions of the community members who participated in the above process as well as the expertise that Arts OC possesses and has applied from national best practice. (See Appendix B for participants and data results.) Page 9 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan The Process • 25 one-on-one interviews with key stakeholders • 6 focus groups with leaders from the arts, business, education, and city affiliates • On-site visits to organizations & venues throughout the City • A community forum with 55 attendees • An online survey for more public input { Coastline Art Gallery Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 10 Baroque Music Festival at Sherman Library and Gardens City of Newport Beach - Elected Officials* Ed Selich, Mayor Pro Tem Keith Curry, City Council Nancy Gardner, City Council Mike Henn, City Council Tony Petros, City Council *As of November 1, 2014 City of Newport Beach - Staff Dave Kiff, City Manager Terri Cassidy, Assistant City Manager Kim Brandt, Community Development Director Laura Detweiler, Recreation and Senior Services Director Tim Hetherton, Library Services Director David Webb, Public Works Director Celeste Jardine-Haug, Senior Services Manager Dave Curtis, Library Services Manager Janet Cates, Recreation Manager Newport Beach Arts Foundation Carmen Smith, President Lilah Crespin Marie Marston Mayor’s Youth Council Daniel Ginsberg Arthur Pescan Garrett Schwab Albert Szabo Elin Wolker Heather Feibleman Jaclyn Martin Community Leaders & Representatives Marian Bergeson, former State Senator Robyn Grant, Library board & past Arts Comm. Mark Hilbert, Hilbert Properties Mary Lyons, Arts Philanthropist Rich Messenger, St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church Kay Mortenson, Arts Philanthropist Thomas Nielsen, Arts Philanthropist Janet Ray, Arts Philanthropist Kirwan Rockefeller, past Arts Commissioner Alison Ryfel, Balboa Village Elizabeth Stahr, Arts Philanthropist Jill Johnson Tucker, Library board Liz Torelli, Corona del Mar Homeowners Assoc. Rev. Cindy Voorhees, St. James Church Dan Wampole, Newport Ridge Master Assoc. Business Leaders Toni Alexander, Inter Communications Inc. Barbara Edison, The Island Hotel Rob Elliot, Elliot Collaborative Diana Ghoukassian, Bistango Restuarant Wing Lam, Wahoo’s Fish Tacos Dan Miller, The Irvine Company Nina Robinson, Hoag Memorial Hospital Steve Rosansky, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce Sindi Schwartz, Muldoon’s Irish Pub Gary Sherwin, Newport Beach Tourism Council Gerald Solomon, Samueli Foundation Michele Townsend, Pacific Life Foundation Arts & Culture Organizations Steve Beazley, Balboa Performing Arts Theatre Foundation Pat Brill, Baroque Music Festival, Corona del Mar Jonathan Burke, Laguna College of Art + Design Dan Cameron, Orange County Museum of Art Rae Cohen, Newport Theatre Arts Center Dave Colley, Newport Theatre Arts Center John Forsyte, Pacific Symphony Orchestra Heather Humphries, Newport Beach Hyatt Elizabeth Kent, Seaside Musical Theatre David Michael Lee, Coastline Art Gallery Joseph S. Lewis III, Claire Trevor School of the Arts, University of California, Irvine Fred Page, Grace Lane Gallery Tom Pollock, ExplorOcean Todd Quartararo, Newport Beach Film Festival Gregg Schwenck, Newport Beach Film Festival Paula Tomei, South Coast Repertory Paul Wormser, Sherman Library and Gardens Arts Education Leaders Lisa Albert, Parent Kelly Bishop, Orange County Museum of Art Pam Blaine, Pacific Symphony Orchestra Terry Brudnak, Corona del Mar High School Leslie Feibleman, Newport Beach Film Festival Scott Fitzpatrick, Newport-Mesa Unified School District Molly Pontin, Pacific Chorale Claire Ratfield, Educator Page 11 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 12 Interview & Focus Group Participants Many thanks to the following individuals who participated in the individual stakeholder process or focus groups: It has been well-documented that the arts contribute not only to the quality of life of a community, but to its economic health as well. A variety of respected entities regularly measure the economic impact of the arts—locally, regionally and nationally—and the data that can be gleaned about Newport Beach underscores the economic value of having a healthy arts sector. The 2013 Otis Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region, prepared by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, defines the creative economy as including the following: • Businesses and individuals involved in producing cultural, artistic, and design goods and services • Creative professions and enterprises that take powerful, original ideas and transform them into practical and often beautiful goods • Organizations that provide a venue for artists to share their work with the public such as museums, art galleries & theaters • Apparel, toy, and furniture manufacturing industries The Otis Report is based upon 2012 data for the region from a variety of sources, and it breaks out Orange County data. Economic Impact of the Arts in Newport Beach Page 13 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Orange County $15 Billion annual economic impact of creative sector 90,000 employees$683 Million tax revenue [Source: Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, 2013 Otis Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region] Newport Beach $57 Million annual economic impact of largest non-profit arts organizations [Source: Federal Form 990] 847 arts-related businesses 2,793 employees [Source: Dun & Bradstreet, Americans for the Arts] A separate report on the creative economy of Newport Beach states that, within its city limits, there are: 847 arts-related businesses, employing 2,793 people, as of January 2014. This report is based upon information filed by businesses and nonprofits registered with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) and provided to us by Americans for the Arts (AFTA). According to AFTA, “Because not all businesses register, our analyses indicate an under-representation of nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists in the data.” (See Appendix C) Additionally, a review of the federal tax returns of Newport Beach’s largest nonprofit arts and cultural organizations shows that they generate an economic impact of more than $57 million in the form of direct expenditures, indirect expenditures and audience expenditures. The total amount is based upon their Form 990 reportable income and industry-standard multipliers utilized by Chapman University’s A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research in prior years’ Economic Impact of the Nonprofit Arts in Orange County reports. Organizations included in this calculation are shown in Appendix C. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 14 “It is critical to remember that musicians, dancers, painters, actors and arts administrators pay taxes, rent, and doctor’s bills like any other workers. The arts are not a special interest; they are an essential component of the economy and an especially crucial one as our nation’s future depends increasingly on its creative economy.”- Measuring the Whole Community Impact of the Arts, Robert Lynch, President, AFTA How Much do Cities Spend on the Arts? In 2013, the 60 largest U.S. cities spent an average of $7.58, according to Americans for the Arts’ annual study of Local Government Support for Local Arts Agencies. While each arts agency differs in type (government department vs. independent nonprofit) and mission (programmatic, regranting, and public art), it is clear that cities around the country believe in the value of investing public funds to advance the artistic life of their communities and to support the role they play in the local economy. How do Cities Fund the Arts? Revenue from visitors—whether through Transient Occupancy Tax, special fees or a Business Improvement District—is one of the most common methods that municipalities employ to fund their arts and culture facilities, institutions and programs. Revenue from developer fees is used most often to pay for the commissioning and installation of public art in cities around the U.S. The latter is often referred to as a “percent for art” law, though the assessment varies by community, often ranging from a fraction to 3% of the cost of new construction within a city. Page 15 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Some assess only public buildings and some allow developers to pay into an “in lieu” fund for public art (instead of having to commission their own public art and shepherd it through the City’s approval process). Many cities opt to use multiple mechanisms to fund the arts in their communities. A good example is City of San Jose, which provides funding for cultural facilities through its General Fund, using Transient Occupancy Tax revenues to award general operating grants to arts organizations and fund its own Office of Cultural Affairs, and using a fee of 1% of construction costs on public building projects only to fund public art commissioning and installation. $7.58 per capita Average expenditure of 60 most populous US cities [Source: Local Government Support for Local Arts Agencies, Americans for the Arts, 2014] $2.81 per capita Newport Beach [Source: City of Newport Beach Budget, 2014] $44.17 per capita Laguna Beach [Source: City of Laguna Beach Budget, 2014] How does Newport Beach Fund the Arts? The City of Newport Beach is no different in its desire to support the arts. Its 2014 Cultural & Arts Budget is $245,045, which amounts to $2.81 per capita, based on a 2013 estimated population of 87,293. If the City were to fund the arts at the average spending level of the largest U.S. cities mentioned above, that expenditure would increase to $661,681. Historically, the City of Newport Beach has funded from its General Fund administrative costs of the City’s Arts Commission, City- sponsored arts programming under the direction of its Arts Commission and a small pool of re- granting monies for local arts organizations and arts programs operated within the City by non-Newport Beach based organizations. The Newport Beach Arts Foundation, established in 1997, was designed to leverage private funding and grants in support of arts and culture. After an initial strong start, the foundation has struggled to grow into a mature foundation with appropriate assets to fulfill its mission and meet the needs of the community. In 2013, the City Council approved Council Policy I-13, “Public Arts and Cultural Facilities Fund,” which sets aside 2 percent of the “unallocated public benefit fees” from development agreements negotiated after the approval of this policy “for the acquisition and maintenance of permanent art structures and installations in public places throughout the City including support of capital construction programs and cultural facilities.” Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 16 }Current City Arts & Culture Funding Mechanisms • General Fund • Newport Beach Arts Foundation (an independent non-profit) • 2% unallocated public benefit fees (new in 2013) • Tourism & Business Improvement District (under consideration) In anticipation of future funds that will be generated and deposited into the fund, the City budgeted $100,000 in 2014 for the creation of a Master Arts and Culture Plan. The City has also discussed utilizing the Public Arts and Cultural Facilities Fund for renovation of the Balboa Theatre, now that it has reclaimed control of the property. Additionally, discussions took place in January, 2014 regarding the possibility of allocating $150,000 from the City’s Tourism Business Improvement District for unspecified purposes related to the arts, although no decision has yet taken place. Page 17 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Stop Loss: Protecting Newport Beach’s Arts & Cultural Assets for Quality of Life AND Economy Plans by the Orange County Museum of Art, the City’s largest arts organization to move out of Newport Beach to a site at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa that has been donated to them is seen as a preventable loss of a major cultural asset by many residents and businesses in the City of Newport Beach. “How can we have allowed this to happen?” is not an infrequent question heard from residents during the Master Arts and Culture Plan process. While most understand that the Museum’s plans are firm, and are simply determined not to allow a similar circumstance to arise again, a few hope the Museum can be dissuaded (or even prevented) from making the move. Others are hopeful that at least one of the two current Museum-owned lots might still be preserved for use as an arts venue, perhaps even with the Museum’s programmatic involvement. In the last decade, ten galleries and arts organizations in Newport Beach have closed and five have moved to other cities. Twenty years ago, the nearby City of Laguna Beach found itself in a similar situation: in prior years, twelve of its arts and culture organizations had either dissolved, moved out of the City or been absorbed into organizations outside the City through mergers and acquisitions. Alarmed at the loss of what were regarded as precious community assets, city leaders initiated a process which culminated in the production of Laguna Beach’s first Community Cultural Plan in 1996. Largely as a result of that plan’s recommendations, the City stepped up its investment in its arts infrastructure, eventually approving the creation of a Business Improvement District comprised of the City’s lodging establishments to provide a funding stream to meet the current and future needs of the City’s arts ecology. Not including the Art in Lieu Fund (the City’s public art developer fee), the City of Laguna Beach is spending more than $1,027,000 on the arts in 2014-15, for a per capita funding rate of $44.17, with 86% derived from the BID and 14% from the City’s General Fund.“Whether you live, work or play here, you know that Newport Beach is a great place. The arts will enhance what we already have.”- Arts Leaders Focus Group Participant Arts and Culture Community Assets Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 18 The cultural inventory, a list of Newport Beach’s community assets, covers a broad range of the City’s organizations, institutions, groups, venues, parks, and businesses, which comprise its cultural ecology. This asset map highlights the city’s current resources and brings attention to potential partnerships through which Newport Beach can expand and strengthen the community’s arts and cultural offerings. Findings from the key interviews, focus groups and survey were used to help verify primary organizations as well as gain feedback on how the community views many of these assets. The cultural asset map, in conjunction with data collected in the community input process, also assisted in identifying potential sites for continuing or expanded arts and cultural offerings. Respondents consistently referenced the city’s three theatres, The Balboa Theatre, Newport Theatre Arts Center, and the Lido, along with the Civic Center as key cultural assets of the city. Many spoke of their desire for greater utilization or renovation of these sites. Respondents also expressed an interest in having a festival or signature event in Newport Beach. The Dunes, Newport Ridge Park and Bonita Creek Park were cited as potential venues due to their locations, parking availability, amenities and capacity to host large groups of people without creating a negative impact on neighbors. Although residents highly value the asset of the Library and the Civic Center, many voiced a desire to see neighborhood parks also animated through arts offerings. Lastly, respondents expressed their disappointment with the proposed move of Orange County Museum of Art and voiced their desire to have this location remain as a center for arts and cultural events and programming. This move by the museum should elevate the importance of developing and promoting community programs and partnerships with many potential arts partners. Hutchins Consort Page 19 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 20 Primary Arts & Culture Assets City sponsored Arts and Culture Events •Presented by Newport Beach Arts Commission - Newport Beach Juried Art Exhibition & Sale - Civic Center Concerts - Sculpture Garden at Civic Center - Library lectures and programs - Shakespeare by the Sea - Visual and Performing Arts classes for youth and seniors at community centers - Juried Art Exhibition - Temporary art exhibitions at city facilities - Museum Tours • Newport Beach Public Libraries - The Witte Lecture Series - “Library Live” and special lecture programs - Workshops and discussion groups • Newport Beach Arts Commission funds a number of arts organizations each year to deliver arts programming in the city. Those funded in 2014 include: - Baroque Music Festival - ExplorOcean - Festival Ballet Theatre - Newport Beach Film Festival - Seaside Musical Theatre - South Coast Repertory - Southland Opera • Department of Recreation & Senior Services - Classes in all arts disciplines offered for children and seniors - Diverse arts programming offered in parks • Balboa Island Museum and Historical Society • Baroque Music Festival • The Decorative Arts Society • ExplorOcean • Musical Theatre Academy of Orange County • Newport Beach Film Festival • Newport Beach Historical Society • Newport Theatre Arts Center • Orange County Museum of Art • Seaside Musical Theatre • Sherman Library and Gardens • Southern California Children’s Chorus Arts and Culture Organizations in Newport Beach • Annual Lighting of the Bay • Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade • Art in the Park - Newport Beach Arts Foundation • Balboa Car Show • Balboa Island Art Walk • Balboa Island Parade • Baroque Music Festival • Corona del Mar Sandcastle Contest • The Decorative Arts Society Lecture Series • ExplorOcean Science Saturdays • Fall Faire at the Environmental Nature Center • Holiday Tree Lighting at Fashion Island • Hyatt Regency Newport Beach Jazz Festival • Hyatt Regency Summer Concert Series • Imagination Celebration • McFadden’s Wharf Open Air Markets • Mariner’s Park 4th of July Parade • Newport Beach Film Festival • Newport Beach Wine and Food Festival • Newport Dunes Movies on the Beach • Newport Dunes 4th of July Celebration • Old Glory Boat Parade (4th of July) • Orange County Museum of Art Artist Talks and Curatorial tours • Taste of Balboa • Wooden Boat Festival Festivals and Events • Art for the Soul • Art Resource and Appraisal Group • Brett Rubbico Gallery • Coastline Community College Art Gallery • Debra Huse Gallery • Grace Lane Gallery • Heart of the Island Gallery • Katherine Norris Fine Art Gallery • Lahaina Galleries • Peter J Art Gallery • Scene Gallery • Sher’s Art Gallery • Southern California Art Projects & Exhibitions/SCAPE • Susan Spiritus Gallery Art Galleries I. City owned • Balboa Village and Pier • Balboa Theatre • Civic Center Community Room • Civic Center Green • Friends Room at the Library • Library Branches: Central Library, Mariners, Balboa, and Corona del Mar II. Privately Owned Venues • Back Bay Science Center • Coastline Community College • Corona del Mar High School Auditorium • Environmental Nature Center • ExplorOcean • Fashion Island • Hyatt Regency Amphitheatre • Island Theatre • The Lido • Newport Bay Conservancy: Peter and Mary Muth Interpretative Center Existing Venues for Arts and Culture Programs and Events • McFadden Square and Wharf • Newport Harbor • Newport Pier • Newport Theatre Arts Center • Oasis Community Center • Parks & Community Centers • Beaches • Newport Dunes • Newport Harbor High School Loats Auditorium • Orange County Museum of Art • The Port Theatre • Rogers Gardens • Sage Hill School: The Studio • St. James • St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church • Sea Scouts • Sherman Library and Gardens It is clear from the input that was received throughout this process that the citizens of Newport Beach take enormous pride in their community from its scenic beauty and the joys of coastal living to the gorgeous weather and desirable amenities. Many cited how Newport Beach retains a small-town feel because of its village structure and how its picturesque and friendly harbor sets it apart from other Southern California coastal communities. When asked about the challenges facing the city there were several common themes. First, there is a struggle to find the balance between growth and protecting the quality of life that makes Newport Beach such a great community. Changing demographics and the need to adapt are potential worries, but some people saw arts and culture as a means to overcome them and to unite neighborhoods. Equally important was the perception frequently cited by residents that the city has not previously prioritized arts and culture in a substantive way and that now is an appropriate time to do so. A desire that was expressed consistently was to balance the development of more offices and residential units with spaces dedicated to arts and culture uses. In addition, residents applauded efforts to highlight what is unique to Newport Beach and move forward with an arts and culture agenda as a sign of cultural maturity as a city. Each of the ten recommendations refers to the community’s input and cites current City policy as it applies to that topic. Each recommendation contains next steps which are intended to provide actionable strategies to move forward with that recommendation in the short term. Recommendations Page 21| Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Sage Hill High School Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 22 It has been well-documented that the arts contribute not only to the quality of life of a community but to its economic health. That is why cities across the nation believe in making an investment in their arts and culture infrastructure. In Newport Beach, the nonprofit arts and culture sector contributes over $50 million to the local economy and there are over 800 arts and culture related organizations and businesses employing almost 3,000 people within the city limits. Overall in Orange County, the creative sector contributes $15 billion to the economy, employs 1 out of 7 workers and generates nearly $700 million in tax revenue. (See Economic Impact of the Arts section for details and sources.) 1. Grow public investment in arts and culture The value of arts and culture to the residents of Newport Beach was strongly validated through the input received over the course of this study, as was the community’s firm belief in the importance of increasing its investment in the sector. As stated in the Economic Impact section, in 2013, the 60 largest U.S. cities invested in their arts and culture at an average expenditure of $7.58 per capita, while the City of Newport Beach currently invests in its own arts and culture at a modest level of $2.81 per capita or $245,045 from the general fund. If the City were to fund the arts at the average spending level, it would increase its General Fund investment to $661,681. CA 3.1 Public and Private Sources: Support the efforts of non-profit, private and community organizations to apply for public and private grants and promote donations to support arts and cultural activities (Imp 43.1, 43.2, 43.3) CA 3.5 Funding: Provide funding for the arts in Newport Beach (Imp 43.3) --Citations from Chapter 9, City of Newport Beach General Plan Public Survey Results: “How important are arts, culture, & heritage in your life?” Very important Somewhat important Somewhat unimportant Very uninportant Unsure 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% However, cities typically prefer to utilize a mixture of funding mechanisms to address different elements of the local arts and culture programs they seek to support, and Newport Beach has already begun moving in that direction. Thus, in addition to the General Fund, Newport Beach established in 2013 a Council Policy I-13, “Public Arts and Cultural Facilities Fund,” to direct a portion of developer fees to fund arts and culture infrastructure (capital) and a portion of the Tourism Business Improvement District fund is designated for possible use in funding arts and culture programs. It is critical to consider these funds as part of a complete budget for arts and culture and carefully designate their allocation to address programming, facility and administrative needs. Page 23 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Private support can also contribute to the mix. For example, the Newport Beach Arts Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization founded in 1997, plays an adjunct role to the City’s Arts Commission and primarily raises modest funds to support the annual Commission’s Art in the Park Exhibition program. Although it is a valued contributor to the arts in the community, the Foundation is not capable of providing the level of resources needed to sustain a robust arts and culture ecology in Newport Beach. NEXT STEPS: A) Prior to the 2015-16 fiscal year budget process, form a task force to review the City’s current arts funding formulas and policies and make recommendations for levels of funding suitable to meet current needs and future aspirations. This would include recommending the use of existing sources of funds from the City’s General Fund, Newport Beach Council Policy I-13, “Public Arts and Cultural Facilities Fund,” and the Tourism Business Improvement District as well as identifying additional potential sources. B) Approve a multi-year commitment (3-5 years) to approve project budgets that exceed more than $100,000 annually such as the rotating sculpture garden at the Civic Center. Such a policy would allow for an efficient and effective planning process beyond the short timeline afforded by a single year allocation. C) Establish a clear working relationship with the Newport Beach Arts Foundation that serves their organization as well as the goals of the Arts Commission in order to align efforts and expectations. D) Solicit the involvement of prominent Newport Beach arts philanthropists as founding board members of a newly created venue in support of the arts vision. In order to take full advantage of opportunities that arise within the region and the state, a full- time arts staff member would prove invaluable. Many small and mid-sized cities in the region also see value in allocating some of their resources to the hiring of professional staff members with specialized experience in arts coordination. (Information from a representative sampling of these cities may be found in Appendix A.) NEXT STEPS: A) Review current job description (see appendix A) for position and salary level with goal of filling the position of Arts Manager with a highly qualified candidate by the start of the 2015-16 fiscal year. B) Study and consider placing arts and culture within the City department that is most aligned. C) Issue an RFP for an experienced outside consultant to work closely with the Arts Manager and Arts Commission on the implementation of the Master Arts and Culture Plan recommendations. D) Establish the necessary budget resources to accomplish these steps. A seven-member City of Newport Beach Arts Commission has been in place since 1974. The commitment of the current commissioners reflects the highest motives for serving: a passion for the arts, the desire to be part of a creative team that is tasked with building a unique cultural future for the city, and excitement at the opportunity to integrate the arts with both the community and the beautiful environment. The commitment is especially meaningful to the commissioners given the recent building of a Civic Center and the new sculpture garden. In the past, the city has had a full-time position of Arts Coordinator. Most recently, these responsibilities have been delegated to the Library Services Director. Based on feedback from the creative community, the level of collaboration required to leverage existing opportunities, as well as explore new initiatives and partnerships, will require an investment in experienced human resources best accomplished by establishing a full-time Arts Manager position. In particular, this position should work across departments to achieve the economy of scale offered by collaborating with Library Services as well as Recreation & Senior Services to align and support quality programming and to provide inclusive arts experiences throughout the City’s parks and neighborhoods. 2. Establish an appropriately-staffed Division of Arts and Culture Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 24 Newport Beach is currently home to several well respected arts organizations that could serve the citizens in a more impactful way if City policies were adjusted to accommodate their needs and took into account their status as non- profits. Such policies would also signal that Newport Beach welcomes new arts and cultural partners from outside City boundaries. Among these policies are more favorable rental fees and streamlining of facility-use processes and, where appropriate, City co- sponsorship of certain activities in order to remove financial and logistical barriers that currently prevent a more robust schedule of arts programming in Newport Beach. In addition, policies should be put in place to create opportunities for local artists such as a local panel that chooses display of art in city buildings and outside spaces throughout the City. A task force could address policies that also include designating open space for cultural use, parking issues and shuttle transportation as well as standards for new architecture in the City. 3. Establish arts-friendly City policies NEXT STEPS: Form a task force to address policies of the City and make recommendations including: • Specific guidelines by which an organization or individual qualifies for special policy designation • Fee-reduction or waivers on use of facilities by artists and non-profits offering programs for the public, including establishment of a budget of in- kind resource allocations to accomplish this. • Exploration of policy that will specifically benefit potential live/work space for artists • Process for designation of open space for cultural use • Process to address parking and transportation issues for arts and culture events • Evaluation of Communications Plan and recommendations for signage and “way-finding”, including establishment of a budget to include communications for events and activities by artists and non-profits offering programs for the public in City facilities Page 25 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Citizens feel the number one roadblock to engaging in more Newport Beach arts experiences is a lack of communication and information. The number of residents who are unaware of arts organizations that call Newport Beach home supports this outcome. To discover arts offerings, 69% relied on Email notices, 66% on word of mouth and 57% on online searches. Technology in all its current forms is critical to successfully promoting the programs of the city as well as its arts organizations. In 2004-5, the arts commission produced and distributed a Newport Beach Cultural Arts Guide at the recommendation of a marketing and public relations sub-committee (See Appendix F). This guide featured all the organizations that called Newport Beach home and was valued by the hospitality industry as a tool in serving their guests. A similar guide might be considered for online and print publication. 4. Develop a 21st century arts and culture communication plan NEXT STEPS: Form a sub-committee of the Arts Commission together with local marketing professionals (both arts and non-arts organizations), Visit Newport, and other city departments to recommend the appropriate strategies to provide residents and tourists alike with easy access to arts and culture offerings. Recommended strategies will include: • Evaluating and making recommendations on a multi- layered communications and marketing approach that includes print publications, technology and signage. • Evaluating and making recommendations on the coordination of marketing efforts with other city departments engaged in arts and culture offerings. • Forming a strategic partnership with Visit Newport that includes Newport Beach TV and using an established web platform to receive a potential direct feed from Spark OC. • Establishing a feedback mechanism at every arts event via an app for smartphones. • Identifying and recommending key appropriate locations identified for way-finding signage and banners to the arts policy task force. CA 1.3 Promotion of Cultural Arts: Build public awareness and encourage participation in the City’s arts and cultural activities (Imp 4421, 43.2) CA 3.4 Cultural Tourism: Promote cultural tourism in Newport Beach to attract visitors and tourists interested in cultural events (Imp 43.1, 43.2, 43.3) CA 3.2 Volunteer Opportunities: Promote and support volunteer opportunities for public involvement in arts and cultural programs and events (Imp 43.1, 43.2, 43.3) --Citations from Chapter 9, General Plan of the City of Newport Beach Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 26 5.2 | Develop unique programming and signature events There are already key signature events happening in Newport Beach, which should be better supported. Newport Beach Film Festival was mentioned frequently as a signature event, as well as the Newport Hyatt Jazz Concert Series and Festival. The Newport Beach boat parade was also highlighted as an existing event which could be a springboard for an imaginative and unique-themed artistic endeavor, possibly in another area of the city. When Balboa Theatre’s transformation into an arts center is completed, there is additional potential for a signature event hub that includes ExplorOcean and Balboa Park & Pier. If a large signature event were to be held in a park, community members suggested rotating the location in order to minimize its impact upon any single neighborhood. NEXT STEPS: Hold a facilitated board retreat to carefully examine the range and type of programs being currently offered and set priorities for future program plans. 5.1 | Expand support for City-sponsored arts programs The public is mostly familiar with and supportive of the programs being offered by City departments. Many speak of these programs in glowing, affectionate terms and wish to see them continued. These include: • Civic Center Concerts • Art in the Park • Sculpture Garden at Civic Center • Library lectures and programs • Shakespeare by the Sea • Visual and performing arts classes for youth and seniors at community centers • Juried Art Exhibition 5 . Develop a multi-faceted arts and culture program plan CA 1.4 Events and Programs: Encourage the continuation and expansion of cultural arts events and programs such as festivals, seminars, workshops, concerts in the parks and community cultural festivals. (Imp 43.1, 43.2) CA 3.3 Additional Resources: Utilize cultural resources outside of Newport Beach. Continue to promote the Newport Beach Sister City Association and other cultural exchange programs (Imp 43.1, 43.2, 43.3) --Citations from Chapter 9, City of Newport Beach General Plan Page 27 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan 5.3 | Expand direct and indirect support for Newport Beach arts and culture organizations Increase the amount of funding available to support existing programs. Currently, the arts commission has a small budget of $25,000 to give direct grant support to organizations that serve the community of Newport Beach. This support can be bolstered through favorable city policies such as fee-waived or fee–reduced use of facilities, marketing support, etc. as well as contracting for in- city performances by regional theater groups, instrumental ensembles, dance groups, and choirs. Arts organization representatives expressed enthusiastic support for working together to grow arts and cultural offerings in Newport Beach. Among the ways suggested is collaborating on a community calendar that effectively features arts and culture in order to make the community aware of all the opportunities that take place throughout the year. NEXT STEPS: Convene arts organizations and artists in Newport Beach annually to gain input on plans and priorities and establish collaborations. 5.4 | Engage other Newport Beach venues as potential arts and culture partners There are a number of venues as well as arts organizations that should play a role in creating the cultural fabric of the city through purposeful strategic partnerships. For instance, the Newport Theatre Arts Center has previously hosted a children’s theatre company as well as the OC Playwrights Alliance. The new Coastline Art Gallery is showing promise as a willing partner with other organizations. Other potential partners are non-traditional venues such as churches, including St. Mark’s and St. James, retail areas, such as Fashion Island, visitor accommodations, like the Newport Beach Hyatt and The Dunes, cinemas, like the Big Newport and Island Theatres, conference venues, like The Port, and commercial entertainment venues, like the Lido Theatre. They should be invited to participate in meaningful, holistic planning for the development of the City’s arts and culture life. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 28 Newport Beach Jazz Festival Many residents travel just outside the city to take advantage of the offerings nearby. The city should pursue partnerships with some of the outstanding regional arts organizations in Orange County and Southern California to bring unique cultural experiences into Newport Beach. Such offerings might include “informances” (intimate lecture/ demonstrations) by world-class artists already residing in or scheduled to visit the area, or the opportunity for these artists to break ground with new work or engage with audiences in outdoor environments. NEXT STEPS: Establish an on- going steering committee with representatives from arts organizations and other potential partners to explore and implement partnerships that will strengthen existing programming and create innovative proposals for new creative ventures. Page 29 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan 5.5 | Build partnerships with regional arts and cultural organizations Grace Lane Gallery The City Council adopted Policy I-9 and I-11 in 1986 regarding Art in Public Places and the acceptance of donations of art to the city. These policies address the responsibilities of the Arts Commission in advising city council on the selection of art pieces as well as placement at appropriate public sites. These policies are further expanded in Policy I-13, which created a Public Arts and Cultural Facilities Fund. Most recently the Arts Commission established an Art Site Suitability Ad Hoc Committee in 2014 to evaluate the city’s public locations for the placement of public art. That work was suspended in order to allow this Master Arts and Culture Plan to first be completed. However the process for moving forward is fully outlined and has been incorporated into the next steps (See Appendix A.2 and 3) There is definite interest in bringing unique, interactive, public art experiences to Newport Beach to help distinguish it from neighboring cities. Interactivity of public art in surprising locations is especially appealing to residents. 6. Refine the City’s Public Art Policy NEXT STEPS: A) Resume the Art Site Suitability Process (Appendix G) addressing the following: • Engagement of key stakeholders • Establish suitability criteria • Inventory potential locations with evaluation and ranking • Identify process for site selection and design review B) Review the existing Public Art Policy, considering national best practice, that addresses the following: • An on-going sub-committee that includes industry professionals as ad-hoc members • Establish a schedule by which budget is confirmed and projects are considered beyond the Civic Center Sculpture Exhibition • Sustainability of the Civic Center Sculpture Exhibition • Maintenance and conservation plan • Deaccession of art work CA 1.1 Public Projects: Encourage the incorporation of public art in major public projects that enhance the City’s community character as well as its buil environment, through public art donations, and working with local artists, students and community groups to create public art projects. (Imp, 40.1, 43.3) CA 1.2 Private Projects: Encourage the incorporation of public art into larger commercial projects that enhance the City’s community character as well as its built environment (Imp 2.1) --Citations from Chapter 9, City of Newport Beach General Plan Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 30 7.1 | Build a bold new unique creative space A strong desire was expressed repeatedly throughout the process that there be a bold and unique space created for the arts. A flexible 350 seat venue was the highest ranked possible use for a parcel of land at Orange County Museum of Art that will be vacated when it makes its future move to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. Even if this particular parcel cannot be used for this purpose, it was clear that there is a widely- felt need for this specific size venue somewhere in the City. In addition, creative spaces that provide the arts community as well as businesses with affordable meeting spaces were ranked highly. Such a space could serve as home to the Library Lecture series and other programs, as well as presentations by the Newport Beach Film Festival, Coastline Art Gallery, Baroque Music Festival, Hutchins Consort, and Southern California Children’s Chorus. Music groups in particular would be strong partners and be compatible with Library programming and the Newport Beach Film Festival. It would also be appropriate to consider classrooms and artist studio space as part of such a plan. 7. Develop new accessible creative spaces NEXT STEPS: A) Conduct a needs assessment of organizations that would make this venue their home. B) Conduct a feasibility study of potential sites and how one or more sites might address this recommendation. Potential sites that have been suggested include but are not limited to: Banning Ranch next to Coastline Art Gallery, the original parking lot of Central Library, the smaller Orange County Museum of Art parcel, the City Utilities Yard at end of 16th street, or Ardell Boat Yard. C) Evaluate the potential for collaboration with Newport Theatre Arts Center with the intent of renovating the space and diversifying the arts experiences offered at the venue while protecting its rich history of community theatre. D) Identify the appropriate City representatives to work with the Museum to explore the future use of its land. E) Effectively fulfill the commitment to Council Policy i-13. CA 2.1 Facilities – Explore opportunities to accommodate current or emerging cultural arts programs within existing and new facilities by working with community groups for sharing of performance and exhibit space and considering the potential for new facilities (Imp 9.1, 43.1, 43.2, 43.3) CA 2.2 Shared Venues – Continue the use of shared exhibit space for the display of arts exhibitions such as the Central Library and City Hall (imp 9.1) --citations from City of Newport Beach General Plan, 2003 Page 31 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan The City is at the start of planning the renovation and use of the historic Balboa Theatre, which has reverted to its control. There is a general concept in place that would involve offering classes and events that would serve the community as a multi-purpose cultural center. The importance of addressing this venue is validated by the fact that residents felt that Balboa was a part of the City that most needed and could be most positively affected by revitalization efforts through the arts. With ExplorOcean as an anchor, and a potential parking garage under discussion, this is a great opportunity to collaborate between the departments of Library Services, Recreation & Senior Services and the recommended new Arts division. The public is aware of many issues, especially traffic and parking, which could prove a roadblock to programming that seeks to attract large numbers from outside Balboa. Residents expressed a desire to see the facility serve the community in a variety of ways, with the highest ranked programs being film and movie events closely followed by live performances and creative community events. (See Appendix I for results of Balboa Theatre potential audience survey.) NEXT STEPS: Clarify the role of the Arts Commission as a strategic partner in the new plans for Balboa Fine Arts Center and collaborate with Recreation and Senior Services to contribute to the success of the project. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 32 Public Survey Results: “Most desirable use for new creative space” RANKING USE 1 A 350-seat flexible theatre space that would serve established community programs (chosen as #1 by over 50% of respondents) 2 A Center that is environmentally sensitive and architecturally unique that combines the arts and sciences 3 Creative Meeting Spaces/Retreat Center available for rent on a sliding scale for non-profits as well as business 4 Artists studio space open to the public with exhibition space, class-room and small recital space 7.2 | Retain Balboa Theatre site for arts and culture use Examples of art components that can be incorporated into a newly developed teen center include: Open Mic Night for teen performances in various genres including music, spoken word and comedy; state of the art digital design studio; filmmaking, photography and creative writing workshops. A planned new community center in West Newport has been identified as a potential venue that could incorporate plans to accommodate the needs of teens. NEXT STEPS: Evaluate how to serve teens more effectively focusing specifically on: • Establishing a new teen center(s) that could include an arts and creativity component at existing venues such as Newport Coast Community Center and St. Andrews Church • Review existing programming for opportunities to include programming for youth or student rush tickets • Consider the needs of teens and young adults with the addition of any new program or facility. • Involve representative teens in the planning process Page 33 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan 7.3 | Evaluate and establish location for a Creative Teen Center Residents feel that young adults and teenagers deserve more attention and services through arts and culture. Teens expressed pleasant memories of attending classes when younger but were unfamiliar with anything the city is currently offering. Their general impression was that the city is lacking in arts and culture. Interestingly, they most cherished the older neighborhoods of Corona del Mar and Balboa because of their more eclectic, friendly and artistic community feel. The desire for a creative teen center was defined as a “safe cool place” to hang out that stayed open later than 9 p.m. Teens currently gravitate towards University Town Center (near UC Irvine) or alternative-style shopping districts like The Lab and The Camp in Costa Mesa. They are able to walk around, feel safe as if in their own “pod”, and the places feel intimate, cool, artistic and easy-going. The need was further expressed as a place to create, as well as experience art where food trucks were welcome or there was a café. Although residents expressed a great fondness for the Civic Center as an arts venue, they also did not want to lose sight of what could be experienced in their neighborhood parks. When asked to rank potential programming, residents chose high quality live performances, followed by public art gardens, fitness trails, and community arts showcases. Additional suggestions included a traveling puppet theatre appearing in multiple parks, pop-up art and flash mob-style performances, “battle of the bands,” and a portable graffiti wall to engage youth. They were intrigued by interactive public art when shown visual images of actual installations, but did not rank it highly in the written survey which did not include visual images. Arts organizations and schools are interested in exploring outdoor venues across the city, however the City’s parks are not currently equipped with adequate staging, sound, screen, projection and often lack sufficient parking capacity. Suggestions to solve infrastructure issues included evaluating the purchase of a portable “showmobile” as well as assessing 1-2 parks for their ability to easily accommodate an outdoor built-in amphitheater. An investment in the infrastructure that could be used by arts organizations and schools would provide many more opportunities that benefit the community, especially youth. 8. Animate existing City parks, beaches and other public spaces with unique programming, signature events and neighborhood festivals NEXT STEPS: Collaborate across departments to include and support potential unique programming in city parks and beaches and evaluate infrastructure needs. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 34 Shakespeare in the Park P h o t o : S a g e H i l l H i g h S c h o o l The education community finds importance in exploring and establishing substantive win-win partnerships in the arts with the City. By working together, Coastline College, Newport-Mesa Unified School District, and private schools like Sage Hill, Harbor Day, Cardin Hall, the Montessori Schools and other educational organizations can address access, cost and convenience of arts offerings. This can range from class offerings and hands-on arts engagement for all age groups as well as the prospective use of open time in their facilities. Even though some felt that the city is doing a great job with robust offerings for youth, many felt that these could be improved upon in terms of affordability and quality of the offerings. Residents highly rated the important role of the arts for engagement and skill building by youth. They also felt that the city had a role to play in encouraging arts education. 9. Establish key partnerships that support arts education NEXT STEPS: A) Appoint a City staff Liaison and an Arts Commissioner who will evaluate strategic opportunities and collaboration with private and public schools. Specifically this liaison will serve the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Arts Commission as they move forward with their strategic arts plan for public schools. (See Appendix H) B) Create a plan for collaboration with Education K-16. Strategies can include: • Hosting private and public schools showcases in Band, Chorus, Strings, Visual Arts and Dance at City venues • Providing opportunities for teens and college students to serve as apprentices. • Special waivers for use of space when guidelines are met • Identify opportunities for collaboration on joint events at City venues or school venues CA 1.5 Arts Education: Partner with the community to encourage and strengthen arts education for children, youth, adults and seniors in the City. (Imp 43.1, 43.2) --Citations from Chapter 9, City of Newport Beach General Plan Page 35 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Outstanding design and functionality are the hallmarks of great cities, and the City of Newport Beach has a fine example of that in its new Civic Center. Large or small, public facilities projects, public works projects and private development offer the City the opportunity to strive for world-class design. By allowing for appropriate input by arts and design experts in the community at the earliest possible conceptual phases of public facilities and infrastructure planning, the City can ensure that its highest aspirations for the built environment are achieved. These include everything from buildings to playground equipment, from way-finding and interpretive signage to bus shelters and park benches. 10. Include aesthetic considerations in City processes which review and approve public and private development of the built environment. NEXT STEPS: Review existing City planning approval processes to identify and establish appropriate means to ensure input by arts and design experts at the earliest possible conceptual stages. Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 36 Newport Beach OASIS Senior Center Ph o t o : R a b b e n / H e r m a n d e s i g n o f f i c e Southern California Children’s Chorus Page 37 | Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan Newport Theatre Arts Center Newport Beach Film Festival Resident arts professionals expressed a strong desire to stay involved in helping shape the arts and culture strategies within the recommendations that have been outlined on the previous pages. Phase II of the Master Arts and Culture Plan would be as follows: • Establish an entity and timeline to monitor and evaluate programming and protocol established through the Master Arts Plan. This will ensure that the vision is periodically updated to consider newly emerging art forms or shifting community needs/preferences. • Convene specific task forces together with Arts Commission sub-committee(s) and key City staff in a retreat to identify strategies, priorities and timeline to implement the Recommendations • Consider adding ad hoc members to a sub-committee of the Arts Commission in order to benefit from community expertise. • Use mini-surveys at all city arts and culture events across all departments to gather additional feedback where appropriate. Next Steps Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 38 “Strong cultural institutions give people a sense of place, a sense of volunteerism, and promote tolerance and understanding.”- Newport Beach Resident Photo by Ron Yee Recommended Short and Mid-term Action Steps Page 39| Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan IMMEDIATE & ON-GOING • Continue the current protocol of allocating 2% of development fees into an arts facilities reserve fund to be applied to either the creation and support of new facilities or refurbishing of existing arts facilities [Recommendation 1 - Grow public funding] • Monitor, support and collaborate on the vision for the Balboa Fine Arts Center [Recommendation 7 - New creative space] • Collaborate across departments to include and support potential unique programming in City parks and beaches and evaluate infrastructure needs [Recommendation 8 - Animate City parks and beaches] • Designate City Arts Commissioner as a liaison who will evaluate strategic opportunities and collaboration with private and public schools. [Recommendation 9 - Arts education] • Review existing City planning approval processes to identify and establish appropriate means to ensure input by arts & design experts at the earliest possible conceptual stages. [Recommendation 10] BY JANUARY, 2015 • Prior to the 2015-16 fiscal year budget process, form a task force to review the City’s current arts funding formulas and policies that can make recommendations for levels of funding suitable to meet current needs and future aspirations. [Recommendation 1] • Revise and post the original RFP to fill the role of a full time Cultural Arts Manager [Recommendation 2 - Staffing] • Budget up to $40,000 value per year for in-kind resource allocations for Newport Beach and community arts organizations. Examples of in-kind allocations will include free or reduced fee use of public facilities, equipment and service personnel as well as signage and marketing, and permit waivers. [Recommendation 3 - City policy] • Allocate resources to conduct a feasibility of available land for a 350-seat venue [Recommendation 7 - New creative space] • Review need for a Creative Teen Center with Community Services [Recommendation 7] Newport Beach Master Arts & Culture Plan | Page 40 MARCH, 2015 • Develop an RFP for an arts consultant to begin implementation of theis plan working in conjunction with the Cultural Arts manager and the City Arts Commission, budgeting up to $75,000 over a 3-year period [Recommendation 2 - Staffing] • Conduct a needs assessment of organizations that would use a new 350 seat flexible venue [Recommendation 7 - New creative space] MAY, 2015 • Begin feasibility study of available land where a new 350 seat venue could be located [Recommendation 7 - New creative space] BY JUNE, 2015 • Review existing public art policy and update as needed [Recommendation 6 - Public Art Policy] • Resume site suitability committee work to identify all city owned venues appropriate for exhibition or installation of art. [Recommendation 6 - Public Art Policy] NOVEMBER, 2015 • Annual Review of Strategic Arts and Culture Plan Arts Orange County is the non-profit, countywide arts council of Orange County, California. Recognized by the California Arts Council as a model agency based on the quality of its work, it has served as the officially-designated local arts agency and state- local partner of the County of Orange since 1995. Its mission is to be the leader in building appreciation of, participation in, and support for the arts and arts education throughout Orange County. The council’s dedicated and passionate staff and Board of Directors support a vision to establish the county as one of the top creative communities in the nation. To that end, Arts Orange County (Arts OC) serves as a resource and advocate for the arts community, as a catalyst for leadership on arts issues, and as a sponsor of programs and services which enhance public awareness of arts activities and promote the development of the arts and arts education. Arts OC offers affordable project management and consulting services to regional arts organizations and cities such as strategic planning, project managment, board and staff retreats, and public art facilitation. Recent clients include: OC Fair and Event Center, California Alliance for Arts Education, Irvine Barclay Theatre, Pacific Symphony, and the City of Irvine. About the Consultant Arts Orange County 3730 S. Susan Street, Suite 100, Santa Ana, CA 92704 ArtsOC.org | 714.556.5160 | info@artsoc.org