Arts and Culture Funding FY 2010_Operating SupportCity of Dubuque
.marts & Cultural.~l
airs Advisory Commission
June 8, 2009
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Dubuque
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
Re: Arts and Culture Funding Program for Operating Support
FY 2010 Funding Requests and Commission Recommendations
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
Introduction
The Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission has reviewed thirteen funding
requests from Dubuque arts and culture organizations requesting $282,755 in funds
from the FY 2010 Arts and Culture Funding Program for Operating Support. This memo
transmits the Commission's funding recommendations and requests that the Council
approve the recommendations and associated funding agreements.
Background
In March 2005, the City Council approved a $200,000 budget decision package
providing resources for the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission to make
recommendations to City Council for the best investment in the community for arts and
culture.
In May 2005, the City Council approved the Commission's recommendation to establish
an Arts and Culture Funding Program for Operating Support. The Commission
recommended that operating support be provided to high-quality, established 501(c)(3)
arts and culture organizations located in the City of Dubuque that primarily serve
Dubuque residents with year-round arts and culture events, programs and services, and
can demonstrate a record of programmatic and administrative stability. Arts and culture
advocates worked for many years to educate the community about why our arts and
culture organizations need City funding and why this financial investment is good for
Dubuque. The Commission believes it is important to sustain and insure long-term
viability for existing arts and culture organizations and to create a welcoming
environment for new organizations. The Commission reviewed funding requests for FY
2006, FY 2007, FY 2008 and FY 2009 and recommended that the council award
funding to 12 organizations for FY 2006 totaling $200,000 and 9 organizations for FY
2007 totaling $200,000, 11 organizations in FY 2008 totaling $200,000 and 12
organizations for FY 2009 totaling $200,000. The fifth round of competition (FY 2010)
for the operating support program was announced in March, 2009. Arts and culture
organizations were notified of the funding competition by direct mail, media releases,
and posting on the City's web site. Staff also conducted two application workshops in
March to provide an overview of the program and answer questions
Discussion
The Commission received funding requests from thirteen different Dubuque Arts and
Culture organizations. Based on the maximum funding levels initially established for the
program, (6% of organization's previous year's operating expenses or $50,000,
whichever is less) the funding requests totaled $282,757. Total funding available in the
FY 2010 budget is $200,000. Budget constraints have limited the Commission's ability
to fully fund the eligible organizations. The Commission was aware that due to a static
budgeted amount for the Arts and Culture Operating Support Program coupled with an
increasing number of eligible applicant organizations and the increased operating
budgets of those organizations, it was highly unlikely that organizations would be
funded at the maximum funding formulas. The program guidelines stated "It is likely
that qualified organizations will not be funded at this level; actual awards will be based
on the number of eligible applicants and the degree to which applicant meets selection
criteria." The Commission also established a point value for the various rating criteria
to assist with ranking the funding requests.
Selection criteria for the program are:
1. Dubuque arts and culture organizations whose mission is primarily arts and
culture and the degree to which their programs and services support that
mission and the city's cultural arts goals. (40 points possible)
2. Organization's demonstrated management abilities (financial position or
condition, fiscal responsibility, and management.) (25 points possible)
3. Organization's demonstrated artistic or cultural excellence and leadership (20
points possible.)
4. Impact of organization on broader Dubuque Community (15 points possible)
The Commission reviewed a number of possible funding formulas including reducing
the cap and the percentage levels of funding.
After extensive discussion, the consensus of the Commission is to recommend to City
Council the following:
a) Reduce the maximum funding cap from $50,000 to $40,000, or 6% of an
organization's operating expenditures. Reduction of the funding cap will
directly impact the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra, the Dubuque County
Historical Society, the Colt's Drum and Bugle Corps and the Grand Opera
House this year but may impact other larger arts organization in future years.
b) Commission is recommending that organizations be funded at the following
percentage of operating expenditures based on their score:
90 points or above: 4.5% of organization's operating expenditures
85 - 89 points: 4.2% of organization's operating expenditures
80-84 points: 3% of organization's operating expenditures
79 points and below: 2.5% of organization's operating expenditures
c) Commission is recommending not to fund the application from Main Street Ltd.
for operating support because the organization requested a specific amount and
because of the lack of arts financial information submitted with the application.
While Main Street does provide arts programming, it engages in other efforts as
well.
Recommended funding levels are:
Organization Score Amount
Dubuque Symphony Orchestra 97 $40,000
Dubuque Museum of Art 86.2 23,871
Dubuque Arts Council 95.6 3,816
Dubuque Chorale 79.5 243
Grand Opera House 82.3 26,954
Bell Tower Productions 92.6 11,311
Dubuque County Historical 96.8 40,000
Fly-By-Night Productions 88.8 472
Colts Drum & Bugle 88.7 40,000
Dubuque Fine Arts Society 91 3,003
Northeast Iowa School of Music 83.8 6,044
Dubuque Arboretum 83.7 4,286
A spreadsheet is attached which details the recommended funding levels as well as the
operating support funding provided to the organizations in FY 2009.
Action
The Council is requested to approve the twelve FY 2010 Arts and Culture Operating
Support funding requests and authorize the City Manager to sign the funding
agreements.
The Commission is extremely appreciative of the City Council's support of arts and
cultural organizations and is looking forward to working together to support the artistic
and cultural development of the City.
Sincerely,
Louise Kames
Chairperson
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission
Encl.
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