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Arsts and Cultural Affiars Advisory Commission_Special Project Funding 2013City of Dubuque .marts & Cultural _Affairs Advisory Commission June 8, 2012 The Honorable Mayor and City Council City of Dubuque 50 W. 13th Street Dubuque, IA 52001 Re: Arts and Culture Grant Program for Special Projects FY 2013 Funding Competition -- Applications and Recommendations Dear Mayor and City Council Members: Introduction The Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission has reviewed a record 14 grant applications from Dubuque organizations requesting $91,286 in funds from the FY 2013 Arts and Culture Grant Program for Special Projects. These grants also leverage another $54,776 in community investment for these projects. This memo transmits the Commission's funding recommendations. Background There is $35,000 budgeted for the Arts and Culture Grant Program for Special Projects. This is the ninth round of competitive grants for this program. Four years ago, the City Council approved the commission's recommendation to limit funding in this program to no more than two consecutive years per organization and that applications had to score at least 75 points out of 100 to be considered for funding. The Commission established a minimum point threshold to ensure that only high quality projects are recommended for funding. Discussion The Special Projects grant program was designed to encourage the development of new or expanded arts and cultural programs in the Dubuque community. The Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission solicited applications for the grant program in January. Media releases were issued, applications were available on the City of Dubuque's website, all known arts and cultural organizations were notified of the grant opportunity, and two grant workshops were conducted by staff. Staff has also met with a number of grant applications to provide technical assistance. This year the commission received grant requests from two new organizations — Brick Road Films and Dubuque Fire Pipes and Drum Band. On May 22, the Commission reviewed and ranked the applications based on the established criteria. • Priority funding will be given to new or expanded programming • Degree to which proposed project furthers the cultural arts goals of the City of Dubuque's Comprehensive Plan • Degree to which proposed project reflects careful planning and can be implemented in a timely manner • Impact of project on broader Dubuque Community • Organizational experience and capacity of applicant Recommendation The Commission is recommending that the top 6 ranked applicants be funded at their full grant request. The Commission is also recommending that the City Council approve the carryover of $4,662 in FY 12 budgeted funds so we have adequate funds available to fund the 6th highest rated application. Recommended grant awards are: Dubuque Museum of Art Dubuque Symphony Dubuque Chorale NE Iowa School of Music Grand Opera House Dubuque Co Historical Dubuque at Work, 1912 -2012 Photography Summer Melodies Legacy of the British Isles Lollipops & Music for our Preschoolers Ghosts of the Grant Julien Dubuque, The Artistic Portrayal $7,762 $9,730 $6,400 $2,700 $5,000 $8,070 In addition to the two new applicants, grant requests were also received from the Dubuque Arboretum Association, Inc., the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, Loras College, Matter, the Multicultural Family Center and the University of Dubuque. While there were other quality applications submitted, there were not adequate funds to award grants to all of these organizations. An executive summary of each project recommended for funding is attached. The Commission feels that its strategy undertaken four years ago to require those organizations that had applied two years in a row to sit out for a year and to formalize scoring of the applications to require 75 points to be funded has been successful. This strategy was undertaken to encourage a wide range of creative projects from varied non - profits, including first -time applicants, and to keep the quality and artistic merit of those projects high. Action The Council is requested to approve the six FY 2013 Arts and Culture Grants for Special Projects and authorize the City Manager to sign the grant agreements. The Commission is very appreciative of the City Council's support of this grant program. We are extremely pleased with the quality of the grant applications and the multitude of quality arts and culture projects that have been funded through this program. We are very pleased to be working closely with the City of Dubuque in promoting arts and cultural activities in our community as well as utilizing the arts to promote cultural understanding. Sincerely, Marina O'Rourke Chairperson Encl: Executive Summary of Grant FY 2013 ARTS AND CULTURE GRANT PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS Executive Summary of Projects Recommended for Funding Dubuque Museum of Art $7,762 Dubuque at Work, 1912 -2012 Photography The proposed project is a photography exhibition based on the work of local artist Tim Olson and the historic William J. Klauer Collection housed at the Loras College Center for Dubuque History. The project is a collaboration between the Dubuque Museum of Art, Loras College and Tim Olson. The exhibit juxtaposes approximately 25 pairs of photographs from these collections and is planned for December 7th, 2012, through March 17, 2013, in the Museum's Falb Family Gallery. It is the culmination of a nearly two -year project. Dubuque Symphony Orchestra $9,730 Summer Melodies — A Free Concert at the Arboretum Summer Melodies — A Free Concert at the Arboretum is a project that will take the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra out into the community rather than asking the community to come to the symphony. By partnering with the Dubuque Arts Council to offer a free outdoor concert in a natural gathering place like the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens at Marshall Park, which is known for its summertime concert series, it will introduce the symphony to a segment of the population that is presently not being served. With a concert repertoire that will consist of light classics, pops and patriotic music, it is sure to attract many individuals who would never consider attending a traditional symphony performed at the Five Flags Theater. It helps to fill a void left behind by the Independence Pops and Labor Day Pops concerts of years past, and will be held in June 2013. Dubuque Chorale $6,400 Legacy of the British Isles: "I have had singing..." The Legacy of the British Isles: "I have had singing..." event will be a choral and instrumental concert featuring a variety of Irish, Scottish and English Folk Songs as well as sacred music from or relating to the British Isles. The history of Dubuque's immigrants from the British Isles will also be explored through a display of photographs and documents, projected images, and oral presentations delivered by historical experts and descendants of Dubuque's early settlers. This event will be held at St. Raphael's Cathedral in downtown Dubuque on Saturday evening, April 27th 2013. Preview performances will be presented by the newly formed Dubuque Chorale Chamber Choir at St. Patrick's and other local churches during the weeks prior to the main event. Northeast Iowa School of Music $2,700 Lollipops & Music for Preschoolers This project is a free monthly concert series for preschoolers and their families. One concert per month will be held on Saturday mornings at Carnegie Stout Public Library in Dubuque. This series introduces young children to a variety of musical sounds, instruments, and styles and exposes them to the arts at an early age through a program that is both entertaining and educational. The proposed series will be comprised of eight concerts which will last approximately 30 minutes and at the conclusion, the children will receive lollipops. The series will take place one Saturday per month from October 2012 through May 2013. Grand Opera House $4,000 Ghosts of the Grand This original production, written by Vince Williams and Craig Beytien, will relate the history and legends of paranormal activity at Dubuque's historic Grand Opera House, well known as one of Iowa's "haunted" locations. The ghost legend will be dramatized and famous entertainers who performed at the Grand are incorporated into the plot. Special effects and illusions will be used plus elements of history, story- telling, music and drama will be combined to create a unique to Dubuque experience for the Halloween season of 2012. Dubuque County Historical Society $8,070 Julien Dubuque: The Artistic Portrayal Through this project the County Historical Society will contract with two forensic sculptors to create an accurate rendering of our city's founder, Julien Dubuque. One will be a traditional bust and one an interactive digital sculpture. These sculptures will provide the most accurate portrayal yet of Julien Dubuque and engage the community in discovering the history of the person and the artistic processes used in this discovery. This project will serve as the second phase of the CSI: Julien Dubuque exhibit currently at the Old Jail Gallery. The busts will be unveiled in May 2013.