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File Number: 19-411 <br />cultural life in San Leandro. A variety of public priorities related to art and culture were identified. <br />Following further discussions by the City Council in subsequent months, at the July 7, 2014 City <br />Council meeting, Councilmembers directed staff to research the formation of a new City of San <br />Leandro Arts Commission. <br />Staff then presented its analysis along with a draft resolution and ordinance that was adopted by <br />the City Council at the September 2, 2014 regular City Council meeting. The adopted ordinance <br />formally established the City’s first Arts Commission by amending Sections 1-3-100, 1-3-110 and <br />1-3-115, and adding Title I, Chapter 3, Article 16 to the San Leandro Municipal Code. The first <br />members of the Commission were appointed by the Mayor and each member of the City Council <br />later that year. The Commission commenced regular meetings in January, 2015. <br />Analysis <br />Although the Arts Commission was initially assigned staffing support from the Recreation & <br />Human Services Department, due to staffing limitations, the Commission’s staffing assignment <br />was later transitioned to the City Manager’s office beginning in January, 2018. Since the time of <br />its formation, the Arts Commission has worked on a number of important projects and activities <br />designed to enhance arts and culture in San Leandro. To assist the Commission with its efforts, <br />the City Council appropriated $100,000 in annual funds to the Arts Commission in the 2017-18 <br />and 2018-19 Fiscal Year budgets. In addition, a $75,000 appropriation was included for the <br />Commission’s use in the FY 2019-20 (current fiscal year) budget. <br />Highlights of the Arts Commission’s accomplishments include: <br />·The development of a Public Art Master Plan, which was formally presented to the City <br />Council at its September 5, 2017 regular meeting; <br />·Launch of an Arts & Culture grants program in 2018, which distributed over $33,000 to 12 <br />local San Leandro-based artists and arts-serving organizations for various artistic projects <br />and cultural activities; <br />·Development of a City website devoted to public art <br />(www.sanleandro.org/about/public_art/ <http://www.sanleandro.org/about/public_art/>); <br />·Guidance and recommendations to the City’s public utility box mural program, and various <br />other mural projects across the City; <br />·Development and execution of new designs for street banners for Wicks Boulevard and <br />Bancroft Avenue, per the direction of the City Council; and <br />·Production of a successful live comedy event at the Main Library, held on June 22, 2019. <br />In addition to these efforts, during this past year, the Arts Commission held numerous discussions <br />about other ways in which it could allocate its funding to enhance the City’s artistic and cultural life. <br />Following these discussions, the Commission ultimately decided to allocate up to $135,000 of its <br />Page 2 City of San Leandro Printed on 7/9/2019 <br />503