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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 - Cultural Resources Board - Annual ReportCULTURAL RESOURCES BOARD ANNUAL REPORT - 2005 BACKGROUND The Cultural Resources Board consists of seven members. Regular meetings were held on the last Thursday of each month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Center. The Board receives monthly staff reports and acts in an advisory capacity to City Council for the Cultural Services and Facilities Department that includes Lincoln Center, the Fort Collins Museum and other responsibilities as needed. The Board reviews and advises staff on the following: annual budget, facilities improvement and programming (exhibits, shows, outreach) and other issues as they arise. The Board continues to gather community input on cultural issues and represent the ideas expressed. Members who served in 2005 were Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Ayleen Bums, Carol Ann Hixon, Patrick Moran, Jack Steele, Jon Wilkinson, and Ann Wilmsen. Ayleen Burns served as Chairperson January through October; Patrick Moran served as chair October through December. Ann Wilmsen served as Vice -Chairperson. Council liaison: Karen Weitkunat. Staff Liaisons in 2005 were Marry Heffernan, Jill Stilwell, Cheryl Donaldson, Libby Colbert, Evan Hyatt, and Brent Carmack. Liaison from the Convention & Visitors Bureau was Jim Clark. YEARLY HIGHLIGHTS - 2005 ARTS & HUMANITIES MONTH: The Board built on the work they had done in 2004 to promote October as Arts & Humanities Month as a step towards awareness of culture and the arts in Fort Collins. They collaborated with the Best Western University Inn, the Fort Collins Convention and Visitors Bureau (FCCVB), and the City of Fort Collins to produce posters and bookmarks to advertise the month. Patrick Moran donated his design services and Alex Cook at the Best Western University Inn donated the funds to print the poster and bookmarks, which were distributed locally. The Board connected with over 60 local cultural, heritage, and arts organizations and compiled a comprehensive list of events occurring in Fort Collins during October. The list was then available on both the City's and FCCVB's website. The Board also developed a treasure hunt of Art in Public Places projects and made it available to the school district. Cultural Resources Board Annual Report — 2005 Page 2 ARTS & HUMANITIES MONTH (CONT.): The Board attended the City Council meeting on October 4 b and Mayor Hutchinson proclaimed October as Arts and Humanities Month. ROLE OF THE CRB: With the encouragement of council liaison, Karen Weitkunaut, the Board undertook the process of redefining itself and its role. After several retreats and special meetings, the Board established a new overarching goal for itself: "To serve as a catalyst in making Fort Collins a cultural center and destination." The Board also developed four key strategies for achieving this goal including: • Creating a Common Vision by reaching out to various key organizations; • Creating Awareness Regionally of Fort Collins' cultural offerings; • Using the Resources Available to the Board, specifically the Fort Fund program, to forward the overarching goal; and • Networking with entities that can impact the development and awareness of culture and the arts in Fort Collins. This new role for the Board is reflected in the 2006 Work Plan. BUDGET PROCESS: The Board made recommendations for the 2006-2007 budget process to the City Manager. The Board recommended retaining current funding levels for the Fort Collins Museum and the Lincoln Center, as they had both suffered cuts over the previous years. They also encouraged restoring staffing levels that had been reduced due to freezes and vacancies. BUILDING ON BASICS: The Board recommended Council include the joint Fort Collins Museum/Discovery Science Center facility and the Lincoln Center renovations in the `Building on Basics" tax renewal. FORT FUND: The Board monitored the impact of the three -tiered funding system that was instituted in 1998 and made changes as needed. The Board recommended funding in the amount of $40,850 to 26 organizations in January; $115,400 to 13 organizations in April; Cultural Resources Board Annual Report — 2005 Page 3 FORT FUND (CONT): and $40,704 to 27 organizations in June. City Council approved all funding recommendations. These grants resulted in support for over a hundred community cultural and recreational events. The Board also continued to evaluate the Fort Fund process and guidelines. LIAISONS: The Board maintained liaisons to the following cultural entities throughout the year: ConventionNisitors Bureau — Ayleen Bums Fort Collins Museum — Jack Steele Art -In -Public -Places Board — Ann Wilmsen The Board also formed a new liaison with the Downtown Development Authority's subcommittee for the "Beet Street" project. Board Chair, Patrick Moran, will sit on this newly formed committee in 2006.