The Way Forward: Restoring Arlington Cultural Affairs (Post Artisphere) April 7, 2015 Under the award-winning innovation of an Arts Incubator, Arlington encouraged groups to use county facilities and to combine many of its backstage operations, including the costume collections and scene shops. These initiatives brought the programs national attention when it won awards from the Ford Foundation and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 1996. -- Washington Post 1
Arlington County Policy for the Support of Arts Organizations and Grants Approved by Arlington County Board on December 8, 1990. Recognizing the important role that cultural activities play in determining quality of life, Arlington County (the "County") has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to support the arts. The following goals are set forth in the furtherance of this commitment: 1. To create a climate within the County that is conducive to the growth and development of Arlington's artists and arts organizations through public and private support. 2. To foster the development of excellence and diversity in the arts insuring that a varied program of cultural activities is available to satisfy the interests of Arlington's citizens. 3. To guarantee to all artists and arts organizations an open and fair policy which assures equal access to County arts resources. 4. To encourage development of a public/private partnership in support of the arts. By providing facilities, financial and technical support and administrative services to artists and cultural organizations, the County seeks to help these artists and cultural organizations establish themselves in the County, develop a broad base of financial and community support, and improve their artistic, technical and managerial competence. It is the policy of the County to support artistic freedom and artistic creativity so long as this support helps the County achieve the goals set forth in this statement of policy 2
Arts Policy Implementation Cultural Development and Programming Support of Artists and Arts Organizations through grants, space and services, and access to capacity building and professional development Presentation of high-quality, innovative programming that appeals to the County s diverse populace: families, millennials, seniors Theaters, Galleries, Support Spaces, and Theater Technology Performance Spaces (Theaters, Rehearsals, Classrooms and Workshops) Incubator/Co-Work Space Galleries for Visual Arts Theater Technology (Audio/Visual, Scenic Shop, Costume Lab) Artist Studios Lee Arts Center Printmaking and Ceramics studio space and equipment for professional artists Public Art Projects that are 1) commissioned by the County to be integrated into various capital improvement projects; 2) commissioned by developers as part of the site plan process; and, 3) initiated by communities 3
Cultural Development and Programming Develops programs that sustain traditions and encourage cross-cultural appreciation and understanding for all Arlington residents; Provides a comprehensive program of support and services to individual artists and arts organizations, including ethno-cultural heritage groups, through the County s Arts Incubator program, Artist Studios, Professional Development Workshops, space and services and cultural grants Financial Arts Grants Since FY 1992: $4,115,754 awarded to more than 90 arts organizations and nearly 70 artists Currently: Cultural Grants -- to organizations for operating or project support; and Spotlight Grants to individual artists for a proposed work of art Space and Services Grants Access to County-managed performance, rehearsal facilities and use of Scene Shop and Costume Shop services Assessed 10% surcharge of all ticket, subscription, tuition and class fee income generated. All the income received as arts surcharges goes to the general fund. Staff analysis of in-kind value of Space and Services Grants in FY 2015 is estimated to be greater than $1 million Supported Arts Groups receive discounts for non-granted space, costume rental and scene shop usage Presents festivals, concerts, and innovative arts programs throughout the County 4
Theaters, Galleries, Support Spaces & Theater Technology 1. Lubber Run Amphitheater: Built in 1968, the amphitheater has been providing entertainment to the Arlington community for over 45 years 2. Thomas Jefferson Theater: Shared under the joint use agreement, the 780-seat theater has been operating since 1972 3. Gunston Theater One: A 420-seat theater that was renovated by the county in 1990 and has operated as a joint use facility since 1994 4. Gunston Theater Two: A 125-seat black box theater, Arlington Supported Arts Groups present 40+ weeks of programming each year 5. Rosslyn Spectrum Theater: Formerly a movie theater, this 380 seat open stage theater has been operated by Cultural Affairs since 1996. Artisphere has managed the Rosslyn Spectrum theater since 2010. 6. Theater on the Run: Located at 3700 S. Four Mile Run, this 85 seat black box theater has been operating since 2001 7. The Ellipse Art Gallery (closed): Located in Ballston, this gallery operated from 1990 to 2010. Programs and staff were moved to Artisphere 5
Theaters, Galleries, Support Spaces & Theater Technology 8. Scenic Studio: This space is used by supported arts groups to build and paint scenery used in the theaters. Previously at the property yard it has been located at Gunston since the late 1970s. The space was renovated and expanded in 1996. This space also serves as home base for the Cultural Affairs technical staff. 9. The Costume Lab: The costume shop and collection has supported theater, dance and opera productions since the early 1970s. It has moved around many times but has been in its current location at Gunston since 2002. 10. Studios at 3700: The former WETA building on S. Four Mile Run Drive houses Theater on the Run as well as rehearsal, dance and recording studios and offices for Cultural Affairs and supported arts groups. 11. Lee Arts Center: Opened in the early 1980s in a former elementary school, the Lee Arts Center features ceramics and printmaking studios with workshops and classes for professional level artists. 12. Artisphere: Opened in 2010, Artisphere contains: 1)The Dome Theater 220 seats; 2) The Black Box Theater 125 seat flexible space; 3)The Ballroom; 4) The Town Square stage; 5)The Terrace Gallery; 6)The Mezz Gallery; 7) The WIP (Works in Progress) Gallery. 6
Public Art Arlington commitment since 1978 Widely acknowledged as award-winning, model public art program Manages a collection of nearly 70 permanent works and has produced more than 40 temporary works Funded through the $2 to $1 leveraging of private and public support Source of Funds: General Fund (Program Administration) CIP -- either discrete funding for public art (PAYGO or bonds) or funding of larger project with integrated art component Public Art Fund Cash contributions from private developers as part of site plan process Grants 7
Pre-Artisphere: Arts Incubator By initially granting free space, the Arts Incubator allowed emerging cultural organizations, such as Signature Theatre and American Century Theatre to flourish, and lured other companies such as Washington Shakespeare Company (now WSC Avant Bard) across the river to suburban Arlington. American Century Theatre s restaging of Orson Welles longneglected Moby Dick Rehearsed (2005) Tony-winning Broadway legend Dorothy Loudon & Mario Cantone in Signature Theatre s Over & Over (1999) In the early 2000 s, Arlington Cultural Affairs made the model more sustainable, instituting a 10% Ticket Surcharge. Based on tickets sold, this still allowed young companies such as Synetic Theater to operate without fear of failure, while recovering some of the County s costs. 8
Pre-Artisphere: Community Theatre & Heritage Groups The new mix of professional groups also raised the bar for Arlington s community theatres and for the County s many community-specific heritage groups. The heritage groups perform at Lubber Run Amphitheater and many other venues throughout the County. For many years, Cultural Affairs Staff managed a capacity-building program, Hereabouts which offered marketing and development training, and even professional photographs (above) for companies which otherwise would never have been able to access such amenities. 9
Pre-Artisphere: Presenting Artists During the 2000 s Arlington Cultural Affairs also was a prolific presenter of everything from Grammy Award winners & nominees such as violinist Miri Ben-Ari and percussionist Bobby Sanabria to Broadway legends. 10
Pre-Artisphere: Festivals The highly successful Planet Arlington World Music Festival drew thousands to Arlington s doorstep (2006-08) 11
Pre-Artisphere: International Exchanges Cultural Affairs Division s success with Planet Arlington begat a fourth concert series at Rosslyn Spectrum, presenting artists such as China s premier jazz vocalist Coco Zhao, and cultural exchanges like the Do Theatre from Arlington s Sister City, Aachen, Germany. 12
Cultural Affairs Division, FY2015 (27.9 FTEs) Cultural Affairs Division Chief Artisphere Executive Director (LTFT-1.0) Marketing & Communications Director Cultural Development Director Facilities & Theater Technology Director Public Art Director Chief Financial Officer (OSFT-1.0) Programming Director (LTFT-1.0) Communications & Marketing Director (LTFT-1.0) Operations Director (LTFT-1.0) Technical Director (LTFT-1.0) Special Events & Rental Director Artist Services Manager (PFT-0.8) SAG/Costume Enterprise Manager Lee Arts Center (PFT-0.8) Scenic Tech Manager Public Art Curator (PFT-0.8) Administrator Visual Arts Curator Marketing Operations Manager (LTFT-1.0) Operations Manager (LTFT-1.0) Theater Tech Manager Special Events Coordinator (LTFT-1.0) Costume Shop Manager Theater Facilities Tech Manager Public Art Coordinator New Media Curator (LFPT-0.5) 3700 Facilities Manager Programming Assistant 13
Transitioning Cultural Affairs & Artisphere FTEs NTS Personnel Non-Personnel Revenues 1 Cultural Affairs FY2006 Actual 25.7 $2,660,973 $1,989,149 $1,006,015 $334,191 FY2011 Actual 17.1 $2,295,439 $1,844,645 $637,605 $186,811 FY2013 Actual 13.4 $1,539,254 $1,175,268 $565,963 $201,977 FY2016 Proposed 13.4 $1,794,323 $1,561,803 $416,860 $184,340 Artisphere FY2006 Actual 0.00 $0 $0 $0 $0 FY2011 Actual 14.5 $2,101,307 $1,327,969 $2,185,798 $1,412,460 FY2013 Actual 14.5 $2,272,917 $1,885,458 $1,876,688 $1,489,229 FY2016 Proposed 14.5 $2,246,659 $2,028,654 $1,899,405 $1,681,400 Total FY2006 Actual 25.7 $2,660,973 $1,989,149 $1,006,015 $334,191 FY2011 Actual 31.6 $4,396,746 $3,172,614 $2,823,403 $1,599,271 FY2013 Actual 27.9 $3,812,151 $3,060,726 $2,442,651 $1,691,206 FY2016 Proposed 27.9 $4,040,982 $3,590,457 $2,316,265 $1,865,740 1 Revenues also include BID contributions and intra-county charges 14
Anticipating New Directions: FY 2015 Reorganization within AED Utilize the programming and curatorial strength of Cultural Affairs staff for the benefit of the Division and all of Arlington s communities New Director Initial Assessment Formulation of Workplan with Pilot Programs Anticipating loss of Artisphere Space and Programming Launch of Strategic Planning Effort Steering Committee Focus Groups Vision, Goals and Strategies to County Board for consideration January 2016 Action Plan for all stakeholders 15
Cultural Affairs Division, FY 2016 Restored (16.9 FTEs) Cultural Affairs Division Chief Marketing & Communications Director Cultural Development Director Lee Arts Center (PFT-0.8) Facilities & Theater Technology Director Public Art Director Visual Arts Curator New Media Curator (PFT- 0.5) Artist Services Manager (PFT-0.8) Programming Assistant SAG/Costume Enterprise Manager Scenic Tech Manager Theater Facilities Tech Manager 3700 Facilities Manager Public Art Curator (PFT-0.8) Costume Shop Manager Theater Facilities Tech Public Art Coordinator 16
Cultural Affairs Budget FY 2015, FY2016 Proposed, FY2016 Restored Program FY 2015 Adopted FY 2016 Proposed FY 2016 Restored Net Savings (Proposed to Restored) Cultural Affairs $1,838,079 $1,794,323 $2,290,982 ($496,659) Artisphere (ongoing) $945,650 $946,659 $0 $946,659 Artisphere (one-time) $1,300,000 $1,300,000 $1,300,000 $0 Total $4,083,729 $4,040,982 $3,590,982 $450,000 Note that $1,300,000 in one-time funds are proposed to be set-aside for costs associated with the closure of the facility. Shown as part of the calculation here to illustrate net ongoing savings. 17
The Way Forward: Cultural Affairs Restored 18
Think Arlington: Intersections Business Diversity Technology Culture Innovation 19
The Way Forward: 1. New Innovative Programs Fostering Engagement, Experimentation, Excitement 20
Creative Arlington: Happy Hour Informal Talk on topics related to the intersection of culture-business-innovation Rotates around the County Co-sponsored by Arlington Foundation for Arts & Innovation Pilot program in March 2015 at Northside Social in Clarendon proved successful Launch FY2016 10-month series in September 21
BEERBALLET&BUBBLY The Washington Ballet Studio Company Open Rehearsal of WIP The New Movement: Latin Heat Beyond Balanchine Choreographers of Color Sponsored beverage service and snacks Networking Targeted to 21 and over after work 22
Moving Culture Mobile Arts Platform 23
Rosslyn First Thursdays Music Series Top Indie Bands on tour Targeted to Millennial audience May, June, July 2016 24
New Media Festival Planning will begin in FY2016 for a festival in Arlington that will capitalize on the curatorial strength in public, visual and new media art of Cultural Affairs Division Will include interactive installations, games, films, and sound sculpture Exact format and location will be determined by Planning Committee (in formation) 25
The Way Forward: 2. Marketing Building Awareness 26
Website and Social Media Beginning in FY2016 the website will be integrated into the new AED Content Management system to provide enhanced social media experience and search capability. This is the primary marketing platform for the Division and will require annual upgrades to keep up to date with new technologies. 27
The Way Forward: 3. Enhanced Services for Artists and Arts Organizations Increasing Capacity and Providing Resources 28
Creative Arlington: Arts Symposium A regional Professional Development workshop facilitated by a nationally renowned arts leader for artists, non-profit and for-profit creative organizations, and academia Staff will benefit from a separate day of training designed specifically for Cultural Affairs Division Partners include Washington Project for the Arts, George Mason University Arts Management Program, and Alexandria Office of the Arts Pilot program in April 2015 will feature Nina Simon, internationally-recognized expert on active community participation in cultural institutions. 29
Cultural Heritage Programming and Documentation Little Saigon Project 30
Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre Available to Supported Art Groups Available for Rentals New Programming 31
Artist Studios 3 Studios at 3700 Four Mile Run 4 Studios at 3409 Wilson Blvd. 32
Costume Lab Summer Camp Fashion Fights Poverty Fashion Boot Camp Programs for Community Creative Aging Festival Workshops Demos Revenue Generation Rentals Marketing of Collection to Outside Organizations 33
The Way Forward: Cultural Affairs Restored Return to Role as Arts Presenter Centered along metro corridors Targeted to young professional demographic Participatory, innovative programs to engage audiences where they live and work for their convenience. What they want when they want it. Enhanced marketing Interactive social media presence blog, newsletter, youtube, pinterest Port Arts Website to new AED Content Management Platform for improved service delivery and metrics Increased support for Artists and Arts Organizations Technical Assistance (planning, financial, marketing) Connect to new audiences with Moving Culture platform Professional Development Utilize community benefit public space Revenue Generation Costume Lab, Spectrum Theatre Rentals, Co-Work Space, Artist Studios 34