Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
DATE:	August 4, 2014
CC:	Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager
RE:	Kansas Creative Arts Industries  Commission Cultural Planning Grant Acceptance

Please place the following item on a future City Commission consent agenda:

Authorize the City Manager to execute a $75,000 grant from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission for cultural planning activities.

Background:

In early 2014, the City Commission authorized staff to submit an application for the Kansas Creative Arts Industries’ Creative Economy Project Support grant program.  $75,000 in grant funding was requested to enable the City to embark on an effort to develop a city-wide cultural plan and develop marketing materials related to the cultural plan.  The funding will enable the City to hire a consultant to assist with the cultural planning effort, in conjunction with the City’s new Director of Arts & Culture.  The grant was awarded to the City, in conjunction with its two partners, the Lawrence Arts Center and Callahan Creek.  The grant specifically provides funding for each of the following three activities: 

• $25,000 toward the first year salary for the new Director of Arts & Culture position, who will have a key role in administration of the grant and also coordination of the cultural planning work.
• $25,000 toward hiring a consultant to complete a city-wide cultural plan.
• $25,000 toward printing/distributing marketing materials which are developed from the plan.

TOTAL:  $75,000

The match for the grant will come from the City’s contribution of $50,000 toward the first year salary for the new position and $100,000 in in kind services provided by Callahan Creek to develop the marketing materials. 

The timeline for the project/grant will require the cultural planning activities, development of the marketing materials, and creation of the marketing materials to take place between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. 

Requested Action:

Authorize the City Manager to execute the grant agreement and other necessary paperwork accepting a $75,000 grant from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission for cultural planning activities.