— Photo by Sara Hall ©
The City Arts Commission discussed how to best utilize half a million dollars in grant funds earmarked for the city’s rotating sculpture exhibition at Civic Center Park and arts education programs.
Earlier this year, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris allocated $500,000 in the 2019-20 state budget for city of Newport Beach Arts Commission.
There was a great deal of discussion on the item during the Sept. 12 meeting, Library Services Director Tim Hetherton said in an email Tuesday.
Arts commissioners rejected the staff proposal to use the funds for Phases V and VI and instead unanimously approved a proposal to retain their budgeted funds for Phase V and to use the grant funds for Phases VI and VII.
They also agreed to recommend using a portion of the funds for infrastructural upgrades in the park, specifically improvements to the footpath, Hetherton reported.
The item, as recommended by the Arts Commission, is expected to go to before City Council on Oct. 8.
In April, Commission Chair Arlene Greer met with Petrie-Norris and asked for grant funding for the sculpture exhibition.
Grant projects generally address park, recreation and resources related needs.
On Aug. 13, city staff met with representatives from Office of Grants and Local Services, who determined that the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park is an appropriate use of grant funds.
In order to receive the grant funding, OGALS requires the Newport Beach City Council to pass a resolution approving the filing of all applications associated with the contract. OGALS will then send a contract to the city upon receipt of the resolution. The city’s authorized representative signs and returns the contract to OGALS, whose representatives will then sign and return the fully executed contract to the city.
An adopted resolution needs to be submitted to the state Office of Grants and Local Services, which develops and administers grant programs that provide funding for local, state, and nonprofit organization projects, by Nov. 1. An application needs to be submitted to OGALS by Jan. 31.
The OGALS contract must be signed and submitted back to the state department by March 31, 2020; and the grant funds must be expended by June 30, 2022.
For more information, visit newportbeachca.gov/trending/cultural-arts/sculpture-exhibition
