Tag Archives: Cultural Arts Division
Council questions proposed arts funding change that emphasizes equity
City Council has asked Cultural Arts staff to look at revising or delaying its plan to significantly redistribute its limited pool of contracts toward groups that meet an increased focus on equity. At a Tuesday work session presentation, the proposed…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 26, 2021
City opens $2M grant program to assist creative sector nonprofits
The city has spun up another emergency relief program for arts organizations, with $2 million in federal aid available for nonprofit groups connected to local arts and cultural communities. The Arts & Culture Non-Profit Relief Grant will provide 100 grants…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 15, 2021
City lays out diversity goals in next round of arts, tourism funding
Groups that have been historically overlooked and underrepresented in the city’s cultural community will have priority in the Economic Development Department’s spending for cultural and tourism programs in the next budget year. During an online meeting held last Saturday, the…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 18, 2020
Arts Commission to decide on next year's funding, with deep cuts for all
Arts groups that have received contracts from the city’s Cultural Arts office in recent years will likely see significant decreases next year, with some groups in line to lose more than half of the funding they received in their most…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 25, 2020
Hotel taxes forecast to fall by $36M, leading to expected deficit in city arts funding
With the city projecting a $36 million decrease in Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue because of lower hotel bookings due to the Covid-19 pandemic, arts funding for the current budget year is expected to see a $1.5 million shortfall. The Arts…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • May 26, 2020
Arts community hears feedback on city's diversity goals for cultural funding
The initial summary of feedback on how the city should consider diversity and equity in funding decisions for Cultural Arts found a wide array of concerns shared from more than 600 participants in recent community input sessions. The presentation Saturday…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 27, 2020
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Arts, music groups target underserved communities with $12M for creative spaces
The first draft of guidelines for how the city will allocate $12 million in bond money for creative spaces shows that priority will be given to historically underserved communities and groups that have a track record of working with marginalized…
Bonds & Propositions • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 20, 2019
City grants crucial funding to arts organizations
Austin’s art advocates are breathing a little easier since Thursday afternoon, when City Council approved a resolution to award crucial funds to eligible arts organizations for Fiscal Year 2018-19. A total of $8,602,688 will be distributed among the organizations listed…
Budget • By Ryan Thornton • Oct 8, 2018
Cuts to arts groups brings call for changes to funding mechanism
Local arts groups facing dramatic cuts in their funding levels from the city could get some relief this budget year, and possibly an earlier heads-up in future budget years if their funding allocations appear headed for a decrease. The city’s…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 18, 2018
Arts space assistance doubles in new budget, but is it enough?
The city has revived the Arts Space Assistance Program that was created in 2017 and received overwhelming demand from local arts groups facing a loss of space, but was discontinued in the current budget due to lack of funding. The…
Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 17, 2018
Bloomberg awards let arts groups focus on growth, and affordability
More than two dozen small and mid-sized arts organizations in Austin have been awarded two-year grants totaling more than $1 million from the Bloomberg Philanthropies foundation, with the promise of comprehensive training and other tools to help in their future…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 4, 2018
Memo points toward cultural trust to save arts spaces
It appears City Council will move ahead with the creation of a cultural land trust and an economic development corporation in the coming months, both attempts to combat the rising cost of real estate for residents and local artists. A…
