DATE: October 11, 2022
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION APPROVING PROCLAMATION IN RECOGNITION OF OCTOBER 2022 AS “CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS MONTH” IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES MONTH
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
National Arts and Humanities Month was launched in 1985 in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts. Since that time, it has grown exponentially into a coast-to-coast collective recognition of the importance of creativity and culture in America. Today, thousands of government agencies and arts and cultural organizations have joined the national celebration by approving proclamations and recognizing October with a month-long campaign to raise public awareness about the role of the arts in communities and people’s lives. The District first recognized Arts Month with a proclamation in 2016, making 2022 the seventh consecutive year that the Parks & Recreation department has programmed “Celebration of the Arts Month.”
The District started its public art initiatives in the 1980s to activate its parks, piers, and businesses with innovative artworks as a free cultural amenity. Over the past four decades, arts and cultural programming has grown into an essential aspect of the District’s creative placemaking strategy in all five member cities around San Diego. The District’s investment in commissioning site-specific public art, showcasing cultural programming and events that help diverse communities across the tidelands explore their history and culture, and providing recreational opportunities on the waterfront has made the tidelands a world-class destination and directly contributes to the region’s creative economy.
The arts are the lifeblood of our communities: raising morale, creating community cohesion, and lifting spirits during difficult times while also making a substantial economic impact on the region. Each year in October, people come together to celebrate the power of the arts to ignite hope, unify communities, and be recognized as an economic driver and vital public service that affects lives for the better. The proposed proclamation serves as a continued acknowledgment of the District’s long-standing role as a steward of the arts, supporting the enrichment of public spaces for both residents and visitors to the region.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving a proclamation in recognition of October 2022 as “Celebration of the Arts Month” in support of National Arts and Humanities Month and encouraging people to experience the District’s public art and amenities.
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FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
Compass Strategic Goals:
This agenda item supports the following Strategic Goal(s).
• A Port that the public understands and trusts.
• A vibrant waterfront destination where residents and visitors converge.
• A financially sustainable Port that drives job creation and regional economic vitality.
DISCUSSION:
Arts and culture are vital and help communities across the United States explore their diverse histories and cultures. The arts have the power to ignite hope, unify communities, and serve as both a vital public service and substantial economic driver. The nationwide arts and culture sector, including nonprofit, commercial, and education, is an $877 billion industry that supports 4.6 million jobs and represents 4.2% of the nation’s economy -a larger share of the GDP than powerhouse sectors like agriculture, transportation, and utilities (2020). At the San Diego regional level, data reported by Americans for the Arts indicates that arts event attendees provide a vital income source for local businesses, as every attendee spends over $30 per person, per event - beyond the cost of admission- on items such as meals, parking, and lodging (2015) . The arts are the lifeblood of our communities: raising morale, creating community cohesion, and lifting spirits during difficult times, while also making a substantial economic impact.
Public art is an essential building component of public planning, development, and creative placemaking, and has helped establish Port tidelands as a world-class waterfront destination, providing a rich and culturally diverse environment that draws residents and visitors to the region. The District’s permanent “Tidelands Collection” is a prime example of how the arts enhance and enrich lives, offering visitors free access to enjoy a collection of 70 District-owned artworks around San Diego Bay. Approximately 40 of these artworks were commissioned under Board Policy No. 608 - Tenant Percent for Art, which enables Port tenants and businesses seeking certain leasehold improvements and/or redevelopment to commission artworks as part of their leasehold agreement. Artwork can be found all around the tidelands: on the sides of buildings, set into sidewalks, and in open green park spaces. Information on these important assets is available on the District’s website and in the Immerse Yourself in the Arts - Six Self-guided Tours Around San Diego Bay booklet, which offers a unique cultural and recreational experience to the public in the form of informational walking tours of public art on tidelands.
Arts and culture help diverse communities across the United States explore their shared history and culture, as they embody and represent much of the accumulated wisdom, intellect, and imagination of humankind. The arts play a unique role in creating bridges between cultures and communities, allowing individuals to see the world through another’s experiences. On August 23, 2022, this was illustrated by a public engagement event, where attendees learned about the artwork development process from distinguished artist Roberto Salas who has been selected to create public art for the future Sweetwater Park in the Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista’s Chula Vista Bayfront redevelopment. Community members and project stakeholders were given a presentation about the park design, the artist’s creative process, and preliminary ideas and concepts for public art in Sweetwater Park. Participants had the opportunity to engage directly with the artist, ask questions, and make comments. The presentation was offered with simultaneous Spanish-language interpreters at the Chula Vista Marina - Safe Harbor South Bay.
The proposed proclamation (Attachment A), recognizing October 2022 as “Celebration of the Arts Month,” will reaffirm the District’s long-standing role as a steward of the arts, supporting and promoting the arts on tidelands for the enrichment of residents and visitors to the region. Everyone at the District is invited to join in “Celebration of the Arts Month” to gain an awareness and appreciation of the immense value of the arts as a public asset and for their power to create joy, celebrate diversity, and bring people together.
General Counsel’s Comments:
The Office of the General Counsel has reviewed the agenda sheet as presented t it and approves the same as to form and legality.
Environmental Review:
The proposed Board action, including without limitation, approving proclamation in recognition of October 2022 as “Celebration of the Arts Month” in support of National Arts and Humanities Month, does not constitute a project under the definition set forth in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 because there is not a potential to result in a direct or indirect physical change in the environment. Therefore, the proposed Board action is not subject to CEQA and no further action under CEQA is required.
The proposed Board action complies with Sections 21 and 35 of the Port Act, which allow the Board to pass resolutions; and to do all acts necessary and convenient for the exercise of its powers. The Port Act was enacted by the California Legislature and is consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine. Consequently, the proposed Board action is consistent with the Public Trust Doctrine.
The proposed Board action does not allow for development, as defined in Section 30106 of the California Coastal Act, or new development, pursuant to Section 1.a. of the District’s Coastal Development Permit Regulations. Therefore, issuance of a Coastal Development Permit or an exclusion finding is not required.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program:
This agenda sheet has no direct impact on District workforce or contract reporting at this time.
PREPARED BY:
Larry Hofreiter
Director, Parks & Recreation
Attachment(s):
Attachment A: Proclamation in Recognition of October 2022 as “Celebration of the Arts Month”