BUILDING SAN DIEGOS FUTURE: ARTS & CULTURE

ARTS & CULTURE Arts and culture contribute greatly to our quality of life in San Diego. They inspire us, they broaden our horizons, they attract visitors, businesses and workers to our region, and they foster an environment that encourages creativity and innovation. There is something in the arts for all San Diegans, from the museums in Balboa Park to the art lofts in East Village, from the art galleries in Little Italy to Ray Street in North Park; from San Diego Symphony to Jazz in the Gaslamp; and from dozens of cultural and ethnic festivals and street fairs in our neighborhoods to one of the most dynamic regional theater communities in the United States. The roots of our artistic and cultural traditions grew from the Balboa Park exposition in 1915, debuting Spanish Colonial Revival style in architecture, and displaying an eclectic mix of fine arts, theater, music and dance. It was also a celebration of the completion of the Panama Canal, portraying the global importance of San Diego in maritime trade. President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, who was the driving force behind the Panama Canal wanted to extend the exposition for a year, commending San Diegans for their effort: I feel you are doing an immense amount from an educational standpoint for the United States in the way you are developing the old California architecture and the architecture of the Presidio Arts also make good business sense. The nonprofit arts and culture industry in the city generates $579 million in total economic activity, supports over 17,800 jobs, and generates millions in local government revenue. 1 In fact, spending by our citys arts organizations and audiences is double that of cities of similar size. Thus, our arts not only enhance our quality of life, but also contribute to the citys economic well-being. Arts are vital to the well-rounded education for our children. In fact, learning in and through the arts can help level the playing field for youth from disadvantaged circumstances by enriching their learning experience. 2 San Diego is a thriving hub of artistic talent and creativity. Four pillars of the artistic foundation of this city are:

1 2

Americans for the Arts, 2012, Arts & Economic Prosperity IV. Arts Education Partnership, 1999, Champions of Change: Impact of Arts on Learning.

1. Arts & Culture organizations. The city is home to a creative pool of 389 arts and culture organizations. We have two Tony Award-winning theatres, museums, art galleries, and many cultural organizations. Arts Month San Diego is spotlighting the dynamic local art scene to a national audience, with events in Balboa Park, downtown San Diego, La Jolla and North County. 2. Artists, youth and volunteers. Our entrepreneurial youth are bubbling with creative ideas that need to be heard, and acted on. 3 Artists need funding, affordable housing, and a creative environment. And the backbone of the arts and cultural events in the city are the 12,000 volunteers in the city who spent 540,000 hours of their time and energy in 2010. 3. Schools. Our schools and educators play an important role integrating arts into our childrens lives. The San Diego Unified School District has five arts magnet schools as well as a Visual and Performing Arts Program that works with arts teachers. In a unique arrangement, many institutions in Balboa Park have been partnering with schools in City Heights for a schools in the park program for experiential learning by our kids. 4. Patrons: Joan and Irwin Jacobs lead an impressive list of donors and businesses that play an important role in the sustainability of the arts in San Diego, as does the San Diego Foundation in encouraging private philanthropists to set-up arts endowments, with a working group that over the last decade has done research and engaged the community. Since 1988, the citys Commission for Arts and Culture has fostered the relationship between the arts community and arts patrons. One aspect of patronage is cultural tourism, with 1-in-6 attendees (1.3 million) being visitors, most of whom visit San Diego just for attending the event, and are themselves artists.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, 2007,

We are all arts patrons, as audiences and as taxpayers. The city supports the arts through the Transient Occupancy Tax (Hotel Tax), which is paid by tourists at 10.5 cents for each dollar in room rates. About 5% of this Hotel Tax is being spent on Arts and Culture programs, and this share has fallen considerably over the past decade.

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0% 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Source: 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report; City of San Diego Annual Budgets

The city adopted a Public Art Master Plan in 2004, and subsequent policies to ensure 2% of selected public projects and 1% of private projects include public art. There is further need for strong publicprivate partnerships to support the arts and culture community, while recognizing the critical role of attracting and fostering creative talent in the city. Our local organizations have expressed a need to reach broader audiences and reliable income sources.

PLAN OF ACTION:
As the next Mayor, Bob Filner plans to make the city of San Diego a national model for civic support for arts and culture, with the necessary resources to be competitive, foster our youth, and attract national talent. (1) Funding for the Arts: While San Diego has a vibrant arts and culture community that generates significant economic benefits for the city, it is under-funded in comparison to other cities. 4 Public art was put on a hiatus for most of the past decade. Bob Filner recognizes the challenges and opportunities facing the arts community. Support the funding of a penny for the arts. The city of San Diego has supported the arts through a Special Promotional Program, which is generated through the Transient Occupancy Tax. Bob Filner will support 1 cent out of the 10.5 cents currently raised being spent on arts and culture. These funds are not grants; they are contracts for services awarded through a transparent process, where members of the public can participate. These funds generate a tremendous return for the city, as each applicant is screened, and scored by a professional panel. Host an Arts Patrons Roundtable to bring together the regions business and civic leaders to discuss benefits of supporting arts and culture, exchange ideas and innovative ways to work together. These strategies include collaborative fundraising, grant writing, locating donated spaces, insurance, legal services, corporate sponsorships and other resources. Ensure funding and support of the Arts and Culture Commission.

(2) Youth and the Arts. Bob Filner will advocate for greater access for youth to creative arts programs: Many organizations support school visits of artists, including the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Opera, La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla Playhouse and others. The city will help publicize and further coordinate and expand these activities, and will facilitate the use the new auditorium at the San Diego Central Library.

San Diego Foundation, 2007, Participate San Diego: The Case for Increaser Patronage for Arts & Culture.

The city will play a role in expanding opportunities for the cultural organizations to take on interns from the high schools, benefiting the organizations and the students. Expand the role the arts play within our kids education and environment. Programs such as Young Audiences of San Diego and the Arts Academy at La Jolla Playhouse need to be encouraged and funded. Stewardship of our artistic and cultural heritage begins at a young age. Mayor Filner will collaborate with arts organizations, schools, educators, artists, business leaders, and donors to restore arts and music to our schools and improve access to the arts in every classroom and community center. Creative thinking and artistic talent need to be nurtured. The city will support hosting of junior level creative arts competitions, projects and enterprises.

(3) San Diegos Walking Bay-front. The city will collaborate with the Port District for a public art walking program at San Diegos bay-front, from the base of Broadway through North Embarcadero, and the Convention Center, which connects public spaces on a walking map, similar to Portland. Earlier this year, the Port District adopted a 5-year curatorial strategy that highlights the role of the Port as an economic engine, environmental steward and a provider of public benefits. The newest display is a sculptor of eucalyptus tree branches suspended from stainless steel masts, at the corner of Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway. The Arts & Culture Commission could organize outdoor exhibitions during high foot-traffic events like ComicCon. Additional festival events would build upon the Fall for the Arts, a free arts and culture expo on Broadway Pier and in the Port Pavilion.

(4) Neighborhoods and Arts. San Diegos arts scene is not and should not be confined to downtown. All neighborhoods should have access to publicly funded arts and culture programs. As the next Mayor, Bob Filner will take the following steps to bring the arts into diverse neighborhoods around the city: 6

Many of our regions universities and colleges have active cultural programs. The city will partner with them to open them up to neighborhood residents, and solicit funds to help with transportation. Partner in efforts to inventory and promote the availability of public and private spaces for arts and culture programming, especially in the older neighborhoods. The ceiling of the Ocean Beach comfort station on Brighton Avenue is an example of local artwork that blends into the community. Seek grants and other funding to embellish community anchor spaces with public art, such as the Chicano Park in Barrio Logan, and the Murals of La Jolla project. Encourage re-use of historic buildings for the artistic and creative communities. Coordinate with community leaders to do arts outreach, organize a cultural town-hall within each neighborhood, and publicize cultural events. Work with Maintenance Assessment Districts and Business Improvement Districts to encourage local talent that produces art that fits within the neighborhood. One example of such an effort is in the Bird Rock neighborhood, where a local artist is designing beautiful mosaic benches along La Jolla Boulevard that have rich cultural themes such as family, children, arts, and community. Art collections owned by the city need to be surveyed, restored, and displayed in the public libraries around neighborhoods in the city. There are more than a 1,000 pieces in the Civic Arts Collection, as well as an additional arts collection in the Pacific Beach Taylor library, and in the basement of the central library that needs to be curated.

(5) Cut City Red-Tape that Binds Creativity. Some of the obstacles that artists face from the city are the use of public spaces for design and display of art, permitting challenges, and zoning for livework spaces. As San Diegos next Mayor, Bob Filner will follow Best Practices from other creative cities that accomplish the following: Reduce permitting and other red tape that complicates the use of public space for arts. Art advisers similar to the Public Art Committee of the San Diego Port District would ensure that public art conforms to the vision of the community plan. Encourage patronage and donation of public arts works, after review by a panel of experts. The Art and Culture Commission can play an important role in arts acquisition. Consider the use of live-work artist lofts in residential zones, with street-life and synergy to facilitate the integration of artists in their neighborhoods. Downtown planning should incorporate an artists village in the area from San Diego City College to Barrio Logan, with studios, theaters and artists resources similar to The Brewery Art Colony in Los Angeles or Project Artaud in San Francisco. Partnership with other public agencies, such as the Port District for public art programs on public land.

(6) Balboa Park 2015 Centennial Celebration. Centennial Celebration of the Panama-California Exposition is coming up and is an opportunity to feature California as a cultural destination with participation of the many cultural organizations. Ongoing preparations of the centennial of this event aim to make it a milestone in the citys history, where our inspirational vision of a great city come together in a spectacular display of creativity and collaboration. The Office of the Mayor, under Bob Filner will support the Host Committee in organizing and managing the celebration, by implementing their Memorandum of Understanding with the city.

BOB FILNERS SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS:

Bob Filners support for the Arts Community is evident throughout his lifes work and his legislative accomplishments. He has earning a 100% grade with the Americans for the Arts Action Fund each of the last two reporting periods. Filner was one of only 36 representatives nationally to earn a perfect grade on his voting record. He has voted for strong funding for the National Endowment for the Arts for decades beginning with a 1993 vote for a $343.4 million budget. His support for the Endowment for the Arts along with the National Endowment for the Humanities has continued unabated and includes support for 1998s House Amendment 753 restoring $98 million in arts funding. Recently, the Congressman co-sponsored the Artist-Museum Partnership Act of 2011 which would allow artists to receive fair market value tax deductions for donated compositions. Bob Filner is opposed to federal spending cuts targeted at the arts community and public broadcasting. Last year, he opposed the bill that would prohibit funding of the National Public Radio (HR 1076). As mayor, his dedication to Arts at a local and national level would strengthen San Diego as a leading community for the creation and celebration of world-class art.

Paid for by Bob Filner for Mayor 2012

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