CC Minutes - 08/12/09 Work Session

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C. WORK SESSION – Cultural Policy Review Implementation Library, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Renee Grube noted that it had been two years since the Cultural Policy Review (CPR) had been adopted by the council and proceeded to brief the Council on the history and most recent developments surrounding the CPR. She reported that the CPR implementation team had been working diligently since the adoption of the CPR and specifically recognized the efforts of team members Alan Evans, Gretchen Hult Pierce, Kari Westlund and Dave Hauser. She further reported that team member Fred Crafts had recently been appointed as the CPR "ambassador of the arts" and had spoken throughout Eugene on the value of arts in the community. Ms. Grube commented that the implementation team and staff's efforts to achieve the priority goals of the CPR had also positively affected the City's efforts to further its downtown initiative, economic develop- ment, sustainability, and diversity/equity goals. Cultural Services Division Manager Laura Niles informed the council that the staff and implementation team's efforts to execute the goals of the CPR had had the unexpected outcome of significantly increasing the overall level of communication throughout the local arts community with an emphasis on how various individuals and groups such as the Lane Arts Council, DIVA, and the Lord Leebrick Theatre Company might positively benefit the cultural makeup of Eugene. Ms. Niles reported that work on the CPR had also greatly increased the level of engagement from the University of Oregon, and that faculty and student representatives from the University's Arts Management and Public Policy programs had directly participated in the CPR process. Ms. Niles commented that the CPR process over the last two years had greatly contributed to the increased level of awareness of how the City's arts and cultural footprint would contribute to the overall success of the community, both socially and economically. She mentioned that articles had appeared in the Register- Guard, several Eugene Chamber of Commerce publications, and Travel Lane Oregon in that regard. Ms. Niles noted that the CPR process had also improved the level of internal communications with respect to the City's cultural strategies and policies. Ms. Niles cited the recent Summer in the City event and noted that the Eugene Police, Planning & Development, and Library Recreation and Cultural Services depart- ments had each contributed to making it a safe and successful event. Ms. Niles noted that a detailed debriefing on Summer in the City would be presented to the council later in the year. Ms. Niles reported that the consultants working on the CPR had determined that while there were many cultural events and activities in Eugene, there was little if any connectivity between those interests. She hoped that the alliance of staff and community members working over the next year on the CPR would be able to help improve the level of Eugene's cultural connectivity. Ms. Niles noted that the a grant request had been written through the Oregon Community Foundation to fund the purchase of a software package called Artsopolis for use by the staff and CPR implementation team. She hoped that the software would be purchased and up and running by September of 2010. MINUTES—Eugene City Council August 12, 2009 Page 8 Work Session