Decommissioned - Elk Grove Arts Commission canned in favor of Arts and Creative Economy Commission
Elk Grove Arts Commission chairperson Nan Mahon told the mayor and city council the existing commission is doing everything proposed for th...
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2024/12/decommissioned-elk-grove-arts.html
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| Elk Grove Arts Commission chairperson Nan Mahon told the mayor and city council the existing commission is doing everything proposed for the new entity except costing taxpayers up to $200,000. | |
At the last meeting of 2024, the Elk Grove City Council and Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen followed through on their plans to dissolve the city's longstanding Arts Commission in favor of a new, more expansive version.
The city council voted unanimously to disband the commission in favor of the new entity, the Arts and Creative Commission. This dissolution came despite efforts by commission members to keep it intact.
Economic development director Darrell Doan told the city council in a presentation that forming the new commission would cost up to $200,000. Doan also explained the news commission's charge.
"In general, it is the intersection of arts, culture, and economic development," Doan told the city council. "So it included traditional arts and culture" and "but it also includes creative industries, so these are things that are thought of more like businesses than arts and culture. Film, television, digital media, music production, advertising, publishing even."
Even though the commission will be tied to economic development, Doan admitted he lacked the skills to launch the effort. He suggested the city hire a consultant to develop a strategy.
"The city needs to use a strategy to help us accomplish these goals," Doan said. "In order to do this, we need to retain a consultant."
Additionally, Doan profiled the characteristics of future commission members, which did not seem to fit the existing members of the Arts Commission (see image below)
In describing the new commission, Doan stated, "We need a broader member makeup."
Several Arts Commission members attended the meeting. Nan Mahon, who has been on the commission since its 2002 inception, defended retaining it.
"As I am listening to the gentleman speak, he isn't proposing anything that we aren't doing except spending $200,000," Mahon said. "Everything he had on his presentation are things that we already do for the city."
She added, "We are well-versed at what we are doing."
After deliberation, the city council expanded the membership from five to seven. Although details were not discussed, Doan implied the city would solicit consultant bids to develop the strategy and implementation of the new commission.
Mayor Singh-Allen will nominate new commissioners during the February 12 meeting. The city will release details for applying to the new commission in the coming weeks.
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2 comments
The mayor kicked all these old timers to the curb. How much you want to bet they all now regret falling for the mayor's platitudes and now regret voting for her.
Good luck to the city on this endeavor. Difficult to say, but it appears the city leaders do not understand that a creative arts community is something driven by artists, mostly the starving variety, organically, not some high priced government consultant.
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