Cultural Council Agenda and Packet 2022 02 10

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Research Findings Community feedback cited two main cultural strengths of Louisville 1) the residents and 2) the physical environment and layout of the City. Louisville residents are viewed as active, engaged and creative. This dynamic resident base has a high level of support for arts and cultural activities, festivals and recreational activities. The population is educated and has a high level of public engagement in civic leadership. The physical environment and layout of the City of Louisville were noted as an important cultural asset. Louisville boasts a vibrant, historical downtown with a variety of restaurants, retail shops, businesses, galleries and a local history museum all located in a compact, walkable area. Surveys and public meetings also shed light on the public's mixed feelings about Louisville's overall arts and culture reputation. Only 22% of respondents ranted Louisville's reputation for art offerings as "Excellent" while 58% gave a rating of "Fair" and 20% rated Louisville's reputation as "Needs Improvement." Research also revealed that while residents attend arts and cultural events in Louisville, they also travel to a significant number of events in neighboring communities. Boulder ranked first as an arts destination with Denver, Lafayette, Longmont, Broomfield and Arvada also receiving significant arts attendance from Louisville residents. Facilities The limited number of arts venues was consistently noted as one of the community's biggest challenges. Local artists cited the need for additional rehearsal, studio and performance venues. Residents noted interest in more and better facilities to attend events. The existing facilities in Louisville were discussed. Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave: The LCA is beloved for its history, charm and ability to host intimate gatherings. However, since the facility was not constructed as a performing arts center, it presents significant challenges including: • Capacity-80-person seating capacity limits types of productions possible and caps revenue. • Facility— Seating, parking, signage, lighting and building visibility are not optimal for patron ease, comfort and safety. • Production —The building lacks the basic technical requirements for a performing arts venue including adequate wiring, lighting grid, sound system and dressing rooms. • Access —Four resident arts organizations fill the bulk of the annual scheduling calendar, creating limited access for other arts organizations and private citizens. . • Storage —Storage is very minimal and does not include space for storage of visual arts materials or theatre sets and props. Louisville Middle School Auditorium, 1341 Main St: Public meeting participants often cited the auditorium as the community's only viable performing arts venue, but noted the limited availability due to: 1) Boulder Valley School District usage and 2) high facility rental costs. Many participants perceived that the LMS Auditorium had been presented to voters as a public amenity and are disappointed by the limited public accessibility. 0