Cultural Council Agenda and Packet 2009 08 20

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Charge In materials posted and circulated prior to the March 19, 2009 meeting of the Louisville Cultural Council (LCC), an LCC member submitted a note citing concerns about Arts Center facility usage patterns and access. At the LCC's March 19, 2009 meeting, Lynn Fleming, of Coal Creek Community Theater (CCCT), spoke regarding Art Center use and scheduling during the public comments period. She also provided a letter to the LCC describing background on the Art Center, CCCT, their relationship with the Art Center, relationships with other arts organizations, booking practices, and insight into the particular needs of theater companies. She closed with an appeal for continued free use of the center for arts groups and inclusive processes to determine policy regarding use.2 Amy Austin of Center Stage Theatre was present at that meeting and commented as well. At the LCC's April 16, 2009, meeting, members discussed whether LCC should have priority booking the Art Center, particularly for weekend performance programs. During that discussion3 it seemed that agreements between the City and arts groups had "expired," "that the Arts Center is not officially a 'free usage' facility, yet organizations have had it for free." A motion was made and passed to form a subcommitteeltask force (task force) to "make recommendation to [the] city of arts center usage." The following actions and this report are the result of that motion. Process 1) April 27, 2009: Upon request by the chair of the task force, City staff provided an Excel spreadsheet listing principal users of the Art Center with contact information. Via e-mail, the chair requested additional nominations from LCC members for people who should be invited to a conversation about the topic. 2) April 29, 2009: City staff delivered documents related to past conversations regarding Arts Center usage. 3) May 7, 2009: The chair sent e-mail invitations to the individuals listed below, along with three suggested days and times for a 90-minute meeting to discuss the topic. People were clearly being invited to one meeting, but were asked to indicate their order of preference for the available days and times. 2 Lynn Fleming's full letter should be available as part of the LCC record of its March 19, 2009 meeting. 3 See LCC minutes of the April 16, 2009 meeting. August 11, 2009 Art Center Usage Report Page 2 of6