Report to/Rapport au :

 

Community and Protective Services Committee

Comité des services communautaires et de protection

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

May 17, 2012

17 mai 2012

 

Submitted by/Soumis par : Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint, City Operations/Opérations municipales

 

Contact Person / Personne ressource:  Dan Chenier, General Manager Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services/Services des parcs, du loisir et de la culture  

(613) 580-2424 x24295, Dan.Chenier@Ottawa.ca

 

 

CITY WIDE / À L’ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE

Ref N°: ACS2012-COS-PRC-0008

 

SUBJECT:

 

Ottawa Arts Court Foundation – 2012 Funding

 

OBJET :

 

fondation de la cour des arts d’Ottawa – financement de 2012

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

 
That the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend Council approve:

 

1.    That the Ottawa Arts Court Foundation be granted 60 days to explore a merger with the Council for the Arts in Ottawa, and that Cultural Services assess the viability of the merger and report back at the end of August 2012 on the results; and

2.      That the Ottawa Arts Court Foundation receive three final funding installments of $15,252 on May 24, June 24 and July 24, 2012 to be used to maintain summer theatre operations serving the arts community and to sustain the organization.

 

 

RecommandationS du rapport

 
Que le Comité des services communautaires et de protection recommande au Conseil :

 

1.    d’approuver d’accorder à la Fondation de la Cour des Arts d’Ottawa 60 jours pour évaluer la possibilité d’une fusion avec le Conseil des arts d’Ottawa (CAO), ainsi que l’évaluation par les Services de la culture de la viabilité d'une telle fusion et la présentation d’un rapport sur ses conclusions à la fin août 2012; et

2.    d’approuver trois derniers versements de subvention de 15 252 $ à la Fondation de la Cour des Arts d’Ottawa, le 24 mai, le 24 juin et le 24 juillet 2012 respectivement, et ce, aux fins du maintien de l’exploitation du théâtre qui dessert la communauté artistique et à soutenir l’organisation

 

 

Background

 

In December, 2011, due to ongoing financial difficulties, the Ottawa Arts Court Foundation (OACF) approached the City for assistance. 

 

Council approved maintenance of the 2011 cultural funding allocation of $183,023 plus a 2% inflationary increase for 2012, conditional on the organization resolving its financial difficulties, reducing its deficit and reaching fundraising targets: Ref. ACS2011-COS-PRC-0013. To date, the OACF received an advance of $91,511 for the 2012 fiscal year.

 

The purpose of this report is to inform Council that the OACF has not been able to meet the funding conditions outlined in the Arts Service Agreement. The OACF is being given 60 days to explore a merger with the Council for the Arts in Ottawa and report back to the City on the results.

 

DISCUSSION

 

 

The City-owned Arts Court facility currently houses 25 independent professional not-for-profit arts organizations, two of which are the Ottawa Arts Court Foundation (OACF) and the Council for the Arts in Ottawa (CAO).

 

The OACF manages the 130-seat black box theatre, library and court room spaces within the Arts Court facility. The City is the landlord and the City’s Cultural Services Branch operates the facility, provides day to day building management, public reception and tenant services.

 

The CAO is an umbrella service organization representing a membership of local artists and arts organizations providing networking information, annual awards, promotional and marketing opportunities as well as arts advocacy and professional development workshops.

 

Both organizations are funded through the City’s Arts Service Agreement program and are required to provide yearly reports on their operations, programs and services. Currently, consideration is being given to a possible merger of the two organizations. A thorough review of areas such as enhanced roles and services, mandates, staffing and funding sources will have to be researched, negotiated and determined between the potentially merging parties. Both organizations will also need to follow their respective by-laws in notifying their voting members of any recommended changes.

 

In consideration of the time needed to undertake this review, it is recommended that the OACF be allowed 60 days to investigate possible restructuring options to merge with the CAO, and report back to the City’s Cultural Services Branch by July 31st 2012.

 

OACF would continue to manage the Arts Court Theatre until the end of August 2012. It is recommended that any funds approved in this report be provided specifically to cover theatre operational costs and to sustain operations during the restructuring process.

 

The OACF has already been provided with 2012 funding of $91,511.

 

Should the OACF and CAO successfully merge, any newly structured organization will need to submit a proposal and staff will return to Committee and Council with a recommended level of funding for the remainder of the fiscal year 2012.

 

RURAL IMPLICATIONS

N/A

 

CONSULTATION

Consultations between Legal Services, Cultural Services, the OACF, and the CAO will be required once recommendations are approved by Council.

 

Comments by the Ward Councillor(s)

N/A

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no legal impediments to approving the recommendations in this report. 

 

RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

The risks have been identified and explained in the report and are being managed by the appropriate staff.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications associated with the approval of the recommendations in this report.

 

ACCESSIBILITY IMPACTS

N/A

 

Environmental Implications

N/A

 

Technology Implications

N/A

 

TERm of council priorities

The Ottawa Art Gallery and Arts Court Redevelopment Project is identified as a Corporate Strategic Priority (HC4) as per the Term of Council Priorities approved by Council at its meeting of July 13, 2011.

 

This is a City-building project led by the City’s Real Estate Partnership Development Office and Cultural Services.  The City has the necessary expertise and has engaged architects and theatre consultants to work with key arts partners on the preliminary design options.  Six arts partners remain closely involved with the City on this project.

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

N/A

 

DISPOSITION

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, Cultural Services Branch will implement the steps required in the restructuring process including the possible merger, in consultation with Legal Services, the OACF and CAO.