POR 2016 #217 · Agenda item attachment · Aug 1 2016

COUNCILLOR MAZEN City of Cambridge O-15 Original Order IN CITY COUNCIL August 1, 2016 WHEREAS: Artists provide an invaluable service to the City of Cambridge and their work contributes to the community’s vibrant culture, yields economic gains, and makes the city a more desirable place to live; and WHEREAS: Artists are struggling in Cambridge due to a lack of support and funding from the city; and WHEREAS: Because of Cambridge’s exceedingly expensive housing market, artists are being forced to move to more affordable cities; and WHEREAS: Somerville, MA, has implemented an “Artist of the Month” program, where residents nominate resident artists, and the Somerville Arts Council selects their favorite and publishes an article about them on their website; and WHEREAS: Chicago, IL, donates $1.7 million to local artists through grants; and WHEREAS: Cambridge’s current grant system is lengthy and intensive compared to the size of grant awards given; and WHEREAS: In order to keep resident artists in Cambridge, the Cambridge Arts Council should begin an “Artist of the Month” program, similar to that of Somerville’s and Chicago’s programs; now therefore be it ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to coordinate with the Cambridge Arts Council in implementing a nomination based “Artist of the Month” program; and be it further ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to give the selected artist a $2,000 grant to be spent on project supplies, housing, or general living expenses; and be it further ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the Cambridge Arts Council to remove the difficult long-form application in favor of this nomination based system, and to report back on these three matters.