Pasadena Finance Committee Mulls $500,000 for Arts & Culture Relief Grant Program

The Pasadena City Council Finance Committee is slated to consider a proposal Thursday to allocate half a million dollars for a program to provide relief grants to help local artists struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proposal calls for the city to transfer $500,000 of unappropriated balance from the city’s Cultural Trust Fund to the Planning and Community Development Department’s Fiscal Year 20201 Operating Budget in order to establish the “Pasadena Arts & Culture Relief Grant Program.” As of this month, the unappropriated fund balance in the city’s Cultural Trust Fund was $788,352.

“Pasadena’s arts and culture community has been particularly devastated by the impact of COVID-19,” according to a report prepared by Planning and Community Development Department staff and included in the agenda for Thursday’s committee meeting.

Most of these organizations had planned and funded public programming which necessitated cancellation or postponement, the report states.

“While some were able to move programming to a virtual platform to engage audiences, few if any were able to monetize these programs,” according to the report.

“As a result, some Pasadena organizations have halted operations entirely, while others have downscaled by implementing staff furloughs or layoffs,” the reports states. “And yet many are still obligated for facility-related expenses, insurance, etc., and have restrictions on the use of cash assets.”

The grant program would provide an estimated 60 grants of up to $20,000 each to Pasadena-based artists and organizations.

“Award amounts would be made on a sliding scale based on the requested amount of aid, demonstrated need and consideration of assets,” according to the report. “All awardees must provide a subsequent report which documents how the award funds have been applied.”

Eligibility requirements would include being based in Pasadena, demonstrating a need for immediate operation support, operating in compliance with city codes and ordinances, and having held at least one public program within the city in 2019. 

If approved, applications would begin being accepted in September, followed by an application deadline and the awarding of grants in October.

A review panel would consider the applications and present their findings to the City Council and Arts & Culture Commission for the final determination.

The Department of Planning and Community Development staff recommended the committee move forward with the plan.

Thursday’s Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. and can be viewed online at pasadena.granicus.com/mediaplayer.php?camera_id=2&publish_id=9.