HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-13-2011 B3 Frankel1
December 13, 2011
To San Luis Obispo City Council Members
John Ashbaugh, Andrew Carter, Kathy Smith, Vice Mayor Dan Carpenter,
Mayor Jan Howell Marx
I am writing in support of item #3 on the December 13th agenda which reads:
LEASE OF 1123 MILL STREET BY THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
ARTS COUNCIL.
My comments are in support of renting this property to Arts Obispo (SLO County Arts Council)
at the reduced rate. Arts Obispo is your local arts planning organization and local designated
partner for the state -wide California Arts Council (CAC). I am currently Vice President of the
Arts Obispo Board, and have been actively volunteering with this organization for over 4 years.
As you know, current budget cuts and short falls make strategic planning key for all community
and government agencies. Arts Obispo is currently engaged in long -term strategic planning to
ensure our viability and effectiveness in the years to come. I know, and you know, that the arts
are a very important part of keeping the City of SLO thriving.
Everything in our City goes better with the ARTS.
City business goes better with the ARTS. Our monthly Art After Dark program has
grown to over 30 participants. Downtown is a hubbub of shopping, dining, and gallery
hopping by all ages on those evenings.
Education goes better with the ARTS. The County Poetry Out Loud high school
recitation contest — an Arts Obispo program/partnership with CAC — hosts its final
competition in the City of SLO. Both SLO High School & Mission Prep participate every
year.
The City's architecture and public spaces go better with the ARTS. The Arts Obispo Art
in Public Places committee works with the city in the process of developing &
maintaining the City's investment in public art.
Lastly, I want to talk about membership. An important part of Arts Obispo's strategic planning is
membership. We need to replace dwindling government support — both local and state — with new
sources of revenue. Membership is an important part of this strategy and solution. Our members,
and our valuable volunteers vote with their feet and gas mileage... Having the Arts Obispo office
in the central location of the city is always the most popular and successful destination for
membership outreach & the volunteer participation crucial to our programs.
We need the support of the City of SLO to keep Arts Obispo viable and accessible. As part of this
collaboration, we look forward to supporting the creative cache that the City of SLO is known
for, and makes it a wonderful place to live and a popular place to visit.
Everything in our City goes better with the ARTS!
I'llaiik YO.U,
Julie Frankel
655 Oakridge Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405