NEW YORK—Though New York has long reigned as one of the most competitive and forward-thinking cities in the world, the lack of a unified arts and culture vision might be putting that position at risk. A new proposal before the City Council could be the answer.
Legislation sponsored by Council members James Van Bramer and Stephen Levin would forge a vision for the arts community and the city by amending the city’s charter to include a comprehensive cultural plan.
The last time the city’s charter was changed through a referendum vote was 2010. Those behind the current proposed change believe it’s a common sense move.
“Once this was announced people were pretty baffled that it wasn’t in place,” said Jason Banrey, a spokesman for Van Bramer.
The no-nonsense approach of Levin and Van Bramer, who is chair of the cultural affairs committee, would point the city’s arts community in a new direction.
On Nov. 19, the City Council’s cultural affairs committee will look at the Van Bramer–Levin proposal, which would start by assessing the scope of existing programming and cultural services in all corners of the city. The result will be a snapshot of the city’s arts and culture landscape in all five boroughs.
The main purpose of the final comprehensive plan—which would be reviewed every decade and has no obvious opposition—would be to increase cultural activity and its economic impact as well as support artists.
Need for Change
Arts organizations are hopeful about the long-term impact of a stronger cultural vision for the city. They said that without it, artists and their contributions are at risk of being priced out of the city by skyrocketing rents.
The city also benefits from related tourism money and economic and community development, according to Karen Zornow Leiding, director of the Arts & Business Council of New York.
“It just makes sense to have a plan—we’ve got this really significant sector in terms of vitality and quality of life,” said Zornow Leiding. “It’s great to say we’re number one in terms of global competitiveness; it would be great to have a plan and say ‘let’s make the most of this.’”
Zornow Leiding, whose organization develops creative partnerships between arts and business communities, calls the arts “a very vital part of the economy.”
She’s right. A 2011 study by the Alliance for Arts found that 1,100 nonprofit cultural organizations in New York City generate over an annual $3.8 billion in earned and contributed income.
It’s also a powerhouse employment industry that supports over 100,000 full and part-time jobs. According to the alliance, there are 100 million people every year in the audience for the arts in New York.
“The purpose of the cultural plan is not just to benefit arts organizations, but it’s to benefit the city as a whole,” said Zornow Leiding. “It’s recognizing the arts as integral to the economy.”
Success in Other Cities
The need for a cultural vision is not unique to New York. Numerous other cities in the United States, including New Orleans, Shreveport, Portland, and Chicago already have something similar in place.
Chicago, which Council member Van Bramer looked to before proposing his legislation, is an especially bright example. The city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) was born out of a need to create a more inclusive and comprehensive plan for the city.
“[It] provides a blueprint to advance Chicago’s cultural community and creative economy,” said Jamey Lundblad, director of public affairs, marketing and communications for DCASE.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s blueprint is an intricate administrative web of 241 initiatives, 10 priorities, and 36 recommendations. Yet it successfully functions across numerous city agencies and departments.
“The Chicago Cultural Plan is the centerpiece of our strategy to elevate the city as a global destination for creativity, innovation and excellence in the arts,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel in a recent statement marking the one-year anniversary of DCASE.
Aside from improving the quality of life, one of the program goals is to harness Chicago’s cultural talents and treasures and translate it into economic growth. So far this year, DCASE has produced 2,000 programs, services, and events and hosted 9.5 million residents and visitors at major festivals and venues.
The taxpayer budget investment, according to the mayor’s office, is just $1.25 million. Additional funding comes from private donors. The investments are generating solid returns, and the city says more private donors are lining up.
DCASE marketing research found that the relatively small fiscal commitment has translated into huge tax dividends and sales. That includes $246 million shot in the arm to Chicago’s business activity and over $5.6 million in tax revenues.
An Integrated Approach
Cultural organizations throughout New York’s five boroughs, like the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), said a unified approach is a necessity. They caution, though, that it takes all levels of the arts into account.
“If the city does pursue this plan, we hope it will be fully integrated into broader visions for all of our communities,” said Sam Miller, president of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
Miller’s perspective is that a cultural vision for New York City should meld with other industry sectors, governing agendas, and the bigger picture of community development projects.
In Brooklyn, a stronghold for cultural organizations and creative professionals of all types, a citywide vision would contribute to the health of residents.
“The environment for the arts in Brooklyn is exploding,” said Ella Weiss, president of the Brooklyn Arts Council. “It’s created new neighborhoods and new communities, all of which have contributed to the health of Brooklyn.”
“You can’t have a healthy community without the arts.”
Leadership Changes
It’s unclear yet how a mandate for a unified cultural vision will be impacted by a new mayoral administration. Of the nonprofit arts and culture institutions in the city, the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) under the mayor’s office, stands to be affected the most. DCA helps fund more than 900 nonprofit cultural organizations.
“They vary in size from the MET and the Museum of Natural History to a dance program that doesn’t even have a space,” said Ryan Max, external affairs associate with DCA.
New York City’s arts and culture scene is largely nonprofit, except for some Broadway theaters and a handful of museums. That’s why having a plan is so critical.
In a statement announcing the proposed legislation in August, Van Bramer said that the DCA would be required to “analyze whether some neighborhoods are better served by culture than others,” and an analysis of artists’ needs.
“It will also require the department to outline how it intends to increase participation in cultural activities throughout the city,” Van Bramer stated.
