Title
Approving a 2020 Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) award to Springboard for the Arts for an Emergency Relief Fund for Saint Paul artists.
Body
WHEREAS, on July 13, 1994, the City Council of the City of Saint Paul established the Cultural Capital Investment (“Cultural STAR”) Program; and
WHEREAS, the Cultural STAR Program is funded with ten percent of an additional one-half of one percent sales tax on sales transactions that occur within the City of Saint Paul, pursuant to Minnesota Laws 1993, Chapter 375, Article 9, Section 46, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Cultural STAR Program is to promote economic growth in Saint Paul by strengthening the arts and cultural sector and by supporting downtown as a vital cultural center; and
WHEREAS, on January 31, 2020, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary declared a public health emergency for COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus not previously identified in humans, beginning on January 27, 2020; and
WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020 President Donald Trump declared that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constituted a National Emergency; and
WHEREAS, on March 16, 2020, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-04, which ordered certain places of public accommodation closed to ingress, egress, use, and occupancy by members of the public; and
WHEREAS, on March 25, 2020, Governor Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-20 which ordered all persons currently living within the State of Minnesota to stay at home or in their place of residence except to engage in essential activities or critical sector work; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense financial harm to Saint Paul artists and the arts and cultural non-profit sector; and
WHEREAS, Springboard for the Arts is an economic and community development organization for artists and by artists. Springboard for the Arts provides programs that help artists make a living and a life, and programs that help communities connect to the creative power of artists. Springboard for the Arts’ mission is to cultivate vibrant communities by connecting artists with the skills, information, and services they need to make a living and a life; and
WHEREAS, Springboard for the Arts has an Emergency Relief Fund (the “Emergency Fund”) dedicated to supporting artists in Minnesota who experience career-threatening emergencies whereby artists can request up to $500 to compensate for cancelled work that was scheduled and lost; and
WHEREAS, Springboard for the Arts expanded the Emergency Fund to address the economic impacts of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Emergency Fund provides up to $500 grants to artists who have experienced income loss or other financial impacts due to COVID-19, as described in the attached report; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Minnesota Laws 1998, Chapter 389, Article 8, Section 37, Subdivision 1, a citizen review panel, commonly known as the Cultural STAR Board, has recommended that Springboard for the Arts receive a grant of $40,000 to support its Emergency Fund;
WHEREAS, the $40,000 grant to Springboard for the Arts’ Emergency Fund will be distributed as individual, $500.00 grants to at least eighty (80) Saint Paul artists affected by COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the funding recommendations for the Cultural STAR program do not require a public hearing pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 116J;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council hereby approves granting $40,000 of 2020 Cultural STAR funds to Springboard for the Arts’ Emergency Fund to support Saint Paul artists with individual grants of $500.00; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council, upon recommendation of the Mayor, approves and adopts the amended Cultural STAR 2020 budget, as specified in the Financial Analysis, attached; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the PED Director, the City Attorney, and the Director of the Office of Financial Services are hereby authorized and directed to take all actions necessary to implement this Resolution, and are authorized and directed to execute all agreements, documents, and instruments related to the implementation of this Resolution.