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AB-1382 State-designated cultural districts.(2023-2024)

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Date Published: 06/19/2023 09:00 PM
AB1382:v96#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  June 19, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  May 25, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 27, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1382


Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva
(Principal coauthor: Senator Allen)

February 17, 2023


An act to amend Section 8758 of the Government Code, relating to state government.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1382, as amended, Quirk-Silva. State-designated cultural districts.
Existing law, the Dixon-Zenovich-Maddy California Arts Act of 1975, establishes the Arts Council, consisting of 11 appointed members, sets forth the duties of the council, and authorizes the council, among other things, to accept federal grants and unrestricted gifts, donations, bequests, or grants of funds from private sources and public agencies for the purposes of encouraging artistic awareness, promoting the employment of artists, and providing for the exhibition of art works in public buildings. Existing law requires the Arts Council to establish criteria and guidelines for state-designated cultural districts, as defined, to establish a competitive application system by which a community may apply for certification as a state-designated cultural district, and provide technical assistance and promotional support for state-designated cultural districts.
This bill would require the Arts Council designate a permanent ongoing staff person to develop, support, and strategically plan the state-designated cultural district program described above. The bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature for purposes of the program, would authorize the Arts Council the expend program funding for staff, program analysis, planning grants, evaluations, building out the program, and providing guidance to emerging cultural districts.
This bill would require the Arts Council to create an interdepartmental advisory group to support state-designated cultural districts and would require the advisory group to work with other agencies, including the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Transportation to facilitate signage for state-designated cultural districts. The bill would require the advisory group to work with Visit California to promote state-designated cultural districts as tourism destinations. The bill would require Visit California to feature state-designated cultural districts in at least one publication per calendar year and to work with the Arts Council to develop an online interactive map and visitor’s guide for each state-designated cultural district.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 8758 of the Government Code is amended to read:

8758.
 (a) As used in this chapter:
(1) “Program” means the competitive state-designated cultural district certification and technical assistance program established by the Arts Council pursuant to subdivision (b).
(2) “State-designated cultural district” means a geographical area certified pursuant to this chapter with a concentration of cultural facilities, creative enterprises, or arts venues that does any of the following:
(A) Attracts artists, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural enterprises.
(B) Encourages economic development and supports entrepreneurship in the creative community.
(C) Encourages the preservation and reuse of historic buildings and other artistic and culturally significant structures.
(D) Fosters local cultural development.
(E) Provides a focal point for celebrating and strengthening the unique cultural identity of the community.
(F) Promotes opportunity without generating displacement or expanding inequality.
(b) The Arts Council shall establish criteria and guidelines for state-designated cultural districts. In executing its powers and duties under this chapter, the council shall do all of the following:
(1) Establish a competitive application system by which a community may apply for certification as a state-designated cultural district.
(2) Provide technical assistance for state-designated cultural districts from, among others, artists who have experience with cultural districts and provide promotional support for state-designated cultural districts.
(3) Collaborate with other public agencies and private entities to maximize the benefits of state-designated cultural districts.
(c) A geographical area within the state may be certified as a state-designated cultural district by applying to the council for certification. Certification as a state-designated cultural district shall be for a period of five years, after which the district may renew certification every three years.
(d) The Arts Council shall designate a permanent ongoing staff person to develop, support, and strategically plan the program. The ongoing staff person shall enable the council to do all of the following:
(1) Provide technical assistance.
(2) Serve as a resource to state-designated cultural districts.
(3) Guide best practices for the program.
(4) Conduct regular and updated program evaluations.
(5) Study the program’s impacts.
(6) Provide the ability to build upon and maintain interagency agreements.
(e) Upon appropriation by the Legislature for purposes of this chapter, the Arts Council may expend program funding for any of the following:
(1) Program staff.
(2) Program analysis.
(3) Planning grants.
(4) Evaluations.
(5) Building out the program.
(6) Providing guidance to emerging cultural districts.
(f) (1) The Arts Council shall create an interdepartmental advisory group to support state-designated cultural districts.
(2) The interdepartmental advisory group shall work with other agencies, including the Department of Parks and Recreation and, particularly, the Department of Transportation to facilitate signage for state-designated cultural districts.
(3) The interdepartmental advisory group shall work with Visit California to promote state-designated cultural districts as tourism destinations and to highlight California’s richly diverse cultural communities.

(4)Visit California shall feature state-designated cultural districts in at least one publication per calendar year.

(5)Visit California shall work with the Arts Council to develop an online interactive map and visitor’s guide for each state-designated cultural district.