2015 annual report - Jimmy Van Bramer

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NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL

Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations

2015 ANNUAL REPORT Dear Friend, The past year was full of accomplishments at the City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations. We secured a historic increase in funding for our city’s libraries, ensuring six-day service citywide with a total $343 million in annual support. Because of the committee’s work with Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, the City Council’s six cultural initiatives received $15.7 million in Fiscal 2016, including funding for three new initiatives focused on seniors, young filmmakers and gun violence prevention.

October 1st: Announcing an expanded Cultural Immigrant Initiative with Speaker Melissa MarkViverito at Thalia Spanish Theater.

We passed a law, sponsored by Council Member Stephen Levin and me, requiring the Department of Cultural Affairs to prepare a comprehensive cultural plan for the City, which must be released on or before July 2017.

We passed a law strengthening community outreach in the Percent for Art program, which requires that public art be a component of many of the City’s capital construction projects. And we did much, much more. I encourage you to read about the work the committee did in 2015 in this report, and to make your voice heard at committee hearings in the year ahead. This year brings new challenges. Funding for expanded library service should be baselined as part of the Mayor’s preliminary budget. The city’s cultural institutions and organizations also deserve a funding increase to serve all New Yorkers, just as the libraries saw an increase this year. Thank you for your support over the past year. I look forward to working with you in 2016. Sincerely,

Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer Chair, Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations

MAJOR FUNDING VICTORIES

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Increase library expense funding to $343 million, enabling the return of six-day service at all branches

Jimmy Van Bramer, Chair Costa Constantinides* Elizabeth Crowley Laurie Cumbo Julissa Ferreras-Copeland Andy King

$820 million available for cultural organizations and libraries in city’s Fiscal 2016 capital budget $28 million to 882 organizations through the Cultural Development Fund, plus $5.46 million provided by City Council members to 282 groups Expanded funding for the Coalition of Theaters of Color to $1.97 million, Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA) to $8.16 million, and the Cultural Immigrant Initiative to $3.19 million New initiatives funded: $1.02 million for Arts Programs for Seniors (SU-CASA), $625,000 for Ghetto Film School Accelerator Program Model, and $720,000 for Art: A Catalyst for Change

LOCAL LAWS PASSED Local Law No. 52 of 2015, Int. No. 742-A of 2015: Improving the community engagement process in the Percent for Art Law. Local Law No. 46 of 2015, Int. No. 419-A of 2014: Requiring a Comprehensive Cultural Plan.

LOCAL LAW PENDING Int. No. 865 of 2015: Requiring data of the Cultural Institutions Group in the Mayor’s Management Report.

Chair, Subcommittee on Libraries

Peter Koo Stephen Levin Helen Rosenthal * Council Member Constantinides chaired the Subcommittee on Libraries until June 26, 2015.

HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION Terzah Nasser Deputy Director (212) 788-9128 [email protected]

COMMITTEE STAFF Aminta Kilawan, Legislative Analyst (212) 788-6911 [email protected]

RESOLUTIONS PASSED

Chloë Rivera, Policy Analyst (212) 788-9074 [email protected]

Res. No. 507 of 2014: Declaring January 15th - 22nd of each year as Peace Week in the City of New York.

CHAIR VAN BRAMER STAFF

Res. No. 548 of 2015: Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps on January 27th, 2015. Res. No. 801-A of 2015: Praising Pope Francis for his lifelong pursuit of peace among all peoples and commends him on his upcoming historic visit to New York City.

Matt Wallace, Chief of Staff (718) 383-9566 [email protected] Stephen Miller Legislative and Budget Director (718) 383-9566 [email protected]

2015 TIMELINE January 22nd: City Council passes resolutions from the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations declaring January 15th - 22nd of each year as Peace Week in NYC (Res. No. 507 of 2014) and commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps on January 27th, 2015 (Res. No. 548 of 2015) February 24th: Committee holds oversight hearing: Supporting Public Libraries in the City’s Ten-Year Capital Plan March 20th: Committee holds Preliminary Budget Hearing for the Department of Cultural Affairs and the city’s library systems April 20th: Committee holds hearing on a bill improving the community engagement process in the Percent for Art Law (Local Law No. 52 of 2015, Int. No. 742-A of 2015) April 27th: City Council passes bill requiring Comprehensive Cultural Plan (Local Law No. 46 of 2015, Int. No. 419-A of 2014) May 13th: Committee passes bill improving the community engagement process in the Percent for Art Law (Local Law No. 52 of 2015, Int. No. 742-A of 2015) May 18th: Mayor signs bill requiring Comprehensive Cultural Plan (Local Law No. 46 of 2015, Int. No. 419-A of 2014) June 2nd: Mayor signs bill improving the community engagement process in the Percent for Art Law (Local Law No. 52 of 2015, Int. No. 742-A of 2015) June 8th: Committee holds Executive Budget Hearing for the Department of Cultural Affairs and the city’s library systems September 17th: City Council passes resolution praising Pope Francis for his lifelong pursuit of peace among all peoples and commends him on his upcoming historic visit to New York City (Res. No. 801-A of 2015) October 30th: Committee holds hearing on bill requiring performance data of the Cultural Institutions Group in the Mayor’s Management Report (Int. No. 865 of 2015) November 30th: Committee holds oversight hearing on the implementation of Six Day Library Service December 15th: Committee holds oversight hearing with the Committee on Immigration on IDNYC and the Cultural Institutions Group

SUPPORTING LIBRARIES Increase Libraries Expense Budget to $343 Million During the Bloomberg Administration, New York City’s three library systems were forced to reduce hours, lay off staff, and limit their circulation in an effort to adhere to budget reduction requirements. The Council urged the current Administration to restore library funding to 2008 levels. On March 20th, the committee held a hearing on the 2016 Preliminary Budget and the Fiscal 2015 Preliminary Mayor’s Management Report regarding libraries and the Department of Cultural Affairs. In its budget response, the Council called upon the Administration to increase funding by $65 million above the $313.1 million included in the Preliminary Budget for the library systems. At adoption, the administration added additional funding of $22 million to expand citywide library service and provide six-day service citywide. This funding was in addition to the $21 million provided to the three public library systems through Council discretionary funding, bringing total additional funding to $43 million.

Oversight: Expansion of SixDay Service On November 30th, the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations jointly with the Subcommittee on June 29th: Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito joins Chair Jimmy Van Bramer, committee members Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Andy King, Peter Koo, and Libraries, chaired by Council Member Karen Koslowitz to celebrate six-day library service. Council Member Andy King, held an oversight hearing on six-day service at public libraries. With the increase in funding for New York City’s three public library systems, every branch in every borough instituted six-day service for the first time in nearly a decade. At the hearing, members heard testimony on libraries’ progress in implementing six-day service and heard from new hires and about the expansion in programming and materials. Six-day service at public libraries will result in the Queens Library being able to hire 129 new employees, including librarians, custodians, maintenance, clerical, and other positions. The new increase in funding will also result in Queens Library allocating $2.6 million towards purchasing new books, journals, and digital materials. Brooklyn Public Library will be providing an extra 217 hours of service per week throughout the borough, with average branch hours of operation increasing from 45 to 49 per week. In total, Brooklyn Public Library intends to hire 90 new staff persons, including librarians, special officers, and custodial professionals with the additional funding it has received. New York Public Library will now be open for an additional 289 hours per week. As a result of the new funding, New York Public Library will be hiring 93 new branch librarians, 14 facilities and security staff, and 34 other employees focused on the Library’s research centers, school outreach, education, and the Bryant Park Extension II.

SUPPORTING LIBRARIES Event: Five-Borough Library Tour Day

April 8th: Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez touring the Fort Washington Library with Chair Jimmy Van Bramer.

On April 8th, Chair Van Bramer kicked off a fiveborough tour to see the decaying state of our City’s neighborhood library branches. Council Members Inez Barron (Brooklyn), Deborah Rose (Staten Island), Ydanis Rodriguez (Manhattan), Vanessa Gibson (Bronx) and Costa Constantinides (Queens) participated in the two-day tour. The tour followed the launch of the “Invest in Libraries” campaign, which underlined the maintenance crisis of New York City’s three library institutions.

Event: 24-Hour Read-In at City Hall Park On June 10th, Chair Van Bramer and Council Member Costa Constantinides were joined by elementary school students, Bridget Quinn-Carey, Interim President and CEO of the Queens Library, Linda Johnson, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library, Tony Marx, President of the New York Public Library, Urban Librarians Unite, members of DC 37 and renowned authors to participate in the first-ever 24 hour read-in at City Hall Park. Library supporters called for an June 10th: Chair Jimmy Van Bramer and increase in operating funding to provide more Committee Member Costa Constantinides at the hours, hire staff, and purchase materials, and 24-Hour Read-In at City Hall Park. Photo: William pushed for $1.4 billion in funds from the City’s Alatriste ten year capital plan in order to bring the libraries into a state of good repair.

Oversight: Executive Budget for Libraries On June 8th, the committee held an oversight hearing on the Fiscal Year 2016 Executive Budget for the Libraries. The Budget for Fiscal 2016 totals $313.9 million, $2.4 million more than the Fiscal 2015 Adopted Budget. The Executive Budget includes $864,000 in new needs and $11.7 million for other adjustments. Notably, the Executive Budget for Fiscal 2016 includes $70,000 for New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library for a technology upgrade to allow those who have Municipal IDs to use the library system; $1.4 million for a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program Sustainability Program to provide communities with improved broadband access and technology instruction; $332,000 for intra-city agreements with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services for the Expense for Conservation and Efficiency Leadership program that uses PlaNYC expense funding for energy conservation initiatives.

SUPPORTING LIBRARIES Oversight: Supporting Libraries in the City’s Ten-Year Capital Plan On February 24th, the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations, the Committee on Finance, chaired by Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, and the Subcommittee on Libraries, then chaired by Council Member Costa Constantinides, conducted an oversight hearing supporting libraries in the City’s Preliminary Ten-Year Capital Strategy for Fiscal Years 2016-2025, released February 9, 2015. In its September 2014 report entitled “Re-Envisioning New June 8th: Executive Budget Hearing with Finance Committee Chair Julissa Ferreras-Copeland York’s Branch Libraries,” the Center for an Urban Future documented $1.1 billion in pressing capital needs for 178 public libraries, or 86 percent of all New York City’s branches. The Executive Ten-Year Capital Strategy for the Library Systems totals approximately $623.4 million, $561.1 million greater than the Preliminary Ten-Year Capital Strategy, mostly allocated for essential reconstruction of facilities. The Executive 2016 Capital Commitment Plan includes $736 million in Fiscal 20152019 for the Library systems; the Executive Commitment Plan for Fiscal 2015-2019, $154.5 million greater than scheduled in the Preliminary Commitment Plan.

LEGISLATION LOCAL LAWS PASSED

RESOLUTIONS APPROVED

Local Law No. 52 of 2015, Int. No. 742-A of 2015: Improving the community engagement process in the Percent for Art Law.

Res. No. 507 of 2014: Declaring January 15th - 22nd of each year as Peace Week in the City of New York.

Local Law No. 46 of 2015, Int. No. 419-A of 2014: Requiring a Comprehensive Cultural Plan.

LOCAL LAW PENDING Int. No. 865 of 2015: Requiring data of the Cultural Institutions Group in the Mayor’s Management Report.

Res. No. 548 of 2015: Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps on January 27th, 2015. Res. No. 801-A of 2015: Praising Pope Francis for his lifelong pursuit of peace among all peoples and commends him on his upcoming historic visit to New York City.

LEGISLATION The Comprehensive Cultural Plan This bill, sponsored by Council Member Stephen Levin and Chair Jimmy Van Bramer, requires the Department of Cultural Affairs to produce a comprehensive cultural plan for the City to analyze the City’s current cultural priorities and assess of how to improve the delivery of cultural resources. It will examine arts education, how to incorporate arts and culture into community and economic development, the status of arts organizations and artists, and propose how the City can remain artistfriendly in a time with record high rents and other economic pressures.

Improving the Percent for Art Law

Chair Van Bramer and Committee Member Stephen Levin celebrate the bill’s passage. Int. No. 419-A of 2014 Committee Hearing: September 29th, 2014 Passed by Committee: April 27th, 2015 Passed by Council: April 27th, 2015 Signed by Mayor: May 18th, 2015

The Percent for Art law, passed by the City Council in 1982, mandates that one percent of the budget for eligible Local Law No. 46 of 2015 City-funded construction projects be spent on artwork for City facilities. Since the program’s inception over 30 years ago, nearly 300 projects have been completed with accumulated art work commissions of over $41 million. Seventy new projects are currently in progress. The program brings artists into the design process and enriches the City’s civic and community buildings with site-specific projects that engage a variety of media— painting, mosaic, glass, textiles, sculpture, as well as works that are integrated into infrastructure or Chair Van Bramer and Committee architecture. This bill was crafted in response to local Member Laurie Cumbo at the bill residents’ complaints over limited public inclusion in signing with Mayor Bill de Blasio. the selection process of a large, Percent for Art-funded Int. No. 742-A of 2015 sculpture to be erected on Jackson Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. Accordingly, it requires that the Committee Hearing: April 20th, 2015 Department of Cultural Affairs hold at least one public Passed by Committee: May 13th, 2015 hearing on such works of art prior to inclusion and Passed by Council: May 14th, 2015 Signed by Mayor: June 2th, 2015 publish notice of the hearing on the Department’s website and in the City Record at least 14 days before Local Law No. 52 of 2015 the hearing will take place.

LEGISLATION Requiring Data of the Cultural Institutions Group in the Mayor’s Management Report This bill requires the Mayor to include data from the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) for the previous fiscal year in the Mayor’s Management Report (MMR). The CIG is comprised of 33 institutions as determined by the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). CIG members are private cultural Int. No. 865 of 2015 institutions located on City-owned property that receive significant capital and Committee Hearing: October 30th, 2015 operating support from the City and operate as publicly-owned facilities whose mandate is to provide cultural services accessible to all New Yorkers. The MMR, a biannual account of data from City agencies for the assessment of City government, contains metrics such as funding and attendance at CIG institutions. According to a 2015 Center for an Urban Future report, DCLA is the largest arts funder in the country and provides more financial support to the CIG than any other organization. The vitality of New York City’s vibrant arts and cultural sector depends on the City having a comprehensive understanding of CIG data. Indeed, MMRs were instrumental in tracking the decline in the City’s funding for the arts following the Great Recession in 2008, when support for the CIG fell by 11 percent, as well as revealing a 6 percent decrease in support during 2009-2015 despite a 20 percent rise in attendance for that period. This legislation would require that the MMR contain additional performance data, including but not limited to visitor count and student attendance.

Declaring Peace Week in New York City (Res. No. 507 of 2014) Approved by Council: January 22 This resolution, sponsored by Council Member Jumaane Williams, declares January 15th-22nd of each year as Peace Week, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy of non-violence, in the City of New York. Established by LIFE Camp, Inc., to address youth violence in New York City neighborhoods, the goal of Peace Week is to create a culture of peace throughout the City and among its youth, in particular. According to the 2010 Census, New York City is home to 1.2 million youth aged 15 to 24 and according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, between the years 2009 and 2011, homicide was the leading cause of death among that population. Peace Week promotes awareness of youth violence and encourages people and youth, especially, by “[galvanizing] the efforts of entertainers, cultural icons, government leaders, educators, athletes and community based organizations to host an event or lend their voice to the message of peace.”

LEGISLATION Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camps (Res. No. 548 of 2015) Approved by Council: January 22 This resolution, sponsored by Council Member Mark Levine, commemorates the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest complex of concentration camps established by the Nazis, on January 27, 2015. It is estimated that between the years of 1940 and 1945, a minimum of 1.3 million people were deported to Auschwitz, where at least 1.1 million were murdered. On January 27, 1945, Allied Forces entered the complex and liberated more than 7,000 remaining prisoners, who were mostly ill and dying. New York City is home to an estimated 73,000 Holocaust survivors, the most in the world outside Israel. With this resolution, the City of New York upholds the duty to remember while commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz and to honor the memory of all Holocaust victims.

Commending Pope Francis in Advance of His Visit to New York City (Res. No. 801-A of 2015) Approved by Council: September 17 This resolution, sponsored by Council Member Paul Vallone, praises Pope Francis for his lifelong pursuit of peace among all peoples and commending Chair Jimmy Van Bramer and Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. Photo: William Alatriste him on his then upcoming historic visit to New York City. Pope Francis is the first Jesuit, the first from the Americas and the first non-European leader of the Catholic Church in more than 1,200 years. He is a champion of the poor, a vocal promoter of social justice and an advocate for peace, having repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to reconciliation, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among all regions and religions. During his visit, from September 24-25, 2015, the Pope delivered the evening prayer at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, addressed the United Nations General Assembly, attended a multireligious meeting for peace at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, traveled via a motorcade through Central Park and celebrated Mass at Madison Square Garden.

OVERSIGHT Using IDNYC to Expand Access to Cultural Institutions On December 15th, the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations and the Committee on Immigration, chaired by Council Member Carlos Menchaca, held an oversight hearing on IDNYC and the Cultural Institutions Group. The IDNYC program, in consort with 33 of the City’s cultural institutions, began offering cardholders free one-year memberships. This membership grants cardholders with a host of benefits, including free admission to museums, discounted tickets to concerts and access to special events. The offer, initially available to all IDNYC cardholders in 2015, has been extended through the end of 2016 and now includes additional discounts and a total 40 participating cultural organizations. The committee inquired about information on New Yorkers who utilized the IDNYC free membership offer, including the number of cardholders that visited each institution as well as data on repeat visits and engagement in programming.

Chair Jimmy Van Bramer with Council Member Carlos Menchaca, Chair of the Committee on Immigration. The public provided live feedback during the hearing, with New Yorkers using the #MyIDNYC hashtag to talk about the cultural organizations they’ve visited with IDNYC.

Department of Cultural Affairs Budget Oversight On June 8th, the committee held a joint oversight hearing for the Fiscal Year 2016 Executive Budget for the Department of Cultural Affairs with the Committee on Finance, chaired by Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland. The Budget for Fiscal 2016 totals $150.7 million. Notably, the Executive Budget for Fiscal 2016 includes $80,000 for a new Arts-in-Residence program. Funds for Capacity-Building workshops have also been allocated in the amount of $120,000 for Fiscal 2016 and grants in the amount of $300,000 for Fiscal 2016 and 2017 for a new initiative to support arts and other cultural organizations to help them integrate into different neighborhoods and bring a cultural component to the neighborhoods. The Department’s Ten-Year Capital Strategy for Fiscal 2016-2025 totals approximately $210.2 million, most of which will fund the essential reconstruction of facilities. The Fiscal 2016 Executive Capital Commitment Plan includes $839.5 million in Fiscal 2015-2019 for the Department; the agency’s Executive Commitment Plan for Fiscal 2015-2019, an increase of $22.5 million from the Preliminary Commitment Plan.

CULTURAL FUNDING Coalition of Theaters of Color: This program supports the operations and programming of theaters and cultural organizations primarily in communities of color. The funding increased from $1,700,000 in Fiscal 2015 to $1,965,000 in Fiscal 2016. Cultural After-School Adventure (CASA): This program supports afterschool programs that are in partnership with cultural programs and institutions. The funding increased from $7,100,000 in Fiscal 2015 to November 24th: Chair Jimmy Van Bramer, Speaker Melissa $8,160,000 in Fiscal 2016, an increase Mark-Viverito and Committee Member Stephen Levin at the of $1,060,000 allowing each Council “Through the Eyes of the Homeless” exhibit at City Hall. Photo: William Alatriste Member to designate eight cultural organizations at an amount of $20,000 each. Cultural Immigrant Initiative: This program supports cultural organizations to provide programming focused on the cultural history or traditions of an immigrant community in New York City. This initiative increases access to unique cultural offerings that focus on immigrant heritages. The funding increased from $1,500,000 in Fiscal 2015 to $3,187,500 in Fiscal 2016 an increase of $1,687,500. SU-CASA (New Initiative in Fiscal 2016): Funding provides two senior centers per Council District with arts programming activities through one of DCLA’s approved groups. Participants will benefit from the cultural arts activities which may include a choice of music, dance, painting, or crafts. The funding amount for Fiscal 2016 is $1,020,000. Ghetto Film School (GFS) Accelerator Program Model (New Initiative in Fiscal 2016): Funding supports a market-based accelerator program for 150 GFS alumni and other qualified young media producers a year, providing advanced training, professional development and job placement. The funding amount for Fiscal 2016 is $625,000. Art: A Catalyst for Change (New Initiative in Fiscal 2016): This program works with people affected by gun violence in select neighborhoods and designated precinct areas on public awareness and conflict mediation. The funding amount for Fiscal 2016 is $720,000. Cultural Development Fund (CDF) and Member Support of Cultural Organizations: This program offers operating support to a broad swath of the city’s cultural organizations. In Fiscal 2016, CDF provided $28,082,500 to 882 organizations, in addition to $5,461,847 in City Council member discretionary funding to 282 groups. That’s a 48 percent increase from Fiscal 2015, when City Council funding provided $3,688,880 to 242 organizations.

EVENTS Department of Cultural Affairs and Ford Foundation Discussion on Diversity On January 28th, Chair Van Bramer attended a panel discussion on enhancing diversity in the arts in New York City. The event was hosted by the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Ford Foundation.

Ribbon-Cutting for New Children’s Room at the Broadway Library On February 11th, Chair Van Bramer, Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas and Bridget QuinnCarey, Interim President and CEO of the Queens Library, were joined by dozens of families and children from PS 166 and PS 70 to unveil the Broadway Library branch’s new state-of-the art children’s learning center in Astoria. Council Member Van Bramer secured the $740,000 investment to fully renovate the Children’s Room and install upgrades that will last for generations at the local branch in Astoria where he learned to read as a child.

Crain's Arts and Culture Breakfast On March 4th, Chair Van Bramer was a featured guest speaker at the Arts and Culture Breakfast, hosted by Crain’s New York. He spoke about diversity in the City’s cultural sector, the ability of cultural institutions to address inequality, and the Comprehensive Cultural Plan.

Cultural Town Hall with Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl On March 18th, Chair Van Bramer hosted a Cultural Town Hall featuring Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl at MoMA PS1 in Long March4th: Chair Jimmy Van Bramer at the Island City. The discussion focused on the state of Crain’s Arts and Culture Breakfast with Andrew the arts throughout the five boroughs, recently Hawkins of Crain’s New York. proposed legislation to develop a cultural plan in New York City and enhancing the City’s Percent for Art program to bolster community engagement.

Center for an Urban Future's Creative New York Symposium On October 14th, Chair Van Bramer spoke at the Creative New York symposium hosted by the Center for an Urban Future on the future of the arts in New York City. Issues discussed at the forum included affordability, diversity, and the struggles faced by mid-sized arts organizations.