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CAC - ACTION ITEM: Consideration of (1) a Change in the Artist Procurement Process for the FY 2026-2027 Cycle of the Culver City: Colorful Communities (CC:CC) Poster Program; and (2) Review, Discuss, and Provide Comments; and, (3) Make a Motion to Approve the Change in the Artist Procurement Process.
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Meeting Date: June 2, 2026
Contact Person/Dept: Sam Lee / City Manager - Office of Economic & Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-6001
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: Meetings and Agendas - Cultural Affairs Commission (05/29/26)
Department Approval: Sally Unsworth, Cultural Affairs Manager (05/27/29)
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RECOMMENDATION
Cultural Affairs Division’s staff requests the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee (1) to consider a Change in the Artist Procurement Process for the FY 2026-2027 Cycle of the Culver City: Colorful Communities’ (CC:CC) Poster Program; (2) Review, Discuss, and Provide Comments; and, (3) Make a Motion to Approve the Change in the Artist Procurement Process.
BACKGROUND
In September 2025, the Cultural Affairs Divisions (CAD) launched Culver City: Colorful Communities (CC:CC), a pilot poster program that celebrates the City’s diverse neighborhoods through the unique perspective of local visual artists. This program emphasizes the unique, handmade quality of art where new and original two-dimensional artworks are created, showcasing each artist’s vision and highlighting the distinct characters and details of a specific neighborhood. Five inaugural posters are currently in production.
For the FY 2025-2026 iteration, staff published the Program’s Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on the Arts & Culture page of the City’s public website. The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was open to the public; responses to the RFQ were to be completed and submitted via email to the Cultural Affairs Division’s email. The City’s website was updated with current eligibility, schedule, guidelines, and deadline requirements. During the following weeks, staff continually promoted and invited applications via email, social media, and local neighborhood associations. Thirty-one (31) artists responded to the Program’s Request for Qualifications. Staff reviewed all applications to confirm eligibility criteria and requirements. Twenty-five (25) applications were deemed eligible to advance to the next and final review phase. Six (6) of the incoming applications were determined to be ineligible.
In November 2025, the Cultural Affairs Division was successful in convening five neighborhood representatives, one each from neighborhoods of Lucerne/Higuera, Sunkist Park, Fox Hills, Blair Hills, and Culver/West, to help select the local visual artists who will create original artworks to be translated into posters. The five neighborhood representatives served as jurors on the Artist Selection Committee. On December 8, 2025, the five representatives attended a mandatory, virtual scoring orientation and signed a Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Agreement. As non-voting individuals, the CAC Public Art Subcommittee members were invited to join the virtual orientation and to review the applications on their own. The representatives then received electronic access to the twenty-five, eligible applications; the representatives reviewed and scored the artistic work samples, resume, biography, and artist statement. Each neighborhood representative was given a nominal honorarium of $250 for their participation in this program.
The following four scoring criteria, with a possible score of 100 points total, were included in the guidelines and provided to the neighborhood representatives:
• Artistic Excellence of Qualifications, Materials, Techniques, and Concepts (Up to 30 points)
• Potential Compatibility of Artist’s Art Practice to Align with Program’s Objectives (Up to 30 points)
• Equity & Inclusion Commitment (Up to 25 points)
• Public Engagement Experience & Approach (Up to 15 points)
The total panel scores were submitted via email to the Cultural Affairs Division by the published deadline of Thursday, January 8, 2025. Staff compiled the scores and determined the top five scores based on the average from the four criteria of each application. Top five scoring artists were selected: AQMNI (Culver/West), Buena Johnson (Fox Hills), Deborah Aschheim (Sunkist Park), Lori Escalera (Blair Hills), and Stephen Holman (Lucerne/Higuera).
The 2025-2026 CC:CC cycle is currently in the design development phase, the five inaugural posters are expected to be completed by Fall 2026. Final artworks will be digitally reproduced and translated into collectible posters. The reproduction of the original artworks may be adapted into other non-commercial applications such as construction wraps, street banners, catalogs, etc. Both the original artwork and printed poster will be on display after the final completion of the poster program throughout Culver City-owned locations, making it accessible to the public.
DISCUSSION
In July 2026, the Cultural Affairs Division (CAD) plans to launch the second iteration of the poster program. For the FY 2026-2027 CC:CC cycle, the following five neighborhoods will be featured:
• Blanco/Culver Crest
• Clarkdale
• Downtown
• Jefferson
• Park West
CAD staff is requesting that the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee review a change in the artist procurement process for the 2026-2027 cycle. The change would be to advance three unselected visual artists from the 2025-2026 iteration to the 2026-2027 cycle for commission. The reason is based on artistic merit. CAD staff has identified the three artists as exemplary candidates to create a neighborhood poster for future iterations. Their art practice and artistic samples align quite appropriately with the goals of the city’s poster program. The three artists scored in the top ten; one was in sixth place, and the other two artists were tied for the seventh spot. However, because of the five slots available per cycle, the three artists were not selected to participate in the 2025-2026 iteration. CAD staff is being mindful of efficiency and would like to maximize its artist procurement process by offering the best candidates for program consideration. If approved and assuming the three finalists are available, the 2026-2027 cycle would only need two additional artists to fill the remaining spots for the 2026-2027 cycle. All other program elements will remain the same.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The total budget for the Culver City: Colorful Communities (CC:CC) Poster Program, which is funded by the Art Installation, Restoration, Conservation (PZ824) of the Cultural Trust Fund, was originally approved by the City Council at its meeting on May 20, 2025. Staff time will be devoted to implement the program from inception to completion for the FY 2026-2027 cycle.
ATTACHMENT
1. ATT 1_2026-2027 Culver City: Colorful Communities (CC:CC) Program’s Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
RECOMMENDED MOTION
That the Cultural Affairs Commission Public Art Subcommittee:
1. Consider the Change in the Artist Procurement Process for the FY 2026-2027 Culver City: Colorful Communities (CC:CC) Poster Program; and,
2. Review, Discuss, and Provide Comments; and,
3. Make a Motion to Approve the Change in the Artist Procurement Process.