Parks commission forwards Arts Advisory Committee 2024 annual report to City Council

The San Ramon Parks & Community Services Commission voted unanimously Jan. 8 to receive the Arts Advisory Committeeannual report for 2024 and recommend it to the City Council. The commissionapproved forwarding the report, 7-0.

The report, presented by Adam Chao, Recreation Supervisor, and Rodney Vakhtachari, vice chair of the Arts Advisory Committee, summarized the committeework in 2024 and laid out goals for 2025. "We've been significantly growing the arts programs," Rodney Vakhtachari said, listing gallery rotations, the selection of the featured artist for the Art and Wind Festival, and work on permanent public-art projects.

The Arts Advisory Committee described several accomplishments, including selection of Paula Kim as the featured artist for the 2025 San Ramon Art and Wind Festival and selection of roughly 45 artist groups for five city galleries. The committee reviewed cultural growth grant applications and recommended funding: the Hansama Cultural Showcase was approved for $1,500 and the Karnataka Composers Music and Dance Festival was approved for up to $1,000; the committee reported the Karnataka event did not use the award because ticket sales covered costs.

The committee also reported progress on public-art program updates and the cityfive-year cultural planning effort. "Staff is updating the arts in the public places program to bring to the committee for review in early 2025," Adam Chao told commissioners. He said staff will finalize the 5-year cultural plan for 202529 and return it to the committee, the Parks Commission and then City Council.

Commissioners asked how the public will see the finished plan. Chao said the plan will be circulated to community participants, returned to the Arts Advisory Committee and the Parks Commission, and presented to the City Council. Commissioners also asked about maintenance of existing public art; staff replied the committee will catalog and photograph the city's roughly 60 pieces of public art and work with Public Services to prioritize repairs and maintenance.

The commission voted to receive the report and forward it to the City Council, which will decide whether to accept the committee's recommendations or take other action.

The Arts Advisory Committee recommended a list of 2025 goals: review and recommend updates to the arts-in-public-places program; select artists for public commissions including a replacement monument sign at the Daugherty Station Community Arts Center; and complete the five-year cultural plan.

Next steps: staff will post the final annual report to the City Council agenda packet and return to the Arts Advisory Committee and Parks Commission with the updated arts-in-public-places policy and the completed five-year cultural plan for public review and council consideration.