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Arts, Culture & Tourism Fund: city money restricted to local grants; oversight by New Bedford Creative
Summary
Ashley Payne explained the Arts, Culture and Tourism special revenue fund is a hotel-tax-derived fund administered under a contract with New Bedford Creative to award grants to local artists and organizations. Councilors asked about administrative costs and requested clarification of how the fund manager is paid.
Ashley Payne summarized the Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, a special revenue account created by a home-rule petition to collect hotel-tax revenue and award grants to local artists, organizations and placemaking projects. The program is administered under a three-year contract with New Bedford Creative (part of the New Bedford Economic Development Council).
Payne said the fund's money can only be used for arts, culture and tourism grants, and cannot be transferred into the citygeneral fund for other purposes. Councilors asked who within New Bedford Creative manages the program and how the manager is paid; Payne identified Margot Saulnier as the manager and said her compensation is not paid from the Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund itself but comes from other sources. Councilors asked the finance office for a follow-up breakdown of compensation and administrative arrangements.
