Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development Film topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Film commissions, Arts Council report $1.7M half-year film spend; First 5 and arts grants highlighted
Summary
The Monterey County Film Commission reported $1.7 million in local film spend in July-December 2024 (about half its annual goal) and $138 million in total economic impact since 1987; the Arts Council reported $212,000 re-grants to 42 groups and growing artist-studio sales.
Two county-funded economic-development partners presented mid-year updates to the board on Jan. 28: the Monterey County Film Commission (MCFC) and the Arts Council for Monterey County.
MCFC Commissioner Karen Nordstrand said the commission helped attract productions that generated $1.7 million in local economic impact during the July'December reporting period and noted that MCFC estimates nearly $138 million in cumulative film-industry spending in Monterey County since the commission was established in 1987. She said efforts include promoting locations, helping productions find local crew and vendors, and marketing outside the Los Angeles film zone to access incentive bonuses; MCFC noted a local short film was selected for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
Arts Council Executive Director Jackie Atcherson said the arts council re-granted $212,000 to 42 arts organizations in the prior year and that the organization's county-funded programming supports local arts businesses, student arts education and community public art. She described a plan to develop credentialing pipelines for arts and music teachers (to spend Prop 28 funds) with local colleges and noted recent increases in studio sales at the ArtWorks cooperative in Salinas.
Both presenters told the board their work supports tourism, local jobs and community revitalization. Supervisors thanked the groups and noted county support remains part of a broader economic-development portfolio.
