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Residents, arts groups urge $3 million for East Street cultural district in San Bernardino budget workshop
Summary
Dozens of residents, artists and nonprofit leaders urged the San Bernardino City Council to designate the East Street Corridor as a cultural district and to include a $3,000,000 annual arts allocation—proposed as $2 million for staffing/systems and $1 million to reinstate arts grants—so arts programming can support economic development and neighborhood stabilization.
Dozens of residents, artists and nonprofit leaders used the public-comment period at a special City of San Bernardino budget workshop to press the City Council to fund arts programming and to designate the East Street Corridor as a cultural district.
Speakers including Michael Seguda, executive director of the Garcia Center for the Arts, asked the council to adopt an annual $3,000,000 arts allocation to fund staffing, programming and grants. "We're asking for a $3,000,000 annual budget for arts to just get started," Seguda said, urging the city to explore funding mechanisms and partnerships that would make a sustained program possible.
The push came from a cross-section of advocates. Robert Carrillo, founder of the Launchpad Collective and a resident, reviewed the proposed budget and argued the city’s spending priorities are misaligned with desired outcomes. "Out of roughly $233 million, about $150 million goes to police, $16 million to community development and housing, and under $3 million to economic development," Carrillo said, calling for predevelopment dollars, low-interest loan programs and corridor-focused investments to spur housing and small-scale development.
Other speakers described how arts investment can anchor broader economic goals. Zuiva Ruiz, the budget manager, and city staff later acknowledged options for funding and said staff would return with choices for council consideration in the final budget cycle. Artists and arts organizers suggested using the cultural-district designation to access state funding and to restore the city's visual and performing arts grant program.
Several presenters suggested the $3 million be split to create an operating backbone and grant programs: Casey Ball of the Desert Empire Filmmaker Foundation proposed $2 million for citywide arts staffing and systems and $1 million to reinstate visual and performing arts grants. Arts Connection associate director Ulises Rodriguez cited a 2022 report estimating about $1.7 million in annual tax revenue tied to arts activity in the city, framing the ask as an investment with measurable returns.
Councilmembers and staff did not vote on a funding change at the workshop. City Manager staff asked the council for direction and said staff would prepare options to present for the final budget hearing, tentatively scheduled for June 17. The council also asked staff to identify funding offsets or alternative sources before committing to any new recurring general-fund appropriation.
