Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Arts And Culture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Black Repertory Group urges council to honor long‑standing support and funding commitments
Summary
Representatives and longtime participants from the Black Repertory Group told the council the city has not delivered promised annual operational payments and other supports for the theater at 3201 Adeline, estimating roughly $600,000 in unpaid commitments and asking council to review agreements and restore services.
Speakers at public comment urged the City Council to honor agreements with the Black Repertory Group, a long‑running local arts organization based at 3201 Adeline.
Monica Scott Davis (speaker 36), a board member and the granddaughter of the company’s founders, told the council the group was given a 99‑year land lease in 1985 and a building lease that expires in 2035. She said a city commitment to provide $25,000 a year in operational support was not met, and that the unpaid total now approaches an estimated $600,000. Davis asked the council to review the Manila envelope of documents she submitted and to restore promised support and basic services such as trash pickup.
Multiple longtime Black Rep participants and alumni—including Paula Martin (speaker 11) and others—described the group’s role in youth programming, summer camps, tutoring and cultural work and urged the council to protect the theater as a community institution.
Mayor Jesse Adeghen thanked speakers and pledged to work with Councilmember Bartlett and staff to meet this week and review the documents. Councilmember Bartlett said he would convene staff and community leaders to develop a plan to support the theater and maintain its legacy.
What’s next: staff will meet with Black Repertory representatives and report back to the council on the historical agreements and options to address the outstanding commitments and operational support requests.
