City of Columbia, Missouri  
Meeting Minutes  
Commission on Cultural Affairs  
Conference Room 1C  
City Hall  
Monday, December 4, 2023  
4:15 PM  
Arts Funding Subcommittee  
701 E Broadway  
I. CALL TO ORDER  
II. INTRODUCTIONS  
David called the meeting to order at 4:15 p.m.  
David Wilson joined as a guest  
Introductions were made  
5 - James Melton, Kristin Gadsden, Lee Ann Garrison, David Spear and Diana Moxon  
Present:  
Absent:  
7 -  
Cameron Dorth, Keondre Harrison, Jim Little, Molly Froidl, Linda Helmick, Stacey  
Thompson and Kathleen Murphy  
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
VI. NEW BUSINESS  
Are there different funding sources available? as an eg. from the Convention and  
Visitors Bureau?  
There was discussion on the current budget  
Arts income is recognized in the city budget  
David Wilson: 1. need to adjust for inflation 2. adjust for population increase 3.  
increase in arts organizations applying for funding  
During 2015 to now flat increases in funding.  
Has anyone asked for an increase in the budget?  
It has been over 10 years since there has been a budget increase.  
The committee reviewed the OCAfunding since 1992.  
The sub-committee constructed a letter requesting an increase in funding to be  
approved by whole commission on Dec. 11. After approved it will be sent to City  
Council and CMO.  
Main concern: Total arts funding is less than 1/10 of 1% of general fund.  
The letter needs tweaking but will be ready to be presented at the Dec. 11  
commission meeting.  
Another talking point to emphasize: the stats from the AEP6 study and the  
organizations included are non-profit so the total economic impact to the city of  
Columbia does not include the for-profit businesses so the economic impact is  
actually higher than stated in the surveys.  
History of City Arts Funding  
History of funding since 1992 was reviewed and discussed.  
Correspondence to City Council  
The sub-committee drafted a letter to request additional funding. This letter will  
be presented to the full commission on Monday, Dec. 11. The need to emphasize  
that the AEP6 economic impact does not include the for-profit arts orgs so  
techinically, the impact is higher than the AEP6 study.  
VII. REPORTS  
VIII. GENERAL COMMENTS BY PUBLIC, MEMBERS AND STAFF  
David Wilson provided many statistics to use in the letter.  
IX. NEXT MEETING DATE  
X. ADJOURNMENT  
Called to adjourn at 5:45 p.m.  
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