Report Prepared by: Jennifer Flachman, Senior Management Analyst
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SUBJECT: Request from the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission Subcommittee to Approve Combining $4,500 in City Art Project Funds with $10,000 in Merced County Arts Council California Arts Council Grant Funding for the Downtown Arts and Culture District Signage and Branding Project
REPORT IN BRIEF
Request from the Arts and Culture Advisory Commission Subcommittee to Approve Combining $4,500 in City Art Project Funds with $10,000 in Merced County Arts Council California Arts Council Grant Funding for the Downtown Arts and Culture District Signage and Branding Project
RECOMMENDATION
Arts and Culture Advisory Commission - Adopt a motion to approve combining $4,500 in City Art Project Funds with $10,000 in Merced County Arts Council California Arts Council Grant Funding for the Downtown Arts and Culture District Signage and Branding Project
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ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended; or,
2. Deny; or,
3. Refer back to staff for further study.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
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CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the City Council Goals and Priorities: Public Works & City Beautification.
DISCUSSION
On December 12, 2025, following a competitive grant process, the California Arts Council designated Downtown Merced's Main Street corridor, from N Street to Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, as an official Arts and Culture District.
The Merced County Arts Council served as the lead applicant for the designation, with support from the City of Merced and the Merced Downtown Association. As part of the designation, the California Arts Council awarded $10,000 in grant funding, to be distributed over two years, for marketing and branding efforts associated with the district.
The Merced City Council previously approved $4,500 toward a project that included the issuance of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a project to create a district logo and produce signage....
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