Please take a moment to fill out the Cultural Plan online survey, https://novisurvey.net/n/pleasanton.aspx. The survey takes 5 minutes and by completing it you will have a chance to win a pair of tickets to an upcoming show at the Firehouse Arts Center.

In 1998 the Community Services Department entered into an agreement with AMS Planning and Research to create a Cultural Plan that would provide a road map for the arts in the coming years. The plan was incredibly useful in highlighting the needs of the arts community and preparing the Department for that need. The Plan was instrumental in the creation of the Firehouse Arts Center. Since the implementation of the plan, the scope of cultural art programming has continued to expand. To address this situation, the City Council’s Annual Work Plan includes a Cultural Plan Update that would summarize themes, trends, and community priorities, assess available resources, review existing and anticipated demographic conditions, and provide strategies for cultural planning and programmatic needs.    

To address the City Council’s priority, staff circulated a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Cultural Plan Update on July 2, 2012. In accordance with the RFQ, proposal evaluations included cultural master plan experience, overall project approach, individual qualifications of project team members and project scope. Based on these criteria, the selection committee identified The Cultural Planning Group as the most qualified to complete the project.

A fifteen (15) member steering committee was formed to oversee the plan process. In addition to planned Committee activity and meetings, there will be significant opportunities for public input, including discussions with City advisory groups and stakeholders. Some of this process includes:

• Executive Interviews: Face-to-face interviews with selected stakeholders such as key City personnel, community leaders, school district personnel, etc., to gain valuable perspective regarding needs, expectations and current conditions. 

• Online Community Opinion Survey: The purpose of the survey will be to assess the Pleasanton arts audience, profile their participation in arts and cultural activities and determine their cultural needs and preferences.

• Two (2) Town Hall Meetings : The meetings  are intended to be organized as follows:
• Community Meeting #1: Present the Cultural Plan Update process and to allow for open community input on issues of vision, goals and priorities.
• Community Meeting #2: To present the initial findings and recommendations.  
• City website:     All meeting information and materials will be available ”on-line” and City staff will encourage participants to provide the City with their e-mail addresses in order to keep them informed of the processes progress and upcoming meetings and events.

Although there are a host of cultural providers within the City, the Cultural Plan Update will focus on the role the City plays in the provision of services and facilities, independently as well as in cooperation with other private and non-profit organizations.  It will focus on activities that the City can best support within the limitations of its space and resources and emphasize activities which serve the greatest number residents and community priorities. Ultimately, the Cultural Plan Update will create a long range vision for the provision of cultural art planning and programming within a flexible framework that can also be responsive to changes in technology, life style and cultural art preference. 

To be added to the email distribution list for future meeting notices or related information, please contact Michele Crose, Community Services Manager, in the Community Services Department at (925) 931-5347.