In a move that underscores the City of Sacramento’s ongoing support of its local creative community, the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC) has been renamed the Office of Arts and Culture.
The Office of Arts and Culture and its staff (formerly known as part of SMAC) is housed in the Convention and Cultural Services Department and is dedicated to supporting, promoting and advancing the arts throughout Sacramento. The office’s programs include arts education, funding local artists and arts organizations through grants, creating art in public spaces and is home to the new Office of Film and Media.
The public commission arm of SMAC was formerly operated jointly with Sacramento County, but will now operate solely under the City of Sacramento. The new Sacramento Arts, Culture and Creative Economy Commission will be made up of 11 community members appointed by the mayor and council and will provide advice and recommendations for promoting, encouraging and fostering the arts, innovation and tourism in the city.
Renaming the office from the commission helps distinguish between the City’s administrative staff that run day-to-day operations from the public advisory committee.
The Office of Arts and Culture recently rolled out a new logo and is working on updating materials and the website to reflect the new look.
“We’re excited about our new name and logo because it blends the history of our organization with a contemporary mindset,” said Jody Ulich, Director of Convention and Cultural Services. “We took elements from the Sac Metro Arts logo and combined them with the City’s branding, making the face of the organization both modern and respectful of the past.”
Below is a highlight of the office’s current and upcoming efforts:
Grants: $725,000 in grants are currently in the process of being distributed to artists and cultural organizations in the region, supporting economic prosperity and cultural equity.
Arts Education: Nine local artists have been chosen to participate in the first Sacramento Artists in Residencies program which is launching in late March and will last approximately six months. Other programs include the Creativity Youth Summit (fall 2020), the Any Given Child Program (March/April) and others.
Public Art: Four public art projects are coming to the new Safe Credit Union Convention Center and Performing Arts District. Fire Station 15 in council district three will soon feature a new art piece. There is also a Sacramento Mural Conversation on March 17 as part of the ongoing Speaker Series.
Office of Film and Media: The new office opened in January 2020 with the hire of its first full time film commissioner.
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