HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - January 18, 2023 I-01CITY OF
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CALIFORNIA
AGENDA ITEM q* r
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
AGENDA TITLE: Confirm Lodi Arts Commission Recommendation to Appoint Nancy Aide Gonzalez St.
Clair as Lodi's First Poet Laureate
MEETING DATE: January 18, 2023
PREPARED BY: Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Confirm Lodi Arts Commission recommendation to appoint Nancy Aide
Gonzalez St. Clair as Lodi's first Poet Laureate.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Poet Laureate Program shall support Lodi literacy programs and
foster appreciation for poetry and its benefits through reading poetry at
civic events, developing commemorative poems that express Lodi life,
and by providing workshops to the community.
The selected Poet Laureate will become the City's first Poet Laureate, serving as a liaison, advocate, and
leader for poetry, spoken word, and the literary arts. The Poet Laureate will leverage their artistic excellence
and literary achievements to inspire Lodi's diverse residents to have a greater appreciation of the literary arts.
The Poet Laureate is expected to create engaging and conceptually driven, original works stimulated by and in
response to the local community and cultivate critical thinking, connection, and appreciation of the literary arts
through public readings, in-person literary workshops, and civic events.
PRCS issued a Call to Artist (Call) for a Poet Laureate on the city's website, through social media posts, with
emails to the Lodi Arts Commission and Lodi Arts Foundation, and with the support of faculty from the
University of the Pacific throughout October. Two proposals were received and evaluated by Staff for
responsiveness; one was deemed incomplete and the second was submitted by local teacher, Nancy Aide
Gonzalez St. Clair (Proposer).
The Lodi Arts Commission (Commission) reviewed the Call from Proposer to determine whether the Proposer
possesses the artistic qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the services required. The
Commission determined the proposal as satisfactory and approved the Proposer's submission. The
Commission recommends City Council appoint the Poet Laureate to Proposer, Nancy Aide Gonzalez St. Clair,
APPROVED: OjrVC4� xa,�Pj
Stephen Schwabauer, City Manager
Confirm Lodi Arts Commission Recommendation to Appoint Nancy Aide Gonzalez St. Clair as Lodi's First Poet Laureate
January 18, 2023
Page 2
Funding for the Poet Laureate is provided by a $15,000 grant from the Library & Literacy Foundation for San
Joaquin to be administered over a three-year period between January 2023 to December 2025; $5,000 per
calendar year. The Department's Cultural Services staff will oversee the Artist during the three-year Poet
Laureate program.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding provided by the Library & Literacy Foundation for San Joaquin
FUNDING AVAILABLE: $15,000 - 20600000.56452 (rev)
$15,000 - 20673405.72338 (exp)
Andrew Keys
Andrew Keys
Deputy City Manager/Internal Services Director
Ch istina Jarom y
Pa ks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director
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cc: City Attorney