San Francisco Arts Commission Supports Cultural Equity

This week at City Hall, a Special Meeting of the Full Arts Commission was convened to provide further discussion of a recent report from the Office of the Controller. It was the second hearing the SFAC convened on the matter, and was as much an opportunity for concerned citizens and stakeholders to share their thoughts with commissioners as it was a chance to hear more about the report, what it is, and what it isn’t.

We at the Arts Commission were heartened to see so many members of the arts community at the meeting, most of whom came out to voice their support for the Cultural Equity Grants Program (CEG).

SFAC Commissioners joined that sentiment. As Commission President PJ Johnston said at the Dec. 12 meeting:

“We said it last week, we’ll say it again today, and we’ll keep on saying it: We believe in the Cultural Equity Grants program, we wholeheartedly support Cultural Equity grant recipients, and we intend to protect funding for Cultural Equity in the arts.”

The staff of the SFAC, like the commissioners who spoke this week and last, share the community’s passion for a vibrant and diverse cultural community, and we want to reassure you that the Arts Commission unequivocally supports the Cultural Equity Grants Program.

In order to foster continued support for this and other critical programs of the SFAC, and to further dispel any lingering misconceptions about the Controller’s report and the staff response, the following is a recap of some of the key points emphasized at the Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 meetings