In this issue: 1 - New Grant Opportunity at DCA 2 - Cultural Master Plan Update 3 - Temporary Public Arts Projects RFQ Update New Grant Opportunity: Cultural Exchange International Pilot Program The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) is accepting grant applications for the Cultural Exchange International (CEI) Pilot Program, a two-year grants program intended to celebrate the arts and culture of our City's lively and thriving communities. Its intent is also to build bridges around the world and contribute to the cultural capital of the region. With generous funding support from the Durfee Foundation, DCA will award between three to seven grants, generally ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, in each of the four (4), six-month grants cycles from Fall of 2008 until 2010. The CEI Pilot Program will allow DCA to bring international arts professionals (artists, arts administrators, arts/cultural educators and scholars, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural experts) to Los Angeles to exhibit, present, perform, conduct research, and enter into collaborative relationships with arts organizations and artists. LA audiences will be treated to concerts, visual arts exhibitions, film screenings, panel discussions, master classes, and a whole host of activities that will allow them to experience the arts and culture of peoples from around the world. Similarly, LA arts professionals who want to share LA's multicultural riches will be able to represent this world-class city and, upon their return, share experiences with LA audiences through workshops, panel discussions, exhibitions, and performances. The grant guidelines can be viewed here. For more information, please contact Joe Smoke, DCA's Cultural Grant Program Director, at: joe.smoke@lacity.org. Cultural Master Plan As you may know, DCA is in the process of creating a new Cultural Master Plan for the City of Los Angeles that will develop a shared vision for the role that arts and culture should play in our community, and provide recommendations to further the development of Los Angeles as a national and international artistic center. The following is an update on our current project status: Interviews/discussions held with DCA staff and Mayor's Cultural Master Plan Advisory Committee. (Advisory Committee Member List here) Interviews conducted with 34 key persons. Participation survey yielded nearly 4,000 respondents to date. Research conducted on national/international innovations in arts and cultural public policy/practice. DCA Grantee/Applicant survey sent out and responses collected. Draft of Goals, Mission, and Recommendations available for public discussion at Community Meetings.  Please see DCA Cultural Master Plan Meeting Briefing Paper here. Seven of 14 planned Community Meetings held in Los Angeles Council Districts, involving hundreds of residents. Cultural Master Plan Participation Opportunities Community Meetings In a previous newsletter, we announced a series of Community Meetings to provide greater context regarding the Department of Cultural Affairs current work, and help to re-imagine the role and mission of the Department for the future. We have heard from many community members including artists, cultural organizations, families, teachers, students, and others who have told us what works about our Department, and what changes they would like to see in the future. There have been lively discussions, and all comments will help inform the final recommendations. There are seven remaining community meetings between today and Thursday, November 20. The meeting schedule is here. Please join us at one of more of these meetings. Master Plan Blog To continue the conversations we have started at these meetings, we have started a Cultural Master Plan Blog. Please take a few moments, and add to the conversation. The blog will be up and running on Thursday, November 13, and can be accessed here.  For more information on the Cultural Master Plan, please call (213) 202-5539. Temporary Public Art Projects RFQ Update A Temporary Public Art Project RFQ was released this fall as part of the Arts Development Fee Program. The due date to submit materials was October 15, 2008. We have received over 160 entries in response to this opportunity and will be making artist selections throughout the year. DCA is looking forward to animating dozens of temporary public art projects throughout the City. Through funding from the Arts Development Fees collected, DCA will select up to 25 artists, artist teams, and art collectives to form a pre-qualified pool that we can call on to activate open spaces in specific retail, commercial, and industrial corridors. The artists, teams, or arts collectives selected will be eligible to propose site-specifictemporary art installations, performances, or "art happenings" in non-traditional sites connected with specific private development addresses as the projects become available. It is important to note that the Temporary Public Art Projects must be at, or adjacent to, development sites throughout the City and the temporary public art projects must provide a distinct benefit to the employees of the development site. For additional information on DCA's Public Art Programs, and to sign up to be informed of future Public Art Project opportunities, please click here.