Mayor Hopes Cultural Arts Commission Will Bring Malibu Together

With plans for a Cultural Arts Commission in Malibu taking shape, Mayor Laura Zahn Rosenthal hopes the arts will unify the city.

"We have so many residents who are already involved in the arts and I hope that this new commission can bring out and harness their creativity and passion," Rosenthal said. "My sincere hope is that the entire Malibu community embraces the commission and finds ways to work with them."

Rosethanl added that she believes the commission will only be successful with community involvement.

"My belief is that it should be as non-political as possible and this will it to do great things: develop the arts in a meaningful and community oriented way in Malibu, be creative with programs and events, and bring Malibu together through the arts," she said.

The Malibu City Council will discuss on Monday, May 14 whether to start the process to select members of the Cultural Arts Commission.

The cost of the commission could be between $10,000 to $12,000 per year, according to city documents.

In October 2010, the City Council appointed an Arts Task Force to explore the creation of a cultural arts plan that would outline how to "promote, create, and nurture the arts throughout the city," the documents state.

The Arts Task Force generated a Cultural Arts Report, which made several recommendations, including creating a cultural arts web page on the city’s website and starting a mural ordinance. The commission will fall under the Parks & Recreation Department.

Constance Jolcuvar, an arts consultant who prepared the report, said the commission will at first promote local artists and then move to bring in visiting or guest artists on occasion.

"We want to preserve the heritage of Malibu. That is a given. There is so much to build on in Malibu that will be exciting in the future," Jolcuvar said.