Oakland, CA — Following an extensive community engagement process, the City
of Oakland has released a draft of “Belonging in Oakland: A Cultural Development
Plan.” Oaklanders are encouraged to review the draft and provide feedback by April
13, 2018. The draft plan may be downloaded at oaklandnet.com/culturalplan.
“We’re excited to be entering this final phase of the cultural plan process,” said
Mayor Libby Schaaf. “We’re eager to take steps to preserve and enhance the
cultural environment that makes Oakland a special place to live, work and visit.”
The City’s first comprehensive citywide plan focused on arts and culture,
“Belonging in Oakland: A Cultural Development Plan,” looks at how to advance
Oakland as an equitable and creative city. The plan will serve as a blueprint of goals
and strategies to strengthen Oakland as a dynamic hub for cultural practices that
benefit residents, businesses and visitors.
Launched in April 2017, the citywide plan process included a research and
discovery phase as well as a robust community engagement phase with a series of
14 meetings throughout Oakland, a survey of Oakland residents and the creation of
a Cultural Asset map.
“Insight and information provided by artists, arts organizations and the general
Oakland community were synthesized into the draft plan,” said Roberto Bedoya,
Cultural Affairs Manager. “We want to ensure we captured the essentials, so we’re
inviting the public to review the draft and provide additional comment on the
findings and recommendations proposed to support and strengthen Oakland’s
expressive life.”
Two community meetings will be held to discuss the draft plan:
• Tuesday, March 27, 2018, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Pro Arts Gallery, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
• Saturday, April 7, 2018, 3 to 5 p.m.
Dimond Branch Library, 3565 Fruitvale Avenue
For those unable to join one of these scheduled meetings, other engagement
opportunities available include:
• Emailing suggestions and comments to culturalplan@oaklandca.gov
• Leaving a voice message on the Cultural Plan hotline at (510) 833-6725
(more)
Draft Version of City
of Oakland Cultural
Plan available for
Community Review,
Feedback
March 21, 2018
Page Two
• Mailing suggestions and comments to:
Roberto Bedoya, Manager
Cultural Affairs Division, Economic & Workforce Development Dept.
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 9th Floor
Oakland CA 94612
In addition to downloading from oaklandnet.com/culturalplan, hard copies of the
draft plan may be picked up during normal business hours from the Cultural Affairs
Division, Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 9th Floor.
Community comments received on the draft plan will inform the final draft that will
advance later this year to the Oakland City Council for their deliberation and
adoption.
# # #
About the Cultural Affairs Division
The Cultural Affairs Division is housed in the City’s Economic & Workforce
Development Department. The division includes the City’s cultural funding
program, which provides approximately $1 million in grants to support the arts in
Oakland; the public art program, which has more than $1 million in funds currently
dedicated for public art installations across Oakland and staff working on
professional development programs for artists and arts organizations, special events,
film production permitting and a walking tours program.