Mayor Bill de Blasio, today, signed into law a bill that Northern Brooklyn City Councilman Stephen Levin co-sponsored that that would map out a citywide comprehensive cultural plan.
The plan will research and devise a comprehensive strategy to increase access, equity and opportunity for all New Yorkers to engage in the arts and culture, and plan how New York City can remain an artist friendly city in a time of skyrocketing rents and a variety of economic pressures.
“New York City would not be the cultural capital of the world without our artists. The passage of this legislation provides a unique opportunity to promote the vibrant culture that gives our city life while fostering an equitable, inclusive and artist-friendly environment,” said Levin. “By developing and implementing a comprehensive cultural plan, we can make sure the contributions of all five boroughs are recognized and celebrated as integral parts of our city’s rich cultural fabric.”
The plan calls for the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs as the lead agency to survey and identify the current level of service of cultural groups in each neighborhood; detail the feedback from community outreach, establish a strategy to meet the specified needs of each community; quantify the economic impact of arts and culture in the City; and ultimately put forth a targeted approach to increase cultural activity citywide, increase the economic impact of the arts and culture and provide support to individual and emerging artists in the City.
“There’s no doubt New York City is a cultural center of the world, and the arts are essential to our economy, our schools, and our vibrancy as a city. We are committed to ensuring all New Yorkers have access to cultural activities, and this comprehensive plan will help unify our initiatives aimed at lifting up all New Yorkers through arts and culture,” said de Blasio.
