Santa Monica : 2 Arts Panels Will Merge

Santa Monica approved consolidation of its Arts Commission and Arts Foundation, arguing that the two boards’ roles of public art direction and private fund raising should be unified to reduce overlap and public confusion between the bodies.

The move, approved on a 7-0 vote by the City Council, directs the city attorney to revise city ordinances to complete the merger.

When the city created the groups in 1982-83, the commission was directed to give legal and administrative structure for public art programs while the foundation solicited private funding support. Recently, however, the two groups’ operations converged, and foundation members complained that they had no say over how the funds they raised were spent.

Under the new plan, both boards’ members will sit on a panel that functions alternately as a government policy agency and a nonprofit fund-raising group.