, the city of Arvada has negotiated a way to allow the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities to transition from a city-run organization into an independent nonprofit.
A 7-0 vote at Monday’s City Council meeting was the final step in the process in what will be a 20-year agreement, although there will still be overlap between public and nonprofit at the 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. location.
, going from $1.8 million in 1999 to more than $4 million in 2014. Despite this, additional appropriations have been allocated seven out of the eight years since 2008 to cover Arvada Center budget gaps.
Under terms of the agreement, the city retains ownership of the land and building, as well as art which is owned as of this month. It will pay the nonprofit in cash and in-kind services as a management fee.
The nonprofit will be responsible for programming, fundraising, and operations, governed by a board of directors. City employees who work for the will transition to being employees of the nonprofit.
Philip Sneed, the Arvada Center’s executive director, previously said the move will open up more fundraising channels, as most donors are hesitant to donate to government organizations but are more willing to give to nonprofits.
“There is nothing new or unprecedented about this proposal. Around the country, a lot of cities have realized they’re not good at arts programming and prefer to handle their art centers like this,” Sneed said, adding that the Denver Zoo, Botanic Gardens and Museum of Nature and Science are examples of metro organizations with public-private partnerships.
If the agreement is not working, a so-called “kill switch” can be flipped after five years that would return operations to the city.
Mayor Marc Williams said he wants to protect the Arvada Center as a city asset, saying the arrangement will allow for the facility to be maintained appropriately.
“I don’t want the city to be taking back damaged goods,” Williams said. “We are at our limit as to what we should be putting in of taxpayer’s money.”
Austin Briggs: 303-954-1729, abriggs@denverpost.com or twitter.com/abriggs
