Elk Grove City Council to Consider $149k Arts and Culture Strategy Contract at Feb. 25 Meeting

The Elk Grove City Council is scheduled to consider awarding a nearly $150,000 contract to develop a comprehensive arts and culture strategy at its Wednesday, Feb. 25 meeting.

According to a staff report, Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and her four city councilmen will be asked to adopt a resolution authorizing City Manager Jason Behrmann to execute an 18-month contract with The Cultural Planning Group, LLC for an amount not to exceed $149,760.

The proposed contract would fund development of an Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy Strategy intended to guide investments, programs and partnerships related to arts and culture in Elk Grove. The effort stems from community input on spending priorities for Measure E, the city’s voter-approved sales tax, which identified arts and culture as a key focus area.

The report states the plan is designed to position arts and culture as drivers of economic development, community pride, and overall quality of life.

The city issued a request for proposals in September 2025 and received 15 submissions. A review panel composed of staff and a subcommittee of the city’s Arts and Creative Economy Commission narrowed the field to three finalists: The Cultural Planning Group of San Diego; Keen Independent Research of Phoenix; and MIG of Sacrament.

Following presentations in December, the commission voted 5-2 to recommend The Cultural Planning Group. Staff concurred with that recommendation.

According to the report, the firm has offices in California, Florida and Pennsylvania and specializes in arts and cultural planning. It previously conducted market analysis work for the Elk Grove Civic Center and contributed to the City of Sacramento’s arts and culture strategy.

Under the proposed agreement, the consultant would work alongside city staff to review existing planning documents, map creative assets, identify gaps and opportunities, assess the economic impact of the city’s creative economy and conduct community and stakeholder engagement.

The firm would deliver an adoption-ready strategy, executive summary and presentation materials.

The timeline calls for approximately 12 months to complete the strategy, followed by six months of consultant support for early implementation, for a total term of 18 months.

The contract, along with associated staff support costs, would be funded through Measure E as appropriated in the fiscal year 2025-26 city budget.

The measure will likely be approved during this Wednesday's meeting.