Save Stay Gallery: A Case for Continued Funding
DEAR FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY:
We would like to express our gratitude to each and every one of you for the support you have provided Stay Gallery over the years. Your belief in our mission gives us the motivation to keep our vision for the arts alive in our community. We have been fortunate to see firsthand the impact that our space and programs have had, and because of this, we believe it is important that we share with you the challenges Stay Gallery is facing today.
Stay Arts has provided arts access in the City of Downey for over a decade, beginning as a grassroots group of local artists and arts advocates. In 2012, the city approached us to establish a community art space as part of the downtown revitalization plan. With the city’s support, we founded Stay Gallery in Downtown Downey.
Since then, we have provided arts and cultural programming for the community, with compensation for our services made through direct lease payments for our building from the city’s Art In Public Places fund. Our operating agreement lapsed in May of this year, abruptly cutting off funding and putting Stay Gallery at risk of closure.
We believe ongoing funding for Stay Gallery is an issue that the community has a right to speak on. If you have been positively impacted by Stay, have a personal story to share, or believe that arts access is essential in our community – we need your support!
We wanted to provide you with as much information about our funding situation as possible. You can learn more and take action steps below. We also included further reading about our organization, funding background and operating model, as well as relevant resources and documents, at the bottom of this page. We appreciate you taking the time to read and urge you to join us in taking a stand for the arts!
Sincerely,
Gabriel Enamorado, Co-Founder & Executive Director
Juliana Canty, Programs Director & Curator
Stay Arts Board of Directors
TAKE ACTION
THE PROBLEM
THE SOLUTION
WHY SHOULD STAY BE FUNDED?
THE POTENTIAL CLOSURE OF STAY GALLERY WOULD DISRUPT A DECADES-WORTH OF ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRESS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES:
The only visual arts space and gallery in the City of Downey dedicated to serving the community through arts and cultural programming would be eliminated.
Employment and resources for artists, arts educators, and creative professionals in Downey and Southeast LA would be reduced.
Access to spaces and programs that attract and engage youth, families and visitors would be significantly decreased, impacting community development, economic growth and tourism in Downtown Downey.
Stay Gallery would join the list of arts organizations and assets that have been lost in the city, following the closure of the Downey Museum of Art, Downey Children’s Theatre, Downey Civic Light Opera, and more.
LEARN MORE
Stay Gallery is operated by Stay Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging, connecting and empowering communities in the Southeast Los Angeles - Gateway Cities region through the arts, creative exploration and cultural expression. Our mission is to provide arts access and representation to local artists, youth and families through high-quality, community-led programs and opportunities. For over a decade, we have played an instrumental role in increasing arts access and redeveloping the arts and cultural landscape in the City of Downey.
Since 2012, we have:
Hosted 150+ admission-free art exhibitions for the community
Exhibited the works of 700+ local, emerging and established artists
Produced 500+ community workshops, events and performances
Provided 3,000+ after school art classes in partnership with local schools
Impacted 24,000+ youth through free and low-cost arts programming
Raised $120,000+ in-kind and monetary donations for capital improvements
Stay’s efforts began in 2010 by a passionate group of artists and arts advocates seeking arts-based experiences closer to home, led by Downey residents Gabriel Enamorado and Valentin Flores. At the time, there were no opportunities to enjoy, share and create art in the City of Downey, caused by a decades-long decline in support and resources for the arts.
In February 2010, Gabriel and Valentin organized their first joint art exhibition “Ambivalence”, featuring over 200 prints of their collective photographic works. The opening reception was held at the Downey Civic Theatre and welcomed the attendance of 800+ visitors.
Under the name Downey Art Vibe (DAV) – now Stay Arts – the group began organizing pop-up art exhibitions and performances in partnership with local businesses and city events, including a second exhibition at the Downey Theatre titled “Suburban Renaissance”, an outdoor group exhibition at the annual Taste of Downey, and a Downey & Warren student exhibition and music performance at Porto’s Bakery.
In early 2012, their efforts coincided with the City of Downey’s vision for the Downtown Downey Specific Plan. Recognizing the value of their grassroots movement, city staff extended an invitation to DAV to propose the implementation of a permanent community gallery space on Downey Avenue.
In March of 2012, Downey city council amended the Art in Public Places Guidelines in anticipation of Stay Gallery’s arrival. This amendment allowed for the use of Public Arts funds to pay for art venues within the boundaries of the Downtown Specific Plan area.
In May of 2012, Stay Gallery was founded following the Downey city council’s unanimous vote to enter into a two-year operating agreement with our organization. The city pledged its support by providing lease payments for two years allocated from the Art in Public Places fund, in exchange for arts-based programs, including exhibitions, classes and special events. This agreement did not provide funding for tenant improvements, programming or staffing.
The years following, local students, residents, businesses and organizations generously contributed their time, labor and resources in an unprecedented community effort to build out the space. This included the building’s facade, concrete floors, HVAC system, upstairs office, plumbing, electrical, artwork lighting and track system. Over $120,000 in monetary and in-kind donations was raised for capital improvements.
Our organization’s operating agreement has been periodically revisited and renewed from 2014 to 2023. However, this process has not been without challenges. Despite our significant role in providing arts access and redeveloping the arts and cultural landscape in the City of Downey, opposing views on the city's responsibility to support a community arts space often put our funding at risk. The ongoing debate centers around the notion that Stay Gallery should operate without the city’s investment.
2012-2014 – Downey city council votes 5-0 to directly fund two years of lease payments, totaling $48,000, from a 5-year lease agreement.
2014-2017 – Downey city council agrees to extend the agreement to fund the remaining three years of the 5-year lease, totaling $75,000.
2017-2020 – Downey city council agrees to continue funding the lease for three more years, with the addition of $4,000 per quarter for operating expenses, totaling $150,000.
2020-2023 – The city offers $25,000 annually for direct lease payments totaling $75,000 over three years (a 50% annual funding cut from the previous agreement). This leaves our organization responsible for $11,000+ in lease payments annually during a global pandemic that forced a sixteen-month closure of Stay Gallery. In 2022, Downey city council agrees to provide $28,128 in emergency funding to avoid the gallery’s permanent closure.
As a nonprofit, our operating model depends on external funding from donations, grants, and partnerships with organizations and businesses to cover the costs associated with our programs and facility. More specifically, we partner with local government to operate spaces that allow our core programs to remain free and low-cost for the community, in alignment with our nonprofit’s mission of providing arts access in a region that is underserved in the arts.
The facility that we operate, Stay Gallery, was initially identified and pursued by the City of Downey to enable our organization to provide programs for Downey residents. Since 2012, our lease has been covered by the city’s Art in Public Places fund. These funds have been essential in securing our building and offsetting operating costs, ensuring that grants and donations we receive are allocated towards our programs.
It is important to note that our organization does not rely solely on the City of Downey to operate. The cost of our building’s lease accounts for 13% of our annual operating budget. However, the cost of maintaining a high-rent facility in a Downtown location with open hours, general operations, livable wages for staff, and an annual calendar of free and low-cost arts-based programs, far exceeds the revenue generated from those programs. In order for our organization to continue providing public art programs in a community facility for Downey residents, a partnership with the city to some capacity is critical.
Arts and cultural programs funded by the public sector contribute to community development by providing spaces for social interaction, cultural exchange and collective identity. Communities that recognize the value of the arts through public funding benefit in the following areas:
Social Impact & Sense of Belonging – Arts and culture directly influences how people see and connect with a place, providing access to creative outlets, stories and aesthetics that support a community’s identity and make residents feel valued and appreciated.
Personal Wellbeing & Mental Health – Engaging in the arts and creative activities is proven to have positive effects on mental health and well being. Art classes and experiences provide therapeutic outlets for stress relief, emotional expression and self reflection, contributing to healthier, more resilient communities.
Cultural Preservation – Arts and cultural spaces play a crucial role in preserving a society’s cultural heritage and history. Public funding is essential to ensuring that these spaces have the necessary resources to acquire, preserve and exhibit artistic and cultural works.
Cultural Understanding – Public art serves as a visual medium for understanding other cultures and perspectives, strengthening social connections with others. According to a survey, 73% of Americans believe that the arts “help them understand other cultures better.” (Americans for the Arts)
Economic Development – The arts and cultural sector is a significant contributor to local economies. Arts institutions and events attract tourists and create jobs not only for young people, working artists, arts educators and creative professionals, but in fields such as hospitality and retail.
Artists as Contributors – Creating a public art ecosystem helps support artists and other creatives by recognizing them as important contributors to the community. Artists are highly entrepreneurial and are 3.5 times more likely than the total U.S. workforce to be self-employed. (Americans for the Arts)
Education and Youth Development – Many art spaces function as centers for learning and education, providing programs and resources for students and youth of all ages to learn about art, history and culture. Public funding can support these educational efforts.
Public Safety – Income inequality is associated with increased crime. By providing low-income residents with access to resources and outlets, the likelihood of crime is decreased. Additionally, the arts effectively serves as an intervention tool for at-risk youth, helping to prevent crime and guiding young people towards a safe and productive future.
Bridging the Gap – Public funding ensures that marginalized and under-resourced communities have access to the arts, which can play a critical role in narrowing socio-economic disparities. A groundbreaking study by the School of Social Policy & Practice at the University of Pennsylvania found that the presence of arts and cultural resources in lower income neighborhoods was associated with:
A 14% decrease in cases of child abuse and neglect
An 18% increase in students scoring in the top stratum on English and math exams
An 18% decrease in serious crime rate
RESOURCES
Letter of Support & Public Comment Template
Download PDF ↓ | Download for Word (.docx) ↓ | Download for Pages (.pages) ↓
City of Downey Arts in Public Places Ordinaces (amendment)
Download PDF ↓
TAKE ACTION
QUESTIONS?
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions regarding our funding or want to learn more. We can be reached via phone Monday – Friday, 11am – 5pm.
Call/Text – (562) 774-206
Email – hello@stayarts.org