Council on Culture and Arts

The Council was created, per Florida Statutes, with the purpose of:

• Stimulating greater awareness and appreciation of the importance of the arts.
• Encouraging and facilitating greater and more efficient use of governmental and private resources for the development and support of the arts.
• Encouraging and facilitating opportunities for citizens to participate in artistic activities.
• Promoting the development of resident artists, art institutions, community organizations sponsoring art activities and audiences.
• Surveying and assessing the needs of the arts, artists, art institutions, community organizations sponsoring arts activities, and citizens relating to the arts.
• Supporting and facilitating the preservation and growth of the state's artistic resources.
• Contracting for artistic services, performances and exhibits.
• Developing a center or complex of physical facilities for the use of the arts.
• Providing financial and technical assistance to artists, arts institutions and audiences.
• and otherwise serving the citizens in the realm of the arts.

Section 265.32, Florida Statutes 
County Establishing Resolution No. 85-46
City/County Interlocal Agreement Oct 18, 1985 and Dec. 10, 2014
Cultural Resources Commission changed their name to Council on Culture & Arts in 2006

Decision Making Committee

All members must be qualified electors residing in the County. Per COCA bylaws, the 15 members shall include 2 practicing artists, 2 members of the heritage community, and at least 1 member each from the volunteer, business/economic development, tourism, finance or marketing.

The 8 members appointed by the BOCC will include one member from each of the following categories:

• Business / Economic Development
• Historic Preservation / Ethnic Heritage
• Marketing 
• Practicing Artist
• Tourism Industry
• Community Volunteerism
• Members At-Large (2)

The 7 members appointed by the City Commission include one member from each of the following categories:

• Business / Economic Development
• Historic Preservation / Ethnic Heritage
• Finance
• Practicing Artist
• Members At-Large (3)

In filling any vacancy which occurs, the Board of County Commissioners shall select the replacement council member from a list of three candidates submitted by the remaining members of the Council.

Per section 265.32 Florida Statutes, each council member will be charged with the responsibility of serving the best interests of the arts in the county and no council member shall view his or her role as that of representing any particular geographic area of the county, interest group, arts institution, community organization, or audience. No individual committed to, or owing allegiance to, any particular arts faction shall be eligible to serve on the council.

15 total members:

• 8 - Citizens appointed by the Board of County Commissioners
• 7 - Citizens appointed by the City Commission

Plus 2 Voting Ex-officio members:

• 1 - County Commissioner
• 1 - City Commissioner

And 5 Non-voting Ex-officio members to serve as liaisons, per COCA bylaws, appointed by:

• The President of FSU
• The President of FAMU
• The President of TCC
• The Superintendent of Leon County Schools
• The Tourist Development Council

4-Year(s) Expiring September 30
Maximum Number of Terms: 2
No council member who serves two full terms shall be reappointed to the Council during the 2-year period following expiration of his or her term.
Anyone appointed to fill an unexpired term is eligible for reappointment for two full, 4-year terms, and is then subject to the term criteria at the conclusion of their second full term (per COCA 2011 bylaws).
Vacancies are filled for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Generally meets every other month at COCA's offices from 4:00-5:30 pm.