C7K - Approve Bass Museum Mgmt, $987k City Pay

Resolutions - C7 K

COMMISSION MEMORANDUM

RECOMMENDATION

The Administration recommends approving the annual Letter Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and the Friends of the Bass Museum, Inc. ("the Friends” or "the Bass Museum”) for the management of The Bass Museum in the amount of $986,998 based on annual CPI increase.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY

On March 10, 2010, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2010-27349 amending the 1963 agreement between the City and Dennis Alan Richard (as Successor in Interest to John and Johanna Bass). This new Agreement, among other things, replace both the existing Bass Board of Trustees and the Friends of the Bass Museum, Inc., with the Bass Museum of Art, Inc. a 501(c)3, composed of actual stakeholders (as opposed to the then-current Board of Trustees, who maintained their seats by virtue of their contractually designated positions under the 1963 Agreement). The City Manager retained membership on the new governing board, with voting power equivalent to 20% of the membership of the Board, comparable to the City Manager’s representation on the previous Board of Trustees. The day-to-day responsibility to ensure the City’s contractual obligations to maintain the Collection would be handled by the new governing body through a separate management agreement with the City.

Funding for the management agreement for the Bass Museum has been appropriated through the annual budget process each year since 2009, and subsequently approved by resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a letter agreement with the Bass Museum for the amount appropriated through the budget process, noted as follows:

FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 Museum

$512,000 (Reso. No. 2009-27216) $536,495 (Reso. No. 2010-27505) $623,391 (Reso. No. 2011-27757) $585,501 (Reso. No. 2012-28027) $651,000 (Reso. No. 2013-28363) $651,000 (Reso. No. 2014-28764) $651,000 (Reso. No. 2015-29168) $1,201,000 (Reso. No. 2016-29689) *increased to assist with re-opening of Bass

FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025

$651,000 (Reso. No. 2018-30172) $884,058 (Reso. No. 2018-30517) $905,000 (Reso. No. 2019-31034) $905,000 (Reso. No. 2020-31449) $905,000 (Reso. No. 2021-31831) $905,000 (Reso. No. 2022-32362) $932,150 (Reso. No. 2023-32700) $960,116 (Reso. No. 2024-33242)

On July 20, 2018, the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee recommended a retroactive $233,000 increase for the FY 2019 Letter Agreement with the Bass Museum bringing the management fee from $651,000 to $884,058 appropriated through the FY 2019 budget process. During the FY 2020 budget process, the Cost Performance Index (CPI) increase was included and approved by the City Commission on September 25, 2019, resulting in total allocation of $905,000 management fee.

On November 8, 2022, Miami Beach residents voted to approve the $159 million General Obligation (G.O.) Bond for Arts and Cultural Facilities, with an outstanding support rate of approximately 64.8%. As part of the Arts and Culture G.O. Bond, the Bass Museum has been awarded a $20.1 million allocation for the Bass Museum project which includes facility-wide infrastructure upgrades and technology enhancements, along with the construction of a new wing addition which will add versatile spaces for engagement and a state-of-the-art contemporary gallery for the museum’s growing permanent collection.

Effective October 1, 2024, the Letter Agreement for FY 2025 was updated to include language that allowed for a cap of the annual adjusted increase by CPI or 3%, whichever is lesser. With this update, the city’s contribution to the Friends of the Bass for FY 2026 is $986,998.

ANALYSIS

Throughout FY-2025, the Bass Museum achieved significant milestones, including the presentation of six (6) exhibitions: Rachel Feinstein: The Miami Years, Ulla von Brandenburg, Performing Perspectives, La Horde, and a second iteration of Social Assembly. Most notable was the unveiling of Assume Vivid Astro Focus’ (AVAF) monumental multimedia installation—a generous gift to the Bass Museum from Miami collectors Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz.

The Bass Museum’s Creativity Center is the learning hub of the museum’s IDEAS program of innovative workshops, tours, community outreach projects and public programs. This year, the Creativity Center offered a wide range of programs, including Teen Board, in which teens can collaborate with peers to create teen-focused programming and exhibitions, Bass Babies, a weekly art program for toddlers to foster new discoveries in sensory awareness, creativity and pre-literacy skills, adult workshops, and STEAM+ programming, which partners cultural organizations and Miami Beach public schools to emphasize the integration of the arts into core subjects such as science, engineering and math. Additionally, the Bass Museums’ Creativity in the Community initiative brought arts education offsite, providing art and literacy workshops for families through multi-disciplinary art lessons from the Museum to local neighborhoods, and providing transportation for visits to the museum.

The Bass provides free annual museum memberships for Miami Beach residents and City of Miami Beach employees, a $50 value per individual membership.

The Bass Museum recently received support through the Art Bridges Foundation’s “Access for All” program, allowing them to enhance public programming for City of Miami Beach’s Culture Crawl every third Thursday of the month, as well as monthly Family Days, and the annual Art Outside picnic—further promoting accessibility in the arts. Another family friendly milestone was

the launch of Open Studio, a dedicated, on-demand space within the museum that offers guided art activities for families every Saturday and Sunday.

To strengthen its institutional capacity, the Bass Museum also increased its operation budget, expanded its donor base, boosted earned revenue and welcomed two new board members—all key steps in preparation for the museum’s capital campaign launching in 2026. The museum expects to have served approximately 60,000 visitors in FY-2025.

Today, the Bass Museum stands as the sole contemporary art museum on Miami Beach and is a vital cultural cornerstone, blending contemporary art with the city’s rich historical roots. More than just a museum, the Bass is a “third space” where creativity, community and education converge—offering residents and visitors alike a chance to engage with programming, exhibitions, and each other.

The annual adjusted increase to the management fee based on CPI for the FY 2026 Letter Agreement has been updated to an amount of $986,998.

FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Funding in the amount of $986,998 is recommended as part of the City’s FY 2026 budget process.

Does this Ordinance require a Business Impact Estimate? Click or tap here to enter text. (FOR ORDINANCES ONLY)

If applicable, the Business Impact Estimate (BIE) was published on: See BIE at: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/city-clerk/meeting-notices/

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

011-0930-000312-25-406-551-00-00-00-

CONCLUSION

The Administration recommends approving the annual Letter Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and the Friends of the Bass Museum, Inc. to help ensure that Miami Beach remains a world-class arts and culture destination.

Applicable Area

South Beach

Was this Agenda Item initially requested by a lobbyist which, as defined in Code Sec. 2-481, includes a principal engaged in lobbying? No

If so, specify the name of lobbyist(s) and principal(s):

Department

Tourism and Culture

Sponsor(s)

Co-sponsor(s)

Condensed Title

Approve FY 2026 Letter Agreement with the Friends of the Bass Museum of Art, Inc. TC

Previous Action (For City Clerk Use Only)