The Cultural Arts Commission supports option 4 for the Winn Room project

The following letter was sent to the City Council in late February from the Cultural Arts Commission regarding the Winn Room project.

Submitted by the Cultural Arts Commission

Mayor Bailey, Council Members Donovan, Downey, Duncan and Tanaka:

The Coronado Cultural Arts Commission, established in 2011, is dedicated to fostering the development of the performing, visual, cultural and other arts in Coronado. Charged with providing recommendations to the City Council, the Commission identifies the expansion and improvement of Winn Hall as an integral part of the arts in Coronado and recommends implementation of “Option 4” of the subcommittee report in the Winn room of the city council. The Commission’s analysis takes into account the economic impact, social vitality as well as educational, cultural and historical implications, highlighting the importance of this decision for the dynamism and future of the city’s cultural arts.

Public libraries serve as hubs of knowledge and culture. Historically, this was done primarily through books, but in today’s era, this need is increasingly being met through interactive, in-person activities. Events at the library, especially the Winn Room, bring the community together and foster engagement through rich cultural experiences. The Winn Room, as the only free venue for arts and cultural events in Coronado, plays a central role in the city’s economic health, social vitality and cultural significance, hosting more than 400 public events annually.

The economic impact of the arts in Coronado is substantial, with nonprofit arts contributing $39.2 million to the local economy in 2022. This data, collected through Coronado’s participation in the AEP6 survey, illustrates the economic impact of cultural events not only on our citizens. , but also visitors from the other side of the bridge and beyond. Today, the lack of an available, appropriately sized and modern venue severely limits the events offered as well as public attendance. Additionally, the AEP6 study demonstrated the social impact of nonprofit arts, with more than 2,000 volunteers contributing more than 85,000 hours of community development service. The Winn Room is the facility where the community donates their time and talents.

The Commission argues that Options 1 and 2 amount to superficial upgrades, which will likely require significant spending in the coming years to keep pace with technology. Recognizing the importance of a holistic approach to Winn Room improvements, the Commission believes that investing in $9 million in Option 4 is a critical, multi-generational necessity, ensuring that Winn Room meets the community’s needs for the next 50 years or more. Funding opportunities including grants, foundations, corporate and citizen contributions are considered viable to offset a significant portion of the cost, making the project financially feasible for the city.

The city does not have facilities capable of accommodating an audience of 200 to 300 seats, with the exception of the Nautilus Hall which is acoustically insufficient and offers limited visibility to host cultural and artistic events. The Main Stage Theater, which seats 570 people, is too large for most of the library’s free events and is scheduled and used extensively by CUSD. The Spreckels Center Great Room is only slightly larger than the current Winn Room and is heavily used for Spreckels Center programming. A venue is needed to fill this gap, especially as many artists, speakers and authors require a minimum of 200 seats before agreeing to book a room (which would not be met by “option 3”) . Coronado residents have lost many popular events due to the lack of appropriately sized facilities and enough seats for all residents wishing to attend.

In conclusion, the community’s desire and need to expand Winn Hall to accommodate an audience of 208 and incorporate a state-of-the-art audio-visual system with a raised ceiling is clear. The Commission, in fulfilling its mission to grow the arts in Coronado, is advocating for larger and improved event and meeting space at the library. “Option 4” is the only economically reasonable choice. This expansion would greatly benefit the community and be accomplished at a reasonable cost to the city, consistent with the city’s evolving cultural and economic landscape.

Coronado Cultural Arts Commission
Deb Kaller, President
Dawn Richards, Vice President
Jeanmarie Bond, commissioner
Michelle Darnell, curator
Rachel Streuber, curator
Johanna Wilson, curator

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