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recent cuts in schools and this being the first year that $1,000 will not be received from Alameda County. The Commission was informed that the need is great and funds for art in the schools is hard to come by. In the past year, this program reached K -12 students in three (3) schools, which numbered approximately 3,000 students. The reach is broad and non-. duplicative. Ms. Boster discussed the challenge of providing enough funds for all who would like to receive a grant. Commissioner Woodworth questioned how teachers and students were kept involved in the program. Ms. Boster advised that this was a 50% matching grant program. Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council (PCAC). Umbrella for the Arts, Marlene Smith Baranzini thanked the Commission for its past support and advised that receiving grant funds has opened up many opportunities. Ms. Smith advised that PCAC has done many things in the past, most recently is a new brochure and raising funds for the Firehouse Arts Center. PCAC's major goal is to help unify other cultural groups in the arts, which is the reason for the Umbrella for the Arts program, i.e. help with websites, etc. PCAC will try to do something to help groups with this and funds requested will be to help with the Umbrella program. Commissioner Woodworth felt this was a good program with great potential and Commissioner Loll encouraged PCAC to continue looking at ways to collaborate with other groups. He also liked the technical content of the Umbrella event and felt the East Bay Community Foundation could be helpful with this. Pleasanton Community Concert Band, Program Enhancement, Les Duman thanked the Commission and City for past support. Mr. Duman indicated that the Pleasanton Community Concert Band was self- supporting and was applying for funds to assist it in growing its program. Collaboration with other groups allows the band to achieve better participation and he provided details of some of its past collaborations. The Commission was informed that the Concert Band was trying to make performance more attractive to a larger number of people and will be doing a performance on the 4th of July and also at the new Firehouse Arts Center. Band members (mostly Pleasanton residents, ages 13 to 82) play at the Farmers Market and other venues. A challenge for this group is marketing. Commissioner Woodworth agreed that the focus of the group should be on marketing and promotion. Livermore Valley Opera, Bringing Opera to Pleasanton, Jim Schmidt discussed the theatrics involved with opera and its goal to bring opera to Pleasanton. Mr. Schmidt advised that funds requested were for three (3) small outreach programs to be done in Pleasanton and one additional one at the Firehouse Arts Center. Their target is mainly seniors and students. Organizational challenges are people and money, and the organization needs professional help with marketing and publicity. Donations received by Livermore Valley Opera reached an all -time record in 2009. Commissioner Hess discussed the need to outreach to students and indicated she would like to see this organization become part of a school program. She suggested they contact the Civic Arts Commission March 1, 2010 Page 5