The Malibu Cultural Arts Commission is now … the Malibu Arts Commission. At the Monday, April 12, Malibu City Council meeting, the council passed an ordinance allowing the name change for the commission, which was established in 2012 under the original name.
Commission Chair Lotte Cherin told the council that the past two commissions had wanted to change the name to the shortened version.
“It’s easier, more marketable, it just seems to be a better choice,” Cherin said.
The city staff report elaborated: “The commission was created to support and strengthen arts in the community and serve local artists, arts-based organizations, and arts education by forming partnerships with supporters, businesses, foundations, and community leaders … The commission determined the [name] change would help more accurately reflect [its] work to advance all forms of art within the community.” The report added that the change would broaden community perception of the commission and eliminate confusion, as many in the community already refer to the commission as the “Malibu Arts Commission.”
When he cast his “yes” vote, Mayor Pro Tem Paul Grisanti quipped that he was ashamed to admit he had always thought “Malibu Arts Commission” was the group’s name. The rest of the council voted to approve the change for a unanimous, 5-0, vote.