Category: issues

Florida’s legislature takes its first steps to kill or drastically reduce state arts funding. “The House wants to slash arts funding to $6 million – down from $28 million – while eliminating the Corporations Trust Fund, which comes from a tax on corporations and helps fund Florida arts programs. The Senate would keep the trust but allocates nothing for arts programs. The bill, which passed on a 67-44 vote, was immediately sent to the Senate. It is expected to come into play during budget negotiations.”

“Both the House and Senate passed bills Thursday eliminating the trust fund for the arts and putting the money into the state’s general-revenue pot. The only difference between the bills: The House budget includes $6 million from general revenue for the arts. The Senate version: zero. The House version now goes back to the Senate. If the Senate approves, the bill would go to Gov. Jeb Bush for his signature.”

“In Iraq — where the fine art is considered some of the best in the Middle East — artists were both coddled and repressed. They were given studios and supplies even as their work was censored and they were forced to paint and sculpture the ubiquitous images of a heroic Mr. Hussein.” Now, other Iraqis want their buildings, their studios. “Culture was controlled by the regime. This has caused many of the new political leaders to view cultural organizations as a remnant of the old regime.”

Across America, arts organizations are pressing their supporters for more help as budgets bust. “The year 2003 is proving a major challenge for advocates and fundraisers. Even with the greatest hearts and keenest minds pushing the arts-funding message, the going is tough if the money just isn’t there.”

A new study reveals that: “Seattleites love their performing arts, with more than two of three residents attending at least one such event every year. And Seattle’s support is strong across all almost all demographic groups, including age, sex and economic means. Yet among those who attend arts events in Seattle, only one-quarter make an annual financial donation to even one arts organization. And almost two-thirds of those who frequently attend make no such contribution.”

While cities and states across America are cutting their arts budgets, Cincinnati is doubling its arts spending. “Even as budget cuts are forcing the elimination of entire city services, city leaders are doubling government support of the arts. City Council will vote today on a plan by Councilman Jim Tarbell to divvy up an unprecedented $2.2 million in grants to 17 organizations, including $350,000 to the opera to help fix up the north wing of Music Hall. “I will admit that I don’t know much about the opera, the symphony or the ballet – though I do enjoy going to them. It has just seemed to me that the city must recognize its growth potential, and the arts provides the biggest growth potential I can think of’.”

US state governments with budget problems have been proposing cuts in education. But the public outcry is strong. “Since January, hundreds to thousands have protested in Arkansas and California, Maryland and New Jersey, Texas and at least 15 other states. The crowds in Frankfort and in Oklahoma City topped 20,000. New Yorkers hope a May 3 event will draw 30,000 in support of public schools. “The scale of the protests is as large and as extensive as we’ve seen since the ’82-’83 recession. And now, schools are more reliant on the states. So when the states cut back, the impact on local school districts is more severe than anything we’ve ever seen.”

New Jersey’s arts council says that Gov. James McGreevey’s proposal to cut the state’s arts budget by 50 percent rather than eliminating it is not enough. “Of the cuts McGreevey made in the budget – which include social service programs and higher education – the loudest outcry has been from arts groups, who have made daily pleas at performances, waged letter writing campaigns and sent a barrage of e-mails to lawmakers.”

Numerous US states are introducing their own “enhancements” of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The new laws may make using a number of digital devices illegal. “By and large, the state bills don’t lay out specific devices that would be deemed illegal. Most follow along the lines of the proposed Tennessee statute, which would criminalize “any communication device which is connected in such a manner that would permit the unauthorized receipt, interception, acquisition, description, transmission or re-transmission of a communication service.”

Staffers from arts organizations and their supporters from all over Florida, left their offices Tuesday to go to the state legislature and appeal against proposed arts funding cuts. “At a time when thousands of Floridians face losing vital medical treatment to budget cuts, arts officials know they face an uphill battle. But a major part of their argument for legislators is that the arts are vital to propping up the state’s sagging economy. The arts are tourism, the arts are economic development. Every dollar that the state invests in the arts generates $41. It’s an investment, not a handout.”