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Save Arts and Cultural Funding in Pennsylvania!
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Save Arts and Cultural Funding in Pennsylvania!
On May 6, 2009, the Pennsylvania Senate passed its version of the FY 2010 state budget (SB 850) with a 30-20 vote. The bill, introduced on May 4, eliminates all arts and culture grants in the state through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). The budget process isn't complete yet, however. This Senate bill now goes with the House of Representatives' proposal into what will likely be a contentious conference committee before its final passage in the General Assembly. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance will keep you informed as the budget process continues. In the interim, if you have not yet reached out to your State Senator and Representative, please do so now. It's still important to let them know that you care about cultural funding in Pennsylvania.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , I am writing to urge you to support the Governor's proposal for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (which includes $14 million for Grants to the Arts) and restore funding to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The recently introduced Senate budget proposal would zero out these line items completely. This budget is particularly important, because it funds the vital grants that support arts and culture organizations statewide - revitalizing communities and maintaining jobs in the sector. Total elimination of both line items would be disproportionate to other cuts. Though tough times have translated to tough choices all across the board, a slumping economy is particularly tough on nonprofit arts organizations, who are finding less support from corporate and philanthropic institutions. Arts and cultural organizations make a significant impact on Pennsylvania's residents. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance's research report, the 2008 Portfolio, found that visits to cultural organizations in Southeastern Pennsylvania total over 15 million, or four visits a year per resident. These organizations provide over 19,000 jobs, and have been a valuable asset to small towns and urban neighborhoods. The Greater Philadelphia area is known for both its established arts and cultural institutions and smaller community-based organization. Both kinds of organizations provide children with educational programming that keeps them engaged in valuable after-school programs that improves creative thinking and cognitive development. 43% of all visits to arts and cultural organizations are free of charge. Any further cuts in funding for these groups would force many to shutter completely and deplete our residents of critical resources and services. I hope you consider the importance of arts and culture in Southeastern Pennsylvania. A last minute cut to our region's arts and cultural organizations will negatively impact our communities in the long term.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
| Background Information |
The process began in February, when Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell presented his budget proposal. In it, the allocation for the PCA's Grants for the Arts (the line item that includes familiar programs such as AOAP, Preserving Diverse Cultures, Program Stream, and Project Stream) was proposed at an 8% cut for fiscal year 2009-2010. That would bring the funding level from $15.225 million to $14 million. PHMC's funding was also cut, and its Museum Assistance Grants Program, which supports hundreds of museums, history, and heritage sites across the state, was zeroed out.
The Governor's proposal has been met with rising financial challenges in the last few months. Original estimates placed Pennsylvania's revenue gap at $2.3 billion for the current fiscal year. Over the past 3 months, that anticipated shortfall has grown more than $700 million.
What does that mean? It means that both the Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives are looking for things to cut in order to close the widening revenue gap. Many programs have been targeted for elimination, and that list now includes all funding support for arts and culture.
OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO!
So, you've sent your alert, and told your friends, and you still have time to do more? Here are a few other steps that would help:
- Have your board contact your audiences, members, and subscribers about the issue.
- Ask the vendors who rely on your business to contact your legislators.
- Write letters to the editor.
- Contribute comments to online blogs and articles about the state budget.
- Follow up with a letter that demonstrates how your work supports your community, especially the social and economic impact of your work and educational outreach.
- Look for opportunities to present the information from this alert whenever you have an event or meeting - curtain speeches, board meetings, outreach events, etc.
- Get all of your constituents to sign up for advocacy alerts.
- If you're having shows/exhibits in May and June, add a 1-page insert about the budget in your program booklets.
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