Friday, January 23, 2009

Emergency: CCA Budget Cuts

Just received the following in my inbox from the Colorado Council on the Arts.

Dear Colleagues,

The current proposal for the State’s budget balancing plan includes a 50% reduction for the Colorado Council on the Arts. Such a cut would seriously impact the agency’s ability to continue to provide the grants and services for artists, community organizations, schools, creative businesses, and government agencies at its current level. The agency has scheduled a Listening Tour from January 30 through February 10 to gather important public feedback regarding the critical areas in which state investment is essential to support our state’s creative economy. Public feedback is vital as the agency determines its future budget priorities.

Due to the budget uncertainty, the Council has also decided to postpone its March 12 grant deadline for the 2009-10 Grants to Artists and Organizations (GAO) and Success through Art (StART Schools) grants.

Artists, community groups, creative businesses, educators and municipal leaders are encouraged to attend a Listening Tour session and to invite their colleagues. The Listening Tour schedule is listed below and posted on the Council’s web site. Additional sessions may be added. If you have questions about the tour, email coloarts@state.co.us.

The Council has also posted an online survey on the web site, click here to access the link. This will only take a few minutes and will provide important input regarding the role of state funding for arts and cultural activities and creative enterprises in communities around the state.

While the budget process is underway during the current legislative session, Arts For Colorado, a volunteer advocacy organization, will be sending out legislative alerts, information, and suggestions on how to get involved and let your voice be heard. Be sure to opt-in to the Arts For Colorado mailing list. You may wish to speak directly to your state legislator as well. Click here to find out your state legislator.

We appreciate everything you do to help make the arts “Everywhere You Look” in Colorado.

Sincerely,

Elaine Mariner

Executive Director, Colorado Council on the Arts

1 comment:

Bettina said...

From Arts For Colorado:
Everyone who cares about arts and culture must communicate with the JBC immediately about the importance of preserving the State’s investment in the CCA. This is what you can tell the JBC and your own elected officials:

* Don’t Cut a Successful Economic Stimulus Program:
The State’s investment in the CCA is an existing economic stimulus program with a proven track record of leveraging State dollars 12 to 1, creating jobs, and helping educate young people for employment in the creative economy.
* Keep Colorado Competitive in Creative Industry:
Colorado has made great strides in building a nationwide reputation as a state that values and supports the creative community.
* Ensure Receipt of New Federal Arts Stimulus Money:
The Obama economic stimulus package recently introduced in Congress calls for an extra $50 million to be devoted to the National Endowment for the Arts, 40% of which is earmarked for distributions to state councils on the arts. But NEA money is usually given to states as a match for state dollars. Thus, if Colorado were to cut its own funding of the CCA, we might not qualify to receive the additional stimulus dollars

AFC is working, through its volunteer board members and professional lobbyist, to carry this message to our elected representatives – Preserve, don’t cut, this existing economic and community stimulus program. We urge you, immediately, to contact your own elected representatives, and become an AFC member to support our advocacy work for you!

For more information, please contact http://www.artsforcolorado.org/