Updates: VCA and RVA Arts District

Virginians for the Arts

Are you friends with Virginians for the Arts on Facebook? They often post updates on the state of the arts (funding-wise and more) in VA.

Despite recent funding concerns, Virginia Commission for the Arts advocates are currently breathing a sigh of relief. The Hampton Roads Business Journal reports on this here.

In less encouraging news, Style ran this note a couple of weeks ago: "City: Arts District Will See 'Vigorous' Code Enforcement." This is a "thing that makes us go hmmmmm" on a couple of levels, but maybe we should just be happy that the city's plans to impose regulations on a future arts district mean that the establishment of said arts district is imminent. (?)

Yeah, winning, duh.

Also, have you gotten your RVA Arts tattoo, yet?

It's Alive: General Assembly Votes to Preserve VA Commission for the Arts!

(from VA Alliance of Local Arts Agencies blog)

Budget conference makes 16% additional cut in arts funding but Commission is intact, lion's share of funding is preserved (More info here).

The House and Senate budget conferees have compromised on the questions of arts funding and the continuing existence of the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) by recommending an additional cut of $669,673 -- approximately 16.4% -- to the state general fund appropriation for grants to arts organizations throughout the Commonwealth.

This cut, while unfortunate in light of the 30% in cuts to arts funding previously made during 2008 and 2009, is a far cry from the proposal in the House budget plan, which would have cut VCA funding by 50% in the fiscal year that begins July 1 and eliminated the Commission, and all arts funding, a year later.

I am absolutely certain that this relatively small cut -- in the larger context of a $4.2 billion gap between base spending needs and available revenues -- is a direct result of the wonderful outpouring of advocacy efforts from every corner of Virginia since the House plan was unveiled on February 21. Arts advocates rose to the challenge and contacted legislators in unprecedented numbers, making clear the enormous breadth and depth of support for Virginia's rich and diverse arts and cultural resources. But for this heartfelt display of support, this cut could have been far worse -- and the Commission itself might not have survived.

Assuming that the Governor does not choose to suggest amendments to this budget item -- something we consider unlikely -- total state general funds available for arts grants in FY11 will be approximately $3.37 million.* This represents a significant decline -- some $2.4 million, to be precise -- from the high point of funding, achieved in FY08, of $5.78 million, and regrettably will bring Virginia below 50 cents per capita in arts funding for the first time in a number of years. Nevertheless, we count ourselves fortunate in comparison to those in several other states. facing similarly unprecedented budget pressures, that have made more draconian cuts, and even zeroed out arts funding altogether.

Please take the time to thank your legislators -- all of them -- for preserving arts funding and the Commission. A simple thank you goes a long way. Contact information HERE.

And please make a commitment to reach out to your legislators during the balance of 2010 -- invite them to your facilities, events and educational programs so that they can see, firsthand, what the arts mean on the lives of Virginians.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you have done to bring us home safely in the midst of an extraordinarily difficult fiscal storm.

Alan D. Albert
VFTA Legislative Counsel



* This figure represents the state general fund appropriation for arts grant funding, the "yardstick" by which we measure progress toward our dollar-per-capita goal for state arts funding. This does not include (a) funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) (approximately $721,000 this year, plus one-time stimulus funding of approximately $300,000), (b) the operating budget of the VCA itself ($532,137), and (c) a small amount of revenue derived from sales of the "Virginians for the Arts" license plate and income tax refund checkoffs (totaling approximately $43,000). Other published reports regarding arts funding occasionally refer to the combined general fund appropriation for grants and for administration; that figure will be $3.9 million in each of the next two fiscal years once this additional cut is taken into consideration.

Save VA Arts: Advocacy tips for the next two weeks

(from Virginians for the Arts)

THANKS FOR YOUR OUTPOURING OF EFFORT - WHAT TO DO NOW:

Suggestions for effective advocacy efforts over the next two weeks

(More info here)

As we enter into the two weeks that will produce a final budget for the 2010-12 biennium, I thought it might be useful to share some thoughts on the kind of advocacy efforts that hold out the greatest promise for good, and some concomitant thoughts on strategies to avoid.

* The House budget vote was not an up-or-down vote on the arts, and we run the risk of being ineffective or even counterproductive if we mount advocacy efforts that assume that that vote was such a single issue referendum. The budget vote was on a huge package of cuts and a few spending increases, rolled into one giant package (not least to avoid single issue up-or-down votes), Arts were more an "innocent bystander" than a core feature of that package, as many legislators have related to our advocates when they called to express concern. As a result, we must avoid being negative and judgmental about that vote in our advocacy efforts. This is a "teachable moment" for the legislature in general, and House members in particular -- tell them what VCA funding means to the institutions in their home districts, and what would happen if the Commission were abolished, but do so from a constructive point of reference.

* We must always remember that politics is the arts of addition, not subtraction. Use this an opportunity to educate, not attack.

* If you are in a district represented by one or more of the 12 budget conferees, please pull out all the stops to have your local institutions and arts supporters reach out on an unprecedented scale to him, her or them. A list appears below. But even if you are not represented by a conferee, make calls and write letters to your own legislators. We do not need to overwhelm conferees with out-of-district calls and letters -- instead, we need to be sure that every legislator (all 140 of them) hear from every institution and every arts supporter whom we can persuade to communicate.

Thank you all so very much for the tremendous outpouring that has risen up to meet this challenge to the Commission and to the small-but-essential amount of "seed money" that state funding for arts grants represents. It has been astounding to see what could be organized in only a few days' time. Now it is time to seize this moment, when attention is focused on arts and cultural institutions in a way that has not been the case for years, and send a message regarding the good we do in communities, schools and economic development.

-Alan D. Albert
VFTA Legislative Counsel

Senate conferees: Senators Colgan, Wampler, Stosch, Houck, Janet Howell and Saslaw.

House conferees: Delegates Putney, Kirk Cox, Sherwood, Joannou, Landes and Chris Jones.

Click this link to find your legislators

Rally to save VA Arts Today!

PLEASE ATTEND IN A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR VA ARTS FUNDING

ARTS ADVOCACY RALLY
At the Virginia General Assembly and Capitol
FEBURUARY 25, 2010

WHY YOUR ATTENDANCE IS URGENTLY NEEDED AT THE ARTS RALLY
On February 21 the Appropriations Committee of the House of Delegates voted, 15-7, to cut state funding for the Virginia Commission for the Arts by 50% in 2010-11 and to eliminate the agency completely as of July 1, 2011. The Senate Finance Committee has adopted the proposal in the budget bill submitted by Governor Kaine not to make further cuts in state funding for the Commission.

There will be votes on the House and Senate floors THURSDAY on the proposals from the two committees. The different versions of the 2010-12 budget bill approved by the two house of the General Assembly then go to a Budget Conference Committee to resolve the differences.

EMAIL VIRGINIANS FOR THE ARTS at VaForArts@aol.com to let us know you are attending.

WHAT TO DO THURSDAY AT THE RALLY

1. MEET WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS

WHEN? In the Morning, as early as possible

WHERE? At the General Assembly Building, 9th and Broad St., Richmond
A Leave-Behind informational piece is available here for your legislators:
http://bit.ly/9RC1Fn

Legislators begin arriving as early as 7:30 a.m. Make an appointment with your legislators, if possible. If this is not possible, make an appointment with an aide or drop by and leave our advocacy handout. Legislators attend committee meetings before the noon legislative session begins at the Capitol, and it's best to catch them in their offices as early in the day as possible.

2. PARTICIPATE IN SHOW OF SUPPORT AT IN THE GALLERY OF THE HOUSE FOR FLOOR DEBATE

WHEN? Line up outside the House of Delegates Gallery at 11:30 a.m.-admission on 1st come basis-Be there no later than 11:45 to be admitted and seated before the session begins. Stay as long as you can between noon and 2 pm and later, if available. Advocates will be recognized by a local legislator.

WHERE? At the Capitol, in the House Gallery.

Getting there: The general public must enter the Capitol through the public entrance near 10th and Bank Street. Once in the Capitol Building, Virginians for the Arts will have volunteers present to help direct you to the House Gallery.

Public Parking: A limited number of metered public parking spaces (2 hours) are located on Bank Street, between Governor and 14th Streets, on the south side of Main Street, between 9th and 12th Streets and on 12th Street between Main and Bank Streets. Pay parking lots and decks are nearby on 8th and Grace Street and 7th and Marshall Streets.

More info here.

More on Thursday's Art Advocacy Rally

WHY YOUR ATTENDANCE IS URGENTLY NEEDED AT THE ARTS RALLY

On February 21 the Appropriations Committee of the House of Delegates voted, 15-7, to cut state funding for the Virginia Commission for the Arts by 50% in 2010-11 and to eliminate the agency completely as of July 1, 2011. The Senate Finance Committee has adopted the proposal in the budget bill submitted by Governor Kaine not to make further cuts in state funding for the Commission.

There will be votes on the House and Senate floors THURSDAY on the proposals from the two committees. The different versions of the 2010-12 budget bill approved by the two house of the General Assembly then go to a Budget Conference Committee to resolve the differences.

EMAIL VIRGINIANS FOR THE ARTS at VaForArts@aol.com to let us know you are attending.

WHAT TO DO THURSDAY AT THE RALLY

1. MEET WITH YOUR LEGISLATORS

WHEN? In the Morning, as early as possible

WHERE? At the General Assembly Building, 9th and Broad St., Richmond

Legislators begin arriving as early as 7:30 a.m. Make an appointment with your legislators, if possible. If this is not possible, make an appointment with an aide or drop by and leave our advocacy handout. Legislators attend committee meetings before the noon legislative session begins at the Capitol, and it’s best to catch them in their offices as early in the day as possible.

Check here for contact information for your legislators: (Virginia General Assembly website)http://legis.virginia.gov/1_cit_guide/contacting_my.htm

2. PARTICIPATE IN SHOW OF SUPPORT AT IN THE GALLERY OF THE HOUSE FOR FLOOR DEBATE

WHEN? Line up outside the House of Delegates Gallery at 11:30 a.m.—admission on 1st come basis—Be there no later than 11:45 to be admitted and seated before the session begins. Stay as long as you can between noon and 2 pm and later, if available. Advocates will be recognized by a local legislator.

WHERE: At the Capitol, in the House Gallery.

Getting there: The general public must enter the Capitol through the public entrance near 10th and Bank Street. Once in the Capitol Building, Virginians for the Arts will have volunteers present to help direct you to the House Gallery.

Public Parking: A limited number of metered public parking spaces (2 hours) are located on Bank Street, between Governor and 14th Streets, on the south side of Main Street, between 9th and 12th Streets and on 12th Street between Main and Bank Streets. Pay parking lots and decks are nearby on 8th and Grace Street and 7th and Marshall Streets.

More information may be found at Virginians for the Arts website- including a map of the Capitol area.

Bad News for VA Arts- Contact Your Legislator Before This Thursday

The House budget plan released by the House Appropriations Committee on Sunday calls for reducing arts grants through the Virginia Commission for the Arts by 50 percent during Fiscal Year 2011 and eliminating the Commission altogether at the end of Fiscal Year 2012.

...

It is critical that arts advocates contact House members and ask them to oppose this recommendation on the floor of the House in the budget debate, which will be held on Thursday, February 25.

Faxes and phone calls are recommended before email. Find contact information for your legislator here.

Talking points are available here on the VFTA website.

Alan D. Albert
Legislative Counsel
Virginians for the Arts

Artworks for Virginia Pre-Conference, January 26th

Wanna know more about all of this arts and culture district stuff you've been hearing about (what is it, why should Richmond start working on getting one-or more- etc.)?

Check out this free event before the Artworks for Virginia Conference on January 26th.

1708 Gallery, Gallery 5, and Visual Arts Center Recognized by Virginians For the Arts

From Grid:

Virginians for the Arts announced winners of its Arts Build Communities Awards. The awards recognize arts organizations that best demonstrate the ability to enhance the community, lift our spirits, and build a better quality of life. Says Virginians for the Arts President Peter Fields, "The awards showcase the ways the arts contribute to the overall quality of life in Virginia communities."

1708 Gallery is being recognized as a "Shining Star" finalist, and Gallery 5 is recognized as a "Rising Star" finalist.

In addition, Richmond's Visual Arts Center received an Honorable Mention for "Shining Star."

Grid also reports:

Awards will be presented at the ArtWorks for Virginia Conference 2010 Luncheon on January 27, 2010, in Richmond, Virginia. Virginians for the Arts works to build awareness of the importance of the efforts of Virginia's state arts agency, the Virginia Commission for the Arts. In 2009, the agency provided grants for operating support for more than 200 arts organizations throughout the state and more than 1,000 other types of grants that benefit teachers, students, local government, artists and the communities they serve. The Virginia Commission for the Arts is the only entity in the state concerned about developing the arts industry as a whole and about making the arts available in all parts of the Commonwealth. In 2008, the Commission helped to make possible 39,943 arts events attended by more than 7.7 million people, including 1.9 million school children. ***As of October 2009, Virginia's arts agency was funded at 51 cents per capita, the lowest level of any state arts agency of its neighboring states: including (July 2009 figures) North Carolina at $1.18 cents, Maryland at $2.52, Kentucky at $.84, and West Virginia at $1.54.

The starred emphasis of the last paragraph here is our own- this is problematic.

In Virginia, arts are funded half as much as they are in North Carolina, one fifth as much as in Maryland, and one third as much as they are funded in West Virginia???

Admittedly, math is not our (RVAAB's) strong point, but specific numbers aside, this is a thing that makes us go "Hmmm..."

Virginians for the Arts' website is here.