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?

Greater Richmond Area Grants for Innovative Arts Projects- DEADLINE JUNE 7th

Need some money for a project you've had in mind? Check out CultureWorks' info on grants for innovative arts projects and apply by June 7th!

Good luck!

Important note (excerpted from grant guidelines):

PLEASE NOTE THIS CRITICAL POINT: For the CultureWorks Grants Program, “Innovation” refers to the process used in creating artworks, and/or the methods for presenting artworks, and/or the methods for engaging the audience. “Innovation” does NOT refer to the artworks themselves. The emphasis is on innovative ways of doing things – not on the innovative nature of the final products.

Projects eligible for Innovation funding are defined by imaginative ideas that stretch the boundaries of conventional thinking; use nontraditional collaborations or program design; utilize new technologies; or promote access for new audiences in ground-breaking ways. The concept of innovation may relate directly to the proposed project, organization, community or the general field.

CultureWorks updates: RVA arts and creative cultural developments

This week RVAAB attended two meetings led by CultureWorks. The first meeting was a bloggers meeting, and the second meeting took place Thursday night at the Visual Arts Center and was open to the public.

CultureWorks has been busy working to bring the business and creative communities of Richmond together, but how much do you know about this group and what they’ve been up to? Some recent developments you should be aware of…


The Richmond Region Cultural Action Plan has celebrated its first birthday. What is RCAP? Click here to get a slightly more comprehensive view of the Plan, its history and goals. Briefly stated: RCAP sought to determine “how best to take strategic and visionary advantage of the rich array of arts and culture in the Richmond region.” This was determined through much volunteer effort, questionnaires and interviews with arts organizations, practitioners, and others- the data compiled was then used to develop the goals of RCAP. (The entire Plan may be read at www.wolfbrown.com/richmond.)

Why should you care about the Plan? The Plan’s seven broad goals probably affect you and your creative or business practice in some way- click the link to find out more about the Plan and how it relates to you.

__________

Talks about one or more arts districts in Richmond are ongoing. (Click here and here for our previous posts related to the topic, here for some coverage from Style.) Currently a “hub and spokes” model for RVA arts districts is being favored; this would mean that there would be a primary arts and culture district, but there could be others as well that would not necessarily have to share geographic proximity.

Several potential areas for arts/culture districts have been recognized, and each of these areas has been charged with organizing themselves, meeting and talking to determine the needs and wants of their individual areas and how the city might support these in ways other than monetarily.

This has been another recent step towards progress- the City has been supportive of and participatory in arts/culture district talks. (Way to go, Richmond!)

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CultureWorks wants to know if Richmonders want to take advantage of services provided by Fractured Atlas (this was the main topic of Thursday night's Visarts meeting). Some services provided by Fractured Atlas include:

-fiscal sponsorship: enables individuals and organizations to apply for nonprofit status in order to participate in fundraising efforts (fundraising efforts can take place online, similar to the structure of DonorsChoose or Kickstarter)

-health insurance and/or liability insurance: liability insurance may be especially useful to artists who, as a stipulation of commissioned works must be able to provide their own liability insurance

-professional development resources: Fractured Atlas offers online courses to assist artists/creatives in the business of making their work

If you have any interest in services provided by Fractured Atlas, it is strongly recommended that you click the links to learn more about them and what they do, and then contact CultureWorks to let them know that you would like to take advantage of these services. OR if you DO NOT think Fractured Atlas would be good for Richmond, CultureWorks would probably like to hear your opinion about that, too.

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Visual Arts Center is launching a series of workshops next fall titled “Creativity at Work.” This program has been “designed to reach out to the business community to provide tools and strategies for driving innovation in the workplace,” and there will be 3 full-day workshops addressing this and related topics.

__________

CultureWorks is exploring the idea of “Cultural Shareholders” in RVA- this could be a way for arts organizations, arts practitioners, arts patrons and supporters to stand up and be counted for the many ways we compose the complex structure of Richmond’s arts community. This idea is still in development, but be on the lookout for more information about it in the future.

__________

Have you wondered what’s been going on with the arts website that CultureWorks determined was a primary need of arts practitioners in Richmond? (This is included under Goal V of RCAP.) The most recent update on this is that ways of accomplishing this task are still being explored- could we make better use of something we already have (e.g. ConnectRichmond)? Is there another platform already out there that we could easily adopt (something like your757.com or Artsopolis)? Or do we really need to reinvent the wheel for the sake of a comprehensive online Richmond arts resource?

__________

Wow- this is a lot of information- what do you think?

Have you had positive or negative experiences with Fractured Atlas?

Do we need a Richmond arts website- if so, what would you like to see on it? Do you currently use ConnectRichmond or something else to find out about Richmond’s arts scene? First Fridays and The Creative Change Center are also great examples of arts resources we already have available.

What else would you like to see happening in RVA's arts community?

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

Nick and Norah's Infinite Link-List Monday

Last Friday 2/2010 from RVA TV on Vimeo.

Style on Donato

The Hat on murals at soon-to-be-demolished A.D. Williams and 20 Must See/Do events for the next year

Check out the Richmond Scene for more arts updates around town

Style on "Slightly Unbalanced" at UR and Scott Phillips at Eric Schindler Gallery

"Chemicals in Balance" opening at Ghostprint Gallery

Richmond.com's photos from Feb.'s First Friday

"Identity Richmond" explores and documents Richmond subcultures

RTD on Russell/Projects and VMFA's Mughal-style Indian pavilion

More on VA House/Senate budget talks (blurb about arts funding right at the end)

Art 6's April exhibition: "Women and Words"


Elsewhere...

Upcoming DC Arts TV

More DC love: improved website for "The Studio Visit"

Well...?

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.

The Arts are not Superfluous...

The best article in support of arts education I have ever read was written in 2007- the information still rings true, perhaps even more so, three years later. The expression "art for art's sake" is not just about art's ability to bring beauty and joy to our lives, nor are the arts' greatest value found in the way they enhance learning in the "core" content areas...

Here are a few excerpts from the Boston Globe article "Art for our sakes: School art classes matter more than ever- but not for the reasons you think" (read the article- by Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland- in its entirety here):

One justification for keeping the arts has now become almost a mantra for parents, arts teachers, and even politicians: arts make you smarter. The notion that arts classes improve children's scores on the SAT, the MCAS, and other tests is practically gospel among arts-advocacy groups...

There is, however, a very good reason to teach arts in schools, and it's not the one that arts supporters tend to fall back on. In a recent study of several art classes in Boston-area schools, we found that arts programs teach a specific set of thinking skills rarely addressed elsewhere in the curriculum - and that far from being irrelevant in a test-driven education system, arts education is becoming even more important as standardized tests like the MCAS exert a narrowing influence over what schools teach...

What we found in our analysis should worry parents and teachers facing cutbacks in school arts programs. While students in art classes learn techniques specific to art, such as how to draw, how to mix paint, or how to center a pot, they're also taught a remarkable array of mental habits not emphasized elsewhere in school.

Such skills include visual-spatial abilities, reflection, self-criticism, and the willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes. All are important to numerous careers, but are widely ignored by today's standardized tests...

By unveiling a powerful thinking culture in the art room, our study suggests ways that we can move beyond the debate over the value of arts, and start using the arts to restore balance and depth to an education system increasingly skewed toward readily testable skills and information...

We don't need the arts in our schools to raise mathematical and verbal skills - we already target these in math and language arts. We need the arts because in addition to introducing students to aesthetic appreciation, they teach other modes of thinking we value.

For students living in a rapidly changing world, the arts teach vital modes of seeing, imagining, inventing, and thinking. If our primary demand of students is that they recall established facts, the children we educate today will find themselves ill-equipped to deal with problems like global warming, terrorism, and pandemics.

Those who have learned the lessons of the arts, however - how to see new patterns, how to learn from mistakes, and how to envision solutions - are the ones likely to come up with the novel answers needed most for the future.

Still don't get why this arts funding cut is such a big deal?

Here is a list of Richmond arts organizations/venues that have received past funding:

(There are links to many of these in our list of "Richmond spaces" and "More Spaces" to the right of this column.)

1708 Gallery
Amaranth Contemporary Dance
ART 180
Art6
Arts Council of Richmond (now CultureWorks)
Artspace
Chamber Music Society of Central VA
Elegba Folklore Society
Firehouse Theater Project
Folk Art Society of America
HARPS Foundation
Henley Street Theatre
James River Writers
Jazz and Acoustic Music
K Dance
Richmond Ballet
Richmond Boys Choir
Richmond Jazz Society
Richmond Symphony
Richmond Triangle Players
SPARC
Theatre IV
Visual Arts Center of Richmond


And there are other places nearby that have also received funding:

Contemporary Art Center of Virginia (VA Beach)
Taubman Museum (Roanoke)
Artisans Center of Virginia (Waynesboro)
Second Street Gallery (Charlottesville)
Chrysler Museum of Art (Norfolk)
Sycamore Rouge (Petersburg)
American Shakespeare Center (Staunton)
Rawls Museum (Courtland)


It is possible- even likely that every single one of the above venues/organizations will be affected by the proposed budget cuts.

Not only will Virginia culture take a huge hit if this new budget is passed, but many individuals' professional lives will be affected. We are not talking about Sunday painters, folks. We are talking about people whose livelihoods depend on the arts- these are educators, curators, conservators, preparators, administrators, event planners, marketers, artists, and MORE- all individuals whose ability to contribute to progress within a floundering economy may be decreased if this new budget is passed.

Get more information about venues and organization near you that may be affected by arts budget cuts here.

Read more about what you can do to help here and 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.

Art 180's Message About VA Arts Funding Cuts

Dear Friends and Followers of ART 180:

You may have heard about the proposed massive cuts to state arts funding. That's because the arts advocates in our community have been doing a fine job of spreading the word. But if you haven't heard--or simply haven't yet taken action--please make time in in the next two days to contact your legislator or participate in Thursday's activities to prevent the potentially devastating cuts from going through.

This affects not only ART 180, but every arts organization in the state, artists and schools with artists-in-residence, and every nonprofit in the state that does any arts-related programming and gets a piece of the VCA pie. And ultimately, it affects our entire Commonwealth. Just imagine: NO more state funding for the arts in two years. NONE!

Read on for more details. We know that our educational system and all areas of our state economy are suffering, but please do what you are able to prevent this loss, and THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. Read on...

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED TO AVOID THE ELIMINATION OF STATE ARTS FUNDING

The greatest threat to public support for arts and cultural institutions in Virginia in the past two decades is pending before the House of Delegates and will be voted on this Thursday, February 25.

On Sunday, the House Appropriations Committee recommended elimination of the Virginia Commission for Arts and all arts grants funding as part of the House's proposed 2011-2012 budget. The full House will vote on this budget on Thursday. We believe that legislative supporters of the arts will mount an effort to delete this provision from the House budget package and thus to restore funding for the Commission and its grants to arts and cultural institutions across Virginia, large and small.

Please call your legislators immediately and ask them to take action to eliminate this provision from the House budget. If you can, attend the debate this Thursday at 1pm and/or try to visit with your legislator Thursday morning. Information regarding how to determine who is your legislator and how to contact him or her click on the link at the bottom.

If this devastating proposal is to be reversed, we need nothing less than an unprecedented outpouring of public outcry over this action. Only you can make that happen. Please don't assume that "somebody else" will make these calls. We need every supporter of the arts to stand up and be counted in the next two days.

What exactly are we asking for? We ask the House to delete, from the proposed House amendments to the Budget Bill (House Bill 30), the elimination of all funding for arts grants through the Virginia Commission for the Arts. The proposal to eliminate this funding is part of Item 0.9 #2h, paragraph L., reductions to Items 233 and 234.

Go here for legislator's contact information

More on Art 180 and their upcoming events here

VA Arts Won't Go Down Without a RALLY- This Thursday!

The situation for Virginia arts funding is precarious. Besides calling and faxing your legislator, there will be a rally for VA arts funds this Thursday morning at the Virginia General Assembly and Capitol- get more information about the rally at the Virginia Alliance for Local Arts Agencies blog.

And read this great post at Richmond.com about potential cuts for Virginia arts funds and the importance of the VA Commission for the Arts. Here's an excerpt:

Every dollar the state invests in the arts through the Virginia Commission for the Arts returns $7 in investment by corporations, in ticket and event sales, and in local government funding. The state investment also leverages federal matching funds - $1 million last year from the National Endowment for the Arts. $1 million more that will not be available to many organizations that need it if this cut is approved.

Arts in a community promote the grown of the "creative class" in the community. Talented young professionals are attracted to communities with a lively arts and cultural scene. The growth of arts and cultural districts and of public art programs across Virginia demonstrates that local officials understand the connection of the arts with economic development and community revitalizations.

Please contact your legislators today!

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