Arts Advocacy Update: Petition, Happy Hour and the D.C. Arts Budget
Rob Bettmann sent a message to the members of D.C. Advocates for the Arts.
Dear Artists and Arts Advocates:
Thank you all for joining the DC Advocates for the Arts. We’re aiming to send out updates once a month with relevant information. This months update includes a petition to protect artists, a budget update, and announcement for our happy hour next Wednesday at DCAC. Protecting the Work of Artists: The DC Advocates for the Arts are asking that the City Council pass a bill amending the Univeral Commercial Code to protect the rights of Artists, Collectors, and the Estates of Artists. We need your help to get the bill passed. To learn more and to sign the petition follow this link: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectartists/ DC Arts Budget Update: Many of the members of our community have been impacted by the recent, sharp decline in local funding for the Arts. Arts funding from the D.C. government for local arts dropped from $14,242,396 in FY 2009 to just
$7,352,763 for FY 10 The FY 09 numbers included $5,764,000 in earmarks to fourteen local arts organizations, which you can see listed here: http://www.dcadvocatesforthearts.org/news_details.php?news_id=11. Over 1 million dollars in real funds for granting and programming were cut, in addition to the earmarks. With the decline in funding the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities was forced to cut granting programs, and the amount granted within granting programs. Fortunately, DCCAH programming was not affected by the decline in local funding. Also thankfully, by switching funding for two staff positions from local monies to federal monies the DCCAH was able to avoid cutting staff for financial reasons. This year 9 of the DCCAH’s 15 full time staff are actually funded from the NEA’s appropriation for arts in the District. (The District's NEA appropriation is $710,000 this year.) We hope you'll get involved now to protect funding local arts funding. Right now we need volunteers to help with research, event planning, organizing, and communications. Which brings us to our second item: Artist/Arts Advocate Happy Hour @ DCAC Wed Dec. 9th Come meet fellow artists and arts advocates at a Happy Hour Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 from 6-7:30pm at the DC Arts Center in Adams Morgan (2438 18th St. NW). Cash bar. No cover. This event is sponsored by the DC Advocates for the Arts as a chance for artists and arts advocates to meet each other socially. We hope you’ll join us at this happy hour, and sign up to get involved while you’re there. To learn more about our group, please visit our website: http://www.dcadvocatesforthearts.org.
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