Californians for the Arts is calling upon you to  help with the effort to achieve a significant increase in the budget appropriations for the arts in our state.

 

Last year we made important headway in educating members of the Legislature about the arts community’s needs and California’s bottom-ranked position among the states in arts funding.  That message clearly got through to Assembly Speaker Jon Perez, who made available a one-time special appropriation of $2 million.

 

Today, the climate is ripe for restoring arts funding to a level not seen for over 10 years:  Senator Ted Lieu and Assemblymember Ian Calderon have each introduced bills in their respective houses AND Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian has taken the initiative of trying to get the Budget Committee to make its own revision of the funding amount. 

 

Additionally, overtures are being made to Governor Jerry Brown, who first established the California Arts Council during his early tenure.

 

There is only one way we will succeed—if you and your organization take action NOW to endorse the effort.  Detailed information follows:

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Californians for the Arts (CFTA) and California Arts Advocates (CAA) – two allied nonprofit organizations advocating for all the arts in California – urge you to take a moment to voice your support for a substantial increase to California’s investment in the arts.  CFTA and CAA are actively engaged in a multi-faceted campaign to increase funding for the California Arts Council and we need your help:

LEGISLATION

CFTA and CAA are the sponsors of two pieces of legislation, on in the Assembly and one in the Senate, to increase funding for the California Arts Council.  Those pieces of legislation are beginning to move and we need your help.

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SB 1432 (Lieu) – CA Arts Council

Senate Bill 1432, authored by Senator Ted Lieu, would allocate $25 million from the state’s General Fund to the Arts Council.  That is up from the current $1 million.

Requested Action: Please send a letter supporting SB 1432 to Senator Lieu so your voice can be heard!  Below is a sample letter for your use.  Please take a minute to personalize these letters as shown and FAX them on your letterhead to the author and the offices cc’d. 

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AB 1662 (Calderon) – CA Arts Council

Assembly Bill 1662, authored by Assemblyman Ian Calderon, would also seek a substantial allocation from the General Fund to the Arts Council at a figure yet to be determined.

Requested Action: Please send a letter supporting AB 1662 to Assemblyman Calderon so your voice can be heard!  Below is a sample letter for your use.  Please take a minute to personalize these letters as shown and FAX them on your letterhead to the author and the offices cc’d.

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BUDGET PROCESS

In addition to our pursuit of funding through specific pieces of legislation, CFTA and CAA have decided to pursue additional funding through the formal budget process.  Fortunately, legislators such as Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian and Assemblyman Ian Calderon have already been successful in ensuring that the budget committee reviews the budget for the California Arts Council.

Requested Action: Please send a letter supporting additional funding for the CAC to the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #4. Building critical mass will help our allies in the legislature advance this cause. Below is a sample letter for your use.  Again, please personalize and fax in on your letterhead.

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YOUR voice will make the difference in moving California up from near DEAD LAST in terms of per capita investment to the arts, providing crucial support for artists and arts organizations around the state – organizations like yours that are enlivening communities and enriching the lives of Californians across our great state.

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FAXING YOUR LETTERS:

SB 1432

Senator Ted Lieu – 916-651-4928

Senator Lou Correa (Governmental Organizations Committee) – 916-651-4934

Senator Kevin De Leon (Appropriations) – 916-651-4922

 

AB 1662

Assemblymember Ian Calderon – 916-319-2157

Assemblymember Mike Gatto (Appropriations) – 916-319-2143

 

Budget letters

Assemblymember Tom Daly – 916-319-2169

Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian – 916-319-2146

Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (Budget) – 916-319-2115

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SB 1432 SAMPLE LETTER:

Date   The Honorable Ted Lieu California State Senate State Capitol, Room 4061 Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax:  916-651-4928   RE:      SB 1432 (Lieu) – Funding: California Arts Council             SUPPORT   Dear Senator Lieu,   A SENTENCE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION HERE.   YOUR ORGANIZATION is pleased to SUPPORT your SB 1432, which would restore funding for the California Arts Council that was aggressively cut during California’s budget crisis.  The California Arts Council, which is governed by an 11 member board appointed by the governor and legislature, serves as the thought leader and champion for the arts, fostering arts initiatives across the state. The California Arts Council funds grant programs that place artists in California classrooms, revitalize underserved communities through the arts, support arts education in our schools, and so much more.   While the California Arts Council is funded by other sources – such as a special license plate fund and the National Endowment for the Arts – California’s general fund support historically made up the vast majority of funding for the California Arts Council.  During the 2012-2013 budget year the California Arts Council provided $3.2 million in the form of 336 grants to arts organizations across California.   FUNDING SLASHED General fund support for the California Arts Council has remained stagnant at around $1 million per year since the 2003-2004 budget year when funding was slashed dramatically.  This is compared with an average of $9.2 million per year in general fund support over the 40 year history of the California Arts Council.  Below is a chart that shows general fund support for the CA Arts Council over the course of its existence.

CA General Fund Support for the California Arts Council
YEAR	1980-81	1985-86	1990-91	1995-96	2000-01	2003-04	2005-06	2010-11	2014-15
AMOUNT	$10.33 M	$11.69 M	$12.43 M	$12.42M	$30.70 M	$1.07 M	$1.13 M	$1.08M	$

The 2003-2004 budget cut general fund support for the California Arts Council to $1,075,000 – down from a high of $30,702,000 in general fund support in 2000-2001.  Unfortunately, general fund support for the California Arts Council has remained at approximately $1 million per year ever since.  According to the California Arts Council 2012-2013 Annual Report, California ranks dead last among the states for per capita spending on the arts – even after all non-general fund sources of funding are included.   SB 1432 would restore a much-needed portion of the general fund support for the arts in California.  The bill represents a modest step forward for the arts in California, and is an appropriate budget augmentation that will allow the California Arts Council to once again serve communities across California.   ECONOMIC BENEFIT The arts comprise a critical component of benefit California’s overall creative economy, which accounts for 1 out of 10 jobs in the state (1.4 million jobs) and nearly 8% of California’s Gross State Product, as determined by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation in its recent 2013 Otis Report on the Creative Economy.  According to that report, “Artistic services and intellectual capital are inarguably essential to the 21st century economy, which is dynamic, knowledge-based, and increasingly global…. To assure our future, we must invest in our creative economy and our creative capital.” by providing an intellectual infrastructure for our entire creative economy, from technology to the entertainment industry.  In addition, the arts contribute to California’s creative economy through tourism, jobs, social services, and educational outreach.   For these reasons, we are happy to SUPPORT SB 1432.   Sincerely,       YOUR NAME TITLE ORGANIZATION       cc.       Senator Lou Correa – Chair, Senate Governmental Organization Committee – (916) 323-2323             Senator Richard Roth – Chair, Senate Budget Subcommittee #4 – (916) 327-2187             Senator Kevin De Leon (Appropriations) – 916-651-4922             Jacque Roberts – Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown – (916) 558-3160

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AB 1662 SAMPLE LETTER:

Date

The Honorable Ian Calderon Chair, Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media State Capitol, Room 5150 Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax:  916-319-2157     RE:          AB 1662 (Calderon) – Funding: California Arts Council                SUPPORT   Dear Assemblyman Calderon,   A SENTENCE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION HERE.   YOUR ORGANIZATION is pleased to SUPPORT your AB 1662, which would restore funding for the California Arts Council that was aggressively cut during California’s budget crisis.  The California Arts Council, which is governed by an 11 member board appointed by the governor and legislature, serves as the thought leader and champion for the arts, fostering arts initiatives across the state. The California Arts Council funds grant programs that place artists in California classrooms, revitalize underserved communities through the arts, support arts education in our schools, and so much more.   While the California Arts Council is funded by other sources – such as a special license plate fund and the National Endowment for the Arts – California’s general fund support historically made up the vast majority of funding for the California Arts Council.  During the 2012-2013 budget year the California Arts Council provided $3.2 million in the form of 336 grants to arts organizations across California.   FUNDING SLASHED General fund support for the California Arts Council has remained stagnant at around $1 million per year since the 2003-2004 budget year when funding was slashed dramatically.  This is compared with an average of $9.2 million per year in general fund support over the 40 year history of the California Arts Council.  Below is a chart that shows general fund support for the CA Arts Council over the course of its existence.

CA General Fund Support for the California Arts Council
YEAR	1980-81	1985-86	1990-91	1995-96	2000-01	2003-04	2005-06	2010-11	2014-15
AMOUNT	$10.33 M	$11.69 M	$12.43 M	$12.42M	$30.70 M	$1.07 M	$1.13 M	$1.08M	$

The 2003-2004 budget cut general fund support for the California Arts Council to $1,075,000 – down from a high of $30,702,000 in general fund support in 2000-2001.  Unfortunately, general fund support for the California Arts Council has remained at approximately $1 million per year ever since.  According to the California Arts Council 2012-2013 Annual Report, California ranks dead last among the states for per capita spending on the arts – even after all non-general fund sources of funding are included.   AB 1662 would restore a much-needed portion of the general fund support for the arts in California.  The bill represents a modest step forward for the arts in California, and is an appropriate budget augmentation that will allow the California Arts Council to once again serve communities across California.   ECONOMIC BENEFIT The arts comprise a critical component of  California’s overall creative economy, which accounts for 1 out of 10 jobs in the state (1.4 million jobs) and nearly 8% of California’s Gross State Product, as determined by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation in its recent 2013 Otis Report on the Creative Economy.  According to that report, “Artistic services and intellectual capital are inarguably essential to the 21st century economy, which is dynamic, knowledge-based, and increasingly global…. To assure our future, we must invest in our creative economy and our creative capital.”   For these reasons, we are pleased to SUPPORT AB 1662.   Sincerely,       YOUR NAME TITLE ORGANIZATION       cc.       Assemblyman Tom Daly – Chair, Assembly Budget Subcommittee #4             Jacque Roberts – Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown

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BUDGET SAMPLE LETTER:

Date   The Honorable Tom Daly, Chair, Committee on Budget Sub #4, State Administration, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax:  916-319-2169   Re: Funding for the Arts, April 8^th Subcommittee Hearing   Dear Assemblymember Daly:   Arts Orange County is the officially-designated local arts agency of the County of Orange and its official state-local partner.  It is the leader in building appreciation, participation and support for the arts and arts education in Orange County as is countywide arts council.   Since 2003, California has ranked last among all the states in per capita investment in the arts-allocating just three cents per person from the General Fund.  Additional funding to the Arts Council will leverage the arts as a proven and powerful catalyst for spurring local economies and for preparing California’s workforce to prosper in the global creative economy. The arts are a major player in our state’s economy, generating billions in total economic activity and fundamentally impacting California’s core creative industries.   California’s cultural enterprises provide more than 500,000 jobs for Californians or 7.6% of total employment, and California’s non-profit arts specifically contribute more than $9 billion to the state’s economy.   Additionally, the arts:

• Are a key partner to the creative industries
• Encourage creativity
• Help prepare students and workers to compete in the 21st Century global economy
• Attract creative workers and industries of all kinds
• Stimulate the economy
• Engage residents
• Provide a sense of community, celebrating diversity and building bridges to understanding
• Draw tourists and visitors

The arts are vital to the quality of life that we are so very proud of in California. Additional funding will provide a healthier revenue source for the California Arts Council’s granting programs to non-profit arts organizations, leveraging the arts as a significant contributor to California’s economic recovery through tourism, job creation, social services and educational outreach. Additional funding for the arts is a sound investment for our state. Thank you for your commitment to a better California. Sincerely,   YOUR NAME TITLE ORGANIZATION   cc:  Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian:  Fax:  916-319-2146