Board members of Californians for the Arts (CFTA) met for their annual board planning retreat on October 2 at the offices of Arts Orange County in Santa Ana.  The morning was devoted to organizational planning activities.  During lunch, they were joined by Assemblymember Tom Daly (69th District-Anaheim) center in all three photos, California Arts Council (CAC) Chair Wylie Aitken, left in left photo, CAC Director Craig Watson, and Alberto Sandoval, Government Affairs Manager-California for The Boeing Company, right in right photo.  Assemblymember Daly chaired the Assembly Budget Committee this year that voted to approve an increase in state arts funding.  After being thanked by CFTA Board President Rick Stein for his efforts, he was invited to provide his perspective on the possibilities of an additional increase in the next legislative session.  CFTA Board members in attendance were Patrick Brien, Executive Director, Riverside Arts Council; Brad Erickson, Executive Director, Theatre Bay Area, San Francisco; Victoria Hamilton, Arts & Community Development Manager, Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, San Diego; Rhyena Halpern, Assistant Director of Community Services, City of Palo Alto; Rachel Osajima, Director, Alameda County Arts Commission;  Dalouge Smith, President & CEO, San Diego Youth Symphony & Conservatory; Rick Stein, Executive Director, Arts Orange County.  After lunch, Jason Schmelzer of Shaw/Yoder/Antwih, a public affairs/advocacy firm retained by California Arts Advocates (CAA), CFTA’s sister organization, briefed the Board on strategies for achieving another increase in state arts funding during the upcoming session.