Save the Arts in PA

Our Facebook Cause now has over 5000 members.  If you aren’t one of them click here to join.

This morning Senator Jay Costa addressed attendees of the Pennsylvania Spring Arts Conference.  Senator Costa urged all those who believe the arts to make personal contact their legislators. Let us know how you make out!

To find your local legislators contact information visit Citizens for the Arts.

As seen on WTAJ-TV

Click here to watch the video.

JOHNSTOWN, CAMBRIA COUNTY— The fate of art funding across the state is still up in the air.

The State Senate recently passed bill 850.  That bill cuts funding for the arts.  The house is still debating whether or not art programs will receive any state money for 2010.

Executive Director Michael Bodolosky, of the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center in Johnstown said “if funding isn’t approved it could mean more job cuts across the state.”

Funding for the arts is on the chopping block because Pennsylvania faces an estimated $3-billion budget deficit.

“This has a trickle down affect for over 68,000 jobs in Pennsylvania.  It will put workers out of work like musicians, artist and those who work for sets,” said Bodolosky.

Props to Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and the Pittsburgh Filmmakers for their Arts and Citizenship film.

Arts and Citizenship from Pittsburgh Filmmakers on Vimeo.

http://www.timesobserver.com/page/content.detail/id/516862.html?nav=5006

Lost Art?
Cheronis says budget could hurt downtown
By DEAN WELLS dwells@timesobserver.com
POSTED: May 22, 2009

Are Pennsylvania’s art programs about to take it on the chin during the state’s budgeting process?

GRO-Warren executive director Chris Cheronis thinks it’s a possibility, pointing out that the state Senate’s proposed budget contains zero funding for art programs, such as the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts.

“They totally took it out of the budget 100 percent,” Cheronis said. “To eliminate arts funding 100 percent of it is absolutely crazy. There is so much economic development attached to art.”

Cheronis and GRO-Warren hopes to jumpstart some of that art-related economic development in downtown Warren via the new Allegheny Center for the Arts Building.

“Half of Liberty Street is focused on art,” Cheronis said, “and we have the Library Theater (downtown).”

State funding has already been secured for the Allegheny Center for the Arts facility, Cheronis said. However, if all art funding is stripped from the state budget, it would limit the center’s ability to work with the Pa. Council for the Arts, affecting the center’s programming capabilities in the future.

“To what level it would be affected, I can’t answer that,” Cheronis said. “It won’t stop the project, but it will have an impact.

“If there is no funding for the arts, we lose the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, we lose programs that support the Crary Gallery, we lose support for the Civic Orchestra, the Library Theatre. That little bit in the budget can make or break an organization. I think there are better ways to go about this without striking arts from the budget completely. I think that would be unfortunate and ill-advised.”

Lt. Gov. and Sentate Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati disagrees.

According to Scarnati’s chief of staff Todd Nyquist, the Senate’s budget is the only budget presented where “revenues meets expenditures.”

“We chose to cut spending as to increasing taxes,” Nyquist said. “Joe opposes a broadbased tax increase.”

Nyquist said that art programs weren’t intentionally singled out in the proposed budget. “There are a lot of core programs that were cut,” he said. “But we did secure core governmental functions.”

Cheronis noted that the proposed state budget in the Senate Bill 850 also strips away tourism funding.

“The whole state of Pennsylvania is pushing tourism as an industry,” Cheronis said. “Our second top industry is tourism. And they are going to take funding away? That’s crazy. It doesn’t even make sense.”

Nyquist said he appreciated Cheronis’ concerns, then added: “But if she finds me a business that’s willing to take a tax increase, have her give me a call. Businesses and taxpayers haven’t been knocking down Joe Scarnati’s door, asking him to take more money out of their pockets and increase their taxes. There isn’t a business in this country, a taxpayer in this country who is spending over their means.”

Nyquist pointed out that the proposed budget cuts in the Senate’s budget “aren’t forever.” He also noted that the federal stimulus package has money set aside for art programs in the form of grants.

“Federal stimulus is there to help out with those sort of things,” Nyquist said.

House Bill 4116 S.B. 850’s counterpart in the House of Representatives calls for $14 million in art funding. Cheronis said she has been in contact with state Rep. Kathy Rapp’s office to obtain the most recent updates on the House budget’s progress.

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t tighten our belts. We should absolutely do that,” Cheronis said. “Everyone should. But to eliminate it? When you have art-related activities, the restaurants are benefiting, the retail is benefiting, the quality of life increases. There are so many things that play off it that are crucial for a community. Hopefully, it will be put back into the (final) budget during the budget negotiation process. There will be a cut, though. I have no doubt about that.”

Senator Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, and Philip Horn, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts will be on hand to discuss advocacy efforts across the state.  To learn more about the conference visit the conference web site.  To leanr more about advocacy visit Citizens for the Arts.

Our Facebook Cause now has over 4000 members.  If you aren’t one of them click here to join.

During the 2009 Pennsylvania State Arts Conference in Pittsburgh, Citizens for the Arts will have a table set up with laptops so you can get online, send letters to your legislators, sign the online state petition, and arm you with materials you need that are critical for you in advocating arts funding.

Kumani Gannt, executive director of the Village of Arts & Humanities has submitted his testimony to Senator Dwight Evans.  The Village is yet another place that most likely would not be around without public support of the Arts.  Be inspired and read their testimony and then write your own…

The Village Testimony

The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance has also set up a campaign on their Online Action Center that makes writing your legislators easy as 1-2-3!

Take action here – http://ga1.org/campaign/FY10_PCA