Save the Arts in PA

Bradford County Regional Arts Council is at again with their Marquee Marketing…

Appeared in The Daily Review on Sunday, June 28.  Kudos Brooks.

Don’t cut arts programs money
BY BROOKS ELDREDGE-MARTIN

In early May I opened an express letter from the Presidential Committee on the Arts and Humanities. For the third year in a row the Bradford County Regional Arts Council was selected as one of 50 Semi-finalists in the Presidential Coming Up Taller Awards.

However, our highly honored arts in education program will be eliminated if the Pennsylvania legislature cuts Arts Funding to an unfair level. The Governor recommended a 10 percent reduction and the State Senate recommended a 100 percent reduction, and discussions are now underway.

Since 1988 the BCRAC has grown from an all-volunteer organization to a County-wide organization with 6 full-time and 32 part time staff, in part with the support of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA). In fact, the PCA provided the first funding in 1988 that allowed the BCRAC to hire Brooks as its first employee. Since then the BCRAC theatres (Keystone, Rialto and Sayre) have become anchor businesses in three Bradford County communities and have provided both entertainment and economic activity to our rural region.

At the same time, the BCRAC has won international, national and State recognition for its Arts in Education work. This work, done in partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts will be eliminated if the Grants for the Arts Funding goes to zero!

To repeat: BCRAC’s Recent Awards:
1. 2009, 2008, 2007 – For three years running, the BCRAC was selected as semi-finalist from nominees from 47 states for a Presidential “Coming Up Taller Award.”

2. 2007 – On June 3, 2007 the BCRAC became the first recipient of the then, newly-created Americans for the Arts “Arts in Education Award” at the national convention in Las Vegas.

3. 2006 – BCRAC became the first rural organization to ever receive a Governor’s Award for the Arts in the 25 years of the awards. Our award was for Leadership and Service in Arts in Education.

4. 2004 – The Arts Council England selected the Learning Early Network and its Learning Communication Skills Through the Arts artist residency program were selected as an international model for early arts programming. The honor was presented at the NEW WORLDS CONFERENCE in Leeds, England in November, 2004

Can we afford to eliminate programs such as ours arts in education program that are helping children learn across the state? The PCA funds over 1400 arts organizations in Pennsylvania; programs widely recognized for excellence.

The PCA and the BCRAC are working with State and national partners to develop the International Early Arts Conference (www.earlyarsts.net) which will be presented in Pittsburgh next year. How can we tell participants that the organization that initiated the project (BCRAC’s Learning Early Network) has been eliminated due to funding cuts?

Snce the 1988 initial BCRAC funding, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts has dramatically increased funding to rural areas like Bradford County. Please encourage your legislators to maintain arts funding to all corners of the State; not just our urban centers.

I have taken the liberty to attach Arts and Economic Prosperity: The effect of non-profit arts and cultural organizations and their audiences in Bradford County. As part of a national study, this report’s conclusion is given below. Also attached is a photo of patrons, BCRAC board members and staff, local business people and the community.

Conclusion
“The nonprofit arts and culture are a $3.9 million industry in Bradford County—one that supports 114 full-time equivalent jobs and generates $247,000 in local and state government revenue. Nonprofit arts and culture organizations, which spend $1.84 million annually, leverage a remarkable $2.06 million in additional spending by arts and culture audiences—spending that pumps vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking garages, and other businesses in Bradford County. By demonstrating that investing in the arts and culture yields economic benefits, Arts & Economic Prosperity III lays to rest a common misconception: that communities support the arts and culture at the expense of local economic development. In fact, they are investing in an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is a cornerstone of tourism. This report shows conclusively that the arts mean business in Bradford County!”

The Conclusion of the 2007 AFTA study surveyed and collect input was collected from patrons attending events at the PA Apple and Cheese Festival, the Valley Chorus, Bradford County Regional Arts Council events, and many others to draw the conclusions.

Thanks David!

“The Pennsylvania Senate recently passed a state budget that eliminates all funding ($14 million) for the arts. It also eliminates the state arts council, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

As members of the PTA you know how important the arts are to you students and their families. Some of your schools receive support from the PCA to help make the arts available to our school children. The PCA also supports the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the Pennsylvania Art Education Association, the organizations that support our music and art teachers.

The arts help our children discover abilities they might never know they had. Teachers learn about the special interests and capacities of students by observing our children as they work in the arts. All students benefit from exercising their imagination and creating works of art that demand thought, skill and perseverance. By working together on arts projects and productions the arts help students build teamwork and communication skills. And the arts bring joy to classrooms around the state. Remember the last time you attended a performance or exhibition by your child or grandchild? Do you remember the excitement and the sense of accomplishment?”

To read more visit http://www.papta.org/papta/cwp/view.asp?A=3&Q=276804

From today’s Pittsburgh Tribune Review…

By Alice T. Carter
TRIBUNE-REVIEW THEATER CRITIC
Sunday, June 21, 2009

For arts lovers, these are dark times.

First, the state legislature deletes all funding for arts and culture from its 2010 budget.

Then, two weeks ago, the Allegheny Regional Asset District decides not to accept any grant requests for capital projects — renovations, construction, new equipment — and warns that there also may be less funding for operating expenses — salaries, programs, marketing, development — in the coming year.

Just when you think things couldn’t get much worse, along comes the results of a survey from the National Endowment for the Arts with discouraging news:

• In 2008, fewer adults attended an arts event than at any time in the past 26 years.

• Those who did are getting older.

The news couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Local arts-advocacy groups such at the Greater Pittsburgh Council for the Arts have been encouraging arts patrons and those who work in the arts to tell their legislators that art matters to them and that funding the arts is important.

Last Tuesday, Pittsburgh City Council issued a proclamation to be sent to Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and the members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly explaining the importance of arts and culture to the Greater Pittsburgh area.

Now, along comes the National Endowment for the Arts with evidence that interest and participation in the arts is dwindling across the board.

According to the survey, the more than 18,000 adults responded to the survey that was conducted by the NEA in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the results:

• There are persistent patterns of decline in participation for most art forms. Although nearly 35 percent of adults attended an art museum or arts performance in 2008, that’s a steep decline from the 40 percent who did in other survey years — 1982, 1992 and 2002.

• Between 1982 and 2008 attendance at performing arts — classical music, jazz, opera, ballet, musical theater and dramatic plays — has declined in double digits.

• Performing arts audiences are increasingly older than the average U.S. adult — 45.

These next two really hurt:

• The steepest declines in audience participation was among 45- to 54-year-olds, historically the most dependable arts consumers.

• Educated Americans — another formerly dependable group — are participating less than before.

With all that accumulated information, it’s difficult to mount a compelling argument for retaining or — dare I dream — increasing funding for the arts.

So, what’s an arts lover to do?

It’s up to those of us — the few, the proud, the committed — to help save the arts on our own.

Financial support is only part of the solution. We also need to increase the number of people who get exposure to the arts.

Here’s some ways we can do both:

• One out of every three adults did attend at least one arts event during the 12-month survey period. If each of us invited someone to accompany us, that participation-rate statistic could theoretically double.

• Gift friends and family with something from the arts.

A year’s subscription to a season of theater, music or dance would make a perfect wedding present. Instead of yet another toy that will quickly end up in the discard pile, buy a family membership to a museum or tickets to an age-appropriate play.

Reward employee achievement with tickets to an arts event.

When you’re purchasing retirement or thank-you gifts for teachers — either as an individual or group — give tickets or subscriptions.

Too expensive? Make it a point to check out free arts events such as a local arts festival. Check Web sites for the increasingly abundant reduced-price offers from local theater, dance and music groups.

• Make the arts part of get-together plans with family or friends. Pair lunch with a visit to a gallery or organize a day trip to a summer theater with dinner to follow.

• Contribute cash to local organizations. How much you give is not always as important as the fact that you gave. Businesses, foundations and government organizations give serious weight to those arts groups that demonstrate wide-based community support

• Advocate for arts-based field trips when your school and/or its parent organization or your kids’ church or Scout group is considering field trips.

• Make a date with a decision maker. Invite your school principal, schoo-board member, mayor, state or federal legislator to accompany you to a performance by your favorite group. Personal enjoyment might help them better understand why the arts are important.

• Let your local legislators know you care.

An interest group that’s 35 percent of the population is a powerful force.

Passion matters. Small minorities become powerful when they are vocal.

Remind them you’re pro-art and you vote.

Alice T. Carter can be reached at acarter@tribweb.com or 412-320-7808.

At 11:43am today the Save the Arts in PA online petition reached 1500 signatures, just 300 away from our goal of 1800.  Help us get there by signing the petition.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is placing the following cards with all of the tickets they sell.  They have offered them for download for other organizations, please let us know if you would like a print quality document.

Front

Back

Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania placed this full page ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer Friday edition “Don’t Let Harrisburg Mortgage Our Future” made full use of the power of print media.

Yesterday morning the Pittsburgh City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting $14 million for arts funding through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. A number of representatives from the City’s arts and culture sector attended and spoke on behalf of the resolution – including Marilyn Coleman, Charlie Humphrey, and Ryan Freytag from the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. It was reported that Council President Douglas Shields spoke eloquently and at length about the importance of arts and culture to the City.

Copies of the resolution will be delivered to the Mayor of Pittsburgh, Governor Rendell, members of the General Assembly and the session broadcast on the Pittsburgh City cable station at 7 PM last night and on Saturday at 10 and 11 AM. Marilyn Coleman was also interviewed on KTV (and urged Pittsburgh Mayor Ravensthal to add his support).

To see a copy of the resolution click here.

Our Facebook Cause now has over 7500 members.  If you aren’t one of them click here to join.  While you are at it, click here to sign our online petition.