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Arts News by State

ARIZONA
Leaders Push Arts for Economy by John Stearns
Arizona Republic, June 19, 2003
In Arizona, business, government, arts, educational and philanthropic leaders are "launching an effort this fall to develop ways to improve the Valley's arts and culture as a tool in economic development." The group seeks to "attract more knowledge-based workers and companies that consider arts critical to quality of life." article

CALIFORNIA
Arts Organizations Find Diversity Hard To Achieve – And The Problem Can Cost Them Money To Boot by Preston Turegano
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
The San Diego Union Tribune, August 3, 2003
In San Diego, city financial support of the arts has a lot to do with racial and ethnic diversity. article

Arts Groups Reject Changes To Funding by Mark de la Viña
The Mercury News, August 2, 2003
“San Jose arts groups plan to turn down a proposal made in Mayor Ron Gonzales' budget message in June that would give them the option of switching their city funding from the hotel occupancy tax to the general fund.” article

A.S.K. Closure Is Raising Hard-To-Answer Questions by Don Shirley
The Los Angeles Times, July 27, 2003
“The loss of A.S.K. Theater Projects' funds and guidance leaves the theatrical community bereft and perplexed.” article

California Arts Council Is on the Budget Block by Herbert A. Sample
The Sacramento Bee, July 21, 2003
“Supporters of the arts in California are howling at the proposed elimination of the state Arts Council, a threat coming not so much from Republican lawmakers who want additional cuts in the state budget as from Democrats who place a higher priority on health and welfare programs.” article

Art Lovers Demonstrate at City Hall against Cuts by Patrick Hoge
San Francisco Chronicle, July 17, 2003
Hundreds of people demonstrated Wednesday outside San Francisco City Hall to protest legislative proposals to eliminate most state funding for the arts. article

Eliminating State Funding For The Arts Is Not An Option – editorial
The Mercury News, July 16, 2003
“The state's budget battle this year could claim the arts as a casualty -- not just slashing funds to the California Arts Council, but putting it out of business. This can't be allowed to happen. California can't become the first state in the nation to decide the arts aren't worth a penny in public money.” article

Creative California May Be First State to End Arts Funding by Mark de la Viña
The Mercury News, July 15, 2003
California, long hailed as a hotbed of artistic creativity, is on the verge of becoming the first state to eliminate funding of the arts. In response to its $38.2 billion budget shortfall, legislators in Sacramento have proposed killing the California Arts Council. article

Art Attack by Chris Gaither
Boston Globe (reporting for San Francisco), July 14, 2003
''Illegal Art: Freedom of Expression in the Corporate Age,'' is a new exhibit at the Artists Gallery of the Museum of Modern Art here that criticizes the increasingly strict intellectual-property laws that artists say hurt their ability to borrow cultural imagery to reflect the impact of business on American society. article

Eliminating Arts Council Not a Budget Solution by John R. Killacky
San Francisco Chronicle, July 8, 2003
“Early last week, during a conference in Sacramento on building participation in the arts, attendees heard that the state Senate, in its budget impasse, had recommended abolishing funding.” article

If the State Ends Arts Funding, We Lose a Piece of Our Culture by Douglas McLennan
Los Angeles Times, July 4, 2003
A painting or play won't pave any roads but it can show us who we are. article

Exhibition – Illegal Art which runs from July 2nd to July 25th at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's Artists Gallery, showcases a variety of works that push the restrictions of current trademark and copyright laws. info

Senate Proposal Would Abolish State Arts Council by Carl Ingram
L.A. Times, June 29, 2003
In efforts to balance the budget, Democrats have reluctantly backed a plan that would save about $20 million. article

Senate to Consider Democratic Budget Plan, Passage Unlikely by Tom Chorneau
San Francisco Chronicle, June 23, 2003
“Senate Democrats plan to offer a new budget compromise Tuesday that would increase the sales tax, trim nearly $1.6 billion from higher education and ask state employees to go without raises.” article

City Budget Includes Spending Cuts by Shayla Ashmore
Lassen County News June 16, 2003
The city of Susanville's $6.1 million dollar 2003/04 budget includes a number of spending cuts. article

Funding the Arts, One Buck at a Time by Don Shirley
Calendar Live from L.A. Times, June, 16 2003
The California Arts Council may soon receive a little unexpected funding in the form of individual dollar bills mailed to Sacramento, with the names of the senders written in red ink on the currency. article

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back by Robert L. Pincus
The San Diego Union Tribune, June 15, 2003
Closing art museum in Escondido will be a blow to the community. article

Oakland Backs Away from Evicting Artists/Charter School
Won't Take Over Alice Center
by Janine DeFao
San Francisco Chronicle, June 12, 2003
“Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown has dropped plans to evict artists from the popular downtown Alice Arts Center to make room for the expansion of his arts charter school. While Brown had been exploring other options in recent weeks, his staff confirmed Wednesday that the downtown arts center was no longer being considered.” article


COLORADO

Rudderless and Short Of Money, Museo De Las Americas Teeters by Louis Aguilar
The Denver Post, July 25, 2003
“The private museum that helped transform a gritty Denver street into a cutting-edge spot for art galleries is in a deep financial and management funk.” article

State Wins Full NEA Grant Despite Cuts by Mary Voelz Chandler
Rocky Mountain News, July 4, 2003
“The chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts announced Thursday that the Colorado Council on the Arts will receive its full state partnership grant of $613,600. But Dana Gioia added a cautionary note regarding the council's ability to meet NEA requirements in the wake of staff cuts resulting from state budget shortfalls.” article

Director of Arts Council Fired by John Moore
Denver Post, June 8, 2003
Slashed budget leads to decision article

Arts Council Should Keep Functioning
The Coloradoan, June 11, 2003
Editorial: “Things are going from bad to worse for the Colorado Council on the Arts because of state budget cuts. State officials need to act decisively to keep tough times from doing away with the agency altogether.” article

FLORIDA
Florida Philharmonic Revival Appears Doomed Without Last-Minute Donations
by Peter Franceschina
Sun-Sentinel, July 16, 2003
“The white knights of the Florida Philharmonic are conducting what may prove to be a last-gasp meeting this evening to determine whether they have the financial support and community backing to continue their struggle to pull the orchestra from bankruptcy oblivion.” article

State of the Arts
The Daytona Beach News Journal, July 13, 2003
Cultural, arts programs offer widespread benefits – its impact on the economy, cultural tourism, and education. article

Monet Exhibition Hangs in Suspense by Mark Schlueb
Orlando Sentinel, July 10, 2003
We poured our French wine in the gutter and started eating "freedom fries" with our burgers. Now the French government is firing back, delaying a highly anticipated Orlando exhibition of impressionist Claude Monet's work. article

Finding Ways To Publicly Fund The Arts Is A Taxing Dilemma by Daniel Chang
The Miami Herald, July 6, 2003
“When a city as young as Miami lacks deep-pocketed philanthropists, private foundations and a broad and generous corporate base, the community turns to government to fund the arts.” article

State Budget Paints Arts into Corner by Laura Stewart
News Journal, June 25, 2003
Florida's arts community was sent reeling this week when Gov. Jeb Bush signed a state budget that slashes cultural grants funding by nearly 80 percent. article

Tim Robbins Leads Charge on Arts Funding (AP)
Miami Herald, June 24, 2003
"Hollywood celebrities led by actor-director Tim Robbins called on Gov. Gray Davis not to slash funding for public arts programs, saying children would suffer most and the money would scarcely make a dent in closing the state's $38.2 billion budget deficit. The celebrities, joined by entertainment executives, arts advocates and a Los Angeles school board member, presented a letter urging Davis to reconsider his proposed 73 percent cut in funding for programs in visual art, theater, film, dance, music, literature and arts in education." article

Artless Budget Cuts by Dave Schlenker
The Gainesville Sun, June 17, 2003
The Florida Legislature cut state arts funding by $22 million this year, putting a financial squeeze on area dance troupes, museums, theaters, arts education and artists. article

Philharmonic on Track, Leaders Say by Lawrence A. Johnson
Sun-Sentinel, June 11, 2003
”The effort by two Florida Philharmonic Chorus members to lift the orchestra out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy is making progress, its leaders say, having raised $900,000 to date.” article

Lawmakers pass $53.5 billion budget by Jackie Hallifax
Bonita Daily News, FL (AP), May 28, 2003
Florida lawmakers have passed the state's next fiscal year budget. The verdict on arts and culture funding: "Lawmakers cut funding for the arts and historical programs by half." article

ILLINOIS
Sour Economy Taking Heavy Toll On Philanthropy, Survey Says by Charles Storch
Chicago Tribune, June 23, 2003
“A two-year financial drubbing has tested the resolve of many Chicago-area foundations and other grantmakers to keep giving until it hurts, and their aggregate philanthropy is expected to drop by 5 percent in 2003, which may be the first such decline in eight years, according to a new survey.” article

KENTUCKY
Auditor's Report: Public Artifacts, Art Works Are Undervalued, Underinsured (AP)
Wave3.com, July 22, 2003
“Thousands of state-owned artifacts and art works, many in university collections, are undervalued and underinsured, the state auditor's office reported Tuesday…. In addition, hundreds of pieces of public art are insured not at market value but for what it cost to acquire them, which often was several decades ago, the alert said.” article

Louisville Orchestra Filling Bankruptcy
CNN, June 10, 2003
The Louisville Orchestra board of directors has decided to seek bankruptcy protection in an effort to keep the orchestra afloat. article

MASSACHUSETTS
Layoff Plans Create Anxiety at Harvard's Art Museums by Catherine Foster
The Boston Globe, August 2, 2003
“Employees of the Harvard University art museums are bracing for a round of cuts as the museums try to shrink a projected operating-budget deficit of almost $1.5 million.” article

Power Point: Collaborative Unveils Final Plans for Arts Complex by Mary Jo Palumbo
Boston Herald, July 17, 2003
It's a big step toward keeping the arts alive in rapidly changing Fort Point. At 10 a.m. today, Mayor Thomas M. Menino will announce a September groundbreaking at the site of three century-old warehouse buildings on Midway Street that will be redeveloped to create the Midway Studios arts complex. article

Budget Woes Reduce Cultural Council Grants by Ashlea Deahl
The Boston Globe, June 12, 2003
"Stephen DiRado isn't whining about the $5,000 grant he received from the Massachusetts Cultural Council this week. The money is significantly less than what the council usually distributes to individual artists, but DiRado says he's used to getting the short end of the stick." article

MICHIGAN
Local Comment: Create a Creative Class in Detroit by Paul Horton
Detroit Free Press, July 15, 2003
Arts effort would help revive city and draw new residents.
“The state of Michigan and Detroit shared a couple of common traits in the 90s. Michigan led the nation in new business starts and expansions at the end of the 90s. Detroit, thanks in part to the Federal Empowerment Zone designation, experienced a boom in business and housing developments.” article

MINNESOTA
Art Educators of Minnesota’s Annual Fall Conference
November 7-8, 2003 in Saint Cloud
This year’s theme is Creativity: Thinking Outside of the Box. Art Educators of Minnesota is a professional organization dedicated to promote and protect the professional interest and concerns of art educators at all levels. AEM fosters leadership in art education and informs its member about current trends and issues. AEM brings its members together to share ideas and information through conferences and informal gatherings. Additionally, AEM promotes art education in our schools through legislative advocacy. info

State Arts Board Lays Off 8 of 19 Employees by Dominic P. Papatola
Pioneer Press, June 25, 2003
“Eight of 19 employees at the Minnesota State Arts Board received termination notices Monday, representing a 42 percent cut in the staffing of an organization that has supported art and artists in the state for a century.” article

Nonprofit Boom Goes Bust by Kermit Pattison
Pioneer Press June 8, 2003
“The bubble has burst. Minnesota's nonprofit groups, from food shelves to community theaters, are weathering their worst crisis in decades. After years of expansion, they are facing drops in all major sources of income: foundation grants, government funds, earned income and individual donations.” article

MISSOURI
Arts Groups May Sue Over Missouri's Funding by T. Weber
KWMU, July 1, 2003
“Arts advocates are considering suing to force better funding from Missouri. The state budget for the fiscal year that started Tuesday includes no money for Missouri arts, so the Missouri Arts Council had to dip into a separate trust fund to keep local arts programs going.” article

Economy Has Opera Companies Singing the Blues by John von Rhein
Chicago Tribune, June 25, 2003
Opera Theatre of St. Louis stands out in a world of service cutbacks, downsized repertoire and fears about the future article

Missouri Arts Council Prepares For Severe Budget Cut by Robert Trussel
The Kansas City Star, June 8, 2003
The Missouri Arts Council could lose about 75 percent of its budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. article

NEW JERSEY
Budget Battle Over by Mark Perkiss
Trenton Times, July 2, 2003
“It didn't make the constitutionally mandated deadline, but New Jersey finally has a balanced budget, averting the possibility of a government shutdown yesterday.… The budget also calls for $19 million in funding for arts and cultural programs. That's a drop from the $31.7 million the state gave to arts groups last year but a far cry from McGreevey's original budget proposal, which called for eliminating arts funding entirely.” article

Art Community Gives Sign of Relief on Funding by Anne Levin
Trenton Times, July 2, 2003
“When Gov. James E. McGreevey announced in February he was eliminating the state's financial backing of arts and history programs in New Jersey, angry advocates created a campaign with Save New Jersey Arts as its slogan. ‘Today, it's New Jersey Arts Saved,’ said Jeffrey Woodward, president of the statewide organization ArtPride and managing director of Princeton's McCarter Theatre Center.” article

NEW YORK
Board Members Quit Over Opera Troupe's Virtual Orchestra by Robin Pogrebin
The New York Times, August 4, 2003
“A small opera company in Brooklyn plans to present a production of Mozart's "Magic Flute" on Saturday with the sole accompaniment of a virtual orchestra. Protests from the musicians' union have prompted the prominent opera singers Marilyn Horne and Deborah Voigt to resign from the company's board.” article

The Heart of Art – Museum discount opportunity
New York State’s Division of Tourism, Council on the Arts, and Department of Education are partnering with the Alliance for the Arts, to encourage visits to art museums in the state. “The Heart of Art" promotion is centered around a Heart of Art Culture Card, which entitles cardholders to admission discounts and special offers at 53 museums throughout the state. info

Ground Zero Plan Omits City Opera by Robin Pogrebin
The New York Times, July 26, 2003
“The municipal corporation overseeing the redevelopment of ground zero has determined that there is no place at the site for an opera house, a decision that all but dashes the New York City Opera's hopes of moving there from Lincoln Center.” article

Metropolitan Opera Teachers Strike for Benefits (AP)
Newsday, July 22, 2003
“About 30 teaching artists employed by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' Metropolitan Opera Guild went on strike Tuesday, demanding pension and health benefits.” article

Basic Skills Forcing Cuts in Art Classes by David M. Herszenhorn
New York Times, July 23, 2003
“Under pressure to find time for the extra English and math classes required by the Education Department's new standardized curriculum, the city's junior high schools are slashing art, music and other electives, an unintended cost in the push to help students master basic skills.” article

Culture Builds New York: The Economic Impact of Capital Construction at New York City Cultural Institutions
A recent study covering the years 1992-2002 published by the Alliance for the Arts study.pdf

City Eases the Pain in Budget for Arts by Robin Pogrebin
The New York Times, June 27, 2003
“Despite the worst New York City budget deficit since the 1970's fiscal crisis, the specter of closed museum galleries, canceled performances and staff cuts at the city's cultural institutions diminished with the budget agreed upon last week.” article

Museum Bile: Fifth Avenue Razzing Met by Greg Sargent
The New York Observer, June 26, 2003
“In recent weeks, an incendiary fund-raising letter has been circulating among wealthy Upper East Side residents who are fighting the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s multimillion-dollar expansion plan.” article

Museum to Cut & Cost More by Fiona McDonough
The New York Daily News, June 17, 2003
The Brooklyn Children's Museum in Crown Heights faces a drastic reduction of its programs, and its users will be hit with stiffer entry fees, both because of budget cuts. article

Battling the Chaos in the Public Schools' Arts Classes by Robin Pogrebin
New York Times, June 5, 2003
”At the Heritage High School in East Harlem, students in a class on three-dimensional art make life-size sculptures in the tradition of George Segal from chicken wire and papier-mâché. In advanced band, students practice the theme from the movie Spider-Man on clarinets, flutes, trumpets, electric bass and drums.” article

NORTH CAROLINA
A-Plus Schools Make Art Out of Teaching by Martha Waggoner
The Washington Post, July 5, 2003
“Advocates of the arts know what happens when music, drama and art compete with math and English for time and resources in schools: They lose. That's why an art institute based in Winston-Salem created a program infusing the arts into every aspect of the school day, making them an essential part of each class from social studies to math to P.E.” article

Arts Create Economic Powerhouse for N.C. City by Dale Neal, The Citizen-Times
USAToday, June 27, 2003
“Assembly lines that made blankets, brakes, electronics, furniture and other goods used to create paychecks. But as many of those jobs slipped away to overseas competition, Asheville, N.C., has come to depend on a more creative economy. Now, making music, showing paintings, dancing, acting and other arts may be just as likely to create a living for residents and attract new business to Asheville.” article

Durham seeks cultural visions by Megan Carroll
Raleigh News, June 17, 2003
Across the world, citizens are beginning to develop cultural plans for their cities. Recently in North Carolina, "[m]ore than 80 Durham residents voiced their cultural visions. . .during the first of several meetings to begin fleshing out the Durham Cultural Master Plan, a county-commissioned initiative that will map out a cultural design for the Bull City by March 2004." article

OHIO
Proposed Law Would Budget Money for Art in City Projects by Carolyn Jack
The Plain Dealer, July 26, 2003
“Cleveland's public buildings and streets may soon look a lot more interesting. Revised legislation introduced at the July 16 Cleveland City Council meeting would require 1.5 percent of the budget for each new municipal construction or improvement project to go for artwork, brightening everything from new firehouses to bridges, parks, utilities and streetscapes.” article

Ohio Arts Council Budget Cut $7 Million by Carolyn Jack
The Plain Dealer, July 26, 2003
“The Ohio Arts Council's budget has been reduced by 21 percent for 2004 and 2005, the council announced this week. On July 1, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft approved a two-year arts-council budget of $24,670,205, close to $7 million less than the council's original 2002-2003 budget of $31,277,247. The reduction marks the fourth time in two years that the council's budget has been trimmed because of an ongoing state financial crunch, said council Public Information Director Gregg Dodd.“ article

Museum Cuts Curator of Japan and Korea Art by Steven Litt
The Plain Dealer, July 22, 2003
“The job held by veteran curator Michael Cunningham, a respected expert in Japanese and Korean art, has been eliminated by the Cleveland Museum of Art as part of its effort to balance its budget.” article

Economy Forces Tough Choices by Mary Ellyn Hutton
The Cincinnati Post, July 19, 2003
“No money, no music.” article

Cleveland Art Museum Announces Layoffs, Cuts by Steven Litt
The Plain Dealer, July 15, 2003
The Cleveland Museum of Art, hurt by the economic downturn that has battered arts institutions across the nation, announced yesterday it is laying off 37 full- and part-time employees and not filling 18 open positions. article

Losing a Generation by Amy Higgins
The Cincinnati Enquirer, June 8, 2003
City leaders waking up to a value of keeping vital, energetic group. article


OREGON
Black Ink Greets Most Major Arts Groups by Ariana Falk
The Oregonian, July 22, 2003
“Financial woes have beset arts groups across the nation, but against all odds, most of Portland's major performing arts groups finished the fiscal year squarely in the black.” article

PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh Symphony Wants More RAD Money by Caroline Abels
Post-Gazette, July 19, 2003
“The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has requested $1.5 million in 2004 operating support from the Allegheny Regional Asset District -- nearly double what it received this year….The RAD board will hold hearings on all annual grant requests beginning Sept. 2.” article

TENNESSEE
Center Provides Leadership for Local-Level Policy Discussion
from the Center for Arts and Culture
On July 10-11, the Center for Arts and Culture and the Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy sponsored a one-and-a-half day seminar entitled "The Plan of Nashville: Cultural Policy at the Grassroots." Over 55 leaders of small to middle-sized arts and community based organizations attended, as did Mayor Purcell, Superintendent Pedro Garcia, and several city council and school board members. The meeting, which focused on Arts Education, Cultural Tourism, and Affordable Housing/Venues, was designed to inform The Plan of Nashville, an 18-month project to develop a community-based vision and design principle for metropolitan Nashville. The group made numerous observations and recommendations, which will be digested and redistributed to community members. The Civic Design Center, a Nashville-based organization that is charged with developing The Plan of Nashville, intends to hold a second caucus later in the summer to move the recommendations forward. For more information about the forum, please contact Mary Lee at mlee@culturalpolicy.org

Groups Host Seminar on City Cultural Life, Arts by Megan Moriarty
Nashville City Paper, July 9, 2003
“The Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy at Vanderbilt University, along with the Center for Arts and Culture, an independent policy organization based in Washington D.C., will hold a day-and-a-half seminar beginning Thursday about the arts and cultural life in Nashville.” article

Arts and Cultural Policy Get City Leaders' Attention by Alan Bostick and Kevin Nance
The Tennessean, June 29, 2003
“The Nashville arts scene's movers and shakers will convene next month to discuss how public policy affects the arts and cultural community here.” article

TEXAS
Miller Theater Drama Unfolds Behind Scenes by Kristen Mack
The Houston Chronicle, August 2, 2003
“The Miller Theatre Advisory Board and city parks officials are battling over control of the Miller Outdoor Theatre, one of Houston's most cherished cultural venues and home to dozens of free concerts and plays every year….Everyone, including Parks and Recreation Director Roksan Okan-Vick, says they want to keep the events free, but they differ over how.” article

The State of the Arts: Proving the Arts' Economic Vitality by Jitin Hingorani and Karina Dominguez
News 8 Austin, July 23, 2003
“The impact of the economy on the arts is visible, but the way the arts boost the economy isn’t always clear. Community leaders are trying to stress the codependent relationship of the performing arts and economic growth.” article

Advancing the Arts: New Law Changes Education Requirements for Schools by Ann Work
Times Record News, July 23, 2003
“Fine arts teachers were all tangled up in knots at Tuesday's Second Annual Regional Summit for Texas Fine Arts Educators at the Region 9 Education Center.” article

The State of the Arts: 2002 – A Difficult Year for the Arts by Jitin Hingorani
News 8 Austin, July 21, 2003
“In a post-Sept. 11 economy, the performing arts are suffering in Austin and around the country. Low ticket sales and declining contributions are forcing some organizations to tighten their belts creatively.” article

DSO’s Deficit Smaller than Last Year by Scott Cantrell
The Dallas Morning News, June 25, 2003
Increase in donations, good endowment news help budget outlook. article

VERMONT
Vermont Creative Economy Policy Council Offers Listserv submitted by the VCEPC Project
The Vermont Council on Rural Development is organizing and convening a new Vermont Creative Economy Policy Council. A representative group of twenty leaders from around the state will be looking at a slice of the state's economy (the Creative Economy) comprised of creative individuals (artists, musicians, designers, and others), not-for-profit arts, humanities, and cultural heritage organizations, and private sector businesses whose products and services are dependent on people motivated by an environment that fosters innovative thinking. In about a year, the VCEPC will release a summary of its research and deliver policy recommendations to our legislators, the governor, and the administration that suggest ways to help this sector remain an economic engine for Vermont. If you would like to stay informed about the activities of this group, email Michael Levine, VCEPC Project Director, at levine@together.net to join their listserv.

WASHINGTON, DC
Washington's Museums Are in Expansion Mode by Elizabeth Olson
New York Times, May 29, 2003
”Thanks to an infusion of federal and private money, some $2.4 billion in spending is in the works for new and revamped museums, theaters and other projects in and around the nation's capital.” article


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