On the bi-partisan front, this time sadly, we look to California where the first budget proposal made by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsome suggested a 58% cut to California’s state arts programs. Among those cuts is a $10 million reduction from $26 million to $16 million to the California Arts Council (CAC), the state agency that supports local arts infrastructure. In a state where Arts & Culture production drives 8% of California’s economy, producing over $290 billion in direct impact and supporting 847,688 jobs, the economic wisdom of these cuts is in question. This is especially true since the sector also drives 7.3% of state tax revenues according to California Arts Advocates.
“In total, we’re looking at budget cuts upwards of 58% that will decimate California’s small nonprofit arts organizations and industry workers reliant on this funding,” said Julie Baker, CEO, CA Arts Advocates. “While we understand that every agency and sector must play their part to balance the budget with a 7.95% reduction across nearly all departments, the additional cuts to arts and culture are massively disproportionate. We had hoped we were long past the days when the arts were the first to be cut and undervalued. The state’s recent investments recognized the creative industry’s essential service for bolstering the economic and social health of local communities, especially as an industry still very much in post-pandemic recovery.”
The reality of funding cuts to the arts is severe and almost always means that people lose their jobs, particularly smaller organizations and those serving underrepresented communities.
While Maryland ranks consistently as the top second or third state in per capita funding for the arts, we are not immune. GBCA was so alarmed to learn that among the reallocation of nearly $150 million to cover rising costs in state government, Governor Wes Moore included a $437,000 cut to the Maryland State Arts Council Arts Council (MSAC).
In the words of Nancy Proctor, Chief Strategy Officer at GBCA member The Peale, it is a plan: “…that could eliminate hundreds of smaller arts grants that go directly to community-based groups like The Peale and our community partners… Many of us serve historically underinvested communities, provide youth programming, and job training… and support thousands of jobs in Maryland’s tourism industry. ”
That’s why we must stay vigilant and encourage everyone to pay attention… Organized by Maryland Citizens for the Arts (MCA) and supported by its partners like GBCA, advocates raised their voices to protest cuts to the Maryland State Arts Council budget. While we were not successful this time, Nicholas Cohen, Executive Director of Maryland Citizens for the Arts reports that elected officials did take notice of the thousands of emails they received. As financial resources will continue to be vulnerable in this economic climate, you and all arts voters need to stand ready and willing to engage.
What does that look like? As a private citizen, you have the right to speak up on issues that you care about. If you are an IRS designated nonprofit 501(C) (3) organization, you need to understand the difference between advocacy (allowed) and lobbying (not allowed). The National Assembly of State Arts Organizations provides a useful primer about the distinction and the importance of both.
They compellingly state: “Advocacy is essential to our democratic form of government. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to petition the government—the simple act of informing our policy makers about important public issues. Arts advocates visit their state’s capital and the nation’s capital each year, telling their legislators about the benefits of public arts funding.”
To stay informed, you can sign up for the Maryland Citizens for the Arts Voter Voice advocacy alert, attend Maryland Arts Day, and stay on top of statewide arts education through Arts Education in Maryland Schools. You’ll also want to keep an eye on national politics where there have already been attacks on the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and its Office of Museum Services (OMS). The Arts Action Fund and The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) are good sources of advocacy on the national level.
The arts and humanities play an essential role to the economy, to healthy communities, to children’s education, and in addressing myriad societal challenges. This is not a time to be complacent.
