Over thirty Arts for LA members met with Councilman Tom LaBonge on Thursday, February 29th at LACMA West to discuss his role as Chairman of the Arts Parks and Aging Committee, Cultural Tourism, Sister Citys and the Cultural Master Plan. The discussion started with the following caveat: The current budget shortfall will affect every department. With real dollars being cut, community groups, commissions and cause-centered stakeholders are gearing up to save their interest. So must the arts community.

Arts for LA will keep you abreast of the situation as more information becomes available. However, waiting to take action is not the best solution. Start now by sending a simple handwritten thank you note to your councilperson thanking them for their support for the arts. We need to let them know that there is a robust constituency in support of the arts in their district, before any cuts are introduced.

Here are a few points to remember when preparing your note:

1. Be positive and courteous.

2. Be personable.

3. Invite them to your venue or an event to see the impact city funding has on your community.

Advocacy is an important part of our work. Think of it as donor development. The more we reach out to our elected officials, the more they will value the important role of arts and culture.