#ArtVote Update

With the LA County elections a mere month away, Arts for LA is currently conducting our Arts & Culture Candidate Surveys, which promote dialogue around issues related to arts education and cultural policy with candidates and residents.

If you live in any of the school districts or cities below, we need your help contacting candidates to encourage them to submit their survey responses. We provide a script and a list of candidates and their contact information. Phone calls can be made from home or the Arts for LA offices, depending upon availability. If you're available, please contact Program Manager Abril Iniguez-Rivas at ainiguez@artsforla.org or call (213) 225-7580 as soon as possible. Volunteer callers are needed from Monday, October 10 - Friday, October 20. 

For the November 7 ballot, Arts for LA is surveying 85 candidates in the following elections:

School Board Elections:

• ABC Unified School District (Trustee Areas 3 and 6)
• Compton Unified School District
• El Monte Union High School District
• Hughes Elizabeth Lake Union School District
• La Canada Unified School District
• Rosemead School District
• Whittier City School District
• Whittier Union High School District

Municipal Elections:

• Hermosa Beach
• La Habra Heights
• Rancho Palos Verdes
• San Marino
• South El Monte

On November 2, 2017, the LA Convergence will bring together leaders, organizations, community members and artists at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in Downtown Los Angeles. The theme for the 2017 LA Convergence is Expanding our R.E.A.C.H. In a year during which many communities are experiencing unprecedented challenges and discrimination, how do we expand our efforts to ignite grassroots and large scale change in our communities? Melina Abdullah, PHD will be the keynote speaker, sharing her vast expertise, perspective and solution based ideas to the forum.

As a catalyst for cross-sector conversations and collaboration, the 2017 LA Convergence will build upon the R.E.A.C.H. an acronym (Revitalize, Educate, Activate, Connect and Heal) in order to spark solution-based conversations focused on the expansion beyond ourselves in order to advocate for collaborative change within our communities.

Registration is now open! 

If you would like to volunteer with us for LA Convergence, please complete the Volunteer Registration Form here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CNVRG17volunteer or contact Abril Iñiguez-Rivas at ainiguez@artsforla.org.

If you have questions about ticketing, please contact Karen Louis at info@artsforla.org

Navigating the Political Landscape

Webinar 3 for Data-driven Arts Advocacy

Navigating the Political Landscape features Arts for LA's Executive Director Sofia Klatzker, facilitating a conversation with California State Senator Ben Allen.

You can find a link to the Webinar HERE.

2017-18 Budget Summary for Los Angeles County and CA Arts Funding

To keep you informed, Arts for LA continues to monitor cultural budgets at the local, county, and state, and can report the following.

Increased FY 2017/18 Budget for City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs

For fiscal year 2017/18, DCA reports its adopted budget increased 5.9% to $13.1 million. 

Mayor Eric Garcetti says, "Los Angeles is the creative capital of the world, so art isn't an afterthought for us — it's part of who we are, and it's essential to the health and happiness of our people. Art has extraordinary power to transform perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors, especially when it lives in places that are accessible to everyone. We're proud to invest in the artistic genius that thrives in our city, because it gives Angelenos more opportunities to exercise their imaginations and inspire one other."

"Since taking office nearly four years ago, I have collaborated with my colleagues to return the arts to public spaces. Recently, the LA City Council revived murals and re-instituted the Arts Development fee — a clear focus on the importance of arts in our communities. As Chair of the Arts, Parks, and Los Angeles River Committee, I will continue to identify opportunities for greater public access to these experiences in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs,” said Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell.

“This funding increase will allow DCA to enhance its existing programming," said DCA General Manager Danielle Brazell. "With this continued investment, the city is demonstrating its dedication to delivering artistic and cultural experiences to all our communities.”

Stable Funding for LA County Arts Commission Grants Program and New Funding for Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative

The Organization Grant Program (OGP) of the LA County Arts Commission has received level funding for 2017-18 at $4,518,000. Over 400 nonprofit arts organizations receive OGP funding.

In addition, on Monday, June 26, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved funding for the following five CEII recommendations:

• Development of a Los Angeles County Cultural Policy ($50,000 one-time);
• Requirement for cultural organizations that contract with the County to include statements, policies or plans for cultural equity ($50,000 ongoing);
• Expansion of college arts pathways through paid arts internships for community college students ($448,000 ongoing);
• Development of teen arts pathways to create access to work-based learning opportunities for teens ($230,000 ongoing);
• Placement of artists to work cross-sector to address social problems ($235,000 ongoing).

“This FY 2017-2018 budget prioritizes the Arts Commission and County arts programming. I’m glad we are able to showcase our arts potential and highlight our artistic jewels within the County,” states Supervisor Hilda L. Solis.

Governor & Legislature Make $6.8 Million Increase Permanent for California Arts Council

On June 27, Governor Jerry Brown signed a state budget that includes a $6.8 million permanent increased funding allocation for the California Arts Council (CAC). The budget also includes an additional $750,000 ongoing allocation to directly support increased arts programming for youth engaged in California's juvenile justice system, as well as an additional $2 million increased allocation for California's Arts in Corrections program.

The overall California Arts Council budget also includes approximately $1.1 million in annual federal support from the National Endowment for the Arts, and approximately $2.5 million in annual funds from sales and renewals of California's Arts License Plate and voluntary state tax return contributions to the Keep Arts in Schools Fund. With all sources combined, the Arts Council's total 2017-18 budget will be approximately $19.48 million, plus an additional, separate $8 million state allocation for Arts in Corrections.

"We are grateful to Governor Brown and our state legislators for their belief in the power of the arts to enrich our lives and foster safe, healthy, and vibrant California communities," said Donn K. Harris, California Arts Council Chair. "The state's increased investment in culture and creative expression has helped to grow arts programs benefitting Californians at all levels of society, and demonstrates clearly who we are and what we value as a state. 

We woke on March 16 to the confirmation that President Trump’s budget proposal calls for the elimination of a number of programs and agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts.

While disappointing, this is not a surprise, and many of our advocacy friends are prepared with actions we can take starting today. 

Also, now that we know we are fighting to save and protect the endowments, it is important to remember that today is the beginning of a much longer appropriations process, and Arts for LA is committed to keeping you informed with updates and actions to take as they happen.

We woke this morning to the confirmation that President Trump’s budget proposal calls for the elimination of a number of programs and agencies, including the National Endowment for the Arts.

While disappointing, this is not a surprise, and many of our advocacy friends are prepared with actions we can take starting today. 

Also, now that we know we are fighting to save and protect the endowments, it is important to remember that today is the beginning of a much longer appropriations process, and Arts for LA is committed to keeping you informed with updates and actions to take as they happen.

Actions You Can Take Today

Americans for the Arts is leading the national response to #SaveTheNEA, starting with a customizable letter to your representatives.

1) Go to Americans for the Arts's Action Center and send a customizable message to your elected representatives in Congress and urge them to oppose the Administration's attempt to eliminate funding to the NEA.

2) CA Delegates are hand delivering a letter of support with signatures from our state advocates on Tuesday, March 21. We have 270 signatures so far. If you have not already signed, please consider adding your name today.

3) If you lead an arts organization, join Ovation’s #StandfortheArts, a national campaign to raise awareness, protect access and encourage action on behalf of the arts and culture.

4) This is a national movement, so with every action you take, please share on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. Include any of the following hashtags: #ArtsVote, #SaveTheNEA, #StandfortheArts and tag your elected officials.

Finally, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies provides this reminder about fiscal years: "Recall that state Partnership Agreement funds from the NEA are typically committed in March and used in the following state fiscal year. So today's proposal to eliminate the NEA in federal FY2018 would affect most states' FY2019 activities."

As always, do not hesitate to contact us at info@artsforla.org if you have any questions.

Catch the highlights from LA Convergence 2016, held on November 3, 2016 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center. 

With threats emerging of defunding the National Endowment for the Arts and its sister agency for the Humanities, Arts for LA executive director Sofia Klatzker travels to Washington DC for WESTAF's (Western States Arts Federation) annual Arts Leadership & Advocacy Seminar. During the January 30 through February 1 meeting, 60 arts advocates from Western states will learn more about the current and planned future work of the NEA, hear updates on federal-level advocacy efforts, and meet with their members of Congress.

Tune in to KPCC's AirTalk on Monday, January 30, to hear Executive Director Laura Zucker of the Los Angeles Arts Commission in a pro/con discussion on the recent news about budget cuts effecting the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Other guests include Romina Boccia of the Heritage Foundation and KPCC President Bill Davis.

January is when the rubber meets the road, when we are focused on building new relationships, securing alliances, determining legislative and budget priorities, and expanding our coalition. This period of political transition is the perfect time to meet with newly elected officials, while also encouraging new voices to consider running in upcoming races.