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Message from the Director
Congratulations arts advocates!
Finally, there's good news for the arts in Arizona
Yes, together we made a difference!
By now most of you know the Arizona Legislature allocated an additional $1 million in grant funds for the Arizona Commission on the Arts in the budget it passed and Governor Brewer signed earlier this month. (You can read more about it below).
But that isn't all that's happened. This newsletter also notes how the cities and Phoenix and Scottsdale are restoring funding for local arts. New research - like the Cultural Data Project is confirming, again, what we've known for a long time -- the arts are a half billion dollar business in Arizona - at the least. And local communities like Tucson are aggressively promoting the incredible impact the arts have on local economies.
After you can read all about it, take a bit of time to celebrate. But our job is far from over.
We know arts groups all over the state are still struggling from decreases in public and private funding. So, we still have a lot of work to do to persuade public and private funders that their investments in arts and culture reap huge returns in our community.
Here at Arizona Citizens Action for the Arts, we're proud of the fact that we've been pushing the cause of the arts further into the limelight. More attention in the media, certainly more attention from our legislative friends, and a higher priority in our local communities.
But the truth is that while we've been working to rebuild the arts in Arizona, we've also been rebuilding our organization. We've suffered financially, just as most of our arts organization members have over the last four years.
So, while we've been working hard to prove our value to you as advocacy partners, we've also slashed our own expenses, broadened our membership base and paid off thousands of dollars in debt.
In fact - we are only about $5,000 short of meeting our goal for the fiscal year.
Supporters like you have helped us get this far, and we deeply appreciate it.
May we ask you one more time to send a few dollars our way to wipe out the last of the red ink? Any amount, $50, $100 or more, would do so much for us.
The Arts and Parks amendment provided a one-time allocation for this year. We must work to make these allocations permanent and to further restore arts and culture funding in Arizona.
With your help we will be financially stable, strong and able to carry these campaigns into the new fiscal year.
Won't you please make a contribution today before June 30 to help us finish off our year on an even more positive note?
In the meantime, we're going to keep working to re-energize and expand support for arts and culture in Arizona!
Thank you. Have a restful summer.
Executive Director
Arizona Citizens Action for the Arts
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Legislature restores funding
to Arts Commission, Parks
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As a result of first-ever advocacy partnership between arts and parks supporters and a bipartisan coalition in the State Legislature, the state's new $8.8 billion budget includes one-time allocations of $1 million each to the Arizona Commission on the Arts (ACA) and Arizona State Parks from interest earned by the state "rainy day fund."
The ACA will use the funds solely for statewide grantmaking to arts organizations, schools and community groups to provide opportunities for Arizonans to participate in and experience the arts.
The allocation is in addition to the approximately $1.4 million the Arts Commission receives annually from the Arts Trust from business fees paid to the Arizona Corporation Commission.
This remarkable achievement was made possible by the hard work of many folks including Governor Jan Brewer, State Senators Steve Farley, John McComish, Steve Pierce and Michelle Reagan and Representatives Ethan Orr, Karen Fann, Kate Brophy McGee and Bob Robson.
Click here for a full list of Arizona legislators who supported the significant restoration of funding for arts and culture and deserve our thanks.
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Local cities fund arts and culture
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The good financial news this spring was not solely confined to the State Capitol. A number of Arizona cities are reporting restorations and increases in support for arts and culture.
For example, the Phoenix City Council has boosted funding for the Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture by $300,000, adding $180,000 to the grants program, $20,000 for public art maintenance and $100,000 in rent support tenants of the Herberger Theater Center.
The Glendale City Council also gave the go-ahead for a proposal from the Glendale Arts Commission's Performing Arts Partnership Program to fund eight performing arts groups for programs there.
Grants of $4,000 each were awarded to Ballet Arizona, Center Dance Ensemble, Childsplay, Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona and Glendale Youth Project, Phoenix Symphony and Mill Ave. Chamber Players. Kawambe-Omowale African Dance and Drum Theatre received $3,975.
Funding is generated from a one percent allocation for construction projects in the Glendale capital improvement program.
In Scottsdale, the City Council has approved a 2% inflator in its funding contract with the Scottsdale Cultural Council for the first time in three years. |
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AzCAA building a new strategic plan
for new arts and culture environment
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By fall, Arizona Citizens Action plans to roll out a new strategic plan focused on better serving the needs of Arizona's arts and culture community.
To formulate the plan, AzCAA is engaged in an aggressive effort that involves a broad base of arts and cultural organizations, individuals and the business community,.
The first phase of the effort collected data and information through several online surveys distributed to and completed by dozens of arts, community and business leaders.
Then, a half-day meeting on June 21 at the Heard Museum brought together more than 40 stakeholders in an interactive process to help finetune the online outcomes - including identifying the famous BHAG - big hairy audacious goal - that will shape the plan's direction, goals and timeline.
The session was facilitated by Dale Erquiaga, an independent strategist, former arts agency executive and senior advisor to Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval; and Stephanie Small of Synergy Partners Consulting.
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Encore Fellow Robin Hanson joins AzCAA to relaunch BVA
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AzCAA efforts to reinstate Business Volunteers for the Arts (BVA) will take a major step forward when Encore Fellow Robin Hanson comes on board July 8
The Encore Fellowship Program, sponsored locally by Experience Matters, brings "new sources of talent
to organizations solving critical social problems," according to www.encore.org. Called "Second Acts for Good," these paid time-limited Fellowships match skilled, experienced professionals with social-purpose organizations in high-impact assignments.
Throughout FY14, Robin, recently retired from Prudential, will manage the BVA project , with help from Experience Matters. A $50,000 grant from Wells Fargo Bank is funding the re-launch of the program that was on hiatus following the disbanding of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Phoenix.
Like Experience Matters, BVA matches business professionals with a wide range of business expertise with nonprofit organizations with limited experience in areas including finance, fund-raising, marketing, accounting, organizational development and capacity building.
Details about how to participate in the program will be announced in the fall. If you wish to be contacted for program participation, please send a note to info@azcitizensforthearts.org.
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Arts policy intern will spend
the summer at AzCA
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Nick Olson is another new face at AzCAA, at least for the summer. The Horizon High School graduate recently completed his sophomore year at Oberlin College in Ohio. He is working collaboratively with AzCAA Executive Director Rusty Foley and to research arts policy issues and strategies for the local fall elections and next year's State Legislative Session.
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National Report: Business support
for the arts increases
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A new survey from the Business Committee for the Arts (BCA), a division of Americans for the Arts, shows that between 2009 and 2012, business support for the arts - including both cash and non-cash donations - increased 18 percent.
The BCA National Survey of Business Support for the Arts examined the giving habits of 600 small, midsize and large U.S. companies and showed that giving was back to 2006 levels.
Americans for the Arts will host a webinar about the survey on July 18 at 12 p.m. Arizona time. During the webinar, experts in corporate giving also will discuss how the trends fit the current landscape and how to leverage the information. To register, visit bit.ly/11Rewr9. |
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National coalition seeks comment
on Common Core arts standards
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Now is the time for Arizona arts educators to submit their comments about the Pre K-* draft standards for the arts.
The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS), the collaborative that is developing the 2014 National Core Arts Standards, will release pre K-8 draft standards for an online public review beginning Sundayand continuing until midnight July 15, 2013. The new, voluntary grade-by-grade web-based standards are intended to affirm the place of arts education in a balanced core curriculum, support the 21st-century needs of students and teachers, and help ensure that all students are college and career ready.
A preliminary invitational review of the draft eighth-grade standards was completed in April by almost 500 respondents, consisting of groups selected by the NCCAS leadership organizations, as well as state teams of educators, teaching artists, and community arts providers. The work was reviewed by discipline writing teams in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts.
Anyone with an interest is welcome to participate in the public review of one or more of the discipline grade-band drafts in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. Please visit the NCCAS website at http://nccas.wikispaces.com/ NCCAS+June+30th+Public+Review for detailed instructions.
NCCAS also is working currently on drafts of the high school (9-12) standards with an invitational review of the high school work planned for September.
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Organization
Spotlight
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Tucson Pima Arts Council releases arts and the economy report
The Tucson Pima Arts Council (TPAC) recently released a report highlighting the economic and social impact of arts and culture in Southern Arizona.
Based on Arts & Economic Prosperity IV and the Local Arts Index, both produced by
Americans for the Arts, TPAC engaged 49 local arts organizations as partners and surveyed 827 audience members to gather data.
Among the findings:
- The nonprofit arts sector in Tucson and Pima County generates $87.78 million in annual revenue. The national county median is $49 million.
- Nonprofit arts earnings provide 2,602 full-time jobs and $55 million in local household income.
- The arts produce $8.1 million in revenue for local and state government.
- Attendees at nonprofit arts and culture events spend an average of $23.34 per person, not including admission.
More information can be found by visiting www.tucsonpimaartscouncil.org.
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Advocacy Spotlight
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NEA offers new research tools on working artists
A new National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) research tool offers 70 searchable tables to give Americans a much clearer understanding of the impact working artists have on the U.S. labor force.
The "Equal Opportunity Data Mining: National Statistics about Working Artists" will help bring a bit of clarity about the estimated 2.1 million artists in the U.S. through statistical profiles of Americans who reported an artist occupation as their prim
ary job, whether full-time, part-time or self-employed.
"Artists represent just 1.4 percent of the labor force, but they have an outsized role as entrepreneurs and innovators who contribute to the vitality of the communities where they live and work," said NEA Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa. "These data add further detail and nuance to our understanding of the profile of American artists."
The research tool also includes a video tutorial, links to additional resources like the U.S. Census Bureau's American Fact Finder, and surveys and databases from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
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Board of Directors
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OFFICERS
Joel Hiller
President, Arizona Citizens
Brenda Bernardi
Vice President, Arizona Citizens
Tom Chapman
Vice President, Arizona Action
Karen Falkenstrom
Secretary
Dawn Brown
Treasurer
Jeff Rich
Member-At-Large
Steve Martin
Past President, Arizona Citizens
Lynn Tuttle
Chair, Finance Committee
MEMBERS
Allan Affeldt
Winslow Arts Trust
Jason Baran
Salt River Project
Representative Kate Brophy McGee
Arizona House of Representatives
Jennifer Burns
Consulting & Policy Development
Sam Campana
Pink Adventure Tours
Bill DeWalt
Musical Instrument Museum
Mary Dryden
Tucson Symphony Orchestra League
Senator Steve Farley
Arizona State Senate
Mark Feldman
Miller-Russell & Associates
Phillip C. Jones
Community Volunteer
Cathy Knapp
Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold LLP
Robert Knight
Tucson Museum of Art
Kate Marquez
Southern Arizona Arts & Culture Alliance
Rick Pfannenstiel
Pfocus, LLC
Jackie Thrasher
Retired Arts Educator
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