Tag Archives: Funding

COUNTY ARTS BUDGET: We Need Your Help – September 13, 2010

Received this from the Arts for Learning organization. VERY important information about YOUR arts budget. Take action now! Contact the Arts Action Alliance- artsaction@gmail.com

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Dear Friends and Supporters of Arts for Learning,
 We need your help today! The proposed County budget eliminates $2.3 million of support for the grants programs of the Department of Cultural Affairs. These are important dollars that go toward the day-to-day work that Arts for Learning is engaged in; serving the more than 10,000 children we reach. These proposed cuts will impact our organization as well as many others in our community. If enacted, this would reduce grants by about 25% to more than 400 cultural organizations. Combined with last year’s budget cut, this would be a total reduction of about 40% to each grant or a loss of $3.7 million in cultural grants funds.
 Here are some important actions you can take to help save the County’s cultural arts budget:
 · WRITE. Personalize and send e-mails, faxes and letters to every County Commissioner, the Mayor and the County Manager about how the arts impact your life. (A sample letter and County contact list are below).
 · CALL. Call every key County official and emphasize specifically how important County arts support is to you.
 · TESTIFY. Attend and register to speak at the two upcoming County Commission Budget Hearings where the County’s budget will be discussed and finalized for the coming year. Both Budget Hearings are being held at 5:01 pm on Monday, September 13 and Thursday September 23 in the County Commission Chamber, 111 N.W. 1st Street, 2nd Floor. Crowds are expected so get there early and be prepared to wait to make your case. You will have two minutes to speak. Please wear a black shirt and Arts Action Alliance will be on site to provide you with bright ARTS SUPPORT stickers for you to wear.
 If you have questions about this process or need more information please contact the Arts Action Alliance at artsaction@gmail.com.

**

Sample Message

[Please personalize this draft message – remember County Commissioners have told us that your personal stories have the most impact. I also suggest using just two or three of the bullet points included below as examples.]

Dear [ _______,]

I am writing to urge you to support the restoration of the proposed 25% cut to the Department of Cultural Affairs’ grants programs. I know that you have tough choices to make about next year’s budget but please know that the arts are part of the solution for re-energizing our economy and making our community great.

Here are a few important facts:

· Every dollar of County arts support leverages $27 dollars of other funds.
 · Arts organizations generate a billion dollars in local economic impact annually.
 · 12 million people attend arts events every year in Miami-Dade County.
 · Other businesses depend on the arts. People who attend arts events spend more than a half a billion dollars, parking their cars, eating in local restaurants and shopping.
 · Cultural activities provide more than 2 million experiences every year to the children of our county.
 · Our community’s outstanding arts activities are giving Miami-Dade a worldwide competitive edge in attracting tourism and business.

Those are the economic facts. I also want to tell you about how important County support for the arts is to me [(or to my organization). Tell your story here].

What you do now will have an effect on the entire course of our economy and our community. I am counting on your support for maintaining funding for the County’s investments in the arts.

Thank you for your help.

**

Miami Dade County Board of County Commissioners 2010

Dennis C. Moss, District 9, Chairman
 Stephen P. Clark Center
 111 NW First Street – Suite 220, Miami, FL 33128
 Phone: (305) 375-4832
 Fax: (305) 372-6011
 Email: DennisMoss@miamidade.gov

Barbara J. Jordan, District 1
 Downtown office: (305) 375-5694
 District Office: (305) 474-3011
 Fax: (305) 372-6028
 Email: bjordan@miamidade.gov

Dorrin D. Rolle, District 2
 Downtown office: (305) 375-4833
 District Office: (305) 694-2779
 Fax: (305) 375-4843
 Email: district2@miamidade.gov

Audrey M. Edmonson, District 3
 Downtown office: (305) 375-5393
 District Office: (305) 636-2331
 Fax: (305) 372-6104
 Email: District3@miamidade.gov

Sally A. Heyman, District 4
 Downtown office: (305) 375-5128
 District Office: (305) 787-5999
 Fax: N/A
 Email: District4@miamidade.gov

Bruno A, Barreiro, District 5
 Main office: (305) 643-8525
 Miami Beach District Office: (305) 673-7443
 Fax: (305) 643-8528
 Email: District5@miamidade.gov

Rebeca Sosa, District 6
 Downtown office: (305) 375-5696
 District Office: (305) 267-6377
 Fax: (305) 372-6090
 Email: District6@miamidade.gov

Carlos A. Gimenez, District 7
 Downtown office: (305) 375-5680
 District Office: (305) 669-4003
 Fax: (305) 372-6103
 Email: Calosg@miamidade.gov

Katy Sorenson, District 8
 Downtown office: (305) 375-5218
 District Office: (305) 378-6677
 Fax: (305) 372-6073
 Email: District8@miamidade.gov

Javier D. Souto, District 10
 Downtown office: (305) 375-4835
 District Office: (305) 222-2116
 Fax: (305) 375-3456
 Email: District10@miamidade.gov

Joe A. Martinez, District 11
 Downtown office: (305) 375-5511
 District Office: (305) 552-1155
 Fax: (305) 375-5883
 Email: District11@miamidade.gov

Jose “Pepe” Diaz, District 12
 Downtown office: (305) 375-4343
 District Office: (305) 599-1200
 Fax: (305) 372-6109
 Email: District12@miamidade.gov

Natacha Seijas, District 13
 Downtown office: (305) 375-4831
 District Office: (305) 820-8571
 Email: not available via email
 Fax: (305) 375-2011

Miami Dade County Mayor
 Mayor Carlos Alvarez
 Stephen P. Clark Center
 111 N.W. 1st Street, 29th Floor, Miami, FL 33128
 Phone: (305) 375-5071
 Fax: (305) 375-3618
 Email: mayor@miamidade.gov

Miami Dade County Manager
 George M. Burgess
 County Manager
 Stephen P. Clark Center
 111 N.W. 1st Street, Suite 2910, Miami, FL 33128
 Phone: (305) 375-1880
 Fax: (305) 375-1262
 Email: Manager@miamidade.gov

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From Miami-Dade County Department Of Cultural Affairs: Cultural Affairs Town Meeting Scheduled

A very important county meeting is coming up on August 4th. There will be a discussion on the proposed budget for the upcoming year and how it impacts the arts. It is open to the public, so if you can go and participate, we highly recommend it.

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Miami-Dade County Department Of Cultural Affairs

Adolfo Henriques, Chairman, and the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council
 invite you to attend a Town Meeting:
 The Impact of the Proposed FY2010-2011 County Budget on Cultural Programs

Wednesday, August 4, 2010
 4:30pm – 6:00pm

Coral Gables Congregational Church
 3010 DeSoto Boulevard, Coral Gables
 Click here for location information

(Free parking available in the Church lot, perimeter street parking and in the West-End lot of the Biltmore Hotel)

Click here to RSVP

Please make every effort to attend this important meeting!

For more information e-mail: culture@miamidade.gov
 or call 305-375-4634.
 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 625
 Miami, FL 33128
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Pepsi Challenge Grant Update

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to talk a little bit more about our $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant proposal. This may be a bit long, but I hope you will stay with me.
http://www.refresheverything.com/lifeisart

You know that Life Is Art’s mission is to help support the south Florida art community. That is you. That is all of us who live here. This $50,000 goes directly towards that goal. If you are an artist, an art lover, or just like our parties, if you live in south Florida, this money is really for you.

Our plan is to produce a series of large scale fine art fairs throughout the coming year specifically to showcase south Florida artists and arts, including one during the big Art Basel weekend.
http://www.refresheverything.com/lifeisart

The reason for the grant is so that we can spend plenty on real advertising and marketing, rent a large venue, provide real professional booth spaces and still keep the cost very low to the artists and to the attendees. It would mean we can dedicate more hours to the project, bringing in more sponsors and more value to the area. It really means a much bigger event at a much lower cost to you, the artists. This means more opportunity to show and sell your work with less financial outlay. This is just like money in your pocket.

If you are an art lover, this is good for you, too. Not only will you have some wonderful art fairs to attend, but it helps grow your art scene as a whole, giving you more opportunity to enjoy it. Even if you are just on this list because you like the parties we throw, it is good for you. This money will help us throw bigger and better events at less cost to everyone.

But it really is more than just this set of art fairs. This grant will allow us to devote more time to our mission, in general. This way we can bring grant money and more sponsorships to south Florida and we can produce more events, more seminars, networkers and art showcases, as well as more big art fairs. In the long term, this one grant could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars funneled into the south Florida arts scene and community. That is money that directly benefits you.

So, please, take a moment to vote every day. Tell your friends, family and colleagues about this and encourage them to vote. Share it on your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blog and other social media networks. Let us know you are voting by posting in the comments, or on our blog, or on our webpage. It only takes a couple minutes to sign up, and maybe 30 seconds a day to vote. We are working hard for your success and we hope you will help us help you. We CAN make this happen, but only with your help. This is really important and it really is that easy.

http://www.refresheverything.com/lifeisart

Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,
James Echols
Co-founder
Life Is Art, Inc.
www.lifeisartfest.org

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Please Vote! Help bring $50,000 to the south Florida Arts!

Life Is Art has entered the Pepsi Refresh Project to bring $50,000 to the south Florida arts and community! Yes, you read that right, fifty-thousand dollars. That money goes straight to support you, the arts and community.

http://www.refresheverything.com/lifeisart

We need your help. We need you to show your support by voting. Vote ONCE (just once) per day. It literally takes 2 minutes to vote. You do have to sign up the first time, but it is fast. This is really important, it means real, big benefit to our community. This money will be used to directly enhance the south Florida art scene and the community at large.

http://www.refresheverything.com/lifeisart

Please, tell your friends and family. Vote once per day. Two minutes. This not only allows us to create several large and inexpensive art shows, but will be catalyst to give us the ability to create more of events, networkers, seminars, art showcases, and to create more value in the long term, directly benefiting our artists, as well as the community as a whole. It will allow us to dedicate more hours to our mission of helping the south Florida arts. Help us help you!

http://www.refresheverything.com/lifeisart

There is a description of the exact program on that page.

http://www.refresheverything.com/lifeisart

Thank you very much!

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Life Is Art Results from the Knight Arts Challenge 2010

Hello Everyone!

As you know, we submitted several proposals to the Knight Arts Challenge, nine in total. All nine were turned down. The Knight Foundation received nearly 1000 ideas and I am sure they picked some awesome ones. We look forward to congratulating all the winners.

However, this does not stop us at all. I am going to post all nine ideas here on our blog because we still plan to carry them all out, eventually! It may take us a bit longer, it may cost a bit more, but these are all plans that we think would be very beneficial to our arts and community. So, I am going to put them all here so you can have an idea of some of our goals. Your input and ideas are always welcome, so please feel free to post in the comments.

1) Life Is Art South Florida Featured Art Fair Series
Life Is Art proposes to produce a series of art fairs throughout the year to promote the arts in south Florida, including a special event during the massive Art Basel week in early December. The reason for the grant is to keep the costs low to participating artists and to attendees. Each fair will take place in a different part of the area.

The arts are growing fast in south Florida, but much of the amazing local talent is being left behind. Also, research shows that the arts provide significant economic impact.

Each show will be significantly promoted through efficient marketing and public relations practices to maximize the exposure of the artists and use of the funds. The use of community resources and in-kind local sponsors will also be utilized to the fullest extent.

Every show will be open-call, juried by a group of experienced jurists and art professionals. Many art forms will be included, e.g. visual, performance, dance, music, film, design, etc.

2) After school cultural tour youth art program
Appreciation of the arts starts young. This proposal is to create an after school program for area youth to get them interested and excited about the arts. On a regular basis (depending on funding level and availability) we will organize an outing to a local gallery, museum or other cultural institution for young people and their parents. Target would be at least once per week.

At each event there will be interesting interactive activities related to the venue, and a chance to meet and speak with local artists, curators, gallerists, and other art professionals. The work at the institution will presented in a manner to make it interesting and exciting to young minds.

Enrollment will be open to any student, given size limitations of the location. Special effort will be given to promote the program to disadvantaged youth. This will allow the youth to not only learn a love of the arts, but also to be introduced to the cultural diversity of the area.

3) South Florida Online Arts Wikipedia
Where do you go when you want a comprehensive guide to the arts in south Florida? What does Google love? What is SEO and why does the south Florida arts community need it?

If you want to be seen in the 21st century, you MUST be seen on the web. South Florida needs a website that maximizes our arts exposure on the web. Nothing does that better than a Wikipedia.

By providing a platform where artists, arts business, and arts organizations can manage their own representation in one, comprehensive website, we can provide a one-stop easy-to-use location for people to learn about the south Florida arts scene. It also provides a simple method for the participants to manage entry.

The Wikipedia software is extremely Google-friendly (and other search engines), meaning that our arts people will show up more likely on arts related searches from around the world, improving the visibility of what we have to offer.

The funding provides this free or low-cost to all the arts people in south Florida.

4) South Florida Arts Council
There are many organizations and individuals working towards the betterment of the arts in south Florida. There seems to be a lot of overlap and lack of coordination between these efforts, though. An overarching professionals group could help everyone coordinate activities and share resources. “Got Milk?”

The idea is to create an organization that assists all the organizations in south Florida do what they do better. In addition, resources could be pooled to create larger campaigns.

This would be a membership organization, but the price of membership would be kept as low as possible, and based on a sliding scale based on an individual’s or organization’s ability to pay.

The goal would be to include all the organizations and institutions in south Florida, as well as individual artists, curators, and collectors. Many other areas have on arts council, it is time south Florida did, too.

5) South Florida Music Showcase
There have been a few abortive attempts to host a music event showcasing the talent in south Florida, but none of them have really gone anywhere. So much amazing music has come out of and into Miami in the past 100 years, that it is a shame we do not respect our local scene more.

There is still a large pool of amazing talent in south Florida. What we really need is a good three-day festival featuring the great bands, musicians, DJs, and performers of our area. Throw in a few big names to get the media on it, and you would have a show.

Funding would be used to subsidize gate prices for the early years in order to generate more interest. Significant effort would be put into marketing and promotion in order to ensure good crowd.

Music of all genres would be included in order to allow as many local musicians to participate as possible. Not only could we have festival style, but we have so many clubs and bars that we can include. So good for the local economy, as well as the arts.

6) South Florida Arts Presentation Venue
ArtCenter South and Bakehouse Arts Center are both great institutions. But, as the south Florida arts scene grows, these two organizations are not enough to serve the needs of a growing number of artists. We propose to open a new space that is not only dedicated to providing low cost studio/gallery space for artists, but also to market those artists, as well as artists from across south Florida.

Included would be a number of personal studio/gallery spaces that artists could lease for low cost, as well as larger gallery/performance spaces wherein big shows would take place to showcase not only the artists in the onsite studios, but artists from all over south Florida.

This space could be used to not only showcase visual artists, but artists of all disciplines, music, dance, performance, fashion, etc. This space would be focused on using all media available to promote participating artists to the greatest extent.

7) This is SoFla! Long-term Introductory Residency Program for Non-residents
This program has been suggested to us by several people, artists and arts lovers. Host a long-term residency program for out-of-town artists to introduce them thoroughly to the south Florida arts scene.

The idea is reasonably simle. Target mid- or full- career artists from around the world who are influential in their local region. Invite them for two-year residencies in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Include free or reduced-cost living space and gallery-studio space. Work with local organizations to integrate the visiting artists in with the local artists so they are fully introduced to the south Florida talent.

Host an opening/receiving reception welcoming the artists-in-residence to the area, introducing them to the local arts community. The goal of this program is that by immersing artists from around the in the south Florida arts scene, they will then take that information back to their home with them and spread the word about our wonderful art scene.

8) South Florida to the World – Worldwide Artist Program
A program to support taking south Florida artists to arts communities around the world that could not otherwise afford it, hosting them at art fairs and holding events featuring the south Florida artists.

There are many extremely good artists in south Florida. But, because our scene is still immature, many of them are not making the money that they deserve, and so cannot travel to other cities to represent the south Florida art scene.

The idea is to take groups of deserving artists to other cities to represent them in arts events at those cities. Also to produce art shows featuring the artists in conjunction with arts organizations, galleries or museums in those cities. Think, “Magic City Featured Art Show in Paris”, with 8 to 10 artists from south Florida.

The funds would be used to subsidize the artists attendance, as well as publicize the program and events, and to cover production costs to produce superlative events to showcase the artists.

9) The Knight ARTS Awards – Featuring… ART!
The Knight Arts Challenge is a wonderful program. The awards ceremony is an excellent event that hosts many of the local arts luminaries. There is one thing that the ceremony is missing. Actual art.

Why is there no art represented at the awards ceremony? It would be a perfect opportunity to showcase some of our local talent. Life Is Art proposes to fix this. We will produce an arts showcase to go along with the awards ceremony. It will include local artists of many disciplines, including visual, performance, musical, design, dance and theatrical.

The art showcase would take place alongside and in conjuction with the awards ceremony, making a real arts awards event. Imagine visual arts filling the foyer and the performing arts taking place before and after the actual awards.

Funding requested for this proposal = $0.00. That’s right, we are asking for no money, just permission to turn the arts awards into an awesome arts event.

Sincerely,
James Echols
Co-founder
Life Is Art, Inc.
www.lifeisartfest.org

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From Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs: How to Apply for 2011-2012 GPS and SCP Grants webinars April 19 and 21, 2010

Some good information from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. We’ll be logged in, for sure.

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“How to Apply for 2011-2012 GPS and SCP Grants” webinars to be held in April

Join the Division for “How to Apply for 2011-2012 General Program Support and Specific Cultural Projects Grants” webinar sessions in preparation for the June 11 deadline! Program Managers will speak about eligibility, how to apply, choosing your program and grant type, and deciding request amount. Web staff will speak about using the online grant application for 2011-2012 grants. There will be time for questions and answers.
There will be two sessions for your convenience. Follow the links to register for the sessions: April 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET and April 21 at 10:00 ET.

For more information, email Jennifer Hoesing or call 850.245.6462.
www.florida-arts.org

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Life Is Art Knight Arts Challenge Grant Submissions 2010

I am going to post here all of the projects that Life Is Art has submitted to the Knight Arts Challenge. I am doing so for two reasons.
1) I hope it inspires you to submit your own ideas.
2) I want you see a few of the things we are trying to accomplish.
We will probably be submitting more ideas until the deadline of March 15th, but I wanted to go ahead and get these out there. Even if we do not get funded for any of these, we will still continue to pursue them and many more in the eventual goal of raising the south Florida arts scene to the same level of reknown of other great cities.

IDEA #1: South Florida Featured Art Fairs

Life Is Art proposes to produce a series of art fairs throughout the year to promote the arts in south Florida, including a special event during the massive Art Basel week in early December. The reason for the grant is to keep the costs low to participating artists and to attendees. Each fair will take place in a different part of the area.

The arts are growing fast in south Florida, but much of the amazing local talent is being left behind. Also, research shows that the arts provide significant economic impact.

Each show will be significantly promoted through efficient marketing and public relations practices to maximize the exposure of the artists and use of the funds. The use of community resources and in-kind local sponsors will also be utilized to the fullest extent.

Every show will be open-call, juried by a group of experienced jurists and art professionals. Many art forms will be included, e.g. visual, performance, dance, music, film, design, etc.

IDEA #2: South Florida Arts Council

There are many organizations and individuals working towards the betterment of the arts in south Florida. There seems to be a lot of overlap and lack of coordination between these efforts, though. An overarching professionals group could help everyone coordinate activities and share resources. “Got Milk?”

The idea is to create an organization that assists all the organizations in south Florida do what they do better. In addition, resources could be pooled to create larger campaigns.

This would be a membership organization, but the price of membership would be kept as low as possible, and based on a sliding scale based on an individual’s or organization’s ability to pay.

The goal would be to include all the organizations and institutions in south Florida, as well as individual artists, curators, and collectors. Many other areas have on arts council, it is time south Florida did, too.

IDEA #3: South Florida Arts Presentation Venue

ArtCenter South and Bakehouse Arts Center are both great institutions. But, as the south Florida arts scene grows, these two organizations are not enough to serve the needs of a growing number of artists. We propose to open a new space that is not only dedicated to providing low cost studio/gallery space for artists, but also to market those artists, as well as artists from across south Florida.

Included would be a number of personal studio/gallery spaces that artists could lease for low cost, as well as larger gallery/performance spaces wherein big shows would take place to showcase not only the artists in the onsite studios, but artists from all over south Florida.

This space could be used to not only showcase visual artists, but artists of all disciplines, music, dance, performance, fashion, etc. This space would be focused on using all media available to promote participating artists to the greatest extent.

IDEA #4: South Florida Music Showcase

There have been a few abortive attempts to host a music event showcasing the talent in south Florida, but none of them have really gone anywhere. So much amazing music has come out of and into Miami in the past 100 years, that it is a shame we do not respect our local scene more.

There is still a large pool of amazing talent in south Florida. What we really need is a good three-day festival featuring the great bands, musicians, DJs, and performers of our area. Throw in a few big names to get the media on it, and you would have a show.

Funding would be used to subsidize gate prices for the early years in order to generate more interest. Significant effort would be put into marketing and promotion in order to ensure good crowd.

Music of all genres would be included in order to allow as many local musicians to participate as possible. Not only could we have festival style, but we have so many clubs and bars that we can include. So good for the local economy, as well as the arts.

IDEA #5: South Florida Online Arts Wikipedia

Where do you go when you want a comprehensive guide to the arts in south Florida? What does Google love? What is SEO and why does the south Florida arts community need it?

If you want to be seen in the 21st century, you MUST be seen on the web. South Florida needs a website that maximizes our arts exposure on the web. Nothing does that better than a Wikipedia.

By providing a platform where artists, arts business, and arts organizations can manage their own representation in one, comprehensive website, we can provide a one-stop easy-to-use location for people to learn about the south Florida arts scene. It also provides a simple method for the participants to manage entry.

The Wikipedia software is extremely Google-friendly (and other search engines), meaning that our arts people will show up more likely on arts related searches from around the world, improving the visibility of what we have to offer.

The funding provides this free or low-cost to all the arts people in south Florida.

IDEA #6: After school cultural tour youth art program

Appreciation of the arts starts young. This proposal is to create an after school program for area youth to get them interested and excited about the arts. On a regular basis (depending on funding level and availability) we will organize an outing to a local gallery, museum or other cultural institution for young people and their parents. Target would be at least once per week.

At each event there will be interesting interactive activities related to the venue, and a chance to meet and speak with local artists, curators, gallerists, and other art professionals. The work at the institution will presented in a manner to make it interesting and exciting to young minds.

Enrollment will be open to any student, given size limitations of the location. Special effort will be given to promote the program to disadvantaged youth. This will allow the youth to not only learn a love of the arts, but also to be introduced to the cultural diversity of the area.

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From the Knight Foundation: Knight Arts Challenge now accepting submissions through March 15, 2010

This is a VERY exciting opportunity for everyone interested in the arts in south Florida. ANYone can apply. And the application process is neither complex nor daunting. The Knight Foundation has done a wonderful job of making it simple. I absolutely encourage everyone to look into this and submit your ideas.

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Knight Arts Challenge Opens Contest

Deadline March 15
 The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is now accepting applications for the Knight Arts Challenge, a community-wide contest that aims to bring South Florida together through the arts. Have a big idea for the local cultural scene? Submit it through March 15 at KnightArts.org.
 It’s your turn to inspire our growing local arts scene.

If you have a great idea in the arts, let us know. Take part in a community rising to new levels of artistic achievement and global recognition. In the last two years, 51 ideas were funded. Is this your year?

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is seeking ideas and innovation in the arts from nonprofits, companies and individuals. There are three simple rules:
 1. The idea is about arts.
 2. The project takes place in or benefits South Florida.
 3. You find other funding to match the Knight Foundation grant.

So far, 51 individual artists, small nonprofits and the area’s largest institutions have won funding from the challenge. The Knight Arts Challenge’s application is designed to be simple to attract a wide range of applicants, including those who are not traditional foundation grant seekers.

Town Hall Meeting with Miami Program Director Dennis Scholl
Artists and art advocates interested in applying for the challenge’s third round also are invited to a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. March 9 at the Little Haiti Cultural Center, 260 NE 59th Ter. Miami Program Director Dennis Scholl, who leads the challenge, will answer questions.

A video produced by Soul Of Miami with some of the 2009 winners. Knight Foundation’s Dennis Scholl opens the video with a very good description of the program

Press Release here.
 More Information Here.
 Apply Here.

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Save The Arts In Miami

Okay, wall of text warning: this is going to be a really long post. As you hopefully know, the county commission is meeing on September 17th to finalize the FY 2009-2010 budget. They proposed cutting a massive chunk out of the arts funding. Anyone in the arts knows that this is not only needed for the cultural health of our city, but is also an economic driver. Arts and Culture bring people to the city and get people out and involved in the economy.

Over the past day or so, we have received numerous emails from various organizations talking about this issue. As part of our service to the community, we post as many of these as we can, to expand their reach. However, instead of posting each one individually, I am just going to post them all at once in this post.

Most importantly, contact your commissioner! We have a convenient list HERE, with a link to a site that helps you figure out who your commissioner is.

And remember the commission meeting:
Thursday, September 17, 2009
County Commission hearing to finalize FY2009-2010 budget
5:01p.m.
County Commission Chamber (111 NW 1st Street, 2nd Floor)

Please note, these are presented in no particular order, just as I came to them in my email.
Thank you very much for all your support.
James Echols
co-founder
Life Is Art, Inc.

Now, on to the letters:

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MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUM
 Dear MiaSci Young Patron -

The testimony, at the first County Budget hearing, from representatives of more than 20 cultural organizations, ranging from major cultural institutions to small neighborhood groups and artists, reflected the fortitude, passion and vision that have come to define our cultural industry.

During the subsequent discussion among County Commissioners, several Commissioners expressed support for program restorations in various areas of the budget, including our Department’s budget. Ultimately, a majority of the County Commission voted to set the operating millage at a flat rate; overall, this will result in approximately $17 million less in revenue than what was proposed by Mayor Alvarez.

Mayor Alvarez and the County Manager commented that it would be very difficult to achieve the various budget restorations discussed given that the County Commission voted on a millage rate that is even lower than that recommended by the Mayor. The Mayor and County Manager also committed to working cooperatively with the Commission to find solutions wherever possible.

So from now until September 17th, it is extremely important that we help sway the final budgetary decision. We ask that you CALL your commissioners! If you can’t get them on the phone, ask to speak to their chief of staff or leave a voice message – just make sure to mention that you are calling on behalf of the Miami Science Museum. Mentioning our Museum is of utmost importance!

If you’re still not sure who your commissioner is or what district you belong to, follow this link http://gisims2.miamidade.gov/CServices/CSMap.asp

Also, remember that you are welcome to attend the final meeting where the budget will be finalized. Remember to wear your MiaSci buttons! Buttons will also be available in the lobby of the Stephen P. Clarke building prior to the meeting (where the County Commission Chamber is situated).

Thursday, September 17, 2009
 County Commission hearing to finalize FY2009-2010 budget
 5:01p.m.
 County Commission Chamber (111 NW 1st Street, 2nd Floor)

For additional information on the issue, please visit www.miamisci.org/www/call-to-action.html, reply to this e-mail or call 305-646-4209.

Thanks in advance for your help and support.

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 HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA
 Dear Friends:

Our 13 elected members of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners will hold a second and final public Budget Hearing on Thursday, September 17th. This means the next four days are crucial in the restoration of funds for cultural organizations, including the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.

There is still time to demonstrate the importance of local institutions and how critical they are in the recovery of our tourism-based economy. Please continue to call, write or send emails to the 13 Commissioners, urging them:

1. To adopt an investment budget that moves our local community toward recovery by supporting the retention of jobs and services that are a vital part of our local economy.

2. To support culture, which has positive economic impact and is essential to the quality of life for local citizens and visitors in our community.

3. To support the Historical Museum of Southern Florida and the other museums in Miami-Dade County.

Please help us communicate this message to all 13 Commissioners. We have attached a sample letter that you could mail or email. Copies of the letter are also available at the museum’s kiosk.

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 THE WOLFSONIAN-FIU
 CALL TO ACTION FROM THE WOLFSONIAN–FIU

Dear Members and Friends,

The second and final Miami-Dade County public Budget Hearing is scheduled for this Thursday, September 17th and your personal messages to the County Commission about the value of support to cultural organizations is critical. Presently, if no positive action is taken, there will be “zero” dollars in the County budget for social service and cultural organizations.

We all recognize the arduous task before the County Commission; however, we have all worked so hard over the past two decades to build a vibrant cultural community that reflects the creativity, innovation, and generosity of our community. The arts have demonstrated their impact on quality of life, education, the economy, and job market, not to mention that almost all of the good news that comes out of Miami-Dade County is related to cultural organizations and arts events.

The severe reduction of County support of the arts will impact every cultural institution and the community it serves. It will result in the reduction of staff and seriously curtail most public, educational programs—exacerbating an already dire economic situation. Furthermore, the economic multiplier of this loss of funding is immeasurable, affecting numerous local businesses, service providers, and countless individuals. No one would argue that Art Basel and Design Miami, among other major conferences and events, have chosen to come to Miami, in part, because of its dynamic cultural scene.

If you have a strong opinion about the County budget, we urge you to attend the upcoming budget hearing and state your concerns.

Alternatively, if you are unable to attend the meeting, you may write members of the Miami-Dade County Commission to express your opinions or concerns. Visit http://artsactionalliance.wordpress.com/elected-officials/ for a list of Miami-Dade County Commissioners. Your individual letters about your personal experiences are more valuable than a form letter.

Thank you,
 The Wolfsonian–Florida International University

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 MIAMI LIGHT PROJECT
 Dear James,

Below is a letter that we received from Adolfo Henriques, the chair of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council, urging us to continue fighting and contacting our commissioners to ask them to support arts funding.

Please take a moment to read Adpolfo’s letter and once again contact your commissioner, asking them to pledge their support for arts in Miami-Dade County.

Thank you for your continued support of Miami Light Project and the arts,
 the Miami Light Project staff
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 Also received from FUNDARTE

We need your help again.
 Dear Cultural and Community Leaders,

We need your help again. The second and final Miami-Dade County public Budget Hearing is scheduled for this Thursday, September 17th and we must redouble our efforts. What we do in the next four days is crucial for the restoration of “zeroed out” grants support to more than 400 cultural organizations from the Department of Cultural Affairs.

I am encouraged that a number of County Commissioners have heard our message and have responded with expressions of support for the arts. So, it is very important that we remain visible and that our central message to elected officials remains positive:

“Thank you for recognizing that the arts are critical for the economy and return enormous benefits to our community. We are counting on you to restore the County’s cultural arts budget.”

As Chair of the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council, I am urging you again to take each of these following important actions now to help save the County’s cultural arts budget:
 WRITE Send e-mails, faxes and letters to every County Commissioner, the Mayor and the County Manager, personalizing the positive message stated above.
 CALL Call every key County official and emphasize specifically the central message above (County contact list attached).
 TESTIFY Attend and speak at the upcoming County Commission Budget Hearing where the County’s budget will be finalized for the coming year. The Budget Hearing is being held at 5:01 pm on Thursday, September 17 in the County Commission Chamber, 111 N.W. 1st Street, 2nd Floor. Crowds are expected so get there early and be prepared to wait to make your case; you will have two minutes to speak. It is critically important that we are present – in force – at this meeting and that we positively reinforce the County Commission’s support for restoring the arts budget.
 At the 1st Budget Hearing, we had an incredibly diverse array of citizens address the County Commission – ranging from volunteers and artists to kids and parents whose lives have been changed by the arts. This is what counts: people from all walks of life who believe deeply that the arts are a priority.

I want to thank you for all that you have done so far. Your letters, calls, e-mails and appearance at the 1st County budget hearing have helped enormously to keep our chances alive. Your passionate and articulate stories about the importance of County funding support continue to be the most compelling testimony.

Please forward this message to as many people as possible.

Time is short and the stakes remain high. Please know that your voice can make the difference this week. Thank you for your help.

Adolfo Henriques
 Chair
 Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council

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 BASS MUSEUM OF ART
 Dear Friends,

Alternatives to the currently proposed 2009-2010 County budget are currently being determined by 13 members of the Board of County Commissioners, which will greatly impact the quality of life for local citizens and visitors in our community. Cultural organizations, including the Bass Museum of Art are in danger. We need your help to get the message out.

You can help today by urging them to support culture and protect the jobs, quality of life for local citizens and visitors in our community.

Please use the sample letter below and send e-mails to each of the 13 Commissioners and the Mayor:

Dear County Board Commissioners,I am writing to urge you to support the full restoration of funding for the Department of Cultural Affairs’ grants programs. I know that you have tough choices to make about next year’s budget but please know that the arts are part of the solution for re-energizing our economy and making our community great. Here are a few important facts:

- Every dollar of County arts support leverages $27 dollars of other funds.
 – Arts organizations generate a billion dollars in local economic impact annually.
 – 12 million people attend arts events every year.
 – Other businesses depend on the arts. People who attend arts events spend more than a half a billion dollars, parking their cars, eating in local restaurants and shopping.
 – Cultural activities provide more than 2 million experiences every year to the children of our county.
 – Our community’s outstanding arts activities are giving Miami-Dade a worldwide competitive edge in attracting tourism and business.
 Those are the economic facts. I also want to tell you about how important County support for the arts is to the community. Cultural organizations are critical to the lives of our community’s families and kids; it benefits the community in their intellectual, personal, and social development. The arts are essential to an understanding of personal, local, national and global cultures, past and present. The importance of the arts in society is undeniable, it communicates across all cultures, tells the stories of the past and present, and inspire minds, both young and old, to do beautiful things. It is through the County support for the arts that art organizations receive funds to create, organize and offer different cultural events; exhibitions, performances, and educational programs, all to serve the community and tourism. Without County support, the stability and survival of Miami-Dade’s non-profit cultural industry is seriously jeopardized. Many of these groups will not be able to sustain their operations without the County’s investment.
 What you do now will have an effect on the entire course of our economy and our community. I am counting on your support for maintaining funding for the County’s investments in the arts.

Thank you for your help.

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 FROST ART MUSEUM
 Greetings!

As you may be aware, news of the Mayor’s proposed budget was announced and the vote has been postponed. The current proposal calls for the elimination of nearly all funding for the arts and cultural organizations across the board and county which are currently funded through the Department of Cultural Affairs. We are writing to invite you to support the full restoration of funding for the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs’ grants program.

The currently proposed county budget eliminates the $11.168 million of general fund support to the cultural grants program. These grants support over 400 non- profit cultural organizations. Without the support of Miami-Dade County, the non-profit cultural industry will be put at risk. Cutting these funds will have a devastating, ripple effect across the various cultural organizations and other funding sources that the County’s support helps to generate.
 The arts generate over 1 billion dollars each year and employ 22,000 workers which translate to $648.7 million in household income to local residents. Your support will have an effect on the entire course of our economy and our community. Both Budget Hearings are being held at 5:01 pm on Thursday, September 3 and Thursday September 17 in the County Commission Chamber, 111 N.W. 1st Street, 2nd floor.

We are counting on your support. It is of the utmost importance to send e-mails, faxes, and letters to every Country Commissioner, the Mayor and the County Manager to let the know the arts are important to the community.

Thank you for your help.
 Sincerely,
 The Frost Art Museum

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 CCEMIAMI
 Estimados amigos del Centro Cultural de Miami:

Necesitamos vuestra ayuda. La comunidad cultural de Miami está en una situación muy delicada y necesitamos hacer algo al respecto. Michael Spring, Director del Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, envió un boletín anunciando el corte de ayuda a las artes propuesto por el alcalde Carlos Álvarez. Por favor, llamad y enviad e-mails a nuestros comisionados para dejarles saber que las artes crean muchos puestos de trabajo, turismo y una imagen positiva de una ciudad que progresa. No podemos permitir que desaparezcan nuestras organizaciones culturales, y lo harán si se sigue adelante con estos cortes de presupuesto.
 Os enviamos un ejemplo de carta para que la copiéis con vuestro nombre o si lo preferís, enviad la vuestra propia. Se incluye también una lista de los comisionados y un link para buscar el comisionado que corresponde a cada distrito. Enviad e-mails al comisionado que os corresponda y también a los otros 12. Este es un mensaje importante, debemos hacer que escuchen nuestra voz.
 Gracias por vuestro apoyo a las artes
 Saludos,

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Arts Funding Update from Miami Light Project – What you can do to support arts in Miami-Dade County

We are still fighting the fight to keep arts funding going in Miami-Dade County. Apparantly the commissioners cannot understand how much extra economic activity the arts actually fuel. This came in from Miami Light Project.

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On Monday, Miami Light Project joined colleagues in a standing room only town hall meeting at the Miami Science Museum with representatives from Miami-Dade County’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Affairs Council and Commissioner Dennis Moss to learn more about the proposed budget cuts. The news wasn’t good: arts funding- as well as crucial funding for many County programs- is at great risk. However, there is still time to let your voice be heard.

From time to time, we’ll keep you informed on what these proposed cuts could mean and with easy ways that you can help support arts and culture in Miami-Dade County, ways that won’t cost you a penny, and only require a few moments of your time.

Please join us in fighting for the survival of the arts in Miami-Dade County!

What you can do now:
 Click here to send your own letter to the Miami Herald voicing your support of the arts.
 Write, email or call your Miami-Dade County commissioner voicing your support of the arts. We have included a sample letter below, as we contact information for the commissioners.
 SAVE THE DATE! The County Commission will finalize the FY2009-2010 budget at the two public hearings both scheduled to begin at 5:01 pm in the County Commission Chamber (111 NW 1st Street, 2nd Floor) on: Thursday, September 3, 2009 and Thursday, September 17, 2009. Please join MLP and the South Florida Arts Community at these meetings!

Thank you for your continued support of Miami Light Project and the arts!

What’s at stake:

THOSE THINGS THAT DEFINE US AS A COMMUNITY
 Our cultural organizations and facilities are critical to the lives of our community’s families and kids.
 Our cultural attractions are defining Miami-Dade as an exciting, sophisticated destination for tourism and international commerce.

JOBS AND A VITAL PART OF OUR ECONOMY
 Miami-Dade County cultural organizations employ thousands of people, from administrators and accountants to artists and carpenters.

Miami-Dade County’s Department of Cultural Affairs grants support is the critical underpinning to ensure the operational viability of these organizations, including their workforce.

Cultural organizations constitute a major local industry with an annual economic impact of almost $1 billion.

THE EMPIRICAL CONSEQUENCES WHEN CITIES DO NOT INVEST IN THE ARTS
 Across America, we have seen once great cities decline because of downturns in the economic conditions and an abandonment of those defining parts of their civic lives. These same cities – their downtowns and their neglected neighborhoods — come back when they invest in the arts. Our ability to attract and retain great employees and the attractiveness of our community for tourism and commerce are directly reliant on the quality of life that we can offer.

MIAMI-DADE’S NATIONAL REPUTATION AS A LEADER IN CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
 As a County, Miami-Dade has one of the most progressive commitments to the arts in the United States.
 Our Department of Cultural Affairs’ investment policies have helped to give birth to one of the youngest, most diverse and dynamic cultural lives in our hemisphere. Our cultural groups are young and fragile and just now are able to start to build the financial infrastructure to sustain themselves to the next generation of their development.

THE MESSAGE THAT WE SEND OUT LOCALLY, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY
 What County government does in its critical moment for decision-making will send a strong signal – locally, nationally and internationally – about what is important for the future of our community. When considering how to prioritize the uses of limited public dollars, it is essential to recognize the impact that the cultural industry has on the business vitality, educational enrichment, competitive differentiation, and overall quality of our community.

11 Cultural Facts

1. The Arts Generate Almost $1 Billion in Local Economic Impact.
 Based on an Arts and Economic Prosperity Study (PDF) recently completed by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the economic impact of Miami-Dade County’s arts and cultural industry is $922 million every year.

2. The Arts Employ More Than 22,000 Cultural Workers.
 This Arts and Economic Prosperity Study is based on reported revenues and expenditures of 444
 Miami-Dade-based, nonprofit cultural organizations and documents that these organizations employ 22,895 full-time cultural workers and generate $648.7 million in household income to local residents.

3. Every $1 of County Arts Funding Leverages $27 of Other Funds.
 Presently, for each dollar of grant funding support invested by the County’s Department of Cultural Affairs, an additional $27is leveraged by our community’s cultural non-profits from other private and public sources.

4. Arts Audiences Spend More Than a Half a Billion Dollars.
 Non-profit arts organizations in Miami-Dade County, which spend $420.1 million annually, leverage a remarkable $501.9 million in additional spending by arts audiences – spending that pumps vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking garages, and other businesses.

5. Cultural Groups Produce $5 in Tax Revenue for Every $1 the County Invests.
 Cultural organizations in Miami-Dade generate $103 million annually in local and state government tax revenue.

6. Cultural Organizations Provide More than 2 Million Children Experiences.
 The programs funded by the Department of Cultural Affairs reported that arts experiences were provided more than 2 million times to children in FY2006-2007. National studies document that students who are exposed to the arts score higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

7. More Than 12 Million People Attend Cultural Events Each Year.
 The Arts and Economic Prosperity Study documents total attendance of 12,700,184 in FY2004 (based on 444 reporting organizations), including more than 3.2 million cultural tourists drawn to Miami-Dade County.

8. 19,000 People Donate Time and Skills as Cultural Volunteers.
 Miami-Dade’s cultural organizations engaged more than 19,000 arts volunteers, who donated more than 648,000 hours to cultural organizations, with an estimated value of $11.3 million. This volunteer contribution is roughly equivalent to 230 full-time positions.

9. Cultural Pioneers Continue to Transform Neighborhoods.
 The arts continue to be effective catalysts for revitalizing forgotten or neglected neighborhoods. Pioneer artists and cultural groups were at the forefront of the revitalization of Lincoln Road and South Beach and are responsible for helping to lead the resurgence of such neighborhoods as Wynwood, Little Havana, Overtown, Homestead, Hialeah and North Miami.

10.The County is Investing $1 Billion in Arts Facilities.
 Miami-Dade County is investing more than $1 billion in building and improving county-wide cultural facilities. Over the past decade, Miami-Dade County has increased its cultural grants support for the operations of arts organizations to ensure that the cultural groups who exhibit and perform in these new venues are financially stable and programmatically excellent.

11. Miami’s Image and Reputation Worldwide is Being Celebrated Because of its Cultural Life
 The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Conde Nast, the network morning television news broadcasts all regularly feature Miami and single out its cultural vitality and distinctiveness as setting Miami apart. The arts provide the most consistent and widespread good news about Miami, and the cultural scene here is distinguishing Miami as an exciting international center.

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