An Inspiring Call to Action from One of NJ’s Own

Debate was completed yesterday on Representative Tim Walberg’s (MI) amendment to cut an additional $10.6 million from the National Endowment for the Arts in the House Interior Appropriations bill.  Several Members of Congress, coordinated by the Congressional Arts Caucus, spoke in support of opposing of this amendment and among them was Representative Rush Holt of New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District.   The House will vote on Representative Walberg’s amendment TODAY, so please write your Member of Congress in support of the National Endowment for the Arts HERE.  Looking for inspiration?  Here is what Representative Holt had to say during yesterday’s debate:

Mr. Chairman, last month I gathered almost 200 individuals interested in the arts and humanities to discuss National Endowment for the Humanities and National Endowment for the Arts programs. The turnout was impressive. But considering their eagerness to win endowment grants, it was also a reminder of how tight funding is for these critical programs.

My friend, poet Paul Muldoon, read some poetry to the attendees and reminded all, in his words, the NEA and the NEH are not properly funded. It is a national disgrace. Now, that was before the amendment that is here tonight that would cut the NEA even further.

The NEA and the NEH help ensure a well-rounded education, and result in a well-rounded society. Now, of course the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities are different, but they are similar in what they bring to our Nation.

The arts and humanities inspire our children to explore their own creativity and encourage positive development in the course of their educational careers. The arts and humanities are a fundamental component of our society and they, indeed, warrant Federal funding. The arts and humanities help us know ourselves as a people.

Just a few weeks ago, here on this floor, the House approved a bill that increased the spending for the Department of Defense by $17 billion. The total funding for the endowments is hardly more than a percent of that increase in defense spending that was passed. Talk about misplaced priorities.

I’m reminded of the often told exchange between Scientist Robert Wilson, the Director of Fermilab, when he was testifying before the Senate and Senator Pastore. The Senator asked, with regard to a science experiment at Fermilab, whether it would help defend this country against the Soviet Union. Replied Dr. Wilson, no, Senator Pastore, this will not help defend us against the Soviet Union, but it will help make our country more worth defending.

This amendment is based on the premise that arts and humanities are a luxury. The author of this amendment to cut the NEA further says America is impoverished. Mr. Chairman, I’ll tell you what would leave America really impoverished is if we strangle the arts and humanities.

We’ve heard what the arts contribute to our economy. The Americans for the Arts, in its report, Arts and Economic Prosperity, details that the arts support more than 5 million jobs and generate tens of billions of dollars in government revenue.

Arts are good for our cultural development, yes. They are good for our society at large and good for our economic development as well.

I’ve heard from a number of my constituents on this matter, and nearly everyone has pleaded with me to preserve as much funding as possible for the arts and for the humanities. As one of them said poignantly, “A Nation without culture is a Nation without a soul.”

I strongly oppose this amendment and other efforts to strangle the arts and humanities in America and to defund the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Contact your Legislators TODAY — State Arts Funding Slated for Reduction

State arts dollars are slated for reduction in a new budget bill.  Time is of the essence, so use the talking points below to tell your legislators ART MATTERS:

1. The New Jersey State Council on the Arts is proposed to receive $16 million for Cultural Projects in FY12.  The NJ Cultural Trust is proposed to receive $500,000.  These are the minimums allowed by law and are derived entirely from a dedicated revenue source, the NJ Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee. 
2. The budget bill specifies that $4 million of this total must go to the Battleship NJ, The Newark Museum, and the Old Barracks ($1.7M, $2.1M, $375K, respectively).
3. This language is NOT acceptable (unless there is $4M added to Cultural Projects to cover these line items).
4. The NJ Cultural Trust cannot be tapped to make up the difference.  

The result of this means a total of $11.7 million (a reduction of 26.6%) for grants awarded through Cultural Projects this July.  Budget bill is under consideration today! Phone calls and emails are essential to correct this situation.  Please contact the Governor’s Office and your district legislators TODAY!

Contacting your State legislators is easy–just CLICK HERE to go to Art Pride’s Action Alert Center.  You will find a letter that can easily be edited or sent as is.  Here is the place to also find contact information for your State elected officials.  Remember–the CURRENT legislators (not redistricted) are those voting on the FY12 budget at hand.  If you require more information, including a map for your legislative district indicating the Creative Industries, please contact Art Pride NJ at 609-479-3377 ext. 305 or 307.
 
Thanks in advance for your support. Please notify Art Pride if you receive any feedback from your elected officials.  And a quick note–if you don’t get to speak to them in person, a legislative aide or chief of staff will relay your support.

Last Chance to Make a Difference!

We are nearing the end of another NJ State budget cycle.  Here’s a last chance to remind your elected officials that Art Matters!

Contact Your State Legislators
Time is of the essence.  The activity surrounding the FY12 State budget has been heated. We know you believe Art Matters, and most of our State legislators are supporters.

You also know that New Jersey’s arts community cannot take that support for granted.  So take a moment today or tomorrow to contact your State Assemblyperson and Senator.  An in person visit, a phone call, letter or email are all helpful and can make a difference.

All the information you need can be found at the Art Pride Action Center on our website.  The first email letter can easily be edited or sent as is.  Here is the place to also find contact information for your State elected officials.  Remember–the CURRENT legislators (not redistricted) are those voting on the FY12 budget at hand.  If you require more information, including a map for your legislative district indicating the Creative Industries, please contact Art Pride NJ at 609-479-3377 ext. 305 or 307.

Thanks in advance for your support. Please notify Art Pride if you receive any feedback from your elected officials.  And a quick note–if you don’t get to speak to them in person, a legislative aide or chief of staff will relay your support.  Don’t forget to share this by using the email, Facebook and Twitter share buttons below!

Thank You to our NJ Arts Advocates!

Thank you to all the arts advocates who contacted their legislators, and a special thanks to those who made the trip to Washington, D.C. with us last week.  Your efforts made an impact on the continuing resolution for FY2011 funding. 

Though the final 2011 Budget Bill does not include the $167.5 million we requested for the National Endowment for the Arts, it is set at $155 million, which is well above the $124.4 million budget passed by the House in February.  Arts Education funding through the Department of Education was cut from $40 million to $20 million, though not entirely eliminated as was also recommended in the budget passed by the House.  As always, we will keep you posted about the State and Federal FY12 budgets as they develop. 

The time and energy you have dedicated to advocating for the arts and arts education play a key role in educating lawmakers about the importance of the arts.  However, there is always more work to be done!  Please join us for Arts Day in Trenton on May 5.  This year’s event will include our legislative update, the Art Pride annual meeting, keynote speaker Ben Cameron, and a “Meet the Speaker” reception.  Additionally, we invite you to attend the Governor’s Awards in Arts Education that afternoon to enjoy some of New Jersey’s best and brightest arts students and educators.  Registration is FREE, but space is limited, so please visit our Arts Day webpage for more information.

Thank you for your support, and remember: ART MATTERS.

Ask your Senator to Vote Against Cuts to the NEA

Last Thursday by 8 votes the House approved a $43 million cut to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) FY2011 budget.  This decrease will mean a decrease in NEA grants to New Jersey of $440,340. 

This FY 2011 appropriations package will be presented to the Senate shortly, so please take two minutes to ask your Senator to vote against cuts to the NEA budget.  Send a message directly to both your Representative and your Senator through our Action Arts Center, which is an easy and effective way to make your voice heard.

Please find us on Facebook for up-to-date information on the FY2011 appropriations package as the situation progresses.

Cuts to the NEA mean cuts to NJ

Wednesday morning an amendment to cut the NEA by an additional $20.5 million offered by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) passed in Congress.  This is in addition to the $22.5 million cut already included in the underlying legislation.  These funding reductions will mean:

• A decrease in NEA grants to New Jersey of $440,340
• A $43 million cut to the NEA for FY2011

Take action by sending a message to your Members calling on them to reject these cuts to the NEA. 

We will have more information as this situation progresses, so please visit us on Facebook for up-to-date information as it is received.

When There are Clouds, You’ll Get By if you just…

Another year, another NJSCA annual meeting on a hot summer day.  This year arts administrators were smiling, but we’ve been trained through the MFA Program in Hart Knocks to be happy with whatever we receive in government support.  This year, in yet another tough budget cycle, the new administration and legislature supported the minimums specified in the law, namely the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee of 2003.  What wasn’t emphasized was that the cultural community (read arts AND history) lost $4 million in principal for the NJ Cultural Trust.  That money (instead of the Cultural Projects or NJ Historical Commission appropriations) was doled out in earmarks to major arts/cultural destinations like Battleship NJ, The Newark Museum, and the Old Barracks Museum. The net result will be less Cultural Trust grants awarded for “stability.” Is there an irony here?

Certainly, these institutions are worthy of state support at the levels they require. Even with this support, these major facilities are facing curtailed hours and significant layoffs.  All cultural groups, large and small, north and south, rural, urban and suburban, are having to re-invent how they are perceived by the general public, how they do business, attract patrons/clients, etc.  We’re all in this together.

Let’s not fool anyone, though.  We’re all still hurting.  We’re all still being as creative as we can with relatively less money and trying to swim instead of treading water.  The money still isn’t where it needs to be in total (doesn’t the same law say $22.68 million for arts support?) , and we still have a big job to do to make sure the public understands that the arts are business, and to be successful everyone has to “play their part,” from the artists, audience members and donors, trustees, to the vendors/suppliers to the (for the most part) underpaid staffers.

Hang in there and keep reminding everyone that the only reason “The Jersey Shore” isn’t the bottom line, the final word about NJ culture, is because there’s great work being done by non-profit arts groups on pennies and prayers!

How YOU Can Advocate for Arts Education

“There are [schools] in this state that as of next year will no longer have a music department. That’s what they cut.”

Assemblyman Fred Scalera of Essex County expressed his dismay at last week’s Essex Legislators Breakfast along with fellow legislators who came out to show their support for arts education. Due to budget constraints, arts education is once again on the chopping block in many districts, and Assemblyman Scalera isn’t the only one worried about the impact cutting programs will have. Five current and former students from arts education programs throughout the county spoke about the impact the programs had on their lives.

Help Us Help the Arts Throughout Our State!

Dear New Jersey arts supporter,

Help Art Pride NJ help the arts throughout our State!

ArtPride NJ is in the running to be named a GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Arts Nonprofit and we need your help! If we receive at least 10 positive reviews (4 or 5 stars) by February 28, 2010, ArtPride NJ will gain exposure to potential donors. All reviews will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. It’s easy and only takes 3 minutes! Go to:
http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/write/643822

Be sure to choose “Arts Appreciation Campaign” from the drop-down list of campaigns when posting your review.

With your help, we can gain greater visibility in the community. And if your nonprofit would like to be part of this effort, be sure to visit GreatNonprofits to find out how!

Thank you,
Ann Marie Miller
Executive Director, ArtPride NJ

New York Times Article: Grants Frozen, Theaters Improvise

Please take a moment to read this great article from Sunday’s New York Times on the effect the State funding freeze would have on New Jersey arts.

Grants Frozen, Theaters Improvise