Public testimony will be taken in the House Appropriations Committee on Monday and Tuesday of the upcoming week. Louisiana Citizens for the Arts will have representatives testifying as to the need to increase funding for the arts in the Executive Budget.
We need your help to get the message out to the Legislators on the Committee NOW! Please take 3 minutes to contact Committee Members NOW. It’s as easy as 1 – 2 – 3!
Click here to get started. In the Action Alert box, click the “Take Action” button under “Louisiana: Urge Members of House Appropriations Committee to Vote FOR an Increase in Arts Funding“.
You’ll see the action alert at the top of the page and as you scroll down, you will see the message to the members of the House Appropriations Committee. Scroll down to the Sender Information. If you have never sent a CapWiz message, you will need to complete the information requested. Once this is done, just hit “send message” and you’re done!
Don’t forget to forward this message on to all your friends and other arts advocates. Remember, with your help we were able to have the arts funding reinstated last year. We NEED everyone’s help again this year to do it again! Below is a detailed explanation of the current situation.
What’s happening?
Both the Decentralized Arts Funding and the Statewide Arts Grants programs have been targeted with crippling cuts. In the current bill all that’s remaining for DAF is $1 million and only $959,000 remains for SAG which represents a 60% reduction in funding levels from Fiscal Year 2009. Louisiana Citizens for the Arts is requesting that the Legislature restore both grant programs to the 2009 funding level by adding $1 million to each program in the Division of the Arts budget. It is extremely important that you contact the members of the House Appropriations to show your support.
Louisiana Citizens for the Arts is urging the full restoration of $1 million of funding to the Decentralized Arts Funding program to remain funded at the $2,000,000 level. The DAF program supports organizations in each parish on a per capita basis and creates cultural projects with aneconomic return of $11 per $1 spent in your communities.
Louisiana Citizens for the Arts is urging the full restoration of $1 million of funding to the Statewide Arts Grants program to remain funded at the level of $1,959.000. The Statewide Arts Grants program provides stabilization, capacity building and arts in education grants to our major arts organizations and local arts agencies, with a $28 return for every $1 spent in your communities.
How are you affected?
If these cuts come to pass, the cultural-economic engine and tourism industry of Louisiana will become crippled by a severe ripple effect. These cuts affect artists, teachers, non-profit organizations, festivals, libraries, museums and theaters alike. No community will remain untouched and the economic loss will rank second only to the loss in social profit, community and quality of life. Culture is Louisiana’s finest natural resource. We need to nurture and protect it for it to flourish.
How can you help?
If you have ever applied for arts grants, work for a cultural non-profit or are one of the thousands of artists and cultural workers in Louisiana, you need to help us to help you. Now is the time for you to have a voice!
Send a message asking the House Appropriations Committee members to support our request for the increase in funding. CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION NOW!
Christie Weeks
Chairman of the Board
Gerd Wuestemann
Vice Chairman for Advocacy
Tommy Usrey
Past Chairman of the Board
Louisiana Citizens for Culture 
I did contact Rep. & I Received prompt reply My Rep.Johnny Berthalot insuring consideration . Thank’s.
Please vote to ;protect and nurture the ares and culture of our state, Louisiana. on the 200th Birthday.