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March 2004
Arts and Culture Advocates, this is the time to DO ALL YOU CAN, AND THEN SOME
The Mayor proposed his budget and “the City’s arts and cultural institutions may absorb the single biggest hit, with total subsidies slashed by $4 million.” Philadelphia Inquirer 3/19/2004
ACTIONS
Urge Mayor Street and Philadelphia City Council Members to restore $4 million in public funding to arts and culture.
This issue is Big and therefore the action request is Big. Two arts organizations have been proposed at zero dollars and the Philadelphia Cultural Fund is in jeopardy. If you do not get involved, you risk the future loss of all local public dollars. We need you to do all you can to make sure arts and culture voices are heard. Silence now can silence many of our diverse organizations later.
- Write letters and get others to as well – employ board members, subscribers, individual donors, students, etc. on this task also. For Philadelphia government contact information, visit www.philaculture.org/advo/pa_phila.htm.
- Inform public in curtain speeches – make your plight known at all public events – shows, fundraisers, meetings, etc. Urge audience members contact Council and the Mayor about this issue. Direct people to our website for additional information or provide a link from your website to ours, www.philaculture.org.
- Pass along this and other related e-mails – get the word out as fast and to as many as you can.
- Schedule a meeting with your district Councilmember – to discuss the impact a funding cut would have on the people you employ and serve.
- Share testimony of audience members – offer the human-interest aspect of your programming and services in order to show your impact on the community.
- Attend Council Hearings – Bring a rally of your supporters to the Council Hearings regarding arts and culture funding. [see Legislative Process section for hearing schedule]
ISSUE
Mayor Street’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2005 includes cuts for arts and culture that amount to $4 million. The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Atwater Kent Museum have been proposed at zero funding. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund is recommended to receive $1 million – a 60% cut from this year’s level of funding. Other organizations specifically mentioned at reduced levels include the African American Museum, Historic Philadelphia, the Avenue of the Arts, and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. Above this $4 million cut to arts and culture, libraries have been also been proposed at reduced funding levels. If approved, these cuts will be hard felt by all constituencies served by Philadelphia’s arts and culture community.
To read more about Mayor Street’s proposed budget, visit:
Philadelphia Inquirer | 3/19/2004 | Street’s Budget: Tweaks, Fine Trims
Philadelphia Daily News | 3/19/2004 | Street’s Spending Plan Provides Dose of ‘Harsh But Effective’ Rx
Philadelphia Inquirer | 3/18/2004 | Street Presents New City Budget
KYW News1060.com | 3/18/2004 | Mayor’s $3.4 Billion Budget Includes Rec Center Closures
In addition to the Mayor’s FY’05 proposal of the General Fund Operating Budget, the Mayor also offered his proposed 5 Year Financial Plan for FY’05 through FY’09. Page xvi of the Introduction reads as follows:
Reallocating Resources
Refocus on core activities; reduce expenditures for non-core City services. When the strong economy provided the City’s budget with significant surpluses, expenditures in non-basic municipal services grew significantly. While scrutinizing all of the City’s expenditure areas in order to find opportunities to reduce the budget, core City services were made a priority. The Administration is well aware that these cuts will impact groups that provide important services, but the alternatives required cuts to core City services that would have a severe impact on the general public. The following reductions will save the City $6.25 million annually:
- Eliminate the Office of Arts and Culture ($400,000)
- Reduce the City’s contribution to the Cultural Fund to $1 million ($1.4 million)
- Reduce the City’s contribution to Recreation Fund to $1 million ($800,000)
- Eliminate funding of the Art Museum and Atwater Kent Museum ($2.5 million)
- Eliminate contract providing general operating support to Community Legal Services ($150,000 in net savings)
- Reduce the City’s contribution to Community College ($750,000)
- Reduce the City’s Penn’s Landing subsidy to $500,000 ($250,000)
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
City Council will have the opportunity to review the budget proposal, make any changes, and then adopt an actual budget by June 1, 2004. The mayor will then have to veto or approve the budget in its entirety.
Public Hearings regarding the City’s cultural funding will be held as follows:
4/20/2004
10:30 - 11am – Philadelphia Museum of Art
12:15 - 12:30pm - Atwater Kent Museum
5/4/2004
10:15 -11am - Free Library of Philadelphia
11:30 - 12pm - City Rep. & Dept. of Commerce (includes PCF, Public Art, and Office of Arts & Culture)
5/10/2004
1:30 - 3pm; 6-8pm - Public Testimony - Peggy Amsterdam, President, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, will testify.
All Hearings will be held in Council Chambers, Room 400, City Hall.
MAKING THE CASE – COMMUNICATION TIPS
This issue requires a strong visual form of advocacy. Therefore, writing letters and attending meetings and hearings are important. In your verbal and written communications remember to make the points that are the most compelling to arts and culture as a whole and regarding the constituencies you serve. The following two quotes are great points to make in any communication. For additional points to highlight see the section titled “Other Points to Argue.”
- $4 million in cultural spending is equal to a mere 12 cents on every $100.00 dollars in the City’s budget.
- Contributes $6.5 million annually in Philadelphia sales and wage taxes. Greater Philadelphia’s Competitive Edge, Pennsylvania Economy League, May 1998.
Remember, your own impact data and the personal stories of people you serve are often the most gripping and the easiest to convey.
F.Y.I.
The cuts proposed to the Philadelphia Cultural Fund (PCF) are for fiscal year 2005. This will not impact the PCF funding awarded to organizations for the current year.
OTHER POINTS TO ARGUE
Listed below are a few of the Mayor’s comments followed by responses you can use in your communications.
The Mayor said:
“Philadelphia is a city of proud neighborhoods and we will never default on our commitment to regular people who live in them.”
We need to show that regular people need the services that arts and culture provide. When funding is cut from city service providers, arts and culture organizations quite often fill the gap for residents with education tools, after school programming and child care options, housing assistance, neighborhood beautification/transformation, and more.
“We will, however, work to avoid layoffs. Nothing is worse than losing one’s employment in difficult economic times.”
Greater Philadelphia’s nonprofit cultural sector’s economic impact:
“Spending by cultural organizations and their audiences influences spending by individuals and businesses in the region, creates jobs, and results in tax revenues.”
- Supports $564 million of spending in the 5 counties
- Over 11,300 full and part-time jobs
Greater Philadelphia’s Competitive Edge, Pennsylvania Economy League, May 1998
Every dollar invested in the arts supports two dollars in total regional spending; every $25,000 in spending supports one job in the region.
Ibid.
“This budget maintains our commitment to public education. Our students and families are beginning to see the new materials, better-prepared teachers and support for struggling students that has been too long coming. However, notwithstanding recent progress, too many Philadelphia public schools are far from the models of educational excellence appropriate to a world class 21st Century City.”
While many public schools are no longer able to provide students with arts and cultural education and opportunities, a total of 229 nonprofit cultural organizations offer programs and services to the city’s children.
Arts Resources for Children and Youth in Philadelphia, Social Impact of the Arts, April 1997
Among low-income neighborhoods, those with high levels of cultural participation were five times more likely to have very low levels of delinquency and three times more likely to have very low rates of truancy.
Research by Social Impact of the Arts Project
“This budget should not be viewed as a barrier to progress and prosperity or a source of pessimism and frustration. It allows us to make some powerful economic investments that will help grow our population, create new economic opportunities, and build the new Philadelphia.”
During the 1980’s, neighborhoods with an active arts scene were nearly three times more likely to see their poverty rates decline and their populations increase. This trend continued in the 1990’s and into 2000.
Research by Social Impact of the Arts Project
“Our future will be distinguished by the presence of corporate leaders like Comcast, GlaxoSmithKline, CIGNA, ACE, INA, Sunoco and other businesses, large and small, who have decided over the last two years to remain in Philadelphia.”
57% of business leaders responding to a survey indicated that cultural institutions are “very important” to the vitality and attractiveness of the region. Only 3% felt they were “not important.”
Greater Philadelphia Economic Outlook Survey, Sovereign Bank, 2004
“…our 83 area colleges and universities…have an impressive annual enrollment in excess of 300,000 students, many of whom, we hope to keep in our region as residents.”
57% of young, college-graduates living or working in Center City saw Philadelphia’s arts and cultural events as a comparative strength versus other cities. The only thing that ranked higher was the city’s unique/historic architecture.
Survey of Graduates in Center City, Center City District, September 2003
Greater Philadelphia’s arts colleges produce 23% more arts graduates than the national average.
Pennsylvania Economy League Report, 2003
“…the City should partner with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce in its campaign to market the Philadelphia region as a business destination. I propose that the city contribute $250,000 in each of the next four years to support the Chamber’s Select Greater Philadelphia Campaign.”
A Gallup poll survey revealed that our region’s cultural assets are one of the top three reasons why businesses relocate here.
Catalyst, Vol. 1, Issue 3. Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia, November-December 2003
“We must protect the core services our citizens have a right to expect, even in a tough budget year.”
[C]ultural attractions rated as the second greatest strength of the Philadelphia region by respondents, behind institutions of higher learning.
Greater Philadelphia Economic Outlook Survey, Sovereign Bank, 2004
“We keep [as a priority in this budget] our commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
“A lively cultural scene appears to contribute to neighborhood vitality in two important ways: It increases the inclination and ability of residents to make positive changes in their community, and it increases the connections between neighborhoods of different ethnic and economic compositions.”
Mark J. Stern, on the University of Pennsylvania Social Impact of the Arts Project Research
The presence of cultural organizations had a significant impact on the likelihood that a diverse neighborhood would remain diverse ten years later.
Research by Social Impact for the Arts
FUTURE ACTIONS
Our efforts have to be quick and layered. One letter or announcement is not enough to demonstrate the potential detriment that will be caused if these cuts are realized. Stay tuned for future action requests by checking our website regularly www.philaculture.org, and continue to reach out to others to take action.
ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT:
April Williamson, Advocacy Coordinator, at awilliamson@philaculture.org, or 215-557-7811 ext. 11, for help writing letters or contacting City Council or the Mayor.
Callie Curran, Research Coordinator, at ccurran@philaculture.org, or 215-557-7811 ext. 14, for general impact information about arts and culture in Philadelphia.
Julie Hawkins, Director of Policy and Government Relations, at jhawkins@philaculture.org 215-557-7811 ext. 12, for any other questions.
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On the Local Front
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology could be asked to release more than a dozen tribal artifacts to the Alaskan Tlingit Indian tribe in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). This federal law passed in 1990 “allows federally recognized tribes to claim human remains and objects held by universities and museums that receive federal funds.”
Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/11/04 | Gaining while giving up artifacts
On March 2, 2004, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts will announce special offers to subscribers on tickets to the Disney musical The Lion King.
Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/11/04 | ‘Lion King’ chooses Academy over Boyd
City Commerce Director, James J. Cuorato, officially announced his resignation on January 24, 2004, after 31/2 years of service. Stephanie Naidoff, former president of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts was sworn into the position on Thursday, February 12, 2004.
Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/14/04 | Editorial | Philly’s New Commerce Czar
Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/13/04 | Stephanie Naidoff to direct city Commerce
Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/11/04 | Naidoff said to be choice for commerce
Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/27/04 | City commerce director announces his intention to leave
Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/26/04 | Cuorato’s leaving won’t slow biz, city says
Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/24/04 | City’s commerce director calls it quits
Mayor John F. Street has pushed back the delivery of the City’s budget address to March 18, 2004.
State News
Governor Edward G. Rendell delivered his budget address for the fiscal year beginning 2005 and proposed an increase of $500,000 for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. That will bring the council to $14.5 million.
Libraries are proposed at $52,568, a 10% increase over the $47,789 they received in FY 2003-04. This increase would bring libraries back to 70% of the funding they received two years ago.
The Governor recommends that the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission receive $23,719,000 for general operating, $1,000,000 for maintenance and $4,135,000 for their competitive grant program.
Federal Goings on
President Bush requested an $18 million dollar increase for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), bringing the budget from $121 million to $139 million. This is the largest increase for the agency since 1984.
Press Release | 01/29/04 | National Endowment for the Arts News Room
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