Funding Yanked for Georgia Council of the Arts: You Can Help!

By Becky Striepe On April 21, 2010 · 3 Comments · In News

Over at the Young Blood Gallery blog, Maggie posted about something that really breaks my heart. Late last week, the Georgia House of Representatives voted to eliminate the Georgia Funds for the Arts and Georgia Council for the Arts. That means that art groups in our state can no longer receive grants or state support. It’s a huge hit for the art community and for art education.

Maggie talked about some things that folks can do to let our representatives know how we feel about this decision:

This weekend these are the ways to make sure your Senator considers your opinion. As a state agency, GCA staff can not lobby. They need your help to stay alive!

Have all staff and Board members of your organization reach out to their Senator individually.

Send an e-mail to your mailing list with a sample message that people can cut and paste into their own e-mail. Include a specific example of the impact your organization has on your community or a program that may be cut if funding is eliminated.

Put a sample e-mail and the link to locate representatives on your website or Facebook page.

Get in touch with media in your area. If they need more information, ask them to contact GCA’s Public Relations Manager Jhai James at 404.685.2784 or jjames@gaarts.org.

Anyone who knows a Senator should reach out and make direct contact.

Pass along your concerns to people who are not in the arts industry, but who are impacted by program reductions, such as a Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Main Street Program, local restaurants, schools, senior centers, etc. Ask these people to also contact their Senator.

Inform the audience before a performance this weekend; include an insert in your organization programs, brochures and other collateral that explains the budget process and how to contact the Senate.

Without state funding, countless art groups in Georgia are left in some seriously dire straits. Many of these groups are the folks reaching out to schools and fleshing out art education in our state through workshops and performances for kids.

You can sign a petition to Save the Georgia Council for the Arts. If you want to reach out to your representatives, you can find and contact your state representatives here.

[h/t Young Blood Gallery]