AFTA Journal

February 2004

MAYOR BLOOMBERG PROPOSES $100 MILLION DCA BUDGET

In a sign that the city's economy may be reviving, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg indicated in his January plan for fiscal year 2005 that he will add $6.4 million to the Department of Cultural Affairs baseline budget, bringing the preliminary budget proposal to $100 million. Described in the plan as a "restoration," this increase over the previously announced baseline of $93.6 million narrows the gap between last year's baseline and the current budget of $118.4 million. Credit goes to Mayor Bloomberg for starting the Cultural Affairs budget process at a significantly higher level than last year.

GOVERNOR PATAKI HOLDS NYSCA BUDGET STEADY

In his executive budget for fiscal year 2005, holding steady in support of the arts, Governor George E. Pataki proposed a $37.9 million budget for the New York State Council on the Arts. The $37.4 million that comes out of state coffers is identical to last year's budget.

PRESIDENT BUSH PROPOSES NEA FUNDING INCREASE

On January 29, First Lady Laura Bush and National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia announced President George W. Bush's plan to increase NEA funding by $18 million for the fiscal year 2005. The proposed increase would bring the total NEA budget to $139.4 million. If approved, the increase would be dedicated to support American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius, a new three-year initiative combining touring arts presentations with education programming in a variety of artistic disciplines. Programs presenting acknowledged masterpieces selected from a wide variety of art forms will tour to large and small communities in all 50 states.

DOWNTOWN VISIONS WEB SITE LAUNCH
On January 23, the Arts Advisors to the Select Committee launched a new Web site, www.downtownvisions.com. The City Council Select Committee on Lower Manhattan Redevelopment is chaired by Council Member Alan Gerson and the AASC is a consortium of 30 arts leaders who advise the committee on policy issues related to the role of the arts in downtown redevelopment. The Web site promotes the idea of cultural diversity through a combination of strengthening existing cultural organizations, supporting the community and encouraging the development of new cultural institutions.

DR. SEUSS POSTER COMPETITION AT CITY INSTITUTIONS

As part of its ongoing effort to educate and alert New Yorkers about the importance of sustaining public support for the city's cultural institutions, the Cultural Institutions Group has announced a poster contest and exhibition project called O The Places You'll Go: O The Thinks You Can Think. The competition is intended to inspire children to create images and messages about the value of cultural institutions and their varied educational programs, collections and exhibitions.

The contest is sponsored by The New York Times and is part of Seussentennial-- a yearlong celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Theodor Seuss Geisel, the famed children's book author. Entry forms will be available on March 1 in all CIG institutions. Submissions are due on April 30.

The Cultural Institutions Group is an association of cultural institutions with operating agreements with the City of New York. Most occupy City-owned buildings and land.

PEOPLE

Robert J. Harth, the artistic and executive director of Carnegie Hall, died of a heart attack on January 30 at the age of 47.

Olivia George is the new executive director of the Bronx Museum of the Arts, effective immediately.

S. Zuri McKie is the new interim executive director of Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. She was formerly producing director of LaGuardia Performing Arts Center/CUNY.

Bill Thomas is the new general manager of the New York Philharmonic where he has been chief administrative officer since September 2000.

John G. Schultz is the new executive director of MCC Theater effective immediately. He was formerly CEO/CFO of Composers Recordings, Inc.

This column is an ongoing feature of the Alliance for the Arts Newsletter. Please submit suggestions to advocacynews@allianceforarts.org

CALENDAR

FORUM ON DOWNTOWN REBUILDING

On February 26, the Architecture Research Institute, Rebuild Downtown Our Town, New York City Arts Coalition, New York Foundation for the Arts and Arts and Culture in Lower Manhattan will hold the second part of a free two-part public forum entitled Giving Visual Artists a Planning Voice. Individual artists are encouraged to attend. Both panels will take place at JP Morgan Chase.

ARTS AND BUSINESS WORKSHOP ON ETHNIC MARKETING

The Arts and Business Council will present a National Arts Marketing Project Workshop on Ethnic Marketing on Thursday, February 12 from 9:30 am to 1 pm at American Express. The Basic Marketing Workshops are specially designed for executive directors, marketing managers and development professionals at small to mid-sized organizations as well as more junior staff at larger organizations.

ARTS DAY IN ALBANY

A reminder: Arts Day in Albany will be held on Tuesday, March 9 in the Legislative Office Building. The event gives arts advocates a chance to meet their state representatives and to advocate for the New York State Arts Council budget.

NATIONAL ARTS ADVOCACY DAY

National Arts Advocacy Day will be held on March 31, in Washington, D.C. The event is the culmination of a two-day conference intended to give grassroots advocates the opportunity to shape federal arts policy and educate members of Congress.

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