DCA ANNOUNCES FUNDING GUIDELINES FOR BUDGET REFORM

The Department of Cultural Affairs today issued guidelines and application forms for the Cultural Development Fund based on its reform of its budget process. The guidelines are posted at www.nyc.gov/culture. Application booklets are also being mailed next week to groups which applied in the past two years, as well as to any organization requesting a print copy. Application workshops dates are posted on DCA's Web site and reservations are being accepted for open dates via e-mail. DCA is also asking groups to complete an Intent to Apply form in advance of filing a completed Application by Monday, March 26, 2007.

On January 24, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced a significant change in the way City funding is allocated to cultural organizations as part of an early agreement to commit substantially more money to the agency in FY 2008.

Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin, City Council Cultural Affairs Committee Chairman Domenic Recchia and City Council Finance Chairman David Weprin joined the Mayor and Speaker in announcing a baseline budget of $153.8 million, beginning on July 1--an increase of $2 million from the present adopted budget. This projected level is $52 million more than the amount in the financial plan proposed in January 2006 for FY 2007.

The plan allocates $30 million for all cultural organizations eligible for program funding, including those that have received line item support, those that have had member item allocations and those that have gone through the competitive process of the Cultural Development Fund. Under this new scenario, all applicants, regardless of previous funding status, will be reviewed through a competitive, merit-based, peer-panel review process. Every organization has equal access under the new system as they will all go through competitive review. The process and the applications are modeled on the previous Cultural Development Fund. However, under the reform, organizations with annual operating budgets of $250,000 and under--currently half of the applicant pool--will be evaluated annually through a borough-based process. Organizations with annual operating budgets over $250,000 will be evaluated through a citywide, discipline-based process and will be eligible for multi-year awards.

For further details on the Reform process, to make a reservation for an application workshop, to file an Intent to Apply, or to download the application guidelines and form, go to www.nyc.gov/culture.

GOVERNOR SPITZER CALLS FOR INCREASED ARTS FUNDING

Governor Eliot Spitzer has proposed raising the allocation for the New York State Council on the Arts by $5 million in FY 2008. The proposal was part of the Executive Budget issued on January 31. For more information, please see www.budget.state.ny.us.

ARTS ENTREPENEURIAL LOAN FUND

The New York City Investment Fund is offering a new loan program for nonprofit cultural organizations in New York City seeking funding for revenue-generating activities and infrastructure projects. The Arts Entrepreneurial Loan Fund will provide loans ranging from $25,000 to $500,000 with an interest rate of 3 percent for a period of up to 5 years. The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC) will provide interest-free loans for those groups located within the Bronx Empowerment Zone.

Applications are accepted, evaluated and awarded on a rolling basis. They may be requested by calling (212) 493-7442. Additional information is available at: www.nycif.org/artsfund.

MARCH 6 IS ARTS DAY IN ALBANY

The Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations has organized Arts Day in Albany on Tuesday, March 6. Arts groups from around the state will convene to meet with the state legislature. Appointments with legislators can be made from 9 to 11 am and from 1 to 3 pm. A rally will be held from 11 am to noon in the Legislative Office Building (LOB) Hearing Room. This culminates the Arts Advocacy Week & Online Rally from February 28 to March 6.

MARCH 12-13: ARTS ADVOCACY DAY EVENTS IN WASHINGTON

Americans for the Arts is once again organizing Arts Advocacy Day, which begins Monday, March 12, with legislative training sessions and the 20th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on the Arts and Public Policy, featuring Robert MacNeil, Chairman of the Board of the MacDowell Colony and previously the Executive Editor and Co-Anchor of the MacNeil Lehrer NewsHour on PBS. The activities on Arts Advocacy Day itself--Tuesday, March 13--begin with the Congressional Arts Breakfast on Capitol Hill, featuring brief talks by members of Congress and celebrity guests. The Congressional breakfast is designed to rally advocates immediately before they begin their lobbying visits. There will also be time during the breakfast to make final preparations for lobbying visits with state delegations. The Alliance for the Arts is a national co-sponsor of Arts Advocacy Day. For more information and to register, visit www.artsusa.org.

NEWS AT THE ALLIANCE

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT THE ALLIANCE

We are pleased to announce two new appointments at the Alliance. Travis Stewart is the new Director of Development and Press Relations and Lane Harwell is the new Director of Special Projects.

Travis Stewart has worked in nonprofit and arts management for 15 years, for organizations such as the New-York Historical Society, Big Apple Circus, Theater for the New City and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. As an arts journalist he has published over 200 articles for such publications as American Theatre, Village Voice, Time Out New York and nytheatre.com. He is the author of the book No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2005).

Lane Harwell has a background in art practice, theory, education and management. Formerly a dancer with American Ballet Theatre, he holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a master's degree in Performance Studies from UC Berkeley. He recently presented research at the Performance Studies International #12 Conference in London and at the International Federation for Theatre Research Conference in Helsinki. He has worked with a range of civic and cultural organizations including Makhampom Community Theatre in Bangkok, the New York Fringe Festival and Townsend Center for the Humanities at UC Berkeley.