IN THE NEWS

DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS BUDGET
Based on an agreement between the New York City Council and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, the Department of Cultural Affairs FY 2006 budget (beginning July 1, 2005) will be $133.1 million, an increase of $9.5 million over the budget adopted for 2005. The budget also provides capital funds in the amount of $836.4 million over the next four years to support projects at 161 cultural organizations throughout the city. For FY 2006 alone, $215 million was added to the capital budget.

RECORD ATTENDANCE IN NEW STUDY

The audience for nonprofit culture activity in New York City is more than three times that for either Broadway or sports events. A study to be released by the Alliance next week shows total attendance at 25.6 million for 2004. These findings come from NYC ARTS AUDIENCES: Attendance at NYC Cultural Venues, the first Alliance survey of cultural organizations, based on responses from 138 groups across the city. The attendance survey will be repeated on an annual basis with quarterly reports based on a smaller sample.

PEOPLE
Maria Ann Conelli has been appointed director of the American Folk Art Museum. Ms. Conelli was the dean of the School of Graduate Studies and acting dean of the School of Art and Design for the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Kathleen Garcia Arffmann has been named director of the Salmagundi Club. Ms. Arffmann was formerly the general manager of Visitor Services for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

FREE ARTS IN NEW YORK: NEW LISTING SERVICE
New York's cultural organizations and parks have an abundance of free events during the summer. The Alliance for the Arts provides a list of free events on its NYC ARTS Web site. Highlights range from Shakespeare's As You Like It at Central Park's Delacorte Theater (through July 17) to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Concert Series at Wingate Field in Brooklyn (every Monday in July and August) and the Bronx Arts Ensemble: Summer Concerts at Pelham Bay and Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.