THE ALLIANCE PARTNERS WITH ABC/NY ON NEW STUDY
The Alliance for the Arts is partnering with the Arts & Business Council of New York (ABC/NY) on a study about corporate support to cultural organizations. With a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, the Alliance will field a survey to corporations in New York City and produce a report based on the findings. This new survey is part of the Alliance's Arts Rebuild New York campaign. To view the Alliance's past reports, click here.
THE ALLIANCE HIRES A NEW DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY
Balu Nadig joins Alliance for the Arts as director of technology. In this position, he is responsible for the technology behind NYC ARTS. Mr. Nadig will lead the design, development, implementation and deployment of application and systems relating to NYC ARTS. Prior to the Alliance, Mr. Nadig was vice president, enterprise architecture services at Lehman Brothers. He holds a Master of Science in physics from the University of Bangalore, India.
FEATURES FROM NYC-ARTS.org and NYCkidsARTS.org
FREE TIME, FREE EVENTS - The best things in life are free, and so are many performances and activities in New York City. Whether you crave live music, a screen larger than your television's or group activities to take part in, there is always something, somewhere that invites you to join in for free. To see a full list of free cultural events around the city, visit NYC-ARTS.org.
FREE TRAINING SESSIONS FOR CULTURAL NONPROFITS
The Mayor's Office of Contract Service's Capacity Building Oversight (CBO) is offering free classes on capacity building and oversight for nonprofit organizations. Courses offered include board governance, accounting and auditing procedures. To read the full schedule and to register, click here. To read the full schedule and to register, click here.
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS GRANT APPLICATION DUE MARCH 23
The DCA's Cultural Development Fund administers grants to over 880 nonprofit cultural organizations that provide cultural experiences for the city's residents and visitors. Applications are due by Monday, March 23, 2009 to be eligible for funding during fiscal 2010 (July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010). For more information and to apply, click here.
ECONOMIC CRISIS IMPACTS ARTS INDUSTRY
The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Obama on February 17 included funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Smithsonian Institution. The NEA will receive $50 million to distribute to nonprofit cultural organizations with the goal of creating and retaining jobs. Forty percent of these funds will be distributed to State arts agencies and regional arts organizations and 60 percent of the funds will be competitively awarded to nonprofit organizations with projects that focus on the preservation of jobs in the arts. The Smithsonian will use its allotted $25 million to repair its facilities. However, the act prohibits funding for zoos and aquariums, a matter of grave import for the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Staten Island Zoo. For more information about the NEA's recovery programs and to apply for a grant, click here.
Meanwhile, economic distress continues to impact cultural organizations in New York. The New York State Department of Budget expects increased revenues of $7.5 million in 2008-2009 and $15 million in 2009-2010 as a result of a new sales tax on items purchased at auction from museums and other tax-exempt organizations. The effect is expected to be lower bids and less income derived from auctions for these institutions. For more information, click here.
The economic crisis has taken a toll on cultural organizations nationally as well. According to a new survey by the Theatre Communications Group, nonprofit theaters around the country are cutting staff and expanding discounts in anticipation of disappointing ticket sales and decreased fundraising. In its survey of 210 member theaters, those with budgets of at least $10 million are cutting spending by an average of $750,000. Over half expect year-end deficits and "cash flow problems." Sixty-nine percent of theaters said they are reducing or freezing salaries and 48 percent will reduce administrative staff. For more information and to read the results of the survey, click here.
HEARINGS PLANNED TO EXAMINE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE ARTS
U.S. Representative George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, plans to hold a series of hearings this spring to examine how the arts benefit the nation's economy and schools and what can be done to improve support for the arts. For more information on the committee's work, click here.
The Alliance's research shows that the arts industry in New York City generated an economic impact of $21.2 billion in 2005, including 160,000 jobs and $8.2 billion in wages. Read the Alliance's report, Arts as an Industry: Their Economic Impact on New York City and New York State (2007).
According to a 2007 study by the Americans for the Arts, arts organizations generate $166.2 billion in economic activity, support 5.7 million jobs and return nearly $30 billion in revenue to the government each year.
NYC FILM TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAM STALLS
French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced that anyone under the age of 25 will The $685 million that the State allocated for a tax incentive program for the New York film industry has been depleted as of February 2009. The program began in April 2008 and was meant to last through 2013. The program offers tax credits from the City and State for up to 35 percent of the production costs and was expected to generate $2.7 billion in State and local taxes by 2010. Many of the 78,000 production workers in New York will be affected as well as the surrounding businesses that are located near production studios throughout the city. For more information about New York's motion picture and television incentives, click here.
According to the Alliance's report, Arts as an Industry, motion picture and television production in New York City in 2005 generated an economic impact of $6.6 billion, over 43,000 jobs and $2.9 billion in wages.
Patrice Walker Powell has been appointed acting chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) until President Obama names a permanent head. She has served at the NEA since 1991, most recently as deputy chairman for states, regions and local arts agencies. Anita Decker has been named director of government affairs for the NEA. Previously, she was on the staff of President Obama's election campaign.
Dr. Jacob Wisse has been appointed director of the Yeshiva University Museum. He was head of the art history program at Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University since 2005.
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