The State of the Arts

Art and The Cherokee Tradition

2011-03-10T11:54:00.000-05:00

Principal Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

“There is no word for art in the Cherokee language because art was such an integral part of our way of life it was incorporated into every aspect of our existence. Our state has also realized that vibrant art communities create jobs, invite tourism and give our people a higher quality of life. I believe it is important for the state to continue funding arts projects for the well being of our residents and visitors alike.”

On Our Minds: State Arts Funding

2011-03-08T09:29:00.000-05:00

There is little use in pretending we have anything on our minds but the impending battle for state arts funding.

A recent blog by Seth Godin reflects what we all know: that the most powerful form of persuasion is person-to-person. Maybe you don't know a Legislator. No matter, you can write a letter to the editor. Maybe you are intimidated by a political call. Come to Arts Day and see for yourself that this game is fun. Think it is no use and that minds are made up? Think again of the individual that had to convince another that the world is not flat.

Our fight is for $6.6 million in grants funding that is allocated to all 100 counties through the North Carolina Arts Council's grants programs. This is .0003 of the state budget, and yet the money reaches 9 million+ attendees. For every $1 of state funds, local arts organizations leverage an additional $17 that multiplies throughout the economy. And half of the $6.6 million is returned to the state in the $3.3 million of income tax paid by the 2,266 employees of arts organizations directly funded by the Arts Council.

We have the facts. It's your stories and passion we need, plus your attention and willingness to take action.

Like us on Facebook
Write a letter to the editor between now and March 22
Follow all Call to Action alerts
Get informed. Check out updated information on the Advocacy and Arts Day pages at www.artsnc.org (new website launch coming this month!)
Register for Arts Day

The North Carolina nonprofit arts sector provides essential services more effectively, efficiently, and with greater accountability than can be provided by government. These services include jobs creation, skilled workers, improved public education, revitalized towns and communities, and a thriving cultural tourism industry.

Our position: Arts North Carolina believes legislators should make informed and responsible decisions in the current budget process based on the fact that a small investment in the arts yields a high return. We also believe that the proposed 10% reductions to grants programs in Governor Perdue's budget is reasonable, but that any additional cuts will deeply affect arts infrastructure in our state. If you are willing to work with us, we could sure use your help.

Love and Other Games

2011-02-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

If you love the arts you need to come to Raleigh. That is a statement of fact, not opinion. Arts Day 2011 is Tuesday, April 12, and you need to be at your Capital. Do you think tax dollars should be invested in non-profit arts organizations? Do you believe North Carolina should have a statewide policy for arts education? How strongly do you believe? What are you willing to personally put forth to in support of your beliefs?

We all know the nature of change. It happens and it’s hard. The combination of economic and political change in North Carolina has created a tsunami on Jones Street. New leaders and new philosophies are in control, and while most elected officials have the best intentions, some are bent on adhering to campaign promises that could have devastating impact on the arts. And yes, Virginia, there is a rumor floating that a committee may be appointed to consider eliminating all state funding to non-profits.

But change can also work in our favor. We have the opportunity to make new friends and solidify existing relationships. We have a remarkable moment in time to move the arts from “nice to essential” in the minds of our state leaders. Do we expect to be affected by the state budget? Absolutely. Are we willing to see our arts industry crippled by short view thinking? Absolutely not.

Arts Day is a celebration and gathering of advocates who are willing to sit across from their Legislators and talk about the essential services provided by arts non-profit agencies. Services like jobs creation, goods and services, improved public education, small business development, community revitalization, and tourism growth. Our numbers and our energy tell our story when people come from all over the state to participate in democracy.

You do not have to be experienced to be effective. We provide advance information, assistance from regional captains in organizing the legislative visits, and training on how to deliver the message. Very few of us started down this road with any advocacy experience, but we’ll share what we’ve learned.

So put the excuses on the sidelines and enter the game. In this sport, individual action becomes a powerful movement. And we will need quite a lot of power to answer this tsunami.

More information, schedule, and registration available at http://www.artsnc.org/advocacy

Déjà Vu

2011-01-27T08:30:00.000-05:00

This is not déjà vu. During the culture wars of the ‘80s, bashing art and artists became political sport. Wikipedia describes the state of things: “Members of the religious right often criticized academics and artists, and their works, in a fight against what they considered indecent, subversive, and blasphemous. They often accused their political opponents of undermining tradition, Western civilization, and family values.”

What is beginning today is a much more fundamental question and provides the opportunity for civil discourse about what are essential services of government as prompted by the economic crisis. I’d rather have this conversation than to defend myself as a good person doing good work as we had to in the ‘80s. Why, I knew many artists who went to church and prayed to the same God as Jesse Helms.

Yes, Virginia, there are boogey men who are suggestion complete elimination of the NEA, NEH, and public radio and TV. And in North Carolina, rumors are flying that the General Assembly is considering appointing a committee to consider elimination of all grant funding to all non-profit organizations. If an undertow picks you up and you panic, you stand a much greater chance of drowning. Swim parallel to the shore and you just might work your way out of the great downward sucking motion. Urgency, friends, not panic.

Mitch McConnell has proposed that when President Obama uses the word “investment,” he really means spending more money. Oops, there went a good message… invest in the arts.

But as the LA Times Points out in their Culture Monster blog article, federal support pays for itself 18 times over. That’s sounding a little like investment rhetoric, so let’s try the following message:

The arts contract with government to provide the following essential services:

Create jobs
Improve public education (might just save a life or two along the way)
Provide a high standard quality of life, essential for attracting new and existing businesses
Enliven the “vibe” of cities who want to attract a young, skilled workforce
Train workers for 21st century jobs
Attract tourists (NC’s number 2 industry)

And, oh, by the way, did we mention that we will provide these essential services AND we will go find an additional $18 per $1 of your contract fee through private sources and earned revenue? Mr. Committee member, stop and think for one moment about eliminating funding for one of our nation’s most thriving small business enterprises. In case you missed the statistics, North Carolina’s creative industry provides $40 billion in goods and services. Keith Crisco, NC Secretary of Commerce, compares that to North Carolina’s number one industry, agriculture, which is responsible for $70 billion in goods and services. And how about those 300,000 creative sector jobs in North Carolina, 5.4 % of our workforce?

We can do one of two things. We can roll over and stick our heads under the covers of “this will never happen” as we watch the dismantling of the non-profit arts sector, or we can enter the debate in wholesale numbers. ARTS North Carolina needs you to leave the sidelines if you aren’t already in the game, and bring lots of your friends with you. We must get ready quickly, very quickly, and be proactive in proposing the role of arts as an essential government service.

CALL TO ACTION:
Join ARTS North Carolina if you are not currently a member. You need us more than ever, and we need your financial support. www.artsnc.org

Join our list serv. Oops, if you are reading this, you are probably on our list serv, so do MORE.
Contact your local arts council and ask if they are forming a delegation to come to ARTS Day on April 12. If not, make your own plans. www.artsnc.org

Write your legislator and begin or grow a relationship. Schedule a visit when they are home and talk about your concerns.

KEEP IN MIND THAT ARTS FUNDING IS NOT A CONTRIBUTION; WHATEVER MONEY IS ALLOCATED FOR THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES WE PROVIDE BRINGS MONEY BACK TO THE STATE. WE ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM.

A Committee's Work Is Never Done

2010-11-11T10:51:00.001-05:00

The Arts Education Comprehensive Task Force had its final meeting on November 10, or so they thought. How would we describe the people who have and will continue to help shape arts education policy in North Carolina? The members of the Arts Education Comprehensive Task Force are a disparate group of devoted individuals who labored for and achieved consensus because North Carolina children remained at the center of their discussion. The Committee met their legislative goal of a final report that will be presented to the North Carolina State Board of Education on December 1 and to the North Carolina General Assembly Joint Education Oversight Committee on December 2.
The basic framework of the plan has been approved:
• Implement the Basic Education Plan for Arts Education in grades K-12
• Require a unit in arts education for high school graduation
• Support and expand A+ Schools
However, the Committee understandably ran out of time to complete an implementation plan (time frame and funding), and so a sub-committee will convene to finish their recommendations by March 1. The timing will give arts education advocates plenty of time to have the answers to lots of questions we will surely get from our own industry and from the Legislature when we move forward on arts education policy.

In the meantime, a hearty “bravo” to co-chairs Mary Regan (North Carolina Arts Council) and Helga Fasciano (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction) for brilliant organizational practices that made the impossible a reality.

When Work Is Fun

2010-11-11T10:49:00.010-05:00

ARTS North Carolina is scheduling Advocacy Workshops across North Carolina. To follow is a list of locations and dates; contact the sponsoring organization or ARTS North Carolina for more information. 919-834-1411. All workshops are free but participants should rsvp to assistant@artsnc.org.

February 8 Seagrove
3pm - North Carolina Pottery Center

February 10 Mt. Airy
12 Noon - Surry County Arts Council

February 16 Concord
5:30pm Arts Council of Cabarrus County

February 18 Charlotte
9am Arts and Science Council offices
sponsored by Community School of the Arts

February 24 Lumberton
5:30pm Carolina Civic Center
301 West 17th Street
Lumberton, NC 28358
910-297-2392
Contact: Richard Sceiford

February 28 Chatham County
Chatham County Arts Council and Northwood High School Education Foundation
7:00pm (note new time)
Northwood High School

March 2 Wilmington
5:30 pm Cameron Art Museum

March 3 Goldsboro
5pm Arts Council of Wayne County

March 8 Raleigh
12 noon - United Arts of Raleigh/Wake County
110 South Blount Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
rsvp to assistant@artsnc.org
limited capacity - first come, first served
byo lunch - water provided

March 10 Greensboro/Guilford County
noon - Greensboro downtown library
contact: United Arts of Greensboro - Altina Layman

4:30 - Ben Smith High School
contact: Nathan Street

March 11 High Point/Guilford County
12 noon High Point Arts Council

March 14 Durham
11:30am Durham Arts Council
Contact: Margaret Demott

March 28 Chapel Hill
2:00pm Center for Dramatic Art/PlayMakers Repertory Company
Room 105
Contact: Shane D. Hudson - shanederrickhudson@gmail.com
rsvp to assistant@artsnc.org

Want to tell someone about the workshops? We encourage you to promote the "fun", but the official description is:

The economic conditions of the past two years changed life as we knew it, and through it all, the arts have been essential to sustaining community life and in positioning creativity as necessary for economic recovery and a global economy. But in order for the arts to thrive, individuals must join together in a common message of arts value. Advocacy Workshops presented by ARTS North Carolina explore how advocacy is “mission critical” to grow arts support. Executive Director Karen Wells and ARTS North Carolina Board members bring knowledge, skills, and inside information on how to navigate local and state government resources.
While the calendars are out...

ARTS DAY 2011 - APRIL 11 & 12 - Send us your "picture perfect" and we'll feature you on your own advocacy materials. (Send to assistant@artsnc.org)

Make New Friends, but Keep The Old

2010-11-11T10:33:00.000-05:00

There are some songs that never leave your head. As we prepare for a change at the helm of North Carolina’s Senate and House, we would be well advised to follow tried and true principles.

Make New Friends:
• Write letters of congratulations to individuals who won their elections.
• If you are an organization, publish short bios of the newly elected Senators and Representatives, with photos, and encourage your supporters to speak to the elected officials about the arts and economic recovery. http://www.ncarts.org/elements/docs/NCCreativeIndustryContributionOverview.pdf
• If you are an artist or organization, make sure the newly elected are on your mailing list.
• Plan to attend the January 26th Swearing In Ceremony at the General Assembly to support and congratulate your Senators and Representatives.
• Use any opportunity (Food Lion check-out, soccer practice, etc) to tell your elected official that you would like to visit with them about arts and economic recovery…then do it!

Keep The Old:
• Write letters of appreciation to individuals who have supported the arts but lost their election.
• Ask the individual if you can meet to get their advice on how to best advocate for the arts…then do it! Use the experience of supporters who have “retired”.

Need contact information on your new Legislators? http://www.ncleg.net/

Write

2010-11-04T13:46:00.001-04:00

ARTS North Carolina encourages all arts advocates to write personal letters to all winners in the 2010 elections. William Lewis, Executive Director of Pinecone, got right on it. To follow is an excellent sample letter:

On behalf of PineCone - the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, Inc., and its Board of Directors, I would like to express my sincerest congratulations to you for winning your district! I am writing to pledge my support and share with you my belief that the arts are a viable solution for economic recovery. Simply put, arts = jobs!

According to a study in 2009 by the NC Department of Commerce’s Policy, Research, and Strategic Planning Division, the cultural industries contribute about 5% of North Carolina’s economy. This is evident in the following findings:

• Cultural industries create and sustain more than 293,000 jobs in North Carolina, or 5.54% of total state employment.

• The market value of goods and services produced and sustained by North Carolina cultural industries is more than $41.4 billion, or 5.86% of North Carolina’s total production.

• North Carolina’s cultural industries directly and indirectly account for 5.31% of the state’s gross domestic product with a contribution of more than $19.5 billion.

• Cultural industries sustain over $10 billion of employee compensation, greater than 4.9% of the state’s total wages and benefits.

A full report is enclosed.

Funding from the North Carolina Arts Council has been critical to the development of many of the state’s cultural organizations, helping to bring stability to our state’s arts community and providing leverage for groups to seek business, foundation, and other agency matching grants. Funding from the NC Arts Council is essential to PineCone’s general operations, as it helps pay for salaries for our two full-time and one part-time staff. Consequently, we are able to produce more than 150 music programs annually – serving more than 24,000 North Carolinians, plus an additional 4.5 million radio listeners.

We realize the difficulties facing the NC General Assembly in this next session. Thus, we ask you to consider those of us in the cultural industries as partners in finding creative solutions to job growth. As the numbers above bear out, the cultural industries make a significant contribution to North Carolina’s overall economy and employment. We are ready and willing to work with you to help provide solutions to several of your key challenges.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Bravo, William!

in other words...

2010-10-24T15:56:00.004-04:00

in other words…

ARTS North Carolina has a lot to say about arts education. But we’re turning over the mic to our Board members who are Task Force members and others who attended the third Arts Education Comprehensive Plan Task Force on October 21. The draft work of the Task Force will be presented at the North Carolina State Board of Education meeting on November 3. You can and should attend the State Board meeting and the next Task Force meeting scheduled for November 10. Now read on for the reflections of arts leaders in North Carolina about the Task Force work…

As a neophyte about the complexities of the issues on the table, and as someone observing a limited portion of the process for the first time, I was impressed by how well task force members seemed to be working together to achieve results; by the breadth and depth of the task force’s inquiries (as demonstrated by reporting on additional requested information); and by the support of the North Carolina Arts Council’s staff. The imperative for success has certainly never been more clear in my own mind after listening to the passion, concerns, and aspirations of individuals representing educators, educational administrators, our communities, and the arts.
Merritt Vale, President and CEO, Winston Salem Symphony

I was very impressed with the work of the group. They arrived at a lot of consensus about the need for major changes in our schools, in order to do what's right for the children in our state. It was clear to me, and seemed to be clear to many of the task force members, that legislation will need to be introduced to implement these changes. I am hopeful that the members of Arts NC and NCTC will have an exciting bill to support in the next session.
Angie Hays, Executive Director, North Carolina Theatre Conference

What a daunting task and important task. I was only able to stay through the early portion of the meeting, but in that time was impressed with the careful thought of the members of the task force and encouraged by the dialogue that I was present to hear.
Sharon Moore, Director, Center Stage

It was great to see legislative work in progress. There were teachers, administrators, lawyers, legislators and others working together on the common goal of developing an arts education plan for all North Carolina students. Although they didn't always agree on 'how' an arts education plan will be implemented, they were in total agreement on 'why' the plan is essential and that vision keeps the Arts Education Task Force moving forward. Our state is blessed to have this level of leadership committed to our children's overall education.
Debbie Lumpkin, Executive Director, High Point Area Arts Council

I applaud the work of the Arts Education Task Force. It was so encouraging to see this group, made up of professionals representing all sectors of the education community, unified behind the vision that the arts are essential to an education that will prepare our students for the new global, knowledge-based economy.
Catherine Heitz New, Director of Corporate and Workplace Giving at The Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County

I am impressed by the thoughtful questions the committee is asking but mostly I am absolutely thrilled that there is a room full of legislators, superintendents, principals and citizens who are seriously working to insure that every student in NC has high quality arts education in his/her school!
Judy Osborne, Theatre Arts Educator, Union Pines High School

From ARTS North Carolina's President...

2010-10-06T13:16:00.000-04:00

The Arts Education Task Force met on October 5th for our second meeting, which included a presentation on A+ Schools programs. Committee member and Guilford County Schools principal Alan Parker stated, "In all my twenty-plus years of teaching and administrating, the three years I spent at Parkview A+ School were my most rewarding."

Representative Becky Carney, a true champion for arts education in North Carolina's public schools, inspired the group when she said, "It is not the job of this Committee to determine whether we have arts education policy, it is our job to determine how we serve the children of North Carolina through arts education."

The Task Force is working on a mission statement and will meet again on October 21. A report is due to the North Carolina General Assembly by December 1.

Pierce Egerton

ARTS North Carolina President and Arts Education Task Force Member

Counting the Days

2010-10-05T18:48:00.000-04:00

The arts are an election issue. At this critical moment in time, candidates are talking about jobs, the economy, values, and how to transform education. North Carolina's creative industry is responsible for 300,000 jobs and $40+ billion in goods and services. http://www.ncarts.org/elements/docs/NCCreativeIndustryContributionOverview.pdf. It's up to us to connect the dots.

The time to make a friend with people who hold the power to affect the arts is BEFORE the election. With less than 28 days remaining, get engaged and act on your passion for the arts.

     Individuals can send contributions to their choice of candidates.
     Individuals can volunteer for the campaigns.
     Organizations and individuals can inform and engage
          Attend a rally or a forum
          Submit questions to websites conducting forums and to candidate websites.
          Write a letter to the editor

Most importantly, VOTE on NOVEMBER 2. If you run an organization, give your staff an hour off and make a big deal to people around you encouraging them to vote.

Arts Education Task Force Update

2010-09-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

The Arts Education Comprehensive Plan Task Force met today in Raleigh for their first meeting and began the arduous task of creating a plan to address arts education needs in public schools K-12... by December 1.

This message is being sent as a personal reflection from ARTS North Carolina staff and should not be read as formal minutes or as a definitive direction of the Committee. Any responses to this listserv message will be compiled and passed on to Committee leadership.

The five-hour meeting began with an overview of the Basic Education Plan, which was actually adopted by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1984 with final revision in 1995. The BEP, if it had been funded, would have created a dynamic platform of creativity and progressive education in North Carolina. Arts education language is clear and directive in the BEP, which still remains a law in North Carolina.

NCDPI also provided information on funding formulas and how money is allocated based on number of students and types of instruction.

The work of the Committee began in earnest in break-out sessions, and several themes emerged that will be addressed at future meetings:

Restoring and funding art education

What exactly is a mandate?
How would arts education be accountable?

Who is teaching arts education: highly qualified licensed arts educators or classrooms teachers? What does this mean in actuality, and why is this question relevant?
How can a comprehensive plan be sustained throughout a child's entire education, K-12?
What is the role of our higher education system in training teachers and supporting arts education?
How are different learning styles addressed through arts integration, specifically the A+ Schools program and any other national models?
What are models of implementation, and how are districts that have requirements managing in today's economy?
What are the benefits of arts education specifically related to drop-out rates and workforce preparedness, and how can they be articulated?
How can arts education partner with STEM initiatives (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)? (One visionary Committee member clearly stated, "one will not work without the other".)

If you would like to see how these questions and powerful issues will be addressed by the Task Force, you can attend any of the meetings as an observer:

October 5 – NC Archives and History – 10am - 3pm
October 21 – NC Archives and History – 10am - 3pm
November 10 – NCDPI – 10am - 3pm

Also, if you have not encouraged your candidates for North Carolina Senate and House to complete ARTS North Carolina's survey, please do so by directing candidates to: http://tiny.cc/election_survey.

85% of the 58 responses so far answered "yes" to this question: Will you support funding and legislation that make the arts part of the core curriculum and after-school learning opportunities?

The Old-Fashioned Way

2010-09-14T10:20:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, ARTS North Carolina sent a Call to Action to activate our electronic program, Capwiz, so you could quickly e-mail candidates a request to complete our election survey. It didn't work. We learned with the first call about a problem that the data they use is from the 2000 Census.

On that same day, ARTS North Carolina staff and Board met with a high ranking Legislator who told us that our survey was very, very important. Not only will the candidates' responses be important in your decision to vote, but how they respond serves as a base line to begin conversations after the election.

We believe that your membership demonstrates an understanding of the importance of arts advocacy and that you will go the extra mile on this important survey initiative. PLEASE:

Know your candidates running for North Carolina House, Senate, US Senate, and US House If in doubt, go to the State Board of Elections website (http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/)
Check this page to see if your candidates have responded (http://www.artsnc.org/advocacy/election2010/responses.shtml)
Use your web browser to search for the candidate's web page, which should give you an e-mail address or a "contact" form
If the candidate doesn't have a web page, contact your local Board of Elections
Send a brief message that says:
- As a voter in your district, I encourage you to complete a short three-question arts survey at http://tiny.cc/election_survey. Your position on the arts is an important factor in my decision on November 2nd. I look forward to seeing your response on this website: http://www.artsnc.org/advocacy/election2010/responses.shtml. Thank you for your time and willingness to serve the people of North Carolina.

Be sure and include your name and address so the candidate can verify that you are a voter in their district.

With your help, we can get this done. Thank you.

Take Action for Arts Education

2010-09-01T21:33:00.000-04:00

ARTS EDUCATION

September 12 - 18 is proclaimed Arts in Education Week by US Congress Resolution 275 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.CON.RES.275:).

Publicly recognizing the value of arts education is an opportunity and a privilege. Please take these actions in service to our educators, our children, our economy, and our civic interests.

Write a short opinion letter and send to your local internet and print media.
Follow the example of Pitt County:
Get on the agendas of the County Commissioners, City Council, and Local School Board for five minutes. Bring a student artist or two. Make a short presentation on the value of arts education.
Focus all your social media communications in support of arts education for the entire week.
Invite a legislator (and local elected officials) to go with you to an arts class or program in your school (good idea to check with the school first).

Imagine for one moment that all 100 counties had activists who followed these suggestions. Just imagine.

ELECTION 2010

ARTS North Carolina snail-mailed over 300 letters today to candidates running for statewide and national positions. We asked them to complete a very short survey about their positions on public funding for the arts and funding and policy for arts education. In one week, we will send you a Call to Action and give you the links to your district's statewide candidates, and if your candidate has not responded, we will give you instructions about urging their response. You can check out our Election 2010 information as it goes up on our web at www.artsnc.org/advocacy.

Speaking of Elections...

2010-08-23T23:39:00.000-04:00

Between arts education advocacy and the November 2 elections, ARTS North Carolina's Advocacy Update and Call to Action messages will be frequent.

We pledge to keep information as simple as possible and Calls to Action reasonable and doable. But we need a wholesale change in the number of people who are responding activists. Even as battles are being fought on the local level, give us a piece of your attention so that we can effect change on the state and national levels.

For example, if we had an enforceable statewide policy on arts education, would our local programs be in such jeopardy?

Advocacy Update - Arts Education: Time to Get Educated

2010-08-23T23:33:00.000-04:00

This summer the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Congressional Resolution designating a week beginning September 12 as "Arts in Education Week." This resolution is the first Congressional expression of support celebrating all the disciplines comprising arts education and comes at a time when Congress is making plans to overhaul federal education policy.

How timely. This summer North Carolina's General Assembly unanimously passed Senate Bill 66 authoring a Task Force to create a comprehensive arts education plan for North Carolina. The Task Force will hold its first meeting on September 22.

ARTS North Carolina will begin a series of messages encouraging action steps you can take to support arts education in our state and in our nation.

We must embrace and literally push forward the arts as a key ingredient of public school reform. We cannot imagine who would not have a vested interest in young people learning through and becoming successful because of arts education. "Arts education is not ornamental, it is fundamental," and anyone who says it costs too much money does not have their priorities in place.

That's our job: to help get priorities in place.

Action step one: Read the Congressional resolution (note the news of North Carolina's own Milton Rhodes right above resolution info) and the North Carolina Comprehensive Arts Education Plan bill:

Action step two: Contact your local Board of Elections and find out who is running for School Board in your district.

http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/

Today's action step is about being informed, the first step in successful advocacy.

Stay Tuned - NCAC Grants Funding

2010-08-05T17:03:00.000-04:00

The North Carolina Legislature recommended sustained grants funding for the North Carolina Arts Council, but because of concerns about Medicaid reimbursement and economic stimulus extensions, 1% was held back from every state department. The net effect on grants was a 2.5% holdback.

The federal jobs bill that broke through a filibuster yesterday has $16 billion in Medicaid reimbursement, and the bill is expected to be on the President's desk in the next few days. This could mean good news for grant recipients, but the impact will not be known when grants are announced by Secretary Carlisle at a news conference Monday in Durham.

Stay tuned and live expectantly.

State Board Appoints Arts Education Task Force

2010-08-05T16:56:00.000-04:00

The North Carolina State Board of Education unanimously voted to appoint the Arts Education Task Force members at its Thursday meeting. Senate Bill 66 calls for the Task Force to consider and recommend K-12 arts education policy, implementation strategies, and funding needs to the North Carolina Joint Education Oversight Committee by December 1. The appointees include:

Helga Fasciano, Co-Chair (NCDPI)
Mary Regan, Co-Chair (North Carolina Arts Council)
Becky Bailey, Facilitator (Meredith College)
Dan Stirckland – Superintendent, Columbus County Schools
Tony Baldwin – Superintendent, Buncombe County Schools
Jeffrey Cox – Superintendent, Alleghany County Schools
Jan King – Principal, Henderson County Schools
Greg Monroe – Principal, Greene County Schools
Alan Parker – Principal, Guilford County Schools
Noël Grady-Smith – Dance Educator, Davie County Schools
Barbara Geer – Music Educator (Retired), Wake County Schools
Gordon Hensley – Theatre Educator, Appalachian State University
Cheryl Maney – Visual Arts Educator, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Jane Austen-Behan – LEA Arts Coordinator, Pitt County Schools
Catherine Demcio – A+ Schools, Wake County
Debra Horton – Executive Director, NCPTA
Pierce Egerton – President, ARTS North Carolina
Martin Lancaster – President (Retired), NC Community School System
Senator Katie Dorsett – Co-Chair, Joint Select Committee on Arts Education
Genevieve Farmer – Member, Joint Select Committee on Arts Education

Four additional appointees are TBD, including one Senator and one Representative from the North Carolina General Assembly.

ARTS North Carolina will keep you updated on all Committee meetings, locations, processes, and decisions. This is our industry's opportunity to make sure that every child in North Carolina has equal access and opportunity to be successful in school because arts education is valued as an essential core subject.

The Value of Membership

2010-08-04T15:57:00.000-04:00

ARTS North Carolina has begun its membership campaign asking organizations to renew for 2010-11. Individuals will receive a letter next week. We once had a very articulate Board member who would ask the question, "What is my return value?" He took a hard line business approach, and we continue to thank him.

His question will always be relevant. Over the years, ARTS North Carolina has increased recurring grant funds and then sustained them in the most difficult economic climate our nation has ever known. ARTS North Carolina brought arts education to the forefront of our Legislature and spearheaded the passage of Senate Bill 66, North Carolina's first legislation in support of arts education.

ARTS North Carolina passed the amusements tax exemption for all arts non-profit organizations... twice. We produce a highly effective legislative day, we connect our industry through communications, and we are reaching new constituents through our lively social media initiatives. We strategize and train people how to strategize in their communities. (On that note, get ready for Election 2010!)

Before one Legislative session is finished, we are working on the next. We provide the mechanism for one of our most fundamental rights – the right to petition government. We give people the opportunity to make a difference, one action at a time. ARTS North Carolina does this work with you and because of you, and we are grateful for your sustaining support.

You can skip the paper work and renew now on-line at www.artsnc.org/join. You can print our form and have us charge your credit card each month. You can make a pledge, and we will invoice you. You can stick a check in the mail. The important thing is to take action and keep us speaking for the arts wherever there is need.

The Most Important Call to Action

2010-07-21T14:05:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to every single individual who wrote a letter or e-mail, talked to a Legislator, attended ARTS Day, or engaged in any advocacy strategy. The arts continue to be recognized as an essential value proposition in North Carolina because of your efforts.

However, the most important action you can take to ensure continued arts support is to voice your appreciation to our Legislators and Governor. You won't need facts and statistics; you will need heart and sincerity. We cannot stress how important this communication will be to future advocacy.

Our state leadership MUST BE thanked for unanimously passing Senate Bill 66 requiring a Task Force to create a comprehensive arts education plan for North Carolina and for sustaining recurring grant funds (less a small percentage held back for possible Medicaid issues) for the grants programs of the North Carolina Arts Council. Between arts education and public funding, there is virtually no sector of our industry unaffected by these successes.

The electronic program you enter when you click the Take Action! option at the bottom of this post is nothing short of a miracle in technology. It will allow letters from across the state to go to Governor Perdue and it will also select your Representative and Senator from your Legislative district. The entire process will take you no longer than five minutes to complete, and that includes stamping and putting your letter in the mail. We want them to see your signature, the personal note you may write on your letter, the first class stamp, the return address, and the postmark from their district.

Make a difference today. Think how fortunate we are to live in North Carolina where leaders understand that the arts are essential to economic development, educational excellence, and civic pride. We must never take enlightenment for granted and must be passionate and creative in expressing our appreciation and support. Take Action! no later than Friday, July 30. Instructions on how to complete your letter are included.

Imagine shaping the future of arts support in North Carolina because you gave up five minutes of your time.

Take Action!

Advocacy Update - The Budget

2010-07-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday Governor Beverly Perdue signed into law the 2010-2011 state budget. ARTS North Carolina celebrates the leadership of the Governor, the Department of Cultural Resources, and the North Carolina General Assembly for their vision in sustaining recurring grant program funding of the North Carolina Arts Council for the second year in a row. The Department of Cultural Resources, under the leadership of Secretary Linda Carlisle, made the sustained funding their Number 1 Legislative Priority as the budget was in process.

The budget also calls for a contingency in the event $500 million in Medicare funding is not authorized in the federal budget. Some reductions across state government will be necessary, and ARTS North Carolina will keep you informed as DCR determines its share of minimal cuts.

We will send a Call to Action for appreciation next week after the July 4th holiday. Meantime, we affirm the leadership and commitment to the arts of General Government Chairs Senators Katie Dorsett and Bob Atwater and Representatives Susan Fisher and Alice Underhill.

It just doesn't get any better than to live in North Carolina.

Arts Education Bill Passes

2010-06-24T09:37:00.000-04:00

Senate Bill 66, as amended by the House Education Committee, passed the North Carolina Senate with unanimous concurrence.

The bill calls for a State Board of Education Task Force to consider, create, and recommend policies on arts education and must report to the North Carolina General Assembly Education Committees by December 2010. The Task Force must consider arts education in K-12, including the existing Basic Education Plan, availabilities of electives, requirements in every grade level, and the A+ Schools Program. The Task Force will further consider and recommend appropriate funding for the policies.

ARTS North Carolina began a concentrated advocacy effort for arts education four years ago.

With the passage of S66, our work begins. While it may be the Task Force's responsibility to recommend policies and funding, it is the advocates' responsibility to ensure that the Task Force completes its work in a timely manner, that we communicate with our Representatives and our Senators about the recommendations of the Task Force, and that we make the strongest possible case for why tax dollars should be spent on arts education.

ARTS North Carolina must grow its numbers of supporters and people engaged in this work. Our membership year begins July 1, but you can go online now and support ARTS North Carolina's work in arts education and other arts-related issues: www.artsnc.org/join.

A Call to Action of appreciation will be issued upon the completion of the 2010-11 Budget. We are closely monitoring the recommended sustained grant funding for the North Carolina Arts Council.

Continue to Live Expectantly.

URGENT - Take Action Now, The Arts Need You!

2010-06-03T14:53:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday afternoon, we issued a Call to Action regarding our arts education agenda item asking people to write their Representatives in support of S66 as amended by the House Education Committee. I regret to tell you that out of 18,000 possible recipients, only 243 individuals took action.

We have extended the Call To Action through next Thursday. The bill will move through House Appropriations and, if favorable, to the full House for a vote. Then it must go to the Senate for concurrence.

S66 directs the State Board of Education to appoint a Task Force to create a comprehensive arts education plan by December 2010. You can and should read the bill's content by clicking here.

This message should be forwarded to anyone who cares about arts education in our public schools with your personal endorsement for people to take action at http://j.mp/dvqLBr.

Apathy is our enemy. Grassroots advocacy works, but only if we take action.

Call to Action: Arts Education Moves Forward in House

2010-06-01T16:55:00.000-04:00

The House Education Committee voted favorable this afternoon for a Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 66 that would direct the State Board of Education to appoint a task force to create a comprehensive arts education development plan for the public schools.

The House Education Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 66 must be heard by the full House, possibly as early as this week.

Please contact your Representative no later than Wednesday at 5pm. Once the House approves, the House Education Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 66 must be sent back to the Senate for concurrence.

The Task Force will consider policies, recommend appropriate action and implementation strategies, and assess funding needs. The Task Force will report to the Education Committees of the House and Senate no later than December 1, 2010.

Support a comprehensive arts education program in our public schools by responding to this Call to Action.

TAKE ACTION NOW.

Advocacy Update - Good News

2010-05-27T12:36:00.000-04:00

The House Appropriations Committee on General Government is recommending sustained funding for the grants programs of the North Carolina Arts Council.

The Chairs of Appropriations are likely to meet throughout the Memorial Day weekend and will likely come out with a budget next week. If they accept the General Government Committee's recommendation, then we go into the final budget negotiations with sustained funding recommended by both the House and the Governor's budget.

This is all very promising news. Please stay tuned in the event a Call to Action is needed.

We also expect that the House Education Committee will hear Representative Becky Carney's substitute bill for Senate Bill 66, requiring one unit in the arts for high school graduation. Carney's bill will also begin the process for the State Departments of Education and Cultural Resources to create, recommend, and consider funding needs for a comprehensive arts education plan. Again, this is exceedingly promising.

The bill is tentatively scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, June 1st, at 11 AM in room 643 of the Legislative Office Building; the public is invited to attend.

ARTS Day was a tremendous success. Byron Woods with the Independent Weekly has written a thoughtful and extensive article on arts activism – take a look here.

All in all, it is has been a most encouraging two weeks for the arts at the General Assembly. We would be remiss if we did not credit Secretary Linda Carlisle, Legislative Liaison Melanie Soles, and Representative Becky Carney for their exemplary leadership.

Speak for the Arts - Monday May 24 in Raleigh

2010-05-20T17:00:00.001-04:00

We need you to continue to speak for the arts!

We have just learned that the House Appropriations Committee will hold a

public hearing on the state budget on Monday, May 24th.

The hearing will be held from 7-10 p.m. at the McKimmon Center on the campus of North Carolina State University. Three community colleges across the state will host interactive broadcasts of the hearing and it will also be streamed live on the Internet.

WE NEED YOUR ADVOCACY TO SUSTAIN FUNDING FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL'S GRANTS PROGRAMS.

Every individual action is hugely significant in the accelerated budget process for 2010-11.

Committee members would like to invite members of the public to offer suggestions and comments about the budget. Each speaker will have up to two minutes to share information.

Email comments concerning the budget may be sent to town.hall@ncleg.net up to midnight of May 25.

Written comments postmarked by May 25 may be sent to House Appropriations Committee, Suite 401, Legislative Office Building, 300 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC, 27603-5925.

Additional information will be available at http://www.ncleg.net.

The community colleges that will serve as host sites are:
Bladen Community College, Dublin
Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte
Southwestern Community College, Sylva

Visit www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/colleges_map.aspx for contact information and driving directions to each campus.

Call to Action: Ask the "Big Chairs" to sustain funding for the North Carolina Arts Council.

2010-05-20T16:23:00.000-04:00

Call to Action Immediate Response Needed

Before we've even had a chance to inform everyone of the tremendous response at ARTS Day, we are propelled into the thick of the legislative budget process. We have received word that the House budget could be presented to the Appropriations Chairs as early as Thursday, May 27. The Senate budget included a 5% reduction in Grassroots Arts and a 7% reduction in Program Grants, and we want this money restored in the House budget.

THIS WILL BE OUR ONE AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR WHOLESALE ADVOCACY TO SUSTAIN FUNDING FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA ARTS COUNCIL'S GRANTS PROGRAMS.

Every individual action is hugely significant in the accelerated budget process for 2010-11.

House General Government Committee will begin meeting on Tuesday morning. Therefore, if you live in the counties of either Representative Susan Fisher (Buncombe) or Alice Underhill (Craven), Co-Chairs of General Government, please call their offices immediately and either speak with their Legislative Assistant or leave a voice mail. Respectfully request that the House follow Governor Perdue's recommendation for sustained grants funding and please restore the 5% and 7% reductions made in the Senate budget.

Representative Susan Fisher: 919/715-2013
Representative Alice Underhill: 919/733-5853

The schedule indicates that General Government will present their recommendations to the Chairs of Appropriations/Base Budget on Thursday and that the Appropriations Chairs will continue to meet through the Memorial Day weekend. Therefore we are asking every advocate who receives this e-mail (please forward as well) to write a letter to the Appropriations Chairs requesting that the House budget follow Governor Perdue's recommended level of funding for the North Carolina Arts Council grants programs.

We regret to say that e-mail is no longer considered an effective form of mass communication. Our electronic program does allow the same process of creating a communication, only you will be cued to print letters rather than send e-mails. Please check the instructions included when you Take Action Now. When you Take Action Now, you will be directed to the key talking points for your letter.

It is imperative that the hard copy, first class letters be mailed no later than noon on Saturday, May 22.

Let us all join together to build the momentum begun at ARTS Day so necessary to sustain funding for the North Carolina Arts Council. Our industry can and will flourish if we speak for the arts. Now. Today.

Take Action Now!

Changes in Latitudes

2010-05-14T11:39:00.000-04:00

We knew there would be work to do.

In spite of the Biennium Budget and the 2010 Governor's Budget, we have indication that the grants programs of the North Carolina Arts Council may be cut by approximately 6%. This represents $400,000+ reductions in the Grassroots Arts and Program Grant categories.

This is the very reason you need to come to Raleigh for Arts Day, and we still have 25 places available. If you have been on the fence about whether you were needed, join us in the pasture. www.artsnc.org/artsday.

The Arts Education agenda item is also in motion, but in a different direction than previously stated. Representative Becky Carney (Mecklenburg) will offer a House Education Committee substitute bill for Senate Bill 66 which requires one unit in the arts for high school graduation. The proposal will strengthen the arts education policy momentum by requiring the State Board of Education to appoint a Task Force to consider and recommend policy, budget, and implementation plans for a K-12 arts education program in our public schools.

The committee bill will address our collective concerns about the need for a comprehensive plan and future funding needs. It is clear that no bill requiring any possible new funding would be approved this session.

Let us say a shout out to all organizations whose Board's adopted the high school requirement resolution. Those acts of advocacy leadership provided substantial backing for a better course of action.

Please join with us as we:

Live Expectantly. Prepare. Take Action.

The Value of Advocacy

2010-05-11T13:01:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

I’m Angie Hays, the executive director of the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC). NCTC is a membership organization and we represent over 200 organizations – schools, colleges, theatre companies and others – as well as the thousands of students, faculty and staff members at these organizations.

People join NCTC because our board and staarts ff members are passionate about advocating for the theatre field. We offer many services, but I believe that our most important work is the work that we do to unite our members, to speak with one clear and loud voice, and to tell our collective story. NCTC speaks for theatre and works very closely with Arts NC, whose staff and board speaks for all of the arts. We work together, we join the full choir and we fully support the mission of Arts NC. Therefore, it a great honor for us to serve as a leading sponsor of Arts Day.

Someone once told me that an organization’s budget is a reflection of institution priorities. I think that is a pretty accurate. To that end, NCTC’s Arts Day sponsorship (and Arts NC membership) is one of the very first things our board works into the budget each year.

You’ve also heard that decisions are made by those who show up. The NCTC board and staff will be at Arts Day and we hope to see many of you there! We need you there. I say we because we are all Arts NC. We need your sponsorship support and we need you at Arts Day to speak loudly and with great passion.

Thank you for reading. I hope your organization will join NCTC on the 2010 or 2011 Arts Day sponsorship list and I hope to see you at Arts Day!

Get Coordinated! Arts Day 2010

2010-05-06T09:59:00.000-04:00

I’m Hannah Grannemann, Managing Director at PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, and the Orange County Coordinator for Arts Day.

To be most effective when meeting with our legislators on Arts Day, we need to be coordinated – meaning we’re on message and showing up at the just the right time and with as many people as possible to show broad based support for the arts in North Carolina.

I’m just one person, you think, how do I that? Your county coordinators will help you – and you will help them! We’ll coordinate making appointments, making sure each attendee under our watch is ready to participate by knowing what to expect, where to be, and what to say (or not say) when meeting with the legislators.

Don’t know who your county coordinator is? Read the “Before You Come to Raleigh” document here.

You can get yourself prepared (a great help to your county coordinator) by:

reading over the advocacy materials at http://www.artsnc.org/advocacy
going to the events on Tuesday, May 18 to learn about the Legislative Agenda and hear from Secy. Linda Carlisle about how the arts have a significant impact on the economy (and let’s face it – it’s the economy that’s at the front of all our minds, most notably the legislators with whom we’ll be meeting, so we’d better be ready to talk about it!)
going to the Early Bird session or the Advocacy 101 session before your meetings on Wednesday, May 19
talking with experienced advocates

There’s strength in numbers and working with your colleagues in the field yields new ideas.I enjoy being a county coordinator because I get to know the other arts advocates and leaders in my community and help to do our part to make sure that the arts receive the recognition and support they deserve from our state’s leaders.

We have a great list of reasons why the arts are good for North Carolina – jobs, economic development, education, community vitality – but we have to get coordinated, focused and have a successful strategy so our message gets through!

See you on Arts Day 2010!

Happy Problem

2010-05-05T09:45:00.000-04:00

Registration for ARTS Day 2010 is nearing capacity. In past years, advocates have been able to register at the last minute or even walk-in to the event without prior registration, but we cannot guarantee last minute decisions this year. If you plan to attend ARTS Day 2010, and we hope you do, please do not delay completing your registration at artsday.artsnc.org.

ARTS North Carolina has some ideas about why we have overwhelming support this year. Great numbers of people are waking up to the responsibility of advocacy, especially when they see what is happening in other Southern states. Advocacy is no longer a "whispered" word; advocacy is fast becoming an organizational and individual priority. We have Linda Carlisle, Secretary of Cultural Resources, to thank for her effective creative economy message. State support is more important than ever, and the North Carolina Arts Council has demonstrated its sacrificial commitment to keeping grants funding "whole." We have social media and its volunteer guru Shane Hudson to thank for getting the word where it needed to go. We have you to thank for listening and responding by passing the word along to others. We are one step closer to the vision of a united industry with a clear and passionate message.

What will you find when you get to Raleigh?

A turnkey event - While we encourage review of the materials before you come to Raleigh (www.artsnc.org/advocacy), everything you need will be waiting for you. If you are not working with a Regional Coordinator, make sure you have called your Legislator's office and made an appointment. If you need help with your appointment or would like a mentor to go with you on the visit, contact karen@artsnc.org.
A community - Newcomers and oldcomers are all welcomed and quickly merged into a powerful lobby for arts funding and arts education policy.
Training - workshops on Creative Economy, Messaging, Advocacy 101, and Legislative Training
Fun - speaks for itself
Civic engagement - satisfaction that your individual efforts made/make a difference
Parking Problems - Leave early and allow time; registrants are sent parking suggestions.

Don't get left out! Register now at artsday.artsnc.org.

Opening Night

2010-04-27T17:40:00.000-04:00

ARTS North Carolina has prepared our industry for two major Legislative Agenda items – sustaining grant funding to the North Carolina Arts Council and passing a high school graduation requirement in the arts. Our message of the critical role of the arts in economic development and in training creativity for a competitive North Carolina economy has been heard as evidenced in Governor Perdue's budget recommendation to sustain the grants funding.

Now the stage is set and opening night is close at hand. The General Assembly convenes May 12 and ARTS Day is May 18 & 19. We kick off our advocacy work by coming to Raleigh and speaking face-to-face with Legislators and then sustaining the conversation until closing curtain, whenever that might be. Early registration deadline for ARTS Day is this Friday, and the hotel rates of $75 are only good through May 3. Time now to make your plan: artsday.artsnc.org.

ARTS Day is more than advocacy; it is an opportunity for learning, networking, and being infused with powerful, collective energy. Workshop and training leaders include:

Tuesday Workshop - It's the Economy...
- Linda Carlisle – Secretary of Cultural Resources
- Mary Regan – Executive Director of the North Carolina Arts Council
- Ardath Weaver – Director of Research for the North Carolina Arts Council
- Margaret Collins – Director of Creative Enterprises and the Arts - Piedmont Triad Partnership
- Feather Phillips – Executive Director of Pocosin Arts Center (Columbia)
- Barbara Spradling – Director of the Innovation Institute at the McColl Center
- Rob Pulleyn – Artist (Marshall)
Wednesday Legislative Training
- Louisa Warren – Lobbyist for North Carolina Justice Center (Advocacy 101 Presentation)
- Franklin Freeman – Chief of Staff for Governor Jim Hunt, Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, and Senior Assistant for eight years to Governor Mike Easley
- Secretary Linda Carlisle
- Invited Legislators – Representatives Becky Carney, Rick Glazier, Linda Johnson, and Deborah Ross, and Senator Tom Apodaca

Be sure and plan time either before the workshops on May 18 or before you leave Raleigh on May 19 to visit the astounding and description-defying new galleries at the North Carolina Museum of Art. The galleries are free and open to the public.

Legislative Update

2010-04-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

Pitt County arts advocates Holly Garriott and Jane Behan and ARTS North Carolina staff met Tuesday with Representative Marion McLawhorn, a former librarian and true champion for the arts. At the breakfast table we articulated why arts education policy must be legislated. Arts education is a "ready now" strategy to address issues of retention, rigor, and 21st Century Skills; we do not need to invent new programs when strong and viable arts education programs are available. The gap between what public schools need and what we have to offer is an issue of awareness, recognition, and value. If those who make decisions on behalf of schools don't connect public education needs with arts education, then our Legislative champions must have the vision and courage to implement policies that utlized the arts to improve education. The gap cannot be about resources; otherwise arts education would have more than flourished in the better economic environments. Arts education as an essential core subject has always been under resourced and reduced to a "nice to have" option. NOW is the time to legislate and create arts education policy and be positioned when an improving economic climate can provide necessary resources. If we wait until the state budget improves, we will have lost an opportunity.

Legislative Report

2010-04-27T05:20:00.000-04:00

ARTS North Carolina was in Fayetteville on Monday to visit with Representatives Marvin Lucas and Rick Glazier, then on to Greenville for Advocacy workshops and a meeting with Representative Marion McLawhorn. Having voters set up meetings at home is significantly more productive than trying to have substantial discussion in the midst of competing priorities and crowded agendas that are the norm when the General Assembly is in session. While we continue to celebrate Governor Perdue's recommendation of sustained funding for the North Carolina Arts Council grants programs, we are being told repeatedly that holding our own will take a lot of heavy lifting. Given a choice, wouldn't we rather start the process ahead of "go" than not even on the board? Uh, yeah.

Legislative Update

2010-04-21T17:37:00.000-04:00

I thought that we would post the first blog of the legislative season today following a meeting with a Representative. But yesterday his LA (Legislative Assistant) called to cancel. Most LA's are extraordinarily nice and work dilligently to reschedule when cancellations are necessary. They are the gatekeepers, the front line, the ones who deal with complaints and requests and impossible schedules. And if you take the time to ask, you often find rich arts histories... "Oh, you're with the arts? My daughter is an art history major" or proudly "I sing in the General Assembly Chorus." Who knew there was a chorus. Do they take lobbyist?
The cancellation serves to illustrate a legislative reality...things can change on a dime and often do. What you think is a sure thing falls apart in seconds. Sometimes lost causes become modern day miracles. There is no end game, just an ebb and flo of process and relationships.
When the session officially begins May 12, ARTS North Carolina will post regular updates on our blog. Most postings will be official news, but we also plan on relaying some of the astounding sights and sounds of the North Carolina General Assembly. This is going to be fun.

Governor Perdue's Budget

2010-04-20T13:58:00.000-04:00

Governor Perdue's 2010-11 budget (second year of the biennium budget) released today sustains 2010-11 grants funding for the North Carolina Arts Council as ratified by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2009-10. Despite the prevailing economic news, Governor Perdue's budget recognizes the major contributions the arts are making to economic recovery in North Carolina. The Department of Cultural Resources and Department of Commerce research released in November on the creative industries in North Carolina qualifies 300,000 jobs and $42 billion in products and services. Secretary of Cultural Resources Linda Carlisle continues to travel throughout North Carolina delivering the good news about the role of the arts in a creative economy, and the message is being heard loudly and clearly.

With other neighboring states suffering unprecedented reductions in public support, North Carolina is supremely fortunate to have leaders who understand and invest in the arts industry. We encourage everyone to post a thank you to Governor Perdue on her Facebook page. Tell her you appreciate her commitment to the arts and that you plan to work tirelessly to persuade the Legislature to accept her recommendation on arts funding.

The Governor's budget is only the first step of the budgetary process. The General Government Committees of the House and Senate will begin their work on the budget soon after convening on May 12. Upholding Governor Perdue's recommendation for grants funding is the top priority of ARTS North Carolina as the Legislative session begins on May 12.

Governor Perdue's budget just notched up the imperative to attend ARTS Day on May 18 & 19 and to tell your Legislators why investing in the arts means jobs and money for North Carolina. We also want you to infuse your Legislative discussions with the passion you have for the transformative power of the arts in communities and in our lives. Late registration begins after April 30 and increases the membership registration fee from $25 (a real bargain) to $45. If you are not currently a member, the individual rate of $60 before April 30 includes an individual membership good through June 30, 2011. Register now at artsday.artsnc.org.

ARTS Education = MORE Than You Think

2010-04-13T10:58:00.000-04:00

In today's lead-up to arts advocacy season, consider these things about ARTS North Carolina's Legislative Agenda item to pass a high school graduation requirement in the arts:

The initiative is fully supported by the North Carolina Arts Council agency and their Board of Directors and the Department of Cultural Resources, Linda Carlisle Secretary. DCR has placed the requirement on their Legislative Agenda and is taking a leadership role in the passage of Senate Bill 66 in the North Carolina House of Representatives in the Legislation Session beginning May 12.
Because we passed the bill last year in the Senate (SB 66) we are 50% up the mountain.

Passing the requirement would:

Elevate the arts in practice to a core academic subject as stated in the Learning Framework for 21st Century Skills,
Insure public education equity because every student has engagement with the arts, and
Provide more incentives for federal, state, and local support of public school arts programs

The high school requirement is one action step in a comprehensive arts education program for public school in North Carolina. Additional policies to be considered once the high school requirement is passed include a middle school elective requirement, statewide policy for arts education in K-5, higher education teacher training in arts integration, support of A+ Schools, and funding for community and after-school programs that center on arts education.

Students who graduate from high school must have six electives. The law means one "former" elective in music, theatre, dance, or drama becomes a requirement. Additional teachers are not required; hires would now need to include people certified in arts education.

It will take five years to fully implement. The budget will improve in that length of time.

Want to Help?

Attend ARTS Day May 18 & 19 and join with hundreds of North Carolinians in speaking to your Legislators about the requirement: artsday.artsnc.org. Registration is now open. Be sure to register by April 30th, as prices go up after that date.
If you belong to an arts or professional organization, pass a resolution in support of the requirement. A template can be found at www.artsnc.org/advocacy and participants are asked to submit the resolution on their letterhead and attach a listing of their Board of Directors by no later than May 7.

We Want You... At Arts Day 2010

2010-04-12T12:49:00.006-04:00

What Is ARTS Day?

People who love the arts come to Raleigh to garner public support. ARTS North Carolina will provide materials and training that enable Legislative visits on May 19. We use ARTS Day to thank our leaders and position the arts as an economic imperative. Advancing the cause must be accomplished face-to-face; ideas get lost in translation and passion diminishes if we only rely on e-mails. ARTS Day is intentional advocacy. Can anyone doubt how badly we need people willing to speak for the arts?

What Should Happen Next?

Please register. After April 30, registration fees increase significantly. artsday.artsnc.org

What Then?

Check below to see if there is a Regional Coordinator in your area. The Regional Coordinator will set Legislative appointments and make sure the group is together in message and logistics. If your area does not have a Regional Coordinator, we will send you very simple instructions about how to set an appointment with your Legislators and what to expect when you call their offices. If this is your first time attending and you would like an experienced advocate as a mentor, we can make that happen.

What Else Happens?

ARTS Day 2010 officially begins at 1pm on May 18 with a workshop, It's the Economy, at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Secretary of Cultural Resources Linda Carlisle will lead off a distinguished roster of arts professionals to help attendees communicate effectively about economy, jobs, and the arts in North Carolina's future. Registration will open at 12:30, giving attendees an opportunity to tour the new Museum of Art galleries prior to the workshop or at a scheduled break from 3 - 4pm. http://ncartmuseum.org/interim/home.php An early evening social will begin at 5:45 at the Visual Art Exchange in downtown Raleigh. For a complete schedule: artsday.artsnc.org.

Regional Coordinators

Beaufort County
- Joey Toler, beaufortcountyarts@embarqmail.com
Buncombe County
- Phil Atwood, philatwood@tds.net
Catawba County
- Kathy Greathouse, kgreathouse@artscatawba.org
- Lynn Loehr, lloehr@artscatawba.org
Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Jackson, Macon, and Swain Counties
- Yona Wade, ywade@cherokeecentral.gaggle.net
Cumberland County
- Deborah Mintz, deborahm@theartscouncil.com
Durham County
- Margaret DeMott, mdemott@durhamarts.org
Forsyth County
- Christine Gorelick, cgorelick@intothearts.org
- Catherine Heitz New, cnew@intothearts.org
Guilford County
- Pierce Egerton, lpegerton@mac.com
- Altina Layman, alayman@uacarts.org
- Debbie Lumpkins, dlumpkins@highpointarts.org
Henderson County
- Dale Bartlett, dale@flatrockplayhouse.org
Lenoir County
- Sandy Landis, slandis@kinstoncca.com
Mecklenburg County
- Robert Bush, robert.bush@artsandscience.org
Orange County
- Hannah Grannemann, hannahg8@email.unc.edu
Robeson County
- Richard Sceiford, rsceiford@ec.rr.com
Wake County
- Eleanor Oakley, eoakley@unitedarts.org
Wayne County
- Sarah Merritt, sarah@artsinwayne.org

Show-Off Opportunity: The Picture Perfect Project

2010-03-02T09:04:00.000-05:00

We are collecting high-resolution images (300 dpi +) for our ARTS Day 2010 materials and to use in the Legislative Building on May 19th.

Our goal is at least one picture from every county.

If you have an image of a citizen enjoying or participating in the arts, please send to tony@artsnc.org.

We are seeking the consumer end in pictures, such as people standing in a very long line to get a ticket, people enthralled at a gallery opening, avocational performers that Legislators might recognize, etc.

Pictures must include photo caption, identification, and photo credit, and must be received by March 22nd.

Casting a Wider Net

2010-03-02T08:54:00.000-05:00

United individual actions are a powerful force for the arts.

We need you.

ARTS North Carolina has launched our 2010 Advocacy Campaign. This campaign will conclude when the Legislature adjourns this summer. Between now and then, we want to keep you updated.

Each week we will send out information and action requests about state public funding and arts education policy. We will ask you to spend a few minutes getting up to speed on issues and taking small steps designed to create huge leaps of support from our state Legislators.

We have a grand plan.

Beginning now, ARTS North Carolina will send you important material and resources for your advocacy work - our education phase. On May 18-19 you will come to Raleigh for ARTS Day armed with facts and stories to make our case. For the remainder of the Legislative Session, we will orchestrate strategic action alerts based on circumstances and our Legislative agenda.

Let's test the system. If you do not know your state Legislators, go to www.ncleg.net and click on "Representation" on the main bar. You will need your 9 digit ZIP code, but the site will also give you a link to the ZIP code directory. Once you enter your ZIP code, you will see who represents you in the State Senate and State House. When you click on one of their names, it brings up a page with the Legislator's picture and other very useful information. It's important to know what your Senators and Representatives look like so you can have a conversation if you see them at home.

Home advocacy is the best kind.

Also, make sure ARTS North Carolina has your name and email address by requesting to be on our listserv at assistant@artsnc.org.

Now is the time - take action.

All The Things You Didn't Know That You Didn't Know

2010-03-01T10:09:00.000-05:00

I have worked with Fractured Atlas for over four years now as its director of membership and program development. Prior to Fractured Atlas, I worked for the NEA – the National Endowment for the Arts (as opposed to the National Education Association, which all of my friends thought was my employer). Due to my work for the government agency, I began to learn about all of these different organizations, oddly titled “arts service organizations,” that had been established throughout the country to provide resources to artists. No one ever taught me about these organizations in college, when I was pursuing a degree in Directing for Theatre & Film. And today, after speaking to thousands of artists across the country in my role at Fractured Atlas, I find that the same thing remains true.

Artists are an interesting bunch. (And I can say that because I am one as well, as are most of my friends.) Some artists want to work on their own – think of the painter who stays isolated in their studio all day. Some artists want to work with others – think of the ensemble theater companies that create and develop work as a group. Some could care less if others appreciate their work – maybe they just create art to maintain their own sanity. And some crave acceptance – they read every review of their work the moment they hit the internet at midnight. But if there is one thing that is consistent amongst all artists and all arts organizations -- from the professional to the amateur, from the Kennedy Center to the community theater down the road -- is that they all have needs.

Whether it’s money, business acumen, patrons, jobs, education, or even shelter (we artists like to call it “space”), we all need something. And, unfortunately, a large part of the U.S. artist community does not know how to go about fulfilling those needs. Whether they went to conservatory schools for their MFA’s or whether they are cultural tradition bearers, no one ever sat them down and said, “By the way, there are organizations out there that want to help you.” The artists that know about arts services organizations (“ASO’s”) either went to school for arts administration or have heard about them through the grapevine. And yes, I will certainly applaud the few professors out there who are doing their due diligence and telling their students about these organizations and their programs. But, why these things aren’t taught in a required course in every arts school in America is beyond me.

Why aren’t artists taught about insurance, mortgages, contracts, 401k’s, 501(c)(3)’s, and 1099’s, from the get-go? (In fact, why aren’t all students, regardless of discipline, taught this from the get-go?!) This is a major problem (among many others) in the U.S. educational system, but it’s one that arts service organizations are helping to solve by making many different resources available to artists across the country.

You, dear blog reader, probably already know about these resources. Heck, you read ARTS North Carolina’s blog! But, you need to tell your artist-friends, and your friends’ artist-friends about them! Spread the word, get involved, and involve others.

I could end there, but I don’t think this post would be as helpful if I did. So, who are the ASO’s in your neighborhood? Well, ARTS NC for one. And ARTS NC might recommend North Carolina Dance Alliance for you dancers. Or they may recommend the North Carolina Arts Council (even with all of the drastic budget cuts that every state is experiencing, each state still maintains a state arts council) or Southern Arts Federation (there is also a regional arts organization for each area of the country). Or how about something more national like The Folk Alliance (if you’re into folk music and dance), Theatre Communications Group (self-explanatory), or Alternate ROOTS (if you create art meant to encourage social action)? Maybe you are a college professor – check out College Art Association. Are you a visual artist? Have you ever heard of CUE Art Foundation?

Let’s revisit that stuff about non-profits. Did you know that you can raise tax-deductible donations for your artistic work without actually spending all of that time and money on paperwork and lawyers to get your own 501(c)(3) non-profit status? I bet you’ve never heard of “fiscal sponsorship.” Many organizations, including Fractured Atlas, have programs like this. Maybe you’ve never heard of it before, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a real and viable fundraising tool. You can check out our program here (as an artist, I’ve used it myself!), but you can also check out New York Foundation for the Arts (another national ASO despite the name – one that runs a great resource database called NYFA Source) and The Field. Or, you can look at a whole big list of fiscal sponsors here. Once you’re sponsored (or even if you’re not), you can do some grants research at The Foundation Center. Or, maybe you have a significant annual budget, have been running a company consistently for a few years, and are thinking about actually getting non-profit status. If so, you should Google “Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts,” “Business Volunteers for the Arts,” or “Arts & Business Council” and see if there is one of these groups in your area, as they can provide tremendous assistance. And, once you’ve got your 501(c)(3) status in hand, you should contact those organizations again and ask about developing a Board of Directors (or visit BoardNetUSA to find some interested folks).

And what about all of you arts advocates out there? It’s terrific that you found ARTS NC! If you’re not in North Carolina, you can find your state’s advocacy organization here. And, if you want the folks on Capitol Hill to hear your voice, definitely get involved with Americans for the Arts.

Look at all of these resources I’ve listed, many of which I’m assuming you never even heard of! And if you, someone who is connected to an arts service organization like ARTS NC, is unaware of these organizations and their resources, just think about all of the artists out there who don’t even know what an arts service organization is! Do them a favor and let them know.

Fractured Atlas is a non-profit organization that serves a national community of artists and arts organizations. Their programs and services facilitate the creation of art by offering vital support to the artists who produce it. They help artists and arts organizations function more effectively as businesses by providing access to funding, low-cost insurance, education, and more, all in a context that honors their individuality and independent spirit. By nurturing today's talented but underrepresented voices, they hope to foster a dynamic and diverse cultural landscape of tomorrow. ARTS NC members can access a free Associate Membership to Fractured Atlas. Contact the ARTS NC offices to find out more!

With Fractured Atlas, Adam J. Natale (Director of Membership & Program Development) has created innovative audience development, online education, and arts insurance programs, formed partnerships with over 70 arts organizations, presented at multiple national conferences, and has helped the organization grow immensely, with over 4,000 artists joining in the past year. A graduate of American University with a degree in Directing for Theatre & Film, he is a freelance director, serves on the Board of Directors for Red Bull Theater, and is a member and the immediate past chair of Americans for the Arts' Emerging Leader Council. Formerly, he served the Theater & Musical Theater disciplines at the NEA and worked as an Associate Producer with the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Up To Us

2010-02-10T19:05:00.001-05:00

The Emerging Issues Forum on Creativity was probably the most interesting conference I’ve ever attended. The speakers were fabulous (really fabulous), but I’ve seen fabulous. The company was great, but it always is. What was so amazing was that we (the few arts people in attendance) were able to watch as OUR argument was made FOR us, to and by the exact people we are always fighting to reach. To hear Daniel Pink, Bill Strickland, Arne Duncan and others telling the business community and legislature about the importance of Arts Education was extraordinary! I left inspired by their words and energized by the possibilities that lie ahead. This gathering has laid the ground work for us. It’s up to us to keep the ball rolling, but for once and FINALLY, we won’t be the only ones playing the game.

Angie Hays
Executive Director
North Carolina Theatre Conference

Turn The Tide

2010-02-05T17:05:00.000-05:00

Over 1500 people will gather in Raleigh on Monday and Tuesday for the Institute for Emerging Issues Forum on Creativity. ARTS North Carolina, the North Carolina Arts Council, and the Department of Cultural Resources have all had a hand in the outcome.

It's your turn now. On Tuesday, there will be a powerhouse session led by Governor Jim Hunt entitled Graduating Creativity. Right this minute, go to this website, www.ncsu.edu/iei , and under the header click on "weigh in". Be heard. Let your passions, thoughts, questions, data, research, and keen knowledge help shape the course of this session.

You can also live stream the conference next week by logging on to www.emergingissues.org. Be awed by the convening of thought and creativity that is North Carolina's future. Arts = Education = Creative Economy is our mantra, and you can be assured it will be uttered frequently next week.

Take action now.

Haiti's Hope

2010-02-05T14:22:00.001-05:00

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote, “To visit Haiti is to know that its problem isn’t its people. They are its treasure – smart, industrious and hospitable…” and I would add “creative.”

Before January 12, to visit Haiti was to witness art at every turn. Paintings for sale hung on concrete walls in every neighborhood, turning pot-holed, dusty streets into outdoor galleries. And fruit and vegetable vendors arranged their fare in artful ways, whether lemons, tomatoes, bananas or soursops. Market women walked with their entire inventory perched on their heads – flip-flops or candies or scrub brushes displayed in perfect symmetry. In fact you would be tempted to say they danced down the street, full of grace.

The public transportation, trucks and buses called “tap-taps,” were a riot of color, with everything from Jesus to favorite soccer players to pop stars airbrushed alongside scripture and wild geometric patterns. And you couldn’t sit outside long without the sound of live singing rising from somewhere in earshot.

Perhaps the best example of Haitian art that exemplifies the inspiring industriousness and ingenuity of the people is the metal art that was not only all over Haiti, but is now all over the world, as the artists turned their original idea of reusing oil drum tops into a world-wide phenomenon, hammering them into intricate, delicate, sometimes whimsical, sometimes literal depictions of Bible stories or Haitian vodou traditions.

All of these elements of Haitian society, I suspect, are slowly coming back to life.

I have shot video in Haiti many times for documentary work and have filmed young dancers and painters and singers who live together in a home for street children in Port-au-Prince. The dancers have toured all over Canada and the US. The painters have their work hanging in homes and offices in both countries as well, and the singers made a CD that has sold far and wide. These children weren’t “auditioned” to be brought off the streets to join this particular home.

Every child I have met has simply not skipped a beat when asked to join in these activities upon arriving at the home. Art appears to be central to their beings – it is not some detached subject they might or might not be taught in school. You need only scratch the surface and it is already there.

I am not trying to romanticize Haitians or suggest there is some noble savage element to their art. But I am suggesting survival in such a culture takes real ingenuity and resourcefulness and resilience, and that is not so different from the creativity central to making art.

The home for street boys where I’ve worked collapsed during the recent earthquake. Luckily none of the boys were killed. Through e-mail and Facebook, I have heard they are already scrambling to recreate their dance costumes that were shredded and replace their drums that were destroyed. They will prevail.

And the Haitian people will prevail. Sure, it will take enormous amounts of outside money. But their insistence on hope and beauty is alive. The raw ingredients necessary for regeneration are there. Just scratch the surface of any Haitian and you will find it.

– Miriam Sauls

A poem sent to me since the quake:

For the Poorest Country in the Western Hemisphere

Oh poorest country, this is not your name.
You should be called beacon, and flame,

almond and bougainvillea, garden
and green mountain, villa and hut,

little girl with red ribbons in her hair,
books-under-arm, charmed by the light

of morning, charcoal seller in black skirt,
encircled by dead trees.

You, country, are the businessman
and the eager young man, the grandfather

at the gate, at the crossroads
with the flashlight, with the light,

with the light.

– Danielle Legros Georges

Arts and the Empty Downtown

2010-01-29T13:48:00.000-05:00

It’s 5:15 and I am gazing out my office window over the central block of historic downtown Lumberton, located about 40 minutes south of Fayetteville. I have a great view from my lovely office on the second floor of the recently restored Carolina Civic Center historic theater, a smallish (seats 440) arts center that first opened in 1928.

For 15 minutes I watched the several hundred employees of the county courthouse and a few adjacent banks walking to their cars and quickly evacuating the downtown. By 5:25 the entire place is mostly empty. Besides my theater, the only thing open is the Blackwater Grille – a great restaurant located in a beautifully reclaimed and outfitted former warehouse a few blocks away. I hear from my many potential patrons that they’re either afraid of the downtown after 5pm or that it’s simply off their radar – why on earth would I stay/travel down there?

Yeah, it’s a bit of a marketing challenge and it goes a little beyond placing flyers on windshields or puncturing tires (just kidding!). Lumberton’s not alone, though, and its beautiful architecture and river (the Lumber) make its potential obvious to visitors.

Reclaiming empty downtowns for productive use is such a key component for community growth and has been accomplished in some of my favorite places in North Carolina. I’m thinking of Salisbury, Sanford (with its own historic theater), and the classic story of Triad Stage that helped rejuvenate Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. Even Statesville is renewing storefront by storefront. Downtown Wilmington, where I also live, was empty 18 years ago when I first moved there, having rezoned strip clubs and such out of existence…and then the pioneers started buying up and moving in and opening galleries, restaurants and theater spaces.

And so much of this revitalization is based on or around the arts. A few like-minded individuals –some with money and connections and others with raw passion- make it happen. It’s always a battle but a theater, a few galleries, a history museum in an historic site, a few antique shops and suddenly you’ve got some energy and then visitors and then tax revenues and so forth. Often it just starts with festivals or a First Night event.

Of course, which comes first, the chicken or the egg? The arts-based attractions or the proof that any of this works enough to be worth the investment of time and money and advocacy? Maybe the theater and the Blackwater are the first of a trend but we need more to create the critical mass.

A 2006 Dayton Daily News article recounts the purchase and restoration of the 19th –century Newberry Center opera house located smack in the center of downtown and quotes the couple who bought the dilapidated building for $85,000: “They can really serve as an anchor for the small-town revival.”

The North Carolina Arts Council’s strategic plan, which can be downloaded from the web site at www.ncarts.org , contains “Vibrant Communities” as one of its five goals, including making the arts “a centerpiece of North Carolina's changing cityscapes and city life.” You can read it but one of the strategies calls for starting a “smART Cities” program to help cities create arts and entertainment districts and work spaces for artists. Also included is capital funding to help maintain those “pioneer” storefront galleries and textile mill museums that made revitalization of their downtowns possible. Hey, maybe there will be something in there for my little theater!

If you haven’t read it yet, the “Creative North Carolina” strategic plan is a document filled with powerful ideas but the timeline for its implementation obviously is subject to the state’s economic recovery. Arts North Carolina, our statewide advocacy organization, isn’t in any kind of holding pattern, though, and I’m really looking forward to the good work ahead – with your help.

Richard Sceiford
Carolina Civic Center (Lumberton)
ARTS North Carolina Board of Directors

Bigger Picture

2010-01-22T11:47:00.000-05:00

Bigger Picture

If you want a clue about what people value, look at how they spend money. If our governmental systems spend the majority of our tax dollars on education, and those systems pay lip service to the arts, what does it say to the community at large about the value of the arts to our society and in specific, our communities? Wouldn’t you expect the “arts are nice but not essential” policy of school systems to affect our arts organizations and artists?

If our government leaders talk about dropout rates and we know that the arts keep kids in schools, isn’t it logical to legislate funding and policy to effective programs? In a Guilford County study in 2001, 33 students involved in athletics dropped out of school. 5 students involved in performing arts dropped out of school. That year, Guilford County had a total of 974 students leave school before graduation.

If students who are heavily involved in arts have demonstrated greater accomplishments in school than their non-arts peers, can we expect the Governor’s new emphasis on achievement to incorporate significant arts education policy and support?

If we just celebrated King Day and maybe even got a day off of work, could we frame arts education advocacy as our opportunity to achieve social justice? Affluent systems have arts education programs, albeit ones extremely vulnerable because North Carolina does not have a comprehensive arts education policy. But even if our major systems continue to eliminate arts positions and programs, the “haves” will make sure their children get those private dance lessons. Where does that leave the rest of the population who do not have means or opportunity?

Public education is our democratic playing field. Either we believe the arts are inherently our right and are essential to education, community, and development as human beings, or we don’t. Where do you fall on the question and what are you willing to do about it?

Karen Wells
ARTS North Carolina

Institute for Emerging Issues - Creativity in Education

2010-01-19T17:22:00.000-05:00

Judy Osborne, Theatre Educator from Southern Pines, will serve on a panel at the Emerging Issues Forum facilitated by Governor Jim Hunt.

The panel will explore creativity in education, and Judy's "small" task is to represent the importance of arts education. Obviously, that subject cannot be adequately covered in an hour, even if she had the entire program, so we want to suggest themes that should be highlighted. The Governor's new education initiative, Ready Set Go, is a good place to start.

If you have anecdotal information or research and data that illustrates the role of arts education in student retention, graduation, achievement, or attendance that can be specifically cited in the panel presentation, please forward to artsed@artsnc.org.

Example: [so-and-so] has been teaching theatre for 20 years and has advised and served an estimated 2,000 engaged students (i.e. those who continue beyond the basic courses). In that time, only 3 of her theatre students have dropped out of school. The state's drop-out rate hovers around 30%.

Arts Accessibility and Inclusion Workshops

2010-01-19T17:16:00.000-05:00

Arts Access, in partnership with the North Carolina Arts Council, is offering arts organizations across the state the opportunity to learn more about accessibility for people with disabilities. Gather with others in the field seeking information and resources for achieving accessibility to share experiences and learn methods that will build a foundation to support access and inclusion in the arts. In collaboration with the United Arts Council of Catawba County and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, the Arts Accessibility and Inclusion workshops are scheduled in Hickory on March 9th and 10th and in Raleigh on March 16th and 17th. Join us for one or both of the workshop dates in the location near you.

The registration fee for one workshop day is $25 per person. If you choose to attend both workshop days, your total registration fee is $40 per person. Lunch is included in the registration fee. To register, visit http://ncarts.org/elements/docs/artsaccess_regform.pdf and download the registration form. If more than one person from your organization is attending, each person must complete a separate registration form. Please mail the completed registration form, along with a check made out to Arts Access, Inc., to:

Arts Access, Inc.
Access Workshops
PO Box 10574
Raleigh NC 27605-0574

For questions about the workshops or accommodations, please contact Catherine Lavenburg at the N.C. Arts Council, catherine.lavenburg@ncdcr.gov or 919/807-6501.

To learn more about Arts Access, Inc., please visit www.artsaccessinc.org.

ARTS Day 2010 - Mark Your Calendars Now!

2010-01-19T17:11:00.002-05:00

ARTS Day 2010 will be held May 18 & 19, and more than any year in our history, it is imperative that people come to Raleigh and demonstrate their support for public funding for the arts. Since 2010 is an election year, it is essential to establish the presence of arts in election issues.

Did you know that all North Carolina Senators and Representatives must be re-elected every two years?

Special plans this year are underway to host the May 18th workshop and opening reception at North Carolina's international destination, the "new" Museum of Art, featuring a gift of 36 Rodins and a stunning expansion of the state's collection. Mark your calendars now! More information soon!

ARTS North Carolina gives a huge new year shout of appreciation to ARTS Day 2010 Sponsors.

Lead Sponsors include:
Arts and Science Council, Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, Brevard Music Center, Flat Rock Playhouse, North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, North Carolina Museum of Art, North Carolina Symphony, and North Carolina Theatre Conference.

Supporting Sponsors include:
Cherokee Historical Association, North Carolina Museums Council, North Carolina Writers' Network, United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, and United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County.

We give a special thank you to Audio & Light in Greensboro and Hillco in Kinston for serving as Major Business Sponsors of ARTS North Carolina for 2009-2010.

Sponsors will be featured on ARTS North Carolina's home page, and only members are eligible to become ARTS Day sponsors. For more information, contact Karen at 919/834-1411 or karen@artsnc.org.

If the Arts Are Such An Economic Driver, Why Is It So Difficult To Obtain Support?

2010-01-11T09:57:00.004-05:00

All of us have seen the studies and reports:

Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year—$63.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences. Additionally the nonprofit arts and culture industry provides:

5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs
$104.2 billion in household income
$7.9 billion in local government tax revenues
$9.1 billion in state government tax revenues
$12.6 billion in federal income tax revenues

(Source: “ARTS & ECONOMIC PROSPERITY III” – Americans for the Arts)

In North Carolina, the creative industries contributed more than $3.9 billion in wages to the state economy and employed over 159,000 people.
(Source: “Creative Economy: The Arts Industry in North Carolina” – NC Arts Council)

The craft industry in the 25 counties of Western North Carolina provides an annual economic impact of over $206 million per year.
(Source: “ECONOMIC IMPACT of the Professional Craft Industry of Western North Carolina” – Handmade in America)

“Arts and culture are important to state economies. Arts and culture-related industries, also known as ‘creative industries,’ provide direct economic benefits to states and communities: They create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenues, and stimulate local economies through tourism and consumer purchases.”
(Source: “ARTS & the ECONOMY – Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development" National Governors Association)

I don’t think there is any argument that the “creative industry” is in fact a significant economic driver… at the national, state and local level. If that is the case, why then is it so difficult to get support (not just financial) at all levels of government and from many parts of the private sector? I believe there are a number of reasons for this “disconnect”.

One reason is confusion in defining what is being measured… in other words, what is this “industry”. Is it the broadly defined “creative industry” or is it “arts”, “cultural”, “crafts” or other identifiers? Is it both non-profit and for profit organizations? Is it individuals and corporations? When you talk about the “bio-tech” industry… most folks have a fairly good idea of what it is, even though it covers a very broad range of activities.

A second reason for the “disconnect” is a lack of unity because of the "industry's" great diversity. While there are many organizations that represent various aspect of the “creative industry”, there is no broad “over riding” group or organization. Back to “bio tech”… there is the Biotechnology Industry Organization as well as the local, state and national Chambers of Commerce that represent virtually all biotech companies on a variety of topics and issues.

I believe there is a third reason for the “disconnect” and that is while there are a number of very good plans and strategies for certain segments of this “creative industry”, there is no single “plan” or “strategy” for the over all “creative industry”.

So what should we do about all of this? We know that our current economic situation is certainly not going to allow for significant additional funding or growth in virtually all areas of our society. However, it does not preclude us from doing the planning for the future. An effort like this must be a “tops down” effort. With forward thinking folks like our current Secretary of Cultural Affairs, Linda Carlisle and our Secretary of Commerce, J. Keith Crisco, I believe now is the time to address this opportunity on a statewide basis. I believe a good starting point is the National Governor’s Association’s recent paper, “ARTS & the ECONOMY – Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development" (http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0901ARTSANDECONOMY.PDF)

Additionally, we can certainly learn from the experience of others… Austin and the state of Texas, Arizona, Portland, Oregon and others. If we are going to truly benefit from the fact that the Creative Industry is an Economic Driver, it is up to us in the industry to lead the way.

Phil Atwood
Asheville, North Carolina

Early Sunday Morning

2010-01-04T12:28:00.002-05:00

Jack the dog is incapable of resetting his internal clock when it’s vacation time, and so it was that I came to have the tv on at 5:45am on Sunday. I wasn’t sure whether to wake the household up laughing, throw tennis shoes at the screen, or take an antidepressant. 30 seconds of… “Starving artist sale at Holiday Inn at Crabtree Mall. Oil paintings as low as $19.”

Pity is not a friend of the arts. Such messages invoke dear friends and respected artists huddled on interstate exits trying to catch the eye of hurried drivers. And in the game of public funding, we will never win the “need” game, not in this economy. Not with education cut 10% and Health and Human Services cut 30%. Can you imagine the arts threatening to file a lawsuit against the state for lack of funding as is possible by the Mental Health sector?

A transformative event happened five years ago. ARTS North Carolina thought our job was to convince “others” of our public value. So we produced a still relevant dvd that asked citizens, “Why do you think the arts are important?” The work of art (dvd) that answered this question still has the power to move as it reminds us that we must first believe. Are we absolutely convinced beyond a shadow that what we do is essential, not just “nice”? Do we approach each day with a sense of urgency that what we have to say cannot wait? Are we compelled to tell others? Are our stories straight and our facts in order? Does our message center on what we bring to the world, not what the world should bring to us?

For those old enough to remember the culture wars of Jesse Helms and the NEA attack, there was one question/answer I will take to my grave. Why was the movement successful? How could vitriolic attacks on art gain such support and momentum? And one day, like a vision, it came to me on public radio. People are drawn to passion, and the extremes offer all the passion you can misuse in a lifetime.

So my New Year’s resolution? Bring on the naysayers. I’ll match you passion for passion and raise you one.

Karen Wells
ARTS North Carolina

What Does It Mean to Have an Arts Experience?

2009-12-15T14:28:00.010-05:00

The NEA’s recently released research, Arts Participation 2008, begins with a quote from John Updike:

“Whatever art offered the men and women of previous eras, what it offers our own, it seems to me, is space – a certain breathing room for the spirit.” (http://www.arts.gov/news/news09/SPPA-highlights.html)

Updike’s quote proves my point that people have been blogging for eternity, and we simply have a new medium for dissemination.

And so it is appropriate that my “first” blog post consider the facts of what we didn’t need facts to tell us. Adult attendance at arts events declined for virtually all art forms in 2008. Wait! It must have been the economy. Nope. Participation rates have been trending down over the past six years.

Admittedly, the NEA is still trying to figure out how to measure and compare historical (some would say hysterical) stats with new media. But here’s a fact we cannot avoid: age ranges 45-54, a large component of arts audiences, showed the deepest decline in attendance for most arts events, ranging from -29% to -43%.

The only relevance of this study is opportunity. I will use these stats to justify arts education policy. If you don’t get it early you are far less likely to get it later, and just what does that do for our creative economy? A colleague of mine plans to use the stats to encourage (did I say push?) research and development of new arts applications and technology.

But perhaps the most beneficial use of the NEA study is to tie these numbers like a string to the back of our heads and pull slowly up, out of the sand, to find that room to breath. It’s virtually impossible to live expectantly, think creatively, and lead in innovation if our chins are resting not so comfortably on our chests. When was the last time you had a conversation centered on the study’s fundamental question, “What does it mean to have an arts experience?” There’s no time like the present and no place better than responding here and now.

Karen Wells
Executive Director