I’ve been receiving the following letter by e-mail at Carolina Arts – from some who think I’m going to contact my representatives to ask them to override these vetoes and by some who want to make sure I see this for comment.
Here’s the letter from Ken May, Executive Director of the SC Arts Commission, one person who won’t be losing his job and won’t see a pay cut according to his statement. He may live and operate in a shell and serve no one, but it sounds like he’ll go on.
June 10, 2010
The governor has vetoed the bulk of the Arts Commission’s budget, effectively crippling the agency if the legislature does not override the veto. This cut eliminates all state funds for grants, programs and services, and more than 70 percent of our personnel. The cut also eliminates federal stimulus funds earmarked for grants to local arts organizations. The vetoed funds support arts curriculum and artist residencies in our schools; plays, concerts, dance performances and exhibitions in our communities; and thousands of jobs statewide. These targeted cuts (veto #32 Statewide Arts Services, $1,212,733 and veto #105, ARRA funds, $250,000) will destroy the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission, leaving it with little more than an administrative shell lacking the resources to support the arts industry that benefits all the people of our state. If this concerns you, there are a variety of ways to reach your state legislators this week before the legislature reconvenes on Tuesday, June 15, 2010.
Ken May
Executive Director
How do I feel about this plea to the art community to ask the SC Legislators to override the Governor’s veto? First, I was never sent this letter directly so I can only figure that the Arts Commission doesn’t see me as a friend they can call on, which I guess matches my feelings about them. I know any request for a helping hand by me to them would fall flat. Second, since I can receive no funding from the Arts Commission or any of the people they distribute money to – I don’t see this as a problem which effects me. Yes, some non-profits who receive funding from the Arts Commission have taken out ads in our paper, but we give them a 25% discount on our prices and they get an ad in our paper. We earn every penny of that advertising money. And, just because they receive some funding from the Arts Commission doesn’t mean the money they put towards advertising came from the Arts Commission. I know of no arts organization or artist who solely exist off of the funding they receive from the SC Arts Commission. So, the loss of their funding is just a part of any individual’s or groups’ funding picture. Third, although I still support public tax dollars going towards funding the arts I have learned from watching the SC Arts Commission that the money doesn’t always go to the most deserving, most qualified or groups that represent the overall art community in SC. Fourth, Ken May is wrong when he says, “…lacking the resources to support the arts industry that benefits all the people of our state.” The Arts Commission doesn’t support all the arts industry and not all the people of this state benefit from the arts – many are not even interested in them.
In this case I feel the plea is a little suspect. Is it a plea to save the funding of the Arts Commission staff or money which would go to the artists and art groups of this State? If this cut goes through and the agency is so handicapped as Ken May states – how will they go on? What purpose will they serve other than one for themselves? If there is no money left for funding grants, programs and the staff is reduced by 70% – why doesn’t May state that without this funding he and the rest of the staff will just resign and leave the budget they use up – for the art community?
The art community I know has been suffering for years without help from the Arts Commission – long before the economy went sour. And, not all help requires funding – so that is why I titled this entry – welcome to our world. We’ve been doing without, cutting back – watching a shrinking future, just like many others in the art community, but we’ve been doing it without benefits – like retirement, health insurance, dental plans, paid vacation days, etc. And, we’ve been doing it without taxpayer dollars.
Artists and art groups should operate like regular businesses – within their budgets – budgets that reflect earned revenues. And, all who are involved in producing art which the public can benefit from, should be eligible to apply for public funding. Operating on the hopes that there will always be more funding is like living a dream. It’s time for some to wake up and face the world the rest of us live in. This just might be that day, but I’m not holding my breath.
Yes, a lot of good artists and good arts groups will lose some funding if this cut goes through, but a lot of good artists and good art groups have been going without a lot longer – and, will still go without whatever happens with the budget. Plus, it’s hard to defend restoring funding to the Arts Commission in light of what other cuts are being made in this State. It may seem like a drop in the bucket to some but to some individuals who may lose health services, food allotments, housing, etc. – it’s very important. What’s more important?
