I had to learn this info on Linda’s (my better half) Facebook page. The info came all the way from California by Facebook connections back in Charleston. My press release is probably still in the mail, but we won’t make you wait for this news and a little commentary.
It’s kind of timely news. Our new governor of SC has vowed to cut the budget of the SC Arts Commission – completely. It may take her four years due to all the crying which will be going on by those who receive some of those funds from the Arts Commission. Unfortunately, everyone else in the arts will just be silent – they don’t care one way or the other – the issue has never affected them. And, now the Arts Commission will spend most of their time defending their existence and pressing their friends/recipents to do the same.
I’m not sure how the taxpayers will see this crying up against the news that many programs supporting needed social services are also on the chopping block, but I guess it’s a matter of who makes the most noise to their legislative representatives.
You’ve heard my suggestion before. Give the same amount to the arts groups that they have been getting, based on population of each county – just cut the money the staff used to exist and sell their building and equipment. I’ve never been against public funding for the arts. I just don’t think we need the SC Arts Commission at all to administer that money – at least this one. Then the Arts Commission’s share can go toward saving some of those social services.
So, here’s an example of how private businesses in the art community are helping serve the non-profit art community – without public funds or any other help form the SC Arts Commission – or respect. The Arts Commission and their friends would like you to think that all art would stop without them. That’s not true.
Here’s the news:
The Charleston Fine Art Dealers’ Association (CFADA) once again will donate funds to art programs at local public high schools. The association will donate $22,000 worth of art supplies to schools in need that participated in its Twelfth Charleston Fine Art Annual in November 2010.
Each of the following schools will receive art supplies—Academic Magnet High School, Burke High School, Charleston County School of the Arts, Garrett Academy of Technology, James Island Charter High School, North Charleston High School, R.B. Stall High School, Septima P. Clark Academy, St. John High School, Wando High School and West Ashley High School.
“This is the only organization in Charleston I know of that helps out the art programs in the schools. With the generous donations provided by CFADA, we are able to provide all students, especially those who may be disadvantaged, with high-quality materials for creating art. Students are truly benefiting from having a creative outlet through our art classes,” praises Cheryl Clair, art teacher at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, SC. According to the National Arts Education Initiative, arts education strengthens students problem solving and critical thinking skills, which will help them in school and their professional careers. Students involved in the arts perform better in reading, social studies and math compared to their peers.
The donation is possible thanks to the generosity of CFADA artists whose creations from the Painting in the Park where auctioned off at the Charleston Art Auction (http://www.charlestonartauction.com/) on Saturday, November 6, 2010.
Since 2004, CFADA has donated more than $180,000 to local high schools, the Gibbes Museum of Art, Redux Art Center and the Studio Art Department at the College of Charleston. For more information on CFADA, please visit (www.cfada.com).
