From Brad at theatrebayarea.org Thu Apr 3 17:23:44 2008 From: Brad at theatrebayarea.org (Brad Erickson) Date: Thu Apr 3 17:25:05 2008 Subject: ACTION ALERT! -- back full funding for the California Arts Council Message-ID: <8CDB7716FBA6AD4E9280E6239595458820F025@tba-sbs.fileserver.theatrebayarea.com> Dear Arts Forum Supporters Act today! A new bill to fully fund the California Arts Council - at the national median of $1.00 per person - has been submitted in Sacramento and will be heard in committee next Tuesday at 9:30 AM. FAX a letter NOW to support this legislation! Many of you will remember Assembly Bill AB 1365, authored last year by Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach), which would have collected 20% of the revenues from the sales tax on works of art and like items (paintings, sculpture, musical instruments, sheet music, etc), and would have sent that revenue directly to the California Arts Council to restore funding for grants for artists and arts organizations serving communities throughout the state. That bill had early support in the Legislature, but foundered on the news of the $14 billion deficit. Karnette, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media, has resubmitted her bill as AB 2728 - with an important proviso we believe can help the proposal clear the Legislature and be signed by the Governor this year. The bill, as amended, calls for the same funding stream for the arts - and adds a trigger, saying that the bill will come into effect once the state has realized a surplus year and can forecast a second, and after the Governor's emergency bonds are paid off. That is, once the state puts its finances in order. Time is of the essence. We need letters FAXED to Betty Karnette and to Fiona Ma, also on the committee, by MONDAY, APRIL 7. You'll find a sample letter pasted below. Feel free to send this as is, adding a sentence or two about you and your organization, or about yourself as a concerned citizen. Also feel free to make whatever additions or changes you'd like. For more on AB 2728 visit the California Arts Advocates website: www.californiaartsadvocates.org Act now! Brad Erickson Deborah Cullinan Jessica Robinson Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director Theatre Bay Area Intersection for the Arts CounterPULSE April 3, 2008 The Honorable Betty Karnette Member of the California State Legislature State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 FAX: (916) 319-2154 RE: AB 2728 sales and use tax: California Arts Council funding LOCATION: Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee POSITION: Support Dear Assemblywoman Karnette: ONE SENTENCE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR COMPANY HERE. Thank you for proposing AB 2728 and taking the lead to secure a stable revenue source for the California Arts Council (CAC). The CAC is critical to guaranteeing that all citizens in all communities of the state have access to the arts. No other public or private agency has the mandate to pursue full access to the arts for the full citizenry. Along with giving every Californian access to the arts, the CAC is a crucial partner in supporting the 86,000 arts-related businesses that employ some 485,000 people in California. In particular, it is the mission of the CAC to sustain the nonprofit arts community which serves as a magnet for tourism and as an essential feeder industry and fundamental resource for the state's entertainment sector and our entire creative economy. Despite the importance of the arts to our state's economy and the profound role the arts play enriching our cultural life, building bridges of understanding between diverse communities and sparking creativity and innovation in all sectors, California currently stands dead last among all the states in public support of the arts-just 5 cents per person, when the national median is one dollar. AB 2728 recognizes the connection between art, government, and economic prosperity. Nonprofit arts have a $5.4 billion impact on the state's economy, including 66,000 full-time and 95,000 part-time jobs. Nonprofit arts organizations also generate nearly $300 million in state and local taxes. Sustaining this sector through a modest percentage of the sales tax already being collected from works of art and related items is simply a wise state investment that will increase revenues for the General Fund. We appreciate the fact that AB 2728 is not a new tax. Rather, it is a creative and potent means for the arts to support the arts. AB 2782 would direct some $33 million to the California Arts Council in the first year, rising gradually as sales tax revenues rise. AB 2728 is a long-term solution to a critical funding problem-and one that will return multiples on the dollar to the state's General Fund. Moreover, AB 2728 would not come into effect until the state has reached a stated level of fiscal stability. Thank you again for your support of the arts, and for your deep understanding of the way the nonprofit arts enrich the lives and the futures of all Californians. Sincerely, NAME TITLE ORGANIZATION ac. Fiona Ma FAX 916-319-2112 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://gdc.groupd.com/pipermail/artsforum-sf/attachments/20080403/34197b46/attachment-0001.html From Brad at theatrebayarea.org Tue Apr 8 10:16:12 2008 From: Brad at theatrebayarea.org (Brad Erickson) Date: Tue Apr 8 10:17:26 2008 Subject: SF Budget Briefing this Friday Message-ID: <8CDB7716FBA6AD4E9280E6239595458820F107@tba-sbs.fileserver.theatrebayarea.com> Dear Arts Forum Supporters The Mayor's Office is holding a briefing on the budget this Friday at the Main Library and extends this invitation to the arts community: Please Join Us for a Budget Stakeholders Briefing Learn about San Francisco's budget process, understand the deficit, and share your ideas Date: Friday, April 11 Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Location: Koret Auditorium, SF Main Library Sponsored by the Mayor's Office Questions: 554-6114 Brad Erickson Deborah Cullinan Jessica Robinson Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director Theatre Bay Area Intersection for the Arts CounterPULSE -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://gdc.groupd.com/pipermail/artsforum-sf/attachments/20080408/ba6397d9/attachment.html From Brad at theatrebayarea.org Wed Apr 9 11:49:04 2008 From: Brad at theatrebayarea.org (Brad Erickson) Date: Wed Apr 9 11:50:24 2008 Subject: Arts win Round One! Message-ID: <8CDB7716FBA6AD4E9280E62395954588266F51@tba-sbs.fileserver.theatrebayarea.com> Dear Arts Forum Supporters The arts win Round One! Assembly Bill 2728 (Karnette) - which seeks to refund the California Arts Council - cleared its first hurdle yesterday, passing out of the Assembly Committee on Arts & Entertainment. This bill, remember, seeks to fund the arts by allocating 20% of the sales on works of art and similar items (paintings, sculpture, musical instruments, sheet music, etc) and send those monies directly to the California Arts Council to fund its grant programs throughout the state. AB 2728 now moves to the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Tax, where it will be heard next Monday morning. This group will be a harder sell, and your letters to the author, Betty Karnette of Long Beach, and SF Assembly Member Fiona Ma, who sits on the Revenue & Tax Committee, will make a difference. If you sent a letter last week, no need to send another, if you did not, write one now. We're gaining momentum! FAX a letter, on your letterhead if you represent an organization, to Betty Karnette Fiona Ma California Arts Advocates - CAA is tracking support and posting all endorsing organizations to their website, www.californiartsadvocates.org You can find more info on AB 2728 there. A sample letter, with all the contact information, is pasted below. Act today! Brad Erickson Deobrah Cullinan Jessica Robinson Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director Theatre Bay Area Intersection for the Arts CounterPULSE April 8, 2008 The Honorable Betty Karnette Member of the California State Legislature State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 FAX: (916) 319-2154 RE: AB 2728 sales and use tax: California Arts Council funding LOCATION: Assembly Committee for Revenue and Tax POSITION: Support Dear Assemblywoman Karnette: A SENTENCE ABOUT YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION HERE. Thank you for proposing AB 2728 and taking the lead to secure a stable revenue source for the California Arts Council (CAC). The CAC is critical to guaranteeing that all citizens in all communities of the state have access to the arts. No other public or private agency has the mandate to pursue full access to the arts for the full citizenry. Along with giving every Californian access to the arts, the CAC is a crucial partner in supporting the 86,000 arts-related businesses that employ some 485,000 people in California. In particular, it is the mission of the CAC to sustain the nonprofit arts community which serves as a magnet for tourism and as an essential feeder industry and fundamental resource for the state's entertainment sector and our entire creative economy. Despite the importance of the arts to our state's economy and the profound role the arts play enriching our cultural life, building bridges of understanding between diverse communities and sparking creativity and innovation in all sectors, California currently stands dead last among all the states in public support of the arts-just 5 cents per person, when the national median is one dollar. AB 2728 recognizes the connection between art, government, and economic prosperity. Nonprofit arts have a $5.4 billion impact on the state's economy, including 66,000 full-time and 95,000 part-time jobs. Nonprofit arts organizations also generate nearly $300 million in state and local taxes. Sustaining this sector through a modest percentage of the sales tax already being collected from works of art and related items is simply a wise state investment that will increase revenues for the General Fund. We appreciate the fact that AB 2728 is not a new tax. Rather, it is a creative and potent means for the arts to support the arts. AB 2728 would direct some $33 million to the California Arts Council in the first year, rising gradually as sales tax revenues rise. AB 2728 is a long-term solution to a critical funding problem-and one that will return multiples on the dollar to the state's General Fund. Moreover, AB 2728 would not come into effect until California has reached a stated level of fiscal stability. Thank you again for your support of the arts, and for your deep understanding of the way the nonprofit arts enrich the lives and the futures of all Californians. Sincerely, NAME TITLE ORGANIZATION ac. Fiona Ma, FAX (916) 319-2112, California Arts Advocates, FAX (916) 979-1116 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://gdc.groupd.com/pipermail/artsforum-sf/attachments/20080409/956d9667/attachment-0001.html From Brad at theatrebayarea.org Fri Apr 18 14:22:03 2008 From: Brad at theatrebayarea.org (Brad Erickson) Date: Fri Apr 18 14:23:16 2008 Subject: Arts Win Round Two! Message-ID: <8CDB7716FBA6AD4E9280E62395954588267230@tba-sbs.fileserver.theatrebayarea.com> Dear Arts Forum Supporters The Arts Win Round Two! Assembly Bill 2728 (Karnette) - which seeks to refund the California Arts Council - cleared its second hurdle earlier this week, passing out of the Assembly Committee on Revenue & Tax. AND... during the hearing, Assembly Member Fiona Ma agreed to come on as a co-author! AB 2728 would fund the arts by allocating 20% of the sales on works of art and similar items (paintings, sculpture, musical instruments, sheet music, etc) and send those monies directly to the California Arts Council to fund its grant programs throughout the state. AB 2728 now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee - chaired by our own Mark Leno. This group will be harder to convince. Remember, this is where the bill stalled last year. Send a letter now to Mark Leno, asking him to support AB 2728 and to join as a co-author. FAX a letter, on your letterhead if you represent an organization, to Mark Leno Betty Karnette California Arts Advocates - CAA is tracking support and posting all endorsing organizations to their website, www.californiartsadvocates.org You can find more info on AB 2728 there. A sample letter, with all the contact information, is pasted below. Act today! Brad Erickson Deobrah Cullinan Jessica Robinson Executive Director Executive Director Executive Director Theatre Bay Area Intersection for the Arts CounterPULSE April 18, 2008 The Honorable Mark Leno Member of the California State Legislature State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 FAX: (916) 319-2113 RE: AB 2728 sales and use tax: California Arts Council funding LOCATION: Assembly Appropriations Committee POSITION: Support and Request to co-author Dear Assemblyman Leno: Theatre Bay Area is the nation's largest regional performing arts service organization, with 400 theatre and dance company members and nearly 3,000 individual artist members throughout the greater Bay Area. I am writing on behalf of the membership of Theatre Bay Area and as the President of California Arts Advocates-the statewide organization working to make the arts accessible to all Californians-respectfully seeking your support of AB 2728 and asking you to join your fellow San Francisco Assembly Member Fiona Ma in co-authoring the bill. You have been a leader in articulating the need for a dedicated source of income to support the arts in California. AB 2728 does just that, securing a stable revenue source for the California Arts Council (CAC). The CAC is critical to guaranteeing that all citizens in all communities of the state have access to the arts. No other public or private agency has the mandate to pursue full access to the arts for the full citizenry. Despite the importance of the arts to our state's economy and the profound role the arts play enriching our cultural life, building bridges of understanding between diverse communities and sparking creativity and innovation in all sectors, California currently stands dead last among all the states in public support of the arts-just 5 cents per person, when the national median is one dollar. AB 2728 recognizes the connection between art, government, and economic prosperity. Nonprofit arts have a $5.4 billion impact on the state's economy, including 66,000 full-time and 95,000 part-time jobs. Nonprofit arts organizations also generate nearly $300 million in state and local taxes. Sustaining this sector through a modest percentage of the sales tax already being collected from works of art and related items is simply a wise state investment that will increase revenues for the General Fund. AB 2728 is not a new tax. Rather, it is a creative and potent means for the arts to support the arts. AB 2728 would direct some $33 million to the California Arts Council in the first year, rising gradually as sales tax revenues rise. AB 2728 is a long-term solution to a critical funding problem-and one that will return multiples on the dollar to the state's General Fund. Moreover, AB 2728 would not come into effect until California has reached a specified level of fiscal stability. Thank you again for your support of the arts, and for your deep understanding of the way the nonprofit arts enrich the lives and the futures of all Californians. Sincerely, Brad Erickson Executive Director Theatre Bay Area ac. Betty Karnette (916) 319-2154, California Arts Advocates (916) 979-1116 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://gdc.groupd.com/pipermail/artsforum-sf/attachments/20080418/80ae2f40/attachment.html From deborah at theintersection.org Wed Apr 30 13:33:07 2008 From: deborah at theintersection.org (Deborah Cullinan) Date: Wed Apr 30 13:34:05 2008 Subject: Neighborhood Arts Festival - Final Week! Message-ID: <4818D783.4090007@theintersection.org> Greetings All, We are forwarding an invitation to all of you to attend the exciting, free, forward-looking events and activities that are taking place in commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the Neighborhood Arts Program. Enjoy! -- Deborah Cullinan Executive Director Intersection for the Arts 446 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415.626.2787 x 105 voice 415.626.1636 fax http://www.theintersection.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... 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