SAVE THE ARTS

Something kind of fishy is going on over at the NYSCA site. We’re told that “creative industries employ nearly 200,000 New Yorkers” and that “the annual economic impact of the arts on NY state is $25.7 billion;” we’re led to the Alliance for the Arts 2005 stat breakdown that tells us that the arts generate 194,000 jobs, $9.8 billion in wages, that nonprofit culture makes up 27% of the economic impact on the state (that’s $5.8 billion) and is a steadily growing component–basically that funding for the arts is REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, and yet

the governor STILL wants to CUT 40% OF THE FUNDING FOR NYSCA, dropping its budget from $41.6 million to $25.2 million.

To which we say, What gives?

NYFA is fighting the good fight, providing some suggestions for how you can help:

“SAVE THE ARTS starts MAY 20 and continues until we have a state budget.

Send the SAVE THE ARTS logo to your constituent organizations and artists so they can take action. Of course, take action yourself.

Download and Print out the SAVE THE ARTS IN MY COMMUNITY postcard. Ask your constituents to do the same.

Distribute the postcards at every performance, exhibition, class, reading, meeting, to your board and to your staff. Then mail the postcards to the appropriate legislators.

Download and customize the press release so it describes what your organization will be doing to demonstrate the impact of the 40% cut.
Post the SAVE THE ARTS logos to your facebook page.
Facebook and Tweet the 40% cut message.
Continue to send emails to your legislators and to the leadership in Albany, Assemblyman Silver and Senator Sampson.

We already have more than 16,000 emails in their inboxes. BUT we must keep up the pressure. So forward the email to everyone you know.”

Because how much would it suck if you only ever got 40%?