The National Endowment for the Arts came out with an interesting statement that makes the case for using money from the economic stimulus package (still being debated) to fund programs and projects in the arts. Specifically, for the Endowment to distribute the funds through its established grant program, thereby boosting the arts division of the economy and creating jobs in creative industries.
Quoting from the statement: "...NEA Chairman Dana Gioia noted, "Arts organizations have been hit enormously hard by the current recession. They've seen their support drop from corporations, foundations, and municipalities. This infusion of funds will help sustain them, their staffs, and the artists they employ. We are hopeful that Congress and the new administration will support this important investment."
Hopeful: the Endowment preceedes to make its case for more funding through the stimulus bill, but with current opposition to the massive amounts of spending proposed strong in the legislature, it's unclear if /when the package will pass, or if the Endowment will get anything at all.
BUT! If the National Endowment does get a piece of the stimulus pie it will be looking for well-developed project proposals and initiatives that can best put that money to use immediately. Meaning- now is the time! Jersey City arts organizations, pull back out your pipe dreams and start developing ideas for how to make this glimmer of national funding work for you. Plus, the case the Endowment makes for the arts as just another sector of the economy that would benefit from an infusion of funds is an excellent one that can be used as an argument for aditional municipal arts funding. Make use of it.
Read the full press-release here
2 comments:
Now is the time...yes ! However, if JC is to get any $ from this potential pie the various "art groups" here in "Jerzy Citi" MUST work together to put forth a coherent proposal for the ARTS and not just the individual organization.
This is a concept that seems to have gone the way of the DooDoo Bird...working together..my what an idea. Visual, performing and martial arts groups all of whom want a local multi-faceted venue need to interact for the common goal of a Hudson County Arts Center.
Until this happens or someone wins the lottery and donates a building AND serious big bucks to maintain it to an individual organization then the idea will remain just that.
What an idea indeed! I'd love to see some of JC's non-profits teaming up to develop more expansive programs. I'm currently working on a proposal (just in case!) that would provide free art workshops through the Jersey City library system. No details on the sponsoring org yet, but library patrons and staff have nothing to offer kids that just hang at local branches because they have nothing else to do/nowhere safe to go, so basic arts programming (with minimal overhead) could really meet a community need. More later, but in the meantime, any other ideas for mutual cooperation? (*sings* co-operation, make it happen)
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