IE Stand Up for the Arts!
On Friday, May 24th, the Arts Connection team and The Garcia Center for the Arts amplified our community’s voice by addressing the crucial impact of state Arts and Cultural funding from the California Arts Council (CAC). This meeting addressed a critical issue: potential budget cuts totaling $22.5 million for the arts, alongside a proposal to move the CAC to Go.biz.
Our collective efforts included writing letters to our legislative members, having one on one meetings with officials, mobilizing the community to speak against these changes, and preparing our team to deliver public comments at the CAC emergency meeting.
As a result of our collective advocacy, along with support from the Inland Empire communities, we achieved several positive outcomes where both legislative houses have agreed to:
1. Maintain the full $12.5 million equitable payroll fund, a significant victory for the performing arts sector.
2. The proposed $10 million cut to the CAC has been reduced to $5 million, with a commitment to fully fund the CAC in the 2025-2026 budget.
3. The California Arts Council will remain independent and will not be moved to Go.biz.
These outcomes represent a substantial improvement from the initial $22.5 million cut, reducing it to a $5 million cut.
Next Steps: We wait for the final approval from the Governor's office.
P.S. During our meeting with Senator Steven Padilla office, their Legislative Director mentioned how effective and impressed he was with the Arts and Culture community mobilized around these budget cuts.
Thank you for your continued support for the arts!
If you would like to be more involved with our Advocacy efforts, please fill out our
San Bernardino County Arts Advocates interest form.
