Al Head, Executive Director, Alabama State Council on the ArtsAs Montgomery tightens its fiscal belt, state arts funding continues to slide, taking a toll on arts organizations throughout the state.
G
rants
from the Alabama State Council on the Arts are down 25 percent in the
round of awards announced Sept. 16 in Guntersville. Totaling
$1,476,080 for fiscal year 2011-12, the amount is about $500,000
less
than 2010-11, and nearly $700,000 less than 2009-10.
"There have been cutbacks to try to balance budgets," said ASCA's Executive Director Al Head. "Legislators have had a really hard job trying to do that. I sympathize with the problem, but we have to do as good as job as we can talking about how arts are significant and central to state government, as opposed to a frill.
" Established in 1966, ASCA awards grants three times a year for individual artists, projects and operating support, and hosts several programs in folklife, arts education and other areas. Its current budget is $3.8 million in state funds, with an additional $650,000 in federal funds.
"About four years ago, we were at an all-time high of $5.8 million," said Head. "We have been taking across the board cuts as part of proration during the last three years. In the past, we have absorbed 2.5 percent and 7 percent cuts, and we have been surviving that, but a 25 percent cut -- about a million dollars -- involves more than tweaking the budget. These are serious cutbacks."
Returning grant recipients shared the 25 percent loss, further stressing finances and forcing them to look elsewhere for funding.
Opera Birmingham has scheduled one full-length opera for its 2011-12 season instead of the usual two. General Director John Jones said the ASCA cuts -- about $4,000 -- are only a small part of the organization's budget shortfall.
"We have seen decreases in all funding sources -- corporations, foundations, city, county, state and the National Endowment for the Arts -- everything except individuals. Much to the arts council's credit, we knew early in the year that this was coming. They have been the most stalwart funder. When we go through tough times, we have to realize it's not their choice."
The Alabama Symphony, whose ASCA grant was reduced by more than $40,000, has also been going through a series of budget cuts.
"We have to understand that the entire state budget is undergoing intense scrutiny and cuts are being made everywhere," said ASO Executive Director Curt Long. "We anticipated that we would see reductions from the state and we have had other donors inform us that they will be reducing what they will give to the orchestra this year. It's a challenging time for all of us."
As drastic as the cuts are, things could be worse, not just in Alabama but nationally, said Head.
"Some areas were actually cut more than we were, as much as 45 percent," he said. "Kansas (Arts Commission) was pretty much eliminated, and some other organizations were recommended for elimination but were able to overcome that. As legislatures look at core mission priorities, in some cases the arts have been left out. We have really not had to argue the case of whether the arts council in Alabama should exist or not."
Head said that the arts not only impact quality of life, they are also a financial asset.
"Arts are an investment, not an expense," he said. "If you invest in the growth of your state, you reap dividends down the road. "We have made a lot of progress over the years, and we would really hate to see that disappear."
"There have been cutbacks to try to balance budgets," said ASCA's Executive Director Al Head. "Legislators have had a really hard job trying to do that. I sympathize with the problem, but we have to do as good as job as we can talking about how arts are significant and central to state government, as opposed to a frill.
" Established in 1966, ASCA awards grants three times a year for individual artists, projects and operating support, and hosts several programs in folklife, arts education and other areas. Its current budget is $3.8 million in state funds, with an additional $650,000 in federal funds.
"About four years ago, we were at an all-time high of $5.8 million," said Head. "We have been taking across the board cuts as part of proration during the last three years. In the past, we have absorbed 2.5 percent and 7 percent cuts, and we have been surviving that, but a 25 percent cut -- about a million dollars -- involves more than tweaking the budget. These are serious cutbacks."
Returning grant recipients shared the 25 percent loss, further stressing finances and forcing them to look elsewhere for funding.
Opera Birmingham has scheduled one full-length opera for its 2011-12 season instead of the usual two. General Director John Jones said the ASCA cuts -- about $4,000 -- are only a small part of the organization's budget shortfall.
"We have seen decreases in all funding sources -- corporations, foundations, city, county, state and the National Endowment for the Arts -- everything except individuals. Much to the arts council's credit, we knew early in the year that this was coming. They have been the most stalwart funder. When we go through tough times, we have to realize it's not their choice."
The Alabama Symphony, whose ASCA grant was reduced by more than $40,000, has also been going through a series of budget cuts.
"We have to understand that the entire state budget is undergoing intense scrutiny and cuts are being made everywhere," said ASO Executive Director Curt Long. "We anticipated that we would see reductions from the state and we have had other donors inform us that they will be reducing what they will give to the orchestra this year. It's a challenging time for all of us."
As drastic as the cuts are, things could be worse, not just in Alabama but nationally, said Head.
"Some areas were actually cut more than we were, as much as 45 percent," he said. "Kansas (Arts Commission) was pretty much eliminated, and some other organizations were recommended for elimination but were able to overcome that. As legislatures look at core mission priorities, in some cases the arts have been left out. We have really not had to argue the case of whether the arts council in Alabama should exist or not."
Head said that the arts not only impact quality of life, they are also a financial asset.
"Arts are an investment, not an expense," he said. "If you invest in the growth of your state, you reap dividends down the road. "We have made a lot of progress over the years, and we would really hate to see that disappear."
ASCA
SEPTEMBER GRANTS
Alabama
State Council on the Arts awarded 137 grants at its meeting in
Guntersville on Sept. 16. Areas include arts in education, folk
art,
community literature, performing and visual arts, and
operating
expenses for major art institutions. The grants are to
applied from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2012. Here is a list of those
recipients that received $20,000 or more:
Alabama Shakespeare Festival (Montgomery), $165,000.
Birmingham Museum of Art, $153,000.
Alabama Symphony Orchestra (Birmingham), $129,500.
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, $93,000.
Mobile Museum of Art, $76,000.
Red Mountain Theatre Company (Birmingham), $41,000.
Huntsville Symphony, $39,000.
Huntsville Museum of Art, $37,000.
Mobile Symphony, $36,000.
Centre for the Living Arts, Inc. (Mobile), $32,500.
Alabama Ballet (Birmingham), $32,000.
Gadsden Cultural Arts Foundation, Inc., $28,500.
Birmingham Children's
Theatre, $21,500.
Cultural Alliance
of Greater Birmingham, $20,000.