This morning I received the following message from Arts North Carolina:
North Carolina Arts Council Grants Funding – Take Action Now
Arts North Carolina believes that funding for the grants programs of the North Carolina Arts Council is in jeopardy. Emails must be sent by everyone to all members of the House and Senate General Government Committees and Appropriation leadership stating your position that arts funding is essential. Please take action no later than Thursday noon and forward this email to other advocates.
Instructions:
The subject Line of your email should be Arts Funding Essential.
Your communication must not appear to be a “form†letter. Only the opening sentence should be the same.
If one of the target legislators is from your district, indicate this following the opening sentence.
Opening Sentence: I am writing to ask your support for $6,000,000 in grants funding for the North Carolina Arts Council.
Keep your communications SHORT. Select only ONE Talking Point from those suggested below and give specific examples from your community.
Send your emails to:
HOUSE
Speaker Thom Tillis -Â Â Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net
APPROPRIATIONS
Representative Harold Brubaker -Â Â Harold.Brubaker@ncleg.net
Representative Jeff Barnhart -Â Â Jeff.Barnhart@ncleg.net
Representative Mitch Gillespie -Â Â Mitch.Gillespie@ncleg.net
Representative Linda Johnson -Â Â Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net
APPROPRIATIONS SUB-COMMITTEE ON GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Representative George Cleveland -Â Â George.Cleveland@ncleg.net
Representative Dale Folwell -Â Â Dale.Folwell@ncleg.net
Representative Elmer Floyd (Vice-Chair) -Â Â Elmer.Floyd@ncleg.net
Representative Alma Adams -Â Â Alma.Adams@ncleg.net
Representative Glen Bradley -Â Â Glen.Bradley@ncleg.net
Representative Susan Fisher -Â Â Susan.Fisher@ncleg.net
Representative Rosa Gill -Â Â Rosa.Gill@ncleg.net
Representative Mike Hager -Â Â Mike.Hager@ncleg.net
Representative Phillip Haire -Â Â Phillip.Haire@ncleg.net
Representative Pricey Harrison -Â Â Pricey.Harrison@ncleg.net
Representative Kelly Hastings -Â Â Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net
Representative Grey Mills -Â Â Grey.Mills@ncleg.net
Representative Ruth Samuelson -Â Â Ruth.Samuelson@ncleg.net
Representative John Torbett -Â Â John.Torbett@ncleg.net
SENATE
President Pro Tempore Phil Burger -Â Â Phil.Berger@ncleg.net
APPROPRIATIONSÂ /Â BASE BUDGET
Senator Pete Brunstetter (Chair) -Â Â Peter.Brunstetter@ncleg.net
Senator Neal Hunt (Chair) -Â Â Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net
Senator Richard Stevens (Chair) -Â Â Richard.Stevens@ncleg.net
Senator Tom Apodaca (Vice Chair) -Â Â Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net
Senator Linda Garrou (Vice Chair) -Â Â Linda.Garrou@ncleg.net
APPROPRIATIONS ON GENERAL GOVERNMENTÂ /Â INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Senator Andrew Brock (Chair) -Â Â Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net
Senator Jim Davis (Chair) -Â Â Jim.Davis@ncleg.net
Senator Dan Blue -Â Â Dan.Blue@ncleg.net
Senator Malcolm Graham -Â Â Malcolm.Graham@ncleg.net
Senator Rick Gunn -Â Â Rick.Gunn@ncleg.net
Talking Points:
- The state invested $6.6 million in arts grants funding in 2009, yet employees of the funded organizations returned $3.3 million in income taxes back to the state. These taxes are a direct return to the state, but the investment continues to multiply in our economy as arts groups spend money on goods and services.
- The grants money was distributed to all 100 counties and the funded projects attracted more than 9.2 million participants.
- The state invested $6.6 million in arts grants funding in 2009, but organizations receiving grants funds generated $223 million in total income. The money stays in the local economy and is spent on services, retail, and hospitality.
- For every $1 invested by the state, the arts organization raises an additional $17 from other sources. The state money helps leverage donations, sponsorships, and local government support. The process for receiving a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council is rigorous and fully transparent.
- When a person buys a ticket for a non-profit arts performance, state grants help lower the ticket price so more citizens can participate. Yet for every ticket purchased, the citizen spends on average an additional $27.50 per ticket on restaurants, parking and transportation, gifts and souvenirs, concessions, etc. Grants are essential to attract more audiences who in turn spend more money.
- Non-profit arts organizations provide essential services to our citizens more effectively and efficiently than government including jobs creation, skills training, improved public education, revitalized towns and cities, and compelling tourism attractions. The non-profit arts sector is the heart and soul of our North Carolina’s creative industry, which in turn supports 300,000 jobs or 5.54 % of total state employment and produces goods and services of more than $41.4 billion.
For additional advocacy information, see Arts North Carolina’s new website at www.artsnc.org.
Please forward responses to your communications to advocacy@artsnc.org.