What Will More Budget Cuts Mean to the Nevada Arts Council?

Legislature Approves NAC Budget Cuts
On Thursday, May 12, the Joint Meeting of the Assembly Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees approved Governor Sandoval’s recommendation’s to dissolve the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), merge its agencies with other state departments, and reduce the Nevada Arts Council (NAC) budget 10% for each of the next two years.  In reducing NAC state funding to $952,478 a year, the Joint Committee eliminated two positions and further reduced dollars for grants and programs. This action followed an unexpected cut of 43% last session, which required suspension of long-standing and valued programs, grants and services. Discussion about the NAC budget was minimal, with several members speaking to the value of the arts. The vote to reduce NAC funding for grants was not unanimous, however a motion to restore partial funding failed.

Dismantling the Department
The NAC, along with the Division of Museums and History, will formally merge with the re-named Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs on October 1. The NAC Carson City office will remain in its current location.  Almost half of NAC general funds will be replaced with room tax collected by Tourism. The Office of Historic Preservation returns to the Department of Natural Resources, and State Library and Archives merges with the Department of Administration. Six DCA positions will be eliminated and two will transfer to Tourism. Funding to open the new Springs Preserve Museum on a part-time basis, with the hiring of six new positions, was approved--as well as funding to keep the other seven state museums open part-time. These additional funds, again, will come from room taxes. The Commission on Cultural Affairs, with its funds tied to the sales of state bonds, has frozen its activities. Read more in the Spring Issue of Nevada Arts News. The statewide nonprofit Nevada Humanities, slated for a sizeable reduction, received an ‘add-back’ of $30,000 per year. The Humanities’ pass-through funding was originally slated to be overseen by the NAC, however the Committee voted against that recommendation. Other actions relating to DCA divisions were enacted during the three and half hour meeting.



What Will More Budget Cuts Mean to the Nevada Arts Council?
The NAC Board continues to pursue all avenues to restore funding to the Arts Council prior to the end of this session. However, the Board must address the ramifications of this 10% cut, which was described to legislators as the “tipping point” for this agency.  Suspended after last session’s 43% cut were Challenge, Design Arts, Local Sustainability and Artist in Residence Grants. Funding for Artist Fellowships and other grant categories were reduced significantly. NEON, a nationally respected arts journal, and other publications were eliminated, as was staff travel to rural and isolated communities to provide workshops, site visits and community action planning.

FY12 Grant Panels
NAC moved forward on May 16-19 with the review of FY12 annual grant applications—nearly 250 of them. NAC believes it is crucial for elected officials to be mindful of Nevada’s breadth of arts and cultural programs. The arts are part of the recovery for Nevada and the nation, and NAC will insure that the work of the arts industry does not go unnoticed.
NAC Cuts To Be Deliberated By Board
After the NAC grant panels are completed in June (fellowship awards, June 7-9), the NAC Board will review a number of options to accommodate all cuts for the next two years. Without a restoration of the 10% cut already approved, the Board must approve a sobering decrease and/or suspension of certain grants, programs and services, such as:

• Additional cuts to all recipients of NAC grant funds
• Suspension of Partners-in-Excellence, Tier 5 Level grants
• Suspension of grants to municipalities and government agencies, including cities, counties and institutions of higher education.
• Suspension of grants for applicants that receive other state funding or line items in support of programming or organizational operations.
• Suspension of NAC services and programs to rural and isolated communities (such as Poetry Out Loud, Traveling Exhibition Program, Community Action Planning, Grantee Site Visits, and Outreach Activities/Workshops), which require travel funds or extensive commitment of staff time.
• Closure of the NAC Las Vegas office.
• Other cost-saving actions as necessary.

The NAC Board is scheduled to meet June 14; the location and time will be posted on the NAC website. As always, this meeting will be open to the public.