Background and Talking Points
BACKGROUNDTo address the Nevada’s continuing budget crisis and the $881 million budget gap for this present fiscal year, Governor Gibbons has called for a special session of the Legislature to begin on February 23.
During the last legislative session, the Nevada Arts Council endured a nearly 43% cut—one of the deepest cuts to one of the smallest state agencies. NAC carefully implemented these cuts with precision to cause the least harm while maintaining stewardship of valued state and federal resources.
Be advised that, during the special session, the Nevada Arts Council is again vulnerable to more budget cuts. These cuts will be crippling in scope – and now threaten to eliminate access to arts and educational programs that Nevadans rely upon in cities and towns across the state.
ACTION/TALKING POINTS
It is absolutely critical that artists, arts educators, volunteers, administrators and business leaders join forces as engaged and unified citizens and clearly explain to our elected officials that these cuts will remove the very solutions they seek to help heal our state’s economy.
The NAC has now been directed to cut an additional 10% for a total reduction in state funding of 53% through June, 2011.
Cutting the NAC any deeper will not diminish the budget deficit in any meaningful way.
Instead, it further reduces, suspends or eliminates services and would jeopardize the precious and required match required to retain our federal grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Without NEA funding, Nevada loses its state arts agency.
We wouldn’t be at the bottom of the national list for per capita spending for the arts - we wouldn’t be on the list at all.
Nevada’s elected leaders must again be reminded that public funding for the arts is as essential for the health and recovery of our state as funding for any other agency.
MORE TALKING POINTS
When you contact your elected legislative officials, tell your story, but more importantly tell them that the arts are part of Nevada’s future. If the arts go away, so do the core values of Nevada that makes it a worthy state to call home.
The arts industry is comprised of large and small businesses and entrepreneurs—the very same business sector that our government says is critical to Nevada’s recovery.
The arts drive economies and attract 21st-century businesses to our state.
The arts attract quality tourists who stay longer and spend more money.
The arts are one of the most efficient and effective reasons for Nevada’s middle class to remain in this state, maintaining homes, paying taxes, supporting businesses and contributing to a positive ripple effect that sustains our state’s economy.
Because of other cuts to Nevada’s school districts, the Nevada Arts Council and our grantee constituents are now providing primary, frontline education programs for our youth, providing that critical link between creative thinking and science, history and other core subjects.
Nevada Arts Council grantees engaged nearly 500,000 children in arts education programs in FY2009.
The arts teach these young people to be productive, creative leaders and engaged citizens.
The arts therefore engage and retain Nevada’s most creative workforce.
And the arts, during these most difficult of times, provide a sense of place for Nevada’s citizens, and maintain spirits and morale when it’s needed most.
The Nevada Arts Council accomplishes all this and more on a fraction of a sliver of the state budget: one-third of one percent…or three pennies for every one thousand dollars of state spending.
It may be only 3 cents on the dollar, but look what is accomplished. The State of Nevada provides, through the Nevada Arts Council, essential, fundamental services of a responsible government.
