Milwaukee Arts Funding Alert

This just hit my e-mail mailbox from a couple of different sources. Please contact your Alderperson immediately:

Dear friends of the arts in Milwaukee:

At tomorrow's meeting (11-7-08) of the Milwaukee Common Council, an amendment to the city budget will be presented which would cut $100,000 from the Milwaukee Arts Board budget. Please see below the impact this would have on arts groups throughout the city.

We urge all friends of the arts to contact their Alderperson TODAY and urge them to vote NO on Amendment #117. Alderman Murphy, chair of the Arts Board and Alderman Kovac, a Board member, are working to preserve these funds. Your support, by calling YOUR Alderperson, will help their efforts.

Amendment #117: This amendment would substantially reduce funding for the Milwaukee Arts Board. We would note that the department's proposed 2009 budget is already less than the amount budgeted in 2008. The Arts Board uses these funds to make small grants to arts and cultural organizations for specific projects that broaden their audiences and make arts and culture more accessible to all citizens of Milwaukee. In 2008, the Arts Board funded projects by 29 groups that employ more than 1,000 people. Two-thirds of the funds went to arts education projects for children and youth.

If the City of Milwaukee provides at least $150,000 to the Arts Board, the State of Wisconsin will supplement the City funds. Milwaukee received $32,900 in supplementary State funds in 2008. The proposed amendment would make Milwaukee ineligible for State funds in 2009.

Please pass this on to staff, Board members and other friends of Milwaukee's arts.

To find your Alderman's contact information, please visit:http://www.city.milwaukee.gov/router.asp?docid=304