Senate Nixes NEA Funding...

But it's not over yet...

     This is straight from the latest Southern Arts Federation (an arm of the National Endowment for the Arts) newsletter:
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their version of the Economic Recovery Package which included $50 million in supplemental grants funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, which offered the following statement, "the arts and culture industry is a sector of the economy just like any other with workers who pay taxes, mortgages, rent and contribute in other ways to the economy; and that the National Endowment for the Arts is uniquely positioned to assist in job stimulation for that industry."

The U.S. Senate's version of the bill does not include the NEA funding. The differences in the two bills now will be negotiated by a conference committee of both houses. Your help in communicating the value of this funding to your Member of Congress is critical.

Visit the Arts Action Center (Americans for the Arts)

     This is directly affecting how our gallery show, Storybook Look, is being scheduled (or not). When it was first picked up the SAF fully expected the show to book up almost immediately. And then the economic crisis hit. And now with funding for the arts as one of the issues on the chopping block in the Economic Recovery Package, it may get worse. This directly affects me, SCBWI-Southern Breeze illustrators, the event planners at the SAF and employees of the NEA. We may not build cars, but these are still jobs and they need to be secure.
     Please visit the Arts Action Center (Americans for the Arts) to get information on how to contact your representatives and tell them to keep the Arts IN the program!!

UPDATE! WE DID IT!! Funding for the arts remained IN the economic recovery package that just passed! Read more at Americans for the Arts. YEAH!!!

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