Executive Director Danielle Brazell blogged for ARTSblog on her takeaways from the 2011 Americans for the Arts National Convention, and she wants your advice.

 

 

The great recession, as it’s now called, continues to wreak havoc on local government, school districts and our state.  Yet because of our grassroots power, arts and arts education are no longer sacrificed or treated as dessert. Congratulations, advocates-- that’s a success in itself!

 

Danielle Brazell blogs on what Budget Season 2011 may have in store, and what we can do to be a part of the solution.

 

The other night I had the opportunity to participate in a convening in the 2010 Bravo Forum. A program of the Music Center of Los Angeles County, the Forum's theme was Empowering Educators as Advocates for Arts Education.

 

 

Something’s happening here! Our vast region of 88 cities, 81 school districts and approximately 140 (that’s right, 140!) unincorporated areas is transforming once again.

 

 

I’ve been thinking….

About why I do what I do. It could feel like a never-ending battle to increase support for the arts in Los Angeles, especially during tough budget cycles.

It's hard to believe it was just four years ago that I was working in the basement of Grand Performances, plugging in the phone lines, building our first website and membership campaign.

At the dawn of a new decade those of us who are working in arts and culture find ourselves in an interesting moment.  

The state fiscal crisis continues to impact cities and school districts throughout our region.  While our individual goals may be to maintain our own organizations' solvency, our collective goal must be to retain the critical infrastructure that has been built over the past ten years, especially in arts education.

Building strong support for the arts and arts education is what you do every day.  Yet resources continue to dwindle, as the state economic forecast affirms that fiscal recovery is slow for California.  This means that counties, cities and school districts will continue to grapple with insurmountable budget deficits, short falls and cuts to essential city services.