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Arts district to keep funding major groups
Facing a 50 percent budget cut in 2011, the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District voted on Thursday, Sept. 2, to continue funding 16 major organizations and the Schuster Performing Arts Center at reduced levels.
It imposed a moratorium on grants to individual artists and special projects, which totaled $200,000 in 2010.
The district will have $500,000 to allocate in 2011, down from $1 million in 2010.
Arts and cultural groups will share $400,000 of that, reduced from the current year’s $600,000. The Schuster Center, which got $100,000 this year, will receive $66,000. The remaining $34,000 will go for administrative expenses.
Trustees Willis “Bing” Davis and Noreen Willhelm, the only two board members to vote no on the new allocations, expressed concern that small and non-traditional organizations will suffer. “They are already underfunded,” Davis said.
Grants committee chair Bill Vaughn and strategic planning committee chair Judy Thompson said their panels had examined and strenuously debated the moratorium issue. District board president Jeff Hoagland said future funding options will be re-examined in early 2011.
The 16 groups that will continue to receive money include: Aullwood, Audubon Center, Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Cityfolk, Dayton Ballet, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton History, Dayton Opera, Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Public Radio, Dayton Visual Arts Center, Human Race Theatre Company, K-12 Gallery for Young People, Muse Machine, Think TV, Victoria Theatre Association and We Care Arts.
Arts and Cultural District funds come from Montgomery County sales tax receipts. For more information, go to http://www.mcohio.org/services/ced/art_cultural.html.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment | Categories: Arts News
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By rotroost
September 3, 2010 4:38 PM | Link to this
$400,000 can buy a lot of police and fire protection and be a more appropriate use of taxpayer money…
By Bill
September 3, 2010 5:50 PM | Link to this
Wanna help fund the Arts? The Annual Ladyfest is at c space, 20 N. Jefferson St. all weekend. Urban Nights, free to the public next weekend has many things to see and do. The trouble is, some who comment here are the least to understand what the different Art Programs contribute to the area and are the ones that should attend and maybe see and learn for themselves
By menarebad
September 3, 2010 9:17 PM | Link to this
Ladyfest? Sounds sexist. Does it include men artists or are they excluded because of gender? I’ll pass.
By Ed Borden
September 4, 2010 3:26 AM | Link to this
government funds should not be used to pay for art. PERIOD
By francis schanberger
September 4, 2010 3:56 AM | Link to this
The impact on the cultural experience of Dayton citizens will be much greater than the 50% cut in spending for 2011. We need musicians, dancers, poets and artists to truly make Montgomery county a creative and thriving place to live.
By artslvr
September 4, 2010 7:16 AM | Link to this
I choose to live in the Dayton Metro area because of it’s creative spirit. I believe ‘the arts’ are essential to our community’s well-being and quality of life. Funding the arts is vital!
By Writer
September 4, 2010 8:27 AM | Link to this
As a former recipient of a Montgomery County individual artist’s grant, I am grateful that this remarkable initiative remains part of a possible future. I regret more the loss this year of special projects funding, which brought the arts to so many young people. Without new audiences, even the larger groups will continue to struggle. But cutbacks are no surprise; arts funding comes from the sales tax, and no one is spending in Montgomery County. Think about that as you raise a glass in sorrow—at The Greene.
By Jim
September 4, 2010 9:08 AM | Link to this
rotroost, the arts are important to the culture and vibrancy of a city.
By Miss Maha
September 4, 2010 11:41 AM | Link to this
Dayton ranks #1 in Arts and Culture among U.S. mid-sized cities AND we are considered to be one of the “Top 20 Best Cultural Bargain Cities” in the country!! Our Cultural Arts scene is CRITICAL to retain our current residents and help attract new residents, not to mention sustain and grow our region. For those of you who do not understand or believe that we should be financially assisting the Arts… Then you should take some time to do research and understand the detrimental impact it would make on the Dayton Region if we cut all funding to the Arts.
By Harish Trivedi
September 6, 2010 12:40 PM | Link to this
Schusters center and other downtown organizations seem to be getting a disproportinate amount of funding when one compares to art funding to minority and ethnci organizations. The downtown ‘majors’ also get funding from the Culture Wroks’ annual fund-raising campaign. The County needs to reevaluate its arts funding policieis. The Schuster center also gets a largess from the State.
By Harish Trivedi
September 6, 2010 12:42 PM | Link to this
Schusters center and other downtown organizations seem to be getting a disproportinate amount of funding when one compares to art funding to minority and ethnci organizations. The downtown ‘majors’ also get funding from the Culture Wroks’ annual fund-raising campaign. The County needs to reevaluate its arts funding policieis. The Schuster center also gets a largess from the State.
By Harish Trivedi
September 6, 2010 12:42 PM | Link to this
Schusters center and other downtown organizations seem to be getting a disproportinate amount of funding when one compares to art funding to minority and ethnci organizations. The downtown ‘majors’ also get funding from the Culture Wroks’ annual fund-raising campaign. The County needs to reevaluate its arts funding policieis. The Schuster center also gets a largess from the State.