Art in the News - 2015
Read the latest arts news
Two weeks after the mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, artists nationwide are using their craft to address the killings, honor the victims, and call for systematic change. Art forms ranging from murals, paintings, and spoken word to public installations and dance performances are helping Charleston— and the rest of America—unite in the wake of the June 17th massacre.
Texas's biennial budget session ended on June 20 with Governor Greg Abbott approving base funding for the Texas Commission for the Arts (TCA) at $6,669,614 for 2016 and 2017.
The Arts & Business Council of New York (ABC/NY) recently launched an online matching portal for its Employee Engagement Program.
On June 18, Philadelphia City Council announced that it would not decrease the Philadelphia Cultural Fund's budget. In his 2016 proposed budget, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced he would decrease the Cultural Fund's budget to $1.8 million - a cut of 40 percent. The City Council has now approved an amended city budget that will keep the Philadelphia Cultural Fund's budget at $3.14 million.
Last Friday, June 19, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed off on capping the state's film tax credit program at $180 million. In the bill, a provision stipulates that film productions will not be able cash in on awarded film credit until the middle of 2016. The law will also place a limit of issuing no more than $30 million per film, which could impact large productions selecting Louisiana to film.
On June 17, California Governor Jerry Brown approved an increase of $8.3 million from the state’s general fund to the California Arts Council, which is $2.1 million more than what he originally proposed for the 2015-2016 budget.
Grant deadline alert! Did you know that funds are available for arts projects in and about the National Park System?
On May 23rd and 24th 2015, the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra capped its season with the second iteration of Symphony in Sculpture—a musical tour of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park—which featured six new movements by Emmy Award-winning composer Steve Heitzeg.
United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) recently held its 35th annual Ride for the Arts in the city of Milwaukee. The event, which supports UPAF's United Arts Fund campaign, has become one of the largest one-day recreational bike rides, with major sponsors like MillerCoors. This year, over 5,000 riders raised more than $550,000 as part of the United Performing Arts Fund campaign.
On June 1, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced his “Shared Prosperity for the Arts Package,” which will provide $7 million to city arts programs over the next two years.
