State Budget Passes and Arts Funding Increases
California Gov. Jerry Brown, center, signs a budget bill as he is joined by Assembly member Phil Ting, from left, Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and budget chairs Senator Holly Mitchell, June 27, 2018. Jae C. Hong / AP Photo
Today let’s take a moment to celebrate a victory for the arts
in California and recognize California Arts Advocates’ contribution
to restoring funding to the California Arts Council!
Thanks so much to the Governor and our devoted champions in the Legislature for recognizing the great value of arts and creativity to our state! This effort was driven by California Arts Advocates, a 501(c) for advocacy organization that hires a lobbyist and is led by a dedicated volunteer Board from all around the state. Yesterday, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed a state budget that includes a $8.8 million one-time increased funding allocation for the California Arts Council, California’s state arts agency.
The overall California Arts Council budget for fiscal year 2018-19 also includes approximately $1.1 million in annual federal support from the National Endowment for the Arts, and approximately $2.5 million in annual funds from sales and renewals of California’s Arts License Plate and voluntary state tax return contributions to the Keep Arts in Schools Fund. With all sources combined, the Arts Council’s total 2018-19 budget will be approximately $27.53 million. The budget also includes an additional, separate $8 million state allocation for California’s Arts in Corrections program, administered by the California Arts Council.
Recent California Arts Council State General Fund Allocations
California’s investment in the arts has been steadily increasing since fiscal year 2013-2014.
CAA has an impressive track record over the last six years in gradually restoring CAC funding but we are not back to the historic $32M peak from 2001 and California is still ranked 38th out of 50 states in per capita state arts funding for 2017-18.
If you are a current member of CAA, THANK YOU, your support made these efforts possible!
If you are not a member or it is time to renew, please do so today. We must continue to lobby for funding for the arts, the creative economy depends on it and all communities that receive CAC grants benefit from our work.
Please support CAA’s work through your personal or organizational membership.
https://californiaartsadvocates.org/membership/join-today/