Comments on: Cuts to Dallas Arts Budget Leave Some for Dead http://artandseek.net/2010/07/07/cuts-to-dallas-arts-budget-leave-some-for-dead/ Arts, Culture, Music for North Texas Tue, 22 May 2012 05:21:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jac Alder http://artandseek.net/2010/07/07/cuts-to-dallas-arts-budget-leave-some-for-dead/comment-page-1/#comment-12606 Jac Alder Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:50:10 +0000 http://artandseek.net/?p=20190#comment-12606 The Arts of Dallas served over 5 million people last year; people who paid money for admissions and memberships. It takes public support to make this happen: but all should remember that most of the Arts' budgets aren't derived from tax monies, but from earnings and grants that generate useful economic activity. Not nearly all that 5 million went to the Arts district and its new buildings. Vital performances happen all over the city for all levels of the electorate. Fair Park Music Hall, The Majestic, Theatre Three, The Dallas Childrens Theater, the Bathhouse Cultural Center, Teatro Dallas, Samuell Grand Park (for Shakespeare Dallas and Junior Players), McFarlin Auditorium, the Kalita Humphreys Theater, the KD Studio Theater -- arts all over Dallas have Dallas artists hard at work to meet the challenge of doing more with less. It's bad and ugly that the staff-proposed budget cuts slashed promised support for the Arts district facilities from $2.5 million to $200,000. Worse, in my view, are proposed 73% cuts to cultural services -- cuts that will certainly kill some organizations built with decades of dedicated service: cuts that will rob experienced and talented artists of work. Belts are tight all over town. Everybody understands the need and tightens up. But, as Lee Cullum properly notes, this budget manages to reverse decades of decisions regarding the arts. Is this council and its mayor ready to turn its back on Dallas's historic support for the arts? Can't it find funds (or shift funds)to(at least) up the Arts budget to "life support" level until economic health returns? I'm grieving for the talented artists the city is now fortunate to have. Many have dedicated so much time, talent and energy to create a thriving arts and arts education climate only to be shoved to the bottom of the list of city concerns. The city staff budget does just that. JAC ALDER JAC ALDER The Arts of Dallas served over 5 million people last year; people who paid money for admissions and memberships. It takes public support to make this happen: but all should remember that most of the Arts’ budgets aren’t derived from tax monies, but from earnings and grants that generate useful economic activity.

Not nearly all that 5 million went to the Arts district and its new buildings. Vital performances happen all over the city for all levels of the electorate. Fair Park Music Hall, The Majestic, Theatre Three, The Dallas Childrens Theater, the Bathhouse Cultural Center, Teatro Dallas, Samuell Grand Park (for Shakespeare Dallas and Junior Players), McFarlin Auditorium, the Kalita Humphreys Theater, the KD Studio Theater — arts all over Dallas have Dallas artists hard at work to meet the challenge of doing more with less.

It’s bad and ugly that the staff-proposed budget cuts slashed promised support for the Arts district facilities from $2.5 million to $200,000. Worse, in my view, are proposed 73% cuts to cultural services — cuts that will certainly kill some organizations built with decades of dedicated service: cuts that will rob experienced and talented artists of work.

Belts are tight all over town. Everybody understands the need and tightens up. But, as Lee Cullum properly notes, this budget manages to reverse decades of decisions regarding the arts. Is this council and its mayor ready to turn its back on Dallas’s historic support for the arts? Can’t it find funds (or shift funds)to(at least) up the Arts budget to “life support” level until economic health returns?

I’m grieving for the talented artists the city is now fortunate to have. Many have dedicated so much time, talent and energy to create a thriving arts and arts education climate only to be shoved to the bottom of the list of city concerns. The city staff budget does just that.

JAC ALDER

JAC ALDER

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