Cultural Services Grant Program

8/18/09 Update

The Council Finance Committee met on August 13th to begin their review of the Mayor’s proposed budget. The most significant item from that meeting was the Committee’s recommendation of a 3% across the board budget reduction for City salaries and operating expenses. It is too early to know exactly what the impact of that recommendation will be on the non-profit sector, as it is up to each City department to determine how that reduction will be implemented. For example, a department has the option of completely eliminating funds in one budget line in order to avoid any reduction in another budget line.

The Council Finance Committee will need to find additional expense reductions to achieve its goal of trimming $50 million from the City budget in order to not increase the millage rate above the current 8.48%.

The non-profit community is planning a display in the City Hall Atrium the week of August 24th to demonstrate the impact of all the non-profits (cultural services and public services) on the citizens of Jacksonville. At this point, the Jacksonville Symphony is participating in the portion of the display that will demonstrate the number of free admissions provided last year by all cultural organizations. We also anticipate an ensemble from our orchestra will perform during one of the days of the display. Once the date and time of that performance—and who will be performing—is finalized I will let you know.

This same group has launched a website: www.IGetItJax.com. Please visit this website to complete the survey to show your support for Jacksonville’s non-profit community, and share the site with your contacts. This is an important action step, so please visit the website and share it with your friends and colleagues right away!

7/19/09 Update

Sister Pettegrew informed members the focus is no longer on contacting City Council members to support level funding for the Cultural Services Grant Program but instead to urge their support of the proposed millage rate increase. The Mayor has stated that if the increase is not approved by City Council all funding for the CSGP will be eliminated along with funding for a number of other programs including the Film Office, Special Events and the Ritz Theatre, all of which impacts members of the Local. The website for information on the proposed millage rate increase is: www.FixItNow.cc The Mayor's Budget Speech is here.

6/17/09

Sister Pettegrew has asked that everyone write the Mayor and their City Council representative encouraging their support of level funding for the Cultural Services Grant Program. This is the program that provides City funding to 27 local arts and cultural organizations including the Symphony, Florida Theatre, and other smaller organizations.

By City Ordinance the Mayor must present his budget to the City Council by July 15th. The various City Council committees will review the budget over the summer, and the final vote will take place in late September. Please write now and again during late summer after the Mayor presents his budget.

As part of Sister Pettegrew's Symphony responsibilities, she is working with a task force on advocacy and is tracking contacts made, so it would be helpful if you let her know who you have contacted.

Please write to the Mayor and City Council members thanking them for their past support of the Cultural Services Grant Program, and encouraging them to support level funding for the program in the City’s FY10 budget. The message does not need to be long and here are some points you can include:

Funding for the Cultural Services Grant Program is important for all the local arts organizations.
All the local arts organizations touch the lives of Jacksonville residents from every walk of life in some way.
Arts and culture figure prominently in “new business” solicitations by the JEDC and the Greater Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.
The arts draw hundreds of thousands of people to the urban core each year, generating income for local merchants, restaurants, and hotels.
Arts and cultural organizations educate our youth. The 27 organizations funded by the CSGP served 339,826 students last year in a variety of programs.

Letters to the Mayor (John Peyton) and City Council should be addressed to:

    City Hall
    117 West Duval Street
    Jacksonville, FL 32202

If you are not certain who your Council member is, you can enter your address at: http://maps.coj.net/MyNeighborhood/

If, when you enter your address and your City Council At-Large representative is shown as vacant, that vacancy was filled by John Crescimbeni.

Also, if you live outside Duval County you can still write, emphasizing the economic impact the arts organizations have on the various areas of the City by the dollars spent with area businesses by people attending arts and cultural events in Jacksonville.