Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Arts Funding: Cookie Ruiz Suggests Thanking the Commission


Cookie Ruiz of Ballet Austin, one of the arts community's chief spokespersons with the City, writes to arts organizations to suggest that organizations and artists write to members of the City's advisory Arts Commision, who voted unanimously on March 23 to reject City management's revisions to arts funding criteria and application forms. She includes the names of Commission members, with e-mails and other contact information.

In today's Austin Statesman Jeanne Claire van Ryzin summarizes the current status (Austin's arts funding changes on hold; Official: City will create task force to resolve tourism issue). KUT-FM mentioned the issue in a brief item in its Austin newscast.

Ms. Ruiz's note begins,

Dear Colleagues,

If you have a moment in the next few days and have not already done so, would you consider sending an email/note of appreciation to the members of the Arts Commission? The action taken by the commissioners on March 22nd to move into the “City of Austin Cultural Arts Funding Programs – Core Programs 2010/11” using the December guidelines was an important vote in support of the arts community. Their leadership and memo to City Council contributed to the decision not to move forward with the proposed revisions discussed in recent weeks, so close to the submission date. Many thanks to those that could arrange schedules to attend this meeting on short notice. Commissioner Pennington (Chair) reminded us that the platform for exchange and communication exists at each meeting of the Arts Commission, and invited our continued attendance/participation.

For continuation, Arts Commission contacts and links to earlier reporting on this issue, go to AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

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