City of Austin Releases List of 2014 Cultural Funding Allocations Totaling More Than $7 Million

Barbara Sparks of the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division has contacted applicants with details of the 2014 decisions of City allocations. She writes, "This summer the City received 211 applications - 189 for Core Funding Programs, 22 for the Cultural Expansion Program (CEP), and 4 were new to the process. CEP applications were reviewed and scored by a peer review panel and those receiving a score of 75 or greater were then recommended by the Austin Arts Commission for funding." 

These grants are funded by a percentage of the collections of the hotel and occupany tax (about 20%; most of the rest goes to support the Convention and Visitors Bureau).

The list is a very long one and totals $7,043,697. Largest grants are to the Austin Children's Museum ($200,000), The Austin Theatre Alliance (Paramount and State Theatres) ($197,500) and the Zach Theatre ($197,500), in each case totaling about 2.8% of the total. Other leading recipients are the Austin Symphony Orchestra ($190,000), Long Center ($190,000), Ballet Austin ($190,000), Theatre Action Project (now Creative Action, focused on schools)($190,000), Austin Film Society ($187,500), Conspirare ($185,000), Austin Museum of Art ($182,500), One World Theatre ($175,000), Austin Lyric Opera ($172,500), the Mexicarte Museum ($151,347), Tapestry Dance ($140,000), Austin Creative Alliance (in its own right, $132,000), Austin Classical Guitar Society ($118,136) and the Rude Mechs ($100,000).

Click here to see the full list of 2014 allocations

City Management's Reply to Cultural Arts Contractors, March 26

The following letter was sent March 26 by Kevin Johns, Director of the City's Office of Economic Growth and Redevelopment Service to organizations on record as cultural arts contractors.

Click to view larger version and continuation page at AustinLiveTheatre.com . . . .

Update on City Arts Funding Revisions

The advisory Arts Commission of the City of Austin met in special session on Monday night, March 22, to consider changes to arts funding prepared by City staff in response to an opinion deliver by the City's legal office. After hearing citizen comments, the Commission voted unanimously to urge City Council members to reject the new criteria, which could have the consequences, inter alia, of cutting off grants for education and arts outreach.

Commission leaders and Latifah Taormina, Executive Director of the Greater Austin Creative Alliance (GACA) briefed arts organizations on March 23.

The story has broken in the press. Dan Solomon of Austinist.com surveys the issue and legal texts, as well as interviewing major players. Jeanne Claire van Ryzin, writing on the Statesman's Arts360 "Seeing Things" blog, does a brief summary but provides pertinent numbers and percentages regarding Austin's revenues from the hotel and occupancy tax.

Latifah Taormina provides an update today, March 23, by e-mail and on the NowPlaying Austin blog, opening, "It's working. . . . " Her piece includes notes about the action plan items suggested by arts organizations.

The Internet-based private news service InFactDaily.com reports that City Council members were taken by surprise by the deluge of more than 500 e-mails on the proposed changes in criteria for arts funding and they are displeased with city management. The article quotes acting mayor Mike Martinez, Randi Shade and Bill Spellman. Full text of report is reprinted by permission at the Austin Jazz Workshop website.