|
|
|
Articles - 2007
California Arts Council Convenes in Sacramento
By Jay Gordon
Originally published in the Willits Nickel & Dime
For a brief time Tuesday, January 30, 2007 Mendocino County was not the arts capital of the state -- as we are so fond of thinking. It was, in fact, the state capital, Sacramento. That’s because more than 450 representatives of arts organizations throughout the state met at the Sacramento Convention Center to discuss the state of the arts in the state. The California Arts Council sponsored the event.
Among the speakers was John McGuirk, Program Director of the Irvine Foundation, who talked about “Critical Issues Facing the Arts in California.” Addressing the subject of funding for arts organizations, he said, “The evidence suggests that we are not just experiencing a cyclical economic downturn, but a permanent structural change. The environment for arts and culture in California and the rest of the U.S. has irreversibly changed, and the nonprofit arts sector has reached a turning point where it must adapt to changing technologies and consumer demand or become irrelevant.” He cited increasing reluctance by government to spend money on public services that are viewed as nonessential, including the arts.
|
Jay Gordon chats with Irvine Foundation Program Director John McGuirk about funding needs for the arts in Mendocino County. Photo by Penelope Curtis.
|
McGuirk pointed out that “as many as 95% of adults in this country participate in some kind of cultural activity on a regular basis.” He added, “Arts education correlates with overall academic success because involvement in the arts has a positive impact on children’s self-esteem, curiosity, creativity, and ability to work in teams.” The full text of his remarks is available on the James Irvine Foundation website at: http://irvine.org/publications/by_topic/arts.shtml. For information about applying for a grant from the Irvine Foundation, details are at: http://irvine.org/index.shtml.
The keynote speaker of the California Arts Council 2007 arts conference was Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). He talked about the need to de-politicize the arts and make a compelling case for the arts to the media and government officials in the community, state, and nation. He encouraged “excellence across all disciplines: focus on bringing the best of the arts to all Americans.” He added, “The purpose of arts education is not to produce artists; it is to produce complete human beings.” “Everyone agrees,” he said, “that we want to create a community in which people want to live; businesses want to operate, and kids want to stay. The Arts are a fundamental way to do this.” More information about NEA, including their grant programs, is available at: http://www.nea.gov.
The California Arts Council is a state agency that aims to advance the state through the Arts and creativity. The agency helps build strong arts organizations at the local and statewide level, directly supports arts programs for all citizens, and supports arts education in schools – as well as a number of other activities, including competitive grant programs. For more information, visit: www.cac.ca.gov. For information about the Arts Council of Mendocino County, your local arts organization, visit: www.artsmendocino.org. If you have questions about ACMC, what it does for the community or what it does for artists, you may also e-mail Executive Director Anna Kvinsland: director@artsmendocino.org.
This article was first featured on www.thenickelanddime.com.
|
|
