Bloglanta

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GEORGIA LEGISLATURE CREATES NEW ARTS AGENCY

Artopia, GA, (April 1, 2005) — The Georgia General Assembly in the waning hours of the 2005 session of the state legislature established a new Department of Arts and Culture. It is planned as a companion department to work closely with the new Department of Economic Development (formerly the Dept. of Industry & Trade). Leaders of both parties recognized
the value of Georgia’s rich cultural heritage, the economic and educational benefits resulting from a thriving arts scene at the community level, and legislated that the Advisory Council will be kept intact with the Presidents of the Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries (GAMG) and the Georgia Assembly of Community Arts Agencies (GACAA) serving as the Co-Chairs.&nbsp

It is reported the Governor has received favorable communications from GAMG and GACAA Presidents accepting the challenge of heading the Council with an active role advising the new Commissioner of Arts and Culture in the planning and
transition of the old OPB staff to the new independant Department.

With a last minute amendment to the state budget, just before the annual ritual of sine die, the per capita funding for the arts in Georgia for FY2006 will be more than doubled with a significant increase to a competitive level going from .67 to 1.50 which the bipartisan sponsors proclaimed necessary to adequately support the new Department, its expanded staff and to restore lost funding to save, rebuild and maintain local arts organizations in the state. The advocacy in this years legislature to increase salaries, travel funds and benefits for Department staff was the result of a well orchestrated strategic plan developed and coordinated by local arts councils, grantees and by statewide arts organizations.

Georgia’s Governor immediately responded with news of his support for the new Dept. of Arts and Culture. He promised to correct the historic lack of diversity (93% white) for members of the Georgia Council with his appointments early next month of African-American, Hispanic and Asian arts leaders to reflect Georgia’s diverse population. He promised to conduct a
nationwide search for a recognized, experienced arts professional with a track record of leadership at the national level in innovative and community based arts programming to lead the new Dept.  In his anticipation of next year, the Governor appointed a blue ribbon task force to draft long overdue legislation to implement the existing state Per Cent for Art law to automatically include public art in all state financed capital improvement projects. Based on current fiscal year’s budget, it would add some $19,000,000 new dollars for public art throughout the state for Georgia’s artists with exciting new commissions to enhance rural, suburban and urban communities, to expand heritage and cultural tourism and to provide a new quality of life  for all of Georgia’s citizens.

For more information, please visit: Governor: http://www.gov.state.ga.us/

General Assembly http://www.georgia.gov/00/channel/0,2141,4802_1361924,00.html

Department of Economic Developmen; http://www.georgia.org/

This entry was posted on Friday, April 1st, 2005 at 6:14 pm and is filed under Stupid Development Tricks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.