PA Senate Calls For ZERO Arts & Culture Funding — Yes, ZERO — And Now It’s Time To Chant Down Babylon
As we speak, out in Harrisburg today, the PA Senate is gearing up to torpedo Governor Ed Rendell‘s Arts & Culture budget for the FY ’09/10 state budget. Rendell’s budget already calls for an 8% drop from last year’s for Arts & Culture funding – about a $1.225M drop. However, given the recession, there is the accompanying political freefall wherein any pol can graft his own personal distastes/spin on the Culture Wars and say, sometimes convincingly, “We can’t pay for any of this! Why, we need to put food on your family!” This is exactly what the PA Senate, gentlemen and scholars that they are, is gearing up to do today. But you can help. Take action by using the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s Letter Bank to contact your state reps and senators RIGHT NOW. The Cultural Alliance, as is happens, is a perfect example of a state-funded A&C operation that simply cannot be cut; the great work they just did on the Cultural Engagement Index, for instance, will be invaluable for anyone involved in the worlds of Arts & Culture here in Philly. And there’s more where that came from. Or at least, there should be. I mean, there has to be. Get on this, Philadelphia.
