Update - November 28, 2023

Budget Update

A heartfelt thanks to the 1,400 passionate advocates who dedicated their time to signing our letter to the California Arts Council, urging a reconsideration of significant program changes. Your collective action made waves and guess what? It worked!

The committee released an updated memorandum ahead of their Nov. 17th meeting, and their amended proposals and subsequent discussion at that meeting reflect that the council members are listening and responding to the needs of the field.

For those tracking this process, please let us know how proposed changes to CAC grant programs may positively or negatively affect your work or organization by emailing our Director of Field Engagement, Tracy Hudak at tracy@californiansforthearts.org.

Update - November 20, 2023

Advocacy works!

Thanks to close to 1,400 signers to a petition to the California Arts Council (CAC) urging them to reconsider the proposed changes made by the Programs Policy Committee in an updated memorandum ahead of the Nov. 17th meeting their current proposals reflect that the council members are listening and responding to the needs of the field. You can read the updated Program Policy Committee report via the links below:

In summary, below are the updates to the committee’s proposal related to issues we identified and took action on. The new committee report proposes:

  • To NOT end the State and Regional Network grant program but to clarify "the proposal from the SRNs must describe a functioning statewide or regional network of artists or arts organizations." They also propose not allowing "CAC funding to simply provide administrative staff overhead for the organization’s general mission.” The memo also states that “CAC funds must directly serve artists and arts producing organizations.” 

  • To limit eligibility of the Impact Projects and State and Regional Network grant programs to organizations with budgets under $3 million and to require matching grants for awards larger than $25,000.

  • To continue funding all 53 State-Local Partners and to consider limiting those with budgets above $3.5 million to request no more than $40,000 a year “with the funds directed to historically underrepresented artists and organizations.” Additionally, grantees will need to provide information on individual artists and arts organizations served through regranting, technical assistance and engagement activities.

  • The committee is also proposing that State-Local Partners and State and Regional Networks conduct research on behalf of the CAC on Native American, Touring and Disabled Artists in their region with their respective annual grant awards.

STOP CHANGES TO CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL GRANT PROGRAMS

In advance of their October 25th meeting, the Programs Policy Committee of the California Arts Council (CAC) made program change recommendations for next year’s grant programs. We believe we need to take collective action to stop several recommendations from being adopted by the Council. 

While we applaud the CAC's efforts to address historic inequities in arts funding, we are AGAINST limiting grant eligibility to organizations based on budget size alone, without considering other factors. And we are AGAINST ending the State and Regional Networks program and limiting funding to State-Local Partners, as these programs provide critical infrastructure to the arts ecosystem and help the CAC reach every corner of the state. Read and sign our letter to the CAC urging the Council to reject these changes (access the PDF version here).

We applaud the Council’s efforts to bring support to organizations and individuals who have historically not accessed state funding including small budget organizations, rural communities, BIPOC serving and led organizations and communities that score low on the healthy places index but we do not think that means we need to eliminate programs for organizations of larger budget sizes or service organizations entirely.

We believe these proposed changes have been made without adequate analysis and input from the field and may have the potential to destabilize critical programs and services. We are deeply concerned about pitting members of the field against each other at a time when we need to unite to advocate for greater overall funding.

The CAC will be discussing these recommendations at their next meeting on Friday, Nov 17th and will be voting on these items on Tuesday, December 12th.

What you can do

We recommend the following actions and will continue to monitor developments on program recommendations and keep you informed as the council debates and makes their final decisions.

✍️ URGENT! - Sign Letter to the California Arts Council - Sign by midnight, Tuesday Nov 14th
We need 1,000 signatures urging the Council to reject the recommendations.

➜ Share the CAC letter with your network! Access the CAC ACTION SHARE KIT
The kit has a graphic and ‘cut & paste’ copy that you can use for social posts or emails.

➜ Amplify our socials!

➜ Join us for a Free CAC Strategy Session Office Hour on Zoom with CFTA staff
Monday, Nov 13th | 2:00 - 3:00pm | Register here
Get updates, share strategies and develop talking points and next steps.

➜ Contact Council Members - see List of CAC Members

➜ Make Public Comment at the Nov. 17th meeting or submit a comment ahead of time
- see the CAC Meetings page for instructions an agenda closer to the date
- Arts for LA has organized State and Regional Networks talking points specifically for SRNs


California Arts Advocates Public Comment - submitted during the October 25th CAC meeting

Part of our role at California Arts Advocates is to ensure accountability and transparency in the CAC’s decision-making as it affects the entire arts ecosystem in California. We are concerned that the recommendations presented today as part of the Programs Policy Committee were not done with adequate public input or participation.  For instance, there was a notice that the committee meeting was to be made public but then it was canceled. This would have given the public the opportunity to weigh in. And while public comment will be heard today, the field was given only three working days to review the recommendations. Additionally, which decision-making tools or sets of data were used to develop today’s recommendations?  Those attachments are missing in the committee’s report, which represent critical information to consider given the significant program changes that are being presented today.

What we do know is that the CAC is only the statewide funder for arts and culture in California and in a state as large with diverse regional issues, the current budget allocation falls way behind meeting the demands of the agency. We understand that with only $25 million available, hard decisions will have to be made and not everyone who has received public funding these last several years will be eligible. That is why we will be working this year to encourage the Governor and Legislature to increase ongoing funding to the CAC by $20million or approximately $46 million overall.  At CAA, we also know from our own field surveys that consistent and sustainable multi-year general operating grant programs are what is needed. If the CAC consistently changes grant programs, it runs the risk of destabilizing the field. 

We are grateful that today is only a discussion item and hope the council will take the field’s comments into consideration before making significant changes to long standing programs. Between now and the next CAC meeting, we recommend that the council conduct a field survey so that more voices can be heard as well as focus groups. This way any recommendations that are being made by the programs policy committee are based on data and not assumptions.  Finally, the CAC’s strategic framework and recent program evaluation should also inform any changes in direction for the agency.

Background information

The Statewide and Regional Networks (SRN) program intends to contribute to the health and vitality of the creative workforce in California by creating a resilient network of arts service organizations and artists. An arts service organization is defined as an organization that furthers the interests of artists, creators, tradition bearers, and arts and cultural organizations. They also provide specialized, practical services for artists, arts organizations, and cultural communities. Click here to learn more.

The State-Local Partners (SLP) program provides general operating support and technical assistance for county-designated local arts agencies. The purpose of the program is to foster cultural development on the local level through a partnership between the State and the counties of California. The nature of this partnership includes funding, information exchange, cooperative activities, and leadership. The partnership enables individuals, organizations, and communities to create, present, and preserve the arts of all cultures to enrich the quality of life for all Californians. Click here to learn more.