Urgent Action Item!  California Budget Cuts!
 

Thank you to SF BATCO for putting this together so quickly

 Governor Newsom’s May budget revision proposes cutting all $11.5 million from the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund (PAEPF), a vital program created by SB 1116 to support small nonprofit arts organizations. CubaCaribe would have qualified to directly support jobs for staff.

Please join us in taking the following actions TODAY:

1. Email the CA State budget committee at AsmBudget@asm.ca.gov and c/c the consultant of the subcommittee, Genevieve McCloy at genevieve.mccloy@asm.ca.gov (find a sample message below.)

2. Call the budget committee’s office at (916) 319-2099. You can find a phone script & talking points below.

3. Call your legislator’s office. You can fund your legislator here: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

4. Call the Governor’s office at (916) 445-2841

 

EMAIL TEMPLATE
SUBJECT LINE: URGENT: Artists NEED the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund

Hello Budget Committee,

I’ve just learned that Gavin Newsom is proposing to cut all of the funding for the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund and that absolutely cannot happen.

Post-pandemic, live performance, dance and theatre is deeply struggling—over 25% of Bay Area theaters have closed since 2020; an absolutely staggering statistic.

The PAEPF grant program received such an overwhelming response that it was oversubscribed in the first 24 hours, which is very telling regarding the state of funding for the arts.

Applicants, including organizations making a positive impact in my own community, spent a great deal of time preparing and submitting the incredibly detailed and lengthy application which are now under review and we’re expecting to hear updates at any time.

Receiving these funds would be transformative for every organization who applied. The program’s $11.5M allotment is a drop in California’s overall budget, but will act as vital seed money to stabilize an industry that contributes 7.5% of California’s GDP. If these funds don't come through, we will continue to lose more arts organizations and more jobs, worsening the severe economic distress that the arts and culture industry has been experiencing for years. The recent NEA cuts and upheaval are already creating so much chaos, more cuts will only add to that, especially as many other state, city, and district grantors are also now telling us to expect significantly reduced grant funding to committed awards.

Small nonprofit arts organizations are also small businesses, and small businesses make up the backbone of the American economy. To maintain a healthy state economy and healthy local communities, we must provide public funding for the arts industry.

Cutting this funding is unimaginable during a time when our communities deeply need the arts. Please don't fail the small organizations striving to keep our freedom of expression alive.

Thank you,
>YOUR NAME HERE< 

PHONE TEMPLATE

 

Phone template you can use/revise, with additional talking points below for your consideration:

• I’ve just learned that Gavin Newsom is proposing to cut all of the funding for the performing arts equitable payroll fund and it absolutely cannot happen

• Live performances, dance and theatre is deeply struggling post-pandemic; over 25% of Bay Area theaters have closed since 2020

• This particular grant program received such an overwhelming response that it was oversubscribed in the first 24 hours and was closed in less than 10 days which is very telling regarding the state of funding for the arts

• Applicants, including organizations making a positive impact in my own community, spent a great deal of time preparing and submitting the application which are now under review and we’re expecting to hear updates at any time

• Receiving these funds would be transformative for every organization who applied

  • And we will lose more organizations if these funds don’t come through

  • The recent NEA cuts and upheaval are already creating so much chaos, more cuts will only add to that

  • The existing dollars can’t begin to fund all of the requests, but to fund none of them is unimaginable

 

Additional talking points:​

• Applications are under review and applicants are expecting to hear updates at any time

• There has been more than 6 months’ work done on getting the application process to this point

• Applicants spent a great deal of time preparing and submitting the application.

• Not only would it be devastating to lose these desperately needed funds at this point, it would also be a big waste of money by both the state and applicants.

• Performing arts organizations around the state are desperately clinging to the hope of these funds

• Jobs will be lost; small nonprofit arts organizations will shutter. This is not an exaggeration.

• In California, the arts and culture sector contributes 7.5% of our state’s GDP. And small nonprofit arts organizations are also small businesses, and small businesses make up the backbone of the American economy.

 

Phone script and talking points courtesy Annalisa Tkacheff and Melissa Mei Jones of Silicon Valley Shakespeare and Melissa Hillman from Theatre Bay Area.