Save the Arts

The city shouldn't cut cultural programs to the core.

by Blondell Reynolds Brown

The city is seeing red and it isn't pretty. The recently released administration budget and five-year plan for the City of Philadelphia shows that we need to tighten our belts and save dollars on services that are not part of the city's core mission. This is not something we should do; it is something we must do. It is the price we have to pay to ensure Philadelphia has safer and cleaner neighborhoods, while lessening our overly burdensome tax structure to attract businesses and residents.

All city services need to be thoroughly examined to see where we can cut back. I think it is only fair that every sector of our city's budget -- even those which I most favor -- must face the budgetary ax. It is the financially responsible thing to do, and I accept that. What I cannot accept are the tremendous hits that the arts and culture communities are facing. As it stands today, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Atwater Kent Museum and the city Office of Arts and Culture will all cease to receive funding from our city's general fund in the upcoming fiscal year. This will effectively eliminate the Arts Office and force the two museums to cut staff. The African American Museum of Philadelphia has clearly found itself in a cash-flow crisis, and we can't be shaving money from their budget. This isn't cutting fat. This is cutting right to the core, and it will eliminate much-needed positions in the arts.

The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, which distributes grants to more than 229 arts organizations throughout the city, was at $1.5 million when I entered office. Through my efforts and those of my colleagues and the mayor, we brought that number up to $2.4 million during the past four years. It is now slated to receive $1 million, a reduction of 58 percent. These funds provide essential support to arts groups large and small throughout Philadelphia. Corporate and foundation funding is down, and these arts organizations can ill afford to take another hit this year.

And though a City Council committee voted to restore these cuts after a marathon-budget session that ended around 2 a.m. Tuesday, a final vote has not yet been taken, leaving the issue unresolved.

Arts and culture often get little credit for the value they bring to the city. But think: Without the arts, what would this city be like? The arts bring life to Philadelphia and are a major reason why people choose to live here, why businesses choose to locate here and why visitors choose to have fun here. Our variety of cultural offerings is truly an economic engine that helps Philadelphia grow and thrive. Not only that, but the arts have direct benefits to our youth, and many of the programs offered by these institutions facing cuts fill the gaps that the School District has been unable to provide due to lack of sufficient funding. There are a variety of statistics and facts that support these statements. (I will not relay them to you in their entirety here, but I welcome you to contact my office and I will be happy to share them.)

The conclusion of our budget process is quickly approaching. One important ingredient in this process, believe it or not, is you. Our offices have heard from many constituents thus far, but if you have not yet contacted your council member or the mayor, I urge you to do so as soon as possible. Tell us the importance of the arts in your life. Tell us why you think that the arts funding needs to be restored.

Councilman Jack Kelly has stepped to the forefront with me in defense of the arts, and I believe a number of my colleagues will be with us as well, but they need to hear from you. Because of the constraints we are under -- and given the realities of the budget -- the opportunity to restore full funding for all programs is an unlikely scenario. However, with your help and assistance we can bring back substantial funding that is currently not planned for. The bottom line is this: The arts are intertwined with almost every facet of this city. The funding that the city provides for arts and culture must be considered an essential function of the government that provides services to Philadelphia. The arts are a core service that cannot -- and should not -- sustain cuts of this magnitude.

I have no issue with the arts taking a fair share of budget cuts for an overall vision of city growth that will ultimately help our arts and culture groups thrive in the long run. However, this budget -- as it currently stands -- places too much of the burden on the cultural community. I pledge to work with my colleagues, the administration and advocates for the arts to improve this version of the budget so that the arts will continue to flourish in our great city.

Blondell Reynolds Brown is an at-large City Councilwoman. If you would like to respond to this Slant or have one of your own (800 words), contact Brian Hickey, City Paper managing editor/news, 123 Chestnut St., third floor, Phila., PA 19106 or e-mail hickey@citypaper.net.

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