RACC Blog

Help Stop Cuts to the Arts in Oregon

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Issued by the Oregon Cultural Advocacy Coalition on May 4, 2017

We need your help. While legislators work to address budget and revenue challenges, the relatively small budget for the Oregon Arts Commission faces substantial cuts. Current proposed cuts to the commission’s budget of 12% could result in reduced funding in grants for arts organizations of up to 30 percent. Proposals at the federal level to eliminate funding for cultural agencies in FY18 could result in crippling shortfalls in state funding and direct grants to arts, public broadcasting and the humanities. The potential adoption of these federal proposals, combined with potential cuts at the state level, places arts and culture in Oregon at grave risk.

We are asking advocates to use the link below to send a message to their legislators immediately, to ask that they work with their colleagues to restore funding to the Arts Commission and protect Oregon culture.

Thank you for taking the time to act now.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/pktLUadBBD0z7XQtGCY3pQ

Congress Gives the Arts a Funding Boost

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Issued by Americans for the Art on May 1, 2017

Congress has reached a bipartisan agreement on a bill to fund the nation’s federal agencies and programs for the remaining balance of the current FY2017 fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2017.  None of the nation’s arts and cultural agencies nor programs incurred a budget cut. In fact, many of them received funding increases for this year (see chart below).

Special thanks:

Special thanks to House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) for initiating a funding increase for many of these cultural programs in the House Interior bill and to Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for matching the funding increases in the Senate version of the bill. Many thanks to Congressional Arts Caucus co-chairs Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Senate Cultural Caucus co-chairs Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) for keeping member pressure on Congressional leaders to increase funding for these critically important cultural agencies. Huge thanks to our 350,000 Arts Action Fund members for contacting their Members of Congress, signing our petitions to the White House, and sharing their stories on social media and with traditional media.

Key Federally Funded Arts & Culture Agencies/Programs FY 2016 Enacted Appropriations
(in millions)		 FY 2017 Omnibus Proposal
(in millions)
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) $148 $150
National Endowment for Humanities (NEH) $148 $150
Assistance for Arts Education through U.S. Department of Education $27 $27
New ESSA Well-Rounded Education grants — $400
Corp for Public Broadcasting (forward funded) $445 $445
Office of Museum Services $31 $32
Smithsonian Institution $840 $863
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum $54 $57
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts $36 $36
U.S. Commission of Fine Arts $2.65 $2.8
Nat’l Capital Arts & Cultural Affairs Program $2 $2
National Gallery of Art $148 $155.5

Next Steps:

  • FY2017:  Both chambers of Congress will next vote on this bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations bill before it proceeds to the President’s desk for him to sign/veto by this Friday, May 5th.  Despite the President recently proposing funding cuts to many of these cultural programs (i.e. $15 million cut to NEA), it appears that he will sign the bill.
  • FY2018:  Please note that the FY2018 appropriations bill for funding the federal government from October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018 is still very much in play and going through the legislative process. This is the bill that the President recommended eliminating the NEA, NEH, IMLS, CPB, etc.  We remain focused on getting all of these agencies fully funded as well in the coming months.

Our #SAVEtheNEA campaign continues to go strong to advance the FY2018 message to Congress and the White House.  Please consider sending a #SAVEtheNEA message to your Congressional delegation as well as supporting our advocacy campaign efforts with a contribution.

State of the Arts

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I spoke with a colleague the other day who works at the National Endowment for the Arts where people are soldiering on every day not knowing whether or not they have a future there. I am reminded of how lucky we are here in the Portland region that support for RACC,  and all the artists, arts organizations and arts lovers who count on us, is strong and committed. We would, of course, love for it to be greater, but we rarely worry about its very existence.

Every Spring we report to Portland’s City Council on how we invested general fund dollars during the past year and the impact of allocations to the field. We open our presentation with a surprise performance designed to start on a high note and then we move on to tell our stories. We ask individuals – artists, arts leaders, arts advocates – to testify and share their own accounts of how a RACC grant affected their lives and/or careers. We hear from teachers or students who have benefitted from having art and music teachers back in their schools – thank you voters for the Arts Tax! We celebrate new dollars raised through Work for Art, new public art commissions for our public spaces, new applicants for Arts Equity, Project and Professional Development Grants, informative technical assistance workshops for artists, and new schools added to the Right Brain Initiative.

We also shine a light on some of the results of our Equity and Inclusion work, our deeply held commitment to making RACC reflect the communities we serve and to ensure RACC opportunities are readily available to as many people as we can.

Every year we try to pack the house with people eager to thank City Council for support and to make the case in person that Portland REALLY cares about our arts and culture communities. They are at the heart of who we are as a city and region.

Please join us Thursday May 4th at 2 p.m. at Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th, Council Chambers 2nd floor. And bring your friends!

Thank you.

 

Rock and roll dreams come true

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Battle of the Bands is just around the corner and snakeskin print spandex, 80’s glam rock hair and impressive creative flair might just steal the show. David Nijhawan is taking Battle of the Bands and Portland by storm.

An avid supporter of Work for Art, he has channeled his passion for music into arts activism in the Portland metro area. David, Relationship Manager at KeyBank, plays a crucial role in energizing his workplace and colleagues by bringing their collective power together to advocate for the arts through the KeyBank Work for Art campaign. He is a graduate of the Art of Leadership program and a champion of The Arts Card. David has also ignited his co-workers to form the band Hair Nation in an attempt to oust rivals, Pencil Skirt Paula and The Straight Edge Rulers from their top place at Battle of the Bands.

David’s fierce creative energy comes to his music and performance through Zeek Zildjian, his dynamic alter ego and drummer for Hair Nation. Zeek was born out of David’s rock and roll roots and it all began with Van Halen.

“My first real concert was Van Halen, and it was one of the most ethereal experiences in my entire life. Hearing anthemic songs such as Jump, Panama, and I Can’t Drive 55 only took me further down the rabbit hole of the 80’s glam rock. Easily the greatest era of rock and roll, the 80’s formed my childhood and teenage years. Iconic guitar riffs, solos, and drum beats changed music forever…for the better that day,” David recounts.  (Listen to David’s interview about Battle of the Bands on Portland Radio Project.)

David is bringing this magnetism of the glam rock era to the competition. He and other company bands will have an opportunity to compete and live out their rock and roll dreams. Bands from Kaiser Permanente, KeyBank, Hampton Lumber, Portland City Hall, Stoel Rives and ZGF Architects will perform before a panel of celebrity judges and 600 adoring fans to compete for the following prizes:

  • Best Company Band (Grand Prize) – winner selected by the celebrity judge panel for highest quality performance. Winner receives a live show in the Skype Live Studio including a video of the performance – a $5,000 value.
  • Best Showmanship – winner selected by the celebrity judge panel for most flare and enthusiasm.
  • Audience Favorite – winner selected through audience voting through cash donations. Vote for your favorite band(s)!

The Standard is also sponsoring a special performance by Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls’ band, Strawberry Jam. Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls, a local non-profit, builds girls’ self-esteem through music creation and performance. Strawberry Jam recently performed at Keller Auditorium for the TEDxPortland event.

This year’s Battle of the Bands will be a star studded affair. Rindy Ross of Quarterflash, Edna Vasquez and Valerie Day of Nu Shooz make up the celebrity judge panel and Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and ZGF principal Sharron van der Meulen are co-chairing the event. Sarah G of WE 96.3 FM will emcee. In addition, Timbers Army Band, Greenhorn, and The Brothers Jam, featuring Jamey Hampton of BodyVox and brother David Hampton of Hampton Lumber will be performing. Timber Joey will also make a special appearance to announce the winners.

If that isn’t enough, Ben & Jerry’s PartnerShop with New Avenues for Youth, a local non-profit providing support and resources for homeless youth, will be serving up ice cream for the event.

All proceeds from Battle of the Bands competition will support over 100 art and culture organizations through Work for Art. Last year, the event raised more than $70,000. This makes Battle of the Bands a unique platform for employees to celebrate their talents and creativity while benefitting the arts and culture community. For David Nijhawan, the arts have impacted him in a profound way that has deepened his passion and commitment to the arts.

“It’s important to give to the arts community because it’s the fabric of society. Without song, dance, art, theater, and movement (among others) our world would be painfully dim. We would miss the essence of the human spirit and experience. No matter what genre or form, the arts affect and shape our live, said David. “From battle cries to rally one last stand for freedom, to an inspiring riff that spawned Eddie Van Halen’s career, to a simple groove that a future hip hop dancer wiggles to, it’s all the same; the arts are the rudiments of life.”

Come celebrate with us and support your favorite band as they battle it out for the Best Company Band.

May the best band win!

Battle of the Bands
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Doors 5:30 p.m. / Show 6:30 p.m.

Crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside Street, Portland
www.workforart.org/bob/

Tickets are on sale now for $12 each at The Crystal Ballroom box office, 1332 West Burnside Street in Portland; by phone at 1-855-CAS-TIXX; or online at https://tinyurl.com/jy6pjyg.

A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $100 each, including complimentary food and beverage plus reserved seating. Two for one tickets are available with The Arts Card and discounts are available for 20 tickets or more.

Lineup announced for May 17 Battle of the Bands

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PORTLAND, ORE — On May 17 at the Crystal Ballroom, bankers, architects, lumberjacks and surgeons will represent their companies and compete for prizes at Battle of the Bands, a benefit for Work for Art. Tickets are $12, on sale now at the Crystal Ballroom box office at workforart.org/bob. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $100 each, including reserved seating, and hosted food and beverages.

Six bands, made up of employees who play music on the side, will compete in front of family, friends, coworkers and a panel of celebrity judges. Several prizes will be awarded including the title of Best Company Band. Audiences will select an “Audience Favorite” as determined by the band that receives the most in cash donations the night of the event.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Food and beverages are available for purchase. As a warm-up act, Brothers Jam will perform until 6:30 p.m., featuring BodyVox artistic director Jamey Hampton.

The main event begins at 6:30 p.m., emceed by Sarah G of WE 96.3 FM. The six competing bands are:

  • Hampton Lumber, Petty Crimes
  • Kaiser Permanente, Members Only
  • KeyBank, Hair Nation
  • Portland City Hall, Copper Goddess
  • Stoel Rives, The Bears
  • ZGF Architects, Pencil Skirt Paula and The Straight Edge Rulers 

Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and ZGF Architects principal Sharron van der Meulen are co-chairing this year’s event, and the competing bands are being mentored by Portland jazz musician Christopher Brown. The judging panel includes three local music industry celebrities:

  • Valerie Day has been a vocalist and percussionist for many years beginning with the Grammy nominated group Nu Shooz in the 1980’s. She has toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Europe, appeared on national and international TV programs, sold over a million records worldwide, has sung with orchestras and performed at numerous music festivals. In addition to her life as a performer, Valerie had a private vocal studio for over 20 years.
  • Rindy Ross is the lead singer, saxophonist, and co-founder of Quarterflash and The Trail Band, both bands she formed with her husband, Marv. Their platinum debut Quarterflash album produced the hit single, Harden My Heart, and they traveled extensively including tours with Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Sammy Hagar and others. Since the Eighties they have released six Quarterflash and thirteen Trail Band albums and have been inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.
  • Edna Vazquez is a Latin American artist based in the Northwest who performs original music that pays homage to her many influences from across the Americas. Edna has traveled far and wide with her band of all-star musicians to share their message of light, love and cultural healing.

There will also be a special performance by Rock N Roll Camp for Girls’ Strawberry Jam, with band members ranging in age from 15 to 17 years. This opportunity is made possible by a sponsorship from The Standard.

At approximately 8:30 p.m., while the judges deliberate and the cash is counted, the Portland Timbers Army band Greenhorn will perform. Timber Joey will be on hand to help announce the winners at the end of the evening.

All proceeds from Battle of the Bands benefit Work for Art, an annual campaign to raise money and awareness for local arts and culture organizations.

“As the top Work for Art campaign for six years in a row, it’s clear our employees are big believers in the power of art and its undeniable impact on our community,” said Kregg Arntson, director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Portland General Electric, and chair of this year’s Work for Art campaign. “Battle of the Bands is the perfect venue to celebrate the arts and creative expression, while cheering on our favorite local company bands.”

Battle of the Bands is sponsored by headliners Hampton Lumber, KeyBank, KINK 101.9 FM and The Standard. Additional sponsorship support is provided by Kaiser Permanente, Stoel Rives and ZGF Architects.

Work for Art is a program of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC), which distributes a full 100% of all Work for Art donations, including Battle of the Bands proceeds, to arts organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties. For more information visit workforart.org.

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts through Work for Art; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance for artists; and oversees a program to integrate arts and culture into the standard curriculum in public schools through The Right Brain Initiative. RACC values a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences and is working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity and the arts. For more information visit racc.org.

 

4/24 Advocacy Day 2017

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This is a challenging time for arts and culture. Budgets are tight at the state level and federal funding is in jeopardy.
We must work together to defend arts, heritage and the humanities in our state legislature.

Join us for Advocacy Day 2017! We need your voice and your passion! Join us for advocacy training, meetings with elected leaders and an opportunity to meet with your legislators.

Advocacy Day 2017

4/24/2017
11AM-2PM
Oregon State Capitol
Hearing Room 50
Salem, OR
REGISTER for Advocacy Day with the Cultural Advocacy Coalition

Celebrating the Art of Leadership class of 2016-17

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On March 1, 2017  RACC celebrated the 2016-17 Art of Leadership cohort with a graduation reception sponsored by Columbia Trust Company. This year’s cohort participated in six half-day workshops from October through March, helping participants become board members for local nonprofit arts organizations. The series covers topics from finances to fundraising, strategic development to legal issues, helping participants develop leadership skills, network with business and arts leaders, and get matched with arts organizations closely aligned with their own interests and experience.

Congratulations to our graduates:

Eric Block, Metropolitan Group
Rodrigo Diaz, Portland Community College
Gillian Eubanks, Columbia Trust Company
Robert Hermanson, Retired Architect
Erin Hopkins, Sage Hospitality
Kathy Jennings, Portland Timbers/Thorns
Candace Kita, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)
Shayda Le, Barran Liebman LLP
Nnenna Lewis, Downtown Clean and Safe/ Portland Business Alliance
Jeffrey Martin, Portland Playhouse
Ben Mathias, Perkins & Co.
Michael Miller, Michael R. Miller, CPA
Jacob O’Brien, XPLANE
Darcy Peart, U. S. Bank
Scott Peters, Boeing Company
Steve Price
Ryan Quarberg, Boeing
Inna Schwab, KPMG
Christine Stehr, US Bank
Brian Sweeney, BPS Architecture
James Ward, A-dec, Inc
Sara Watts, Self Employed

The 2016-17 Art of Leadership program was sponsored by The Boeing Company, with additional support from Barran Liebman, Columbia Bank, Perkins & Co., Tonkon Torp LLP and U.S. Bank.

To learn more, including how to be part of the 2017-18 series that begins next fall, contact abailey@racc.org.

#SAVE THE NEA!

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My post today will not be breaking news to followers of the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, but grassroots advocacy is essential over the next few months. While Oregon is lucky to have an arts supportive – even passionate – Congressional delegation, we all must make our voices heard that the President’s budget proposal is unacceptable.  And also please thank our Representatives and Senators for past support. Their offices need to be flooded!

FROM AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS WEBSITE:

The White House has released its proposed budget to Congress, officially recommending full termination of funding of both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for FY2018. This is the first American President in history to propose zeroing out all funding for the nation’s federal cultural agencies.

Eliminating the NEA would be a devastating blow to the arts in America. For more than 50 years, the NEA has expanded access to the arts for all Americans, awarding grants in every Congressional district throughout all 50 states and U.S. Territories as well as placing arts therapists in 12 military hospitals to help returning soldiers heal from traumatic brain injuries. The NEA is also an economic powerhouse, generating more than $600 million annually in additional matching funds and helping to shape a $730 billion arts and culture industry that represents 4.2% of the nation’s GDP and supports 4.8 million jobs.

The federal appropriations process does not end here. We now begin a concerted grassroots effort to convince Congress to #SaveTheNEA. Here are the actions you can take right now:

  1. The most important thing you can do is to take two minutes to send a customizable message to your elected representatives in Congress and urge them to oppose any attempt to eliminate or cut funding to the NEA.
  2. Post on Facebook and Twitter to help rally national support to save the NEA. There is strength in numbers and your social media friends can help.
  3. Contribute to the Arts Action Fund to help ensure we have the resources to maintain our grassroots arts network.

PLEASE HELP! The road forward will be filled with horse-trading. Republican led Congresses have saved both agencies from extinction before. We cannot let this slip through.

Thank you for joining us.