State Budget Cuts the Arts by 20%

But it's not as bad as it could have been. Mitch Daniels' initial budget looked to slash the arts budget by something like 80%, a proposal that was just hateful. In that light, 20% looks a little like a victory. From the Indiana Coalition for the Arts:

Despite the efforts of many arts advocates, the new state budget for the biennium beginning July 1, 2009 resulted in a 20% cut to the Indiana Arts Commission. Because the House Democrats accepted the Senate Republicans' budget, the final figures for the IAC are the same as those in the Senate's special session budget bill.

For each year of the biennium:
$418,557 personal services (personnel)
$2,783,811 other operating expenses (grants and services)
TOTAL $3,202,368

The good news is that the National Endowment for the Arts is slated for an increase in the federal budget that begins October 1, 2009. The U.S. House has passed a $15 million increase, and the federal budget bill goes next to the U.S. Senate. Forty percent of all NEA funds go directly to the state arts agencies.

Now would be a great time to contact Senators Bayh and Lugar: http://capwiz.com/artsusa/issues/alert/?alertid=13627991