Arts advocates in Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania are celebrating the first increase in state arts funding since 2010.<\/p>\n
The $50.8 billion budget approved this week by legislators in Harrisburg includes about $10.6 million for arts grants as administered by Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, which now does business as Pennsylvania Creative Industries. That\u2019s about .02% of the total budget \u2014 but it\u2019s also $1 million more than the arts received in any of the past 16 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to make a huge difference to arts organizations, artists, and creative professionals across the state,” said Kelley Gibson, board president of the nonprofit Creative Pennsylvania and president of the Cultural Alliance of York.
\u00a0
Legislators earmarked the added funds for arts and culture groups that work in historically underserved communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe $1 million increase in this year\u2019s budget is a big win for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and signifies the Governor and legislature\u2019s confidence in \u2014 and support for \u2014 our agency\u2019s long-term vision to build a comprehensive creative industry for Pennsylvania,\u201d said PCA spokesperson Norah Johnson in a written statement. \u201cPCA looks forward\u00a0to expanding funding opportunities to support the Commonwealth\u2019s arts and cultural organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arts advocates had sought an additional $5 million over last year\u2019s budget, funds Gibson said would have just about made up for the spending power lost to inflation over the past 16 years.<\/p>\n
But Patrick Fisher, executive director of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC), called the increase \u201ca victory\u201d not only because of the funds but also because of how arts advocates mobilized \u201ca coordinated and sustained effort across the state\u201d in a difficult budget year.<\/p>\n
Both Gibson and Fisher also credited state Sen. Jay Costa, a Forest Hills Democrat and co-chair of the General Assembly\u2019s Arts and Culture Caucus, for championing the increase in the arts line item.<\/p>\n
Costa acknowledged that a $5 million increase \u201cwas not going to be doable\u201d in a challenging budget year. But, he added, \u201cWe thought it was important, particularly as it relates to disadvantaged communities,\u201d that there be some increase in funding.<\/p>\n
Costa credited \u201ccommunity conversations\u201d with constituents for helping to build support for the increase, and said legislators would follow up with the PCI about how the funds will be allocated.<\/p>\n
The budget increase is the second win for arts advocates in efforts to mitigate the changes at the agency that rebranded last year as Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by Pennsylvania Council for the Arts.<\/p>\n