The First City of San Diego Cultural Plan

 

The City of San Diego draft  Cultural Arts Master Plan has been released.  This is the first ever cultural plan for the city of SD and was led by Jonathon Glus over the last 18 months. The plan outlines four main goals, each with specific strategies and actions:

1. Centering Artists: Support artists and cultural organizations through affordable spaces, expanded funding, and capacity building.
2. Arts in Community: Increase access to arts and culture throughout the city, with a focus on historically under-resourced areas.
3. Creative Entrepreneurship: Foster growth of the creative economy through business support, workforce development, and industry partnerships.
4. Global Creative City: Elevate San Diego’s profile as an international hub for arts, culture and creativity. 

Some of the strategies we appreciate include:

Expand San Diego’s branding image to incorporate the arts, culture and creativity.

Create a formal designation and support program for arts and cultural districts and creative enterprise zones.

Expand funding available for individual artists and Create artists fellowships or residencies

Facilitate targeted convenings,

Streamline procurement and contracting processes

Expand existing “culture pass” programs leading to free access

Julie Dixon Evans from KPBS adds to that list with the following strategies for funding: “The "Penny for the Arts" policy, which allocates 9.52% of Tourism Occupancy Tax revenue to art and culture; research and development of an "admissions fee" for public/private entertainment and sporting events; a foundation to lead funding efforts; …partnerships with the specific goal of affordable housing for artists and affordable creative spaces…”.

All of this calls for more staffing positions besides coordination with Park and Rec and Libraries. There were lots of convening with the Commission , staff and with the public to complete this document and recommendations are still be accepted.  It is hoped that the plan called Creative City will be approved by the City Council early in 2025. 

Both Carlsbad and Oceanside  have an approved up to date arts master plans and Encinitas has had one percolating for years. We would like to see all cities set these goals and have strategies to achieve them. 

Don't miss the Creative City Open House on Sept. 7, 2024, at the Comic-Con Museum from 9 a.m. to noon to learn about the cultural planning process. Mayor Todd Gloria will kick things off with opening remarks and an overview of the draft cultural plan. The remainder of the morning will be organized around informal conversations about the draft recommendations where you can share input on the draft plan. Event details are available at sdcreativecity.com under Get Involved. 

A little reminder, the  City of SD Arts and Culture and Community Festivals Funding Program is now open until Sept 13. 

Arts Prescriptions

 

The four-part series of Arts and Health Webinar is presented by California for the Arts. The first one I am reporting on is Health Benefits of Arts Engagement and the Importance of Involving Community Organizations in Research.

Please note: It was important for me to understand the difference between Arts Prescribing and Social Prescribing. Jill Sonke answered my question as she explained in her text to me that there are five areas of social prescribing:  Arts & Culture, Heritage, Nature, and Physical Activity. Much of the webinar includes all these areas, but I tried to concentrate on Arts and Culture, naturally.

The poet Ivory Rose set the stage for this discussion on Social Prescribing with a specially commission work. Bringing a little art into this talking head event was appreciated.

Alan Seigal  runs  the website Social Prescribing USA  which has a mission to make social prescribing available to every American by 2035. He divided the needs into crisis areas, Mental Health, Aging, Health Care,  and Civic Capitol.  

Art Prescribing can improve all these areas by reducing anxiety, depression, PTSD, blood pressure, diabetes. By bolstering immune system, improving brain cognition, managing pain, improving fine motor skills and coordination, developing empathy, boasting confidence and identity, improving memory, increasing civic engagement and social tolerance, lessen loneliness while increasing inclusion.

There are no side-affects with an art prescription. It is cheaper than meds and has the extra benefit of dealing with many inequality issues.

The plan is you still to go to your GP who refers you to a social prescribing service and they then assess and direct you to the best possible prescribing services by asking questions like: What matters to you?  What brings you joy and meaning?

Seigal pointed out that in the beginning using the existing health system  is prudent as that is where the money is now. But in the future, any trained person might advise am art prescription.

Jill Sonke  area is research. You need evidence-based policies if you are going to drive investment. She thinks we are on the cusp of that happening in the next five years. Thirty countries already use social prescription, lead mainly by the British. But there are 40 pilot projects in the USA and out of 23 studies, 17 are for art prescribing. The next steps are public awareness. Art Prescription Field Guild can help with that.

Although we don’t know what form this will take in the USA, system outcomes show that we gain in health equity, return on investment, health system cost savings to name just some of the areas being explored. The studies already show that older adults have 20% less chance of being depressed if they engage in one art activity a month. This art for health push will impact all the arts ultimately to increase participation.

Christina Eskridge gave the last presentation. She started the Elevate Theater Company to combine her interest in the art with training in health. They aim to create space for audiences and artists to explore health and well-being through the art of storytelling. She is also on the board of  Arts for EveryBody a  national  data gathering project. Take the survey to help them fulfill their mission.

During the presentation there were a number of organizations mentioned that have been working in this field. NOAP National Organization in Arts in Health is the grandfather of these but all the links above plus the recent  CA Art and Health Summit 2024 will be a real education for those wanting to know more.

P.S Don’t forget our own SD based Prebys Foundation Local Healing through the Arts and Nature Initiatives giving grants in this field.

Part 2: Strategies for Innovative Funding & Partnerships in Arts & Health Initiatives  was August 21 and billed as a chance to learn about diverse strategies to secure creative funding and form impactful partnerships that are driving meaningful change.⁠ 

I was only able to hear Elizabeth Markle, PhD, Co-Founder/Executive Director from  OpenSource Wellness. Her group set up a program with only experiential workshops. Each one is geared to the people present as there is no set program, But the concept is that the way forward is 1. Movement i.e. exercise, 2. Nourish i.e. diet,  3. Connect i.e. community, 4. Be i.e Stress reduction. The arts can fit into all these categories. They already have proof of concept which has helps with funding. Their clients has experienced a drop in emergency visit, lower blood pressure, and a better rate of consuming fruits and vegetables.  They have been so successful that they had to decide whether to spread the program nationwide, or become  trainers to the trainers. Knowing how important local contacts are in the process the chose the education route of Health and Wellness trainers.  They have been using the YMCA for this project development. I loved her description of how to raise money to support all these efforts: Braided funding i.e. interwoven at all levels. 

 

In the third seminar on September 4th: Exploring Workforce Development for Arts & Health Initiatives  we learned more about efforts in Scotland and Chicago but the info presented by Ping Ho for the Arts and Healing Initiative was the most stimulating and most local as it is out of LA.    There program SEA (Social and Emotional Arts) was clear and repeatable with lots of information on their website. There are one day workshops and certificate programs. They not only train the trainers but have expanded to train some of the youth to become leaders. None of the pilot and developed programs have yet cracked the insurance payment hurdle, but the data now being gathered some certainly help to push that forward. 

In the fourth and last seminar on Advocacy and Public Policy for Arts and Health Initiatives

Julie Baker from California for the Arts gave the steps to take for an advocacy for Art Prescriptions using the messaging Artist are the Second Responder. Legislature created to make April Arts and Culture month using that message to re-enforce that artists are essential. CAC has made health one of the 7 priorities of the organization. In 2024, introducing AB2250 to get insurance to pay for screening of art as a social determinant of health.  

Steps for advocacy:
Plan your campaign
Create Awareness
Generate Engagement
Encourage Action
Sustain Momentum

So one last suggestion for everyone reading this: Start to talk up Art Prescriptions so we create a buzz on this subject. 

Of course, it is best for you to watch the sessions for yourself. Here are the videos below:

Session One

Session 2

 

Session 3

 

Session 4

What is your vision? What is your passion?

 

In the last few years, I have seen proof that if you have a vision and group together with like minded people, there is a distinct possibility that vision will come to be.  I have a list of those dreams like; the San Diego Visual Arts Network, the San Diego Art Prize, the  SD County Commission for Arts and Culture, and the Pacific View Art Center. They are all realities now.

Recently I realized that I have some new visions:

The county wide Arts and Culture Tourism Agency.

A cultural district designation for all the cities in our county.

Paid full time art administrators in our all cities.

A push to have Art Prescriptions issued by doctors and paid for by insurance companies

A line items for all the school district budgets adding transportation for arts and culture field trips.

Affordable housing for artists.

I am not saying I will personally be working on all of these ideas, but I do love to plant seeds in fertile ground. So maybe not in my life time, but maybe for the good of the arts community, some of these visions will come true.

Do you have a vision for arts and culture in San Diego?  Advocacy is all about putting our voices together.  I would love to hear your voice.

Patricia Frischer State of the Arts Advocacy, LIFE Lecture

 

In this hour lecture, you can learn about all the Advocacy issues that are currently affecting the arts in the county of San Diego. There is also a presentation of some of the visual arts exhibitions on view in SD for the summer and fall of 2024. This is presented by Patricia Frischer coordinator/founder of the San Diego Visual ArtsNetwork and Interim Chairman of North County Arts Network. The lecture was video tapped at MiraCosta College in Oceanside by the LIFE Organization.

Advocacy issues covered are: 

• Civic Arts
• Public Arts
• Affordable Housing for Arts through Cultural District
• Government Funding

Exhibitions areas covered are: 

• In North County Now
• In Central San Diego Now
• In the whole county for the summer
• Future exhibitions to watch for in the fall

There is a particularly interesting question and answer period at the end of the lecture not to be missed. 

State Funding Proposed Cut for the Arts

Our own Rosemary KimBal working to save the cuts
during her visit to Sacramento, CA.

Breaking new: Arts Advocates released the following statements after the legislature agreed to restore 75 percent of the recent cuts announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Yesterday, Speaker Rivas and Pro Tem McGuire announced an agreement on a legislative budget that restores $12.5 million in funding for the Equitable Payroll Fund and $5 million to the CAC.

Newsom had announced fully cutting the state’s innovative Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund ($12.5 million), plus a reduction of 38% in state grant funding for small arts nonprofits through the California Arts Council (CAC) on May 10 when he released his May Revised budget proposal.

The California Arts Council (CAC) has been in the news recently because of possible 58% cuts in the budget of the organization. This was fully discussed at a public meeting on Friday, May 24 from noon to 4…yes four hours. Here are some of the highlights.

The CAC seems to be against the recently proposed possibility of being relocated within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. (GoBiz) They want more information and want to remain independent.

There has been no great explanation of why the move is proposed except to consolidate expenses and a slight possible suggestion that this office would give a higher profile to the CAC. This umbrella organization has other commissions, but the only other arts one is the Film Commission. It was stated that the CAC vision and mission would not be changed.

If this move does happen, then having the budget cut at the same time seems counter intuitive. Being acknowledged as part of economic development, then why would the arts not get more funding instead of less?

Right now, CAC is an independent council and it is much more than just an economic driver. There are health, education, and health benefits. Becoming part of the Office of Business and Economic Development adds another layer of administration that might slow down all the effectiveness of the organization. So, the majority of the council stated that the move has to be researched more and should not a quick decision especially without the input of the Council itself.  

Please note that the new San Diego County Commission for Arts and Culture  is also under a business and economic development department here in our own county.   

The cuts to the budget that are proposed are $10M reduction in Local Assistance (grant programs) plus a state wide cut of 7.9% for all administration cost.

The past budget was $27m with $10m taken away and a commitment is already made for $6M for General operating grants, that leaves only $4m for new grants.

There was a committee formed on the request of the state staff to make suggestion of how to deal with this $10M loss. These kind of policy decisions are made with rigorous regard to equity.

The suggestion was that general operating funds (GEN) grants will be closed for Tier 2 and 3 (i.e. organization with budgets $250K to $1.5M). Only tier one grants will be considered.

Instead, application for other types of grants will have the deadline extended from June 6 to June 20. This is the give time for those who had submitted GEN grant in tier 2 and 3 be able to rewrite them (with aid and guidance from CAC) to other needs and programs.

There was large public input from many arts organizations in person in LA (where this meeting of the CAC) was held and online. Many just cried loudly for the cuts not to be made. But the best one recommended not to make it easy for the cuts to happen by accommodating those cuts!

So, when the CAC had to vote on the proposal to stop funding tier 2 and 3, they voted 4 for and 4 against which means there was not a majority so the proposal did not pass. Because it did not pass, they could not vote on the extension of timing on the grants.

I believe the issue is now in the hands of those who will urge for no cuts to the arts directly to the Governor. We will now have to be turning to CA for the Arts for more information on advocating.  Hopefully, our own SD Art Matters  will be a leader for our county as they our regional arts advocacy organization. 

Our own Rosemary KimBal working to save the cuts during her visit to Sacramento, CA.

Public Art: A cry from the heart.

 

Luminescent Flora by Deanne Sabeck.

The Encinitas City Council approved two of Deanne Sabeck's glass and metal sculptures in a meeting at the beginning of April. One will go at the entrance to Oakcrest Park at 1219 Encinitas Blvd and the other at the southeast corner of Newcastle Avenue and Liverpool Drive in Cardiff by the Sea, across the street from the Cardiff Library. Both of these works, that were presented anonymously to the public, got very high ratings. Another sculpture by Peter Mitten was accepted for placement at the new Pacific View Arts Center that will open later this year as well as Bunny Serenade by Adrian Litman for the pad at Little Oaks Equestrian Park in Olivenhain on Lone Jack Road. 

But two other sites will remain empty. The Encinitas Commission for Arts and Culture chose other art works for these sites taking into consideration the public comments and ratings, but the council deemed to decide for what might be personal reasons, that these artists were not suitable, ignoring the recommendation of their professional body of experts.

This is not an isolated problem. Cities with no art master plans and cities with no coherent public art plan often run into divided opinions about how art in the public realm should be chosen and funded. We have seen examples of how major works of art by renowned creators are turned away by  cautious politicians who are out of their league when judging art. The latest fiasco was in Del Mar when the Isamu Noguchi’s sculpture worth half a million dollars was rejected.

Buying, renting and accepting donated art works is a complicated puzzle. This entails making sure that the artists are qualified, that the proposed work is appropriate, and that the budget is acceptable.  Outreach to the public for preference and advice of experts has to be considered. Contracts have to be drawn up and having the ability to work with artists and architects for completing the creation, siting the work, and then lighting it and maintaining it are all considerations. Remembering that art can be vandalized plays a part in the decision.  The County and City of San Diego both have mandates for including a percentage of new construction and larger renovation budgets for art. But working with non-profits to purchase works is also an option.

There are solid public art policies already created by other major cities so there is no real need to re-invent the wheel in for public art. Luckily, we now have a new San Diego County Arts and Culture Commission which has already started to make recommendations on revising the public art policy county wide.  Hopefully those new policies will trickle down and be seen to be best practices by all the cities in our county.

Those of us in the arts spend all of our lives looking at art and have a finely honed sense of authenticity. That expertise is power and can be used for the good of the community. We listen to health authorities and so please, in the arts, acknowledge that expertise in the same way. 

We are also respectful of the efforts of artists who are an extremely important resource for our communities. They not only bring aesthetic beauty and challenging concepts, but economic growth and prosperity into our lives.  

Finally, we are not opposed to the public having input on public art for their community. But this needs to be at the beginning of the process so that it can be incorporated in the call for artists proposals. Let the art professional make the final selections and set policy.

Affordable Housing for Artists in your Cultural Districts Plus Women of Impact

Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, 77th District AB 812 PRO-ARTIST AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The new AB 812 bill approved Oct 11 by the governor and authored by Tasha Boerner allows cities and/or counties to give up to 10% of its very low, low, or moderate-income housing to eligible artists as long as they are within one-half mile from a state-designated cultural district or within a locally designated cultural district if certain income and occupation conditions are met.

We asked Edwin Borbon, Legislative Director for the office of Assemblymember Tasha Boerner to clarify a number of questions we had.  He gave me a very complete explanation which helped me understand so much more clearly about AB 812. We think this is valuable information especially as it clarifies that any city can designate a cultural district. This does not have to be a state designation. And that any city that wants to avail themselves of having artists present in their low income housing projects, a known way to elevate the value of the area, can avail themselves of this 10% advantage.

From Mr. Borbon, “The way it works in practice, is if a city or county has a state or locally designated cultural district, under AB 812, the local government would first have to pass a local tenant preference ordinance for artists within the boundaries of a locally designated cultural district, or within one half-mile from a state designated cultural district. Any deed restricted housing that is within those boundaries and is under the purview of the local govt, either existing affordable developments or future developments, would qualify for the 10% set-aside for artists.”

Yes, the city has to pass a local tenant preference ordinance for artist.  

“The local govt and housing development property management would work together to create an Artist Selection Committee that would create a process for artists preference criteria such as demonstrating consistent participation in a creative art through contributions to their field, a resume describing their art experience and/or education, and samples of recent work. The Artist Selection Committee will be made up of artists of diverse disciplines and backgrounds.”

The property management company will receive applications for the artist preference, as well as the traditional housing application. The property manager will then redact private information from the arts preference application and set it aside for the Artist Selection Committee. These artistic works will not be judged on content, but rather simply in support of qualifying the applicant as an artist. Artists who meet income limits will be offered an opportunity to live in the affordable housing development.”

Yes, the city has to create not only an artist application, but also an artists Selection Committee.  This is not based on the content of the art.

The income qualifications must match the income levels for the affordable housing development so they still have to meet the same income thresholds as all the other residents. When it comes to the eligibility criteria, the income levels for affordable housing are outlined in state statute (as defined in Sections 50079.5, 50093, 50105, and 50106 of the Health and Safety Code), the occupational conditions would be determined by the local city and property management company of the affordable housing development.”

No, the artist do not have different income requirement. But up to 10% of the housing can be given to qualifying artists.

We in the art world who have been pushing for more affordable housing for artists should be thrilled with this bill and grateful to Tasha Boerner. Now it is up to the cities in our county to move forward.  

Patricia Frischer was chosen as a Woman of Impact for Arts and Culture by Tasha Boerner. Below is the utube of the speeches for that presentation. Skip ahead to minute 18 for my arts and culture presentation.  And don't miss the tear inducing one by Dr. Ayana Boyd King at minute 29. It was a super inspiring afternoon.  

All the award recipients! Left to right: Staff Sergeant Debora Rodriguez Caryn Blanton, Dr. Ayana Boyd King, Andrea Schlageter, Dt. Danielle Haulsee, Assemblymember Distict #77 Tasha Boerner, Denise Friedman,  Dana Bristol-Smith, Patricia Frischer, Gaby B. Love,  Bella Villarin.

Text of Speech by Patricia Frischer, founder, San Diego Visual Arts Network

I was born in Kansas City but arrived here from London 27 years ago. I could find no directory for the arts.  That is why created the San Diego Visual Arts Network now listing 2500 visual arts resources from Fallbrook in the north to and including Baja Norte. We have a full events calendar, a gossip column (cause who doesn’t want the inside scoop), reports on Art exhibitions and advocacy issues.    

We have curated many large visual arts projects like the Movers and Shaker… 90 Art VIPs…. not one turned down the chance to have their portrait created and the DNA of Creativity with 5 teams of artists, scientists, teachers and documenters …a magnificent exhibition at OMA.

We are most proud of the SD Art Prize, our ongoing award for excellence in its 17th year. Watch for it at the SD History Center in Balboa Park in the fall. 

We are delighted to have played a part in the reforming of the SD County Wide Commission for arts and culture which we stumped for…it took 15 years and is announcing its brand-new strategic plan in April which is arts and culture month in the state of CA.  

Thank you so much for this honor which recognizes the $1.4 billion dollar arts and culture industry.  This is our huge economic impact on employment and tourism. Kudos to Tasher Boerner for creating the AB812 which mandates affordable housing for artists near cultural districts.  Every city should have a designated cultural district.   

How do we do this with no bricks and mortar, and no paid staff? No, I am not the little women behind the curtain AKA the wizard of OZ. It is done with a ton of volunteers and community involvement, friends and family, county and private foundations. 

We believe that the San Diego Visual Arts Network is a powerful force to connect Art to People and People to Art

We believe that artists serve as interpreters, explorers, and creators of the great unknown 

We believe your life is an artwork, a mess, a makeover and magnificent 

We believe most of all that Art Builds Community.

Congratulation to all the ladies receiving this impact award. I am honored to be one amongst many. 

Silent Conversations

Patricia Frischer - Silent Conversation (detail)

Front Porch Gallery, in collaboration with Surfing Madonna Oceans Project is holding the fourth annual Save the Ocean art and poetry exhibition through Feb. 29, 2024. In conjunction with this exhibition, a Ekphrastic Poetry Writing and Collage Workshop was held. That means the poetry is inspired by a work of art and that part of the workshop was led convincingly by Dr. Marit Anderson. Cathy Carey, the new Director of the Front Porch Gallery, led the collage component.

I went to this workshop to gain insight on how I might use this technique for brainstorming sessions especially for board retreats and happy to say how successful it was at a recent one I participated in with the Encinitas Friends of the Arts board. We kept in mind our goals to rethink our vision statement. Made collages and choose words to describe them. We forced those words into a sentence and from that sentence the group discussed the most important element revealed. Tapping into the subconscious to think outside of the box really does work!!!

Dr. Marit Anderson in front of Chery Tall's  Zephyr

Dr. Anderson actually has a degree in Human Behavior (not English or Poetry) and was full of quotes like my favorite one from Albert Einstein,  “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” She asked all to use all of our senses; vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell and mind (that would include imagination and memories.)

Cathy Carey - Birch Aquarium

Cathy Carey gave us open encouragement to us all sorts of materials besides magazine images including  adding colored papers, paints, pens, or even 3-d items. We could go completely abstract, surreal or even use the collage as mosaic to create a realistic illusion.

The advantage of this exercise, is not only that you look more closely at the work of art, but you get insights into your own emotions and feelings. The exhibition was to showcase the fragility of our environment, but actually each artist made their own statement and I found the show more upbeat than educational and more lively than alarming. The same was true of the poetry created in the workshop.

  

Mac Hindenbrand - The Hawaiian Chain of Wood 

Mac Hindenbrand -The Hawaiian Chain of Wood  (detail)

The work I personal choose to explore was by Mac Hindenbrand. Titled The Hawaiian Chain of Wood it is a grained piece of wood with inlays or many other woods depicting the string of Hawaiian Islands. I added a word for each of those senses which included silence, salt, smooth, fresh and conversation in my first pass.  Looking longer I came up with grain, punctuation, curves, illusions, lapping and travel.

Silent Conversations
Fresh and salty thoughts
Smooth my day
Constantly lapping curves
Traveling illusions
Punctuate the sands of time.

Thinking of those words, I cut out what I thought were random images, but my hand was definitely guided by the poetry. Here is the collage I created.

Patricia Frischer - Silent Conversation

That in turn produced this set of sense words: warm, rhythm, absorbent, bumpy, ancient, adventures. Then, the poem produced was:

Bumpy rhythms signal
warm adventures which
are absorbed into antiquity.

Can I apply this to the subject of the exhibitions? For me, I can say that the current warming climate, even earthquakes can be seen not just as a threat, but as adventures which will eventually become recorded as another cycle of life of our planet.

Going back to the first poem:

Silent Conversations
Fresh and salty thoughts
Smooth my day
Constantly lapping curves
Traveling illusions
Punctuate the sands of time.

We need to think deeply and completely about our environment if we are to meet its challenges. Seeing things we thought were false that are not, and vice versa while looking backward to find repeating patterns.

Or it could all just be a bunch of hooey!

Dr. Marit Anderson facilitates the Awaken the Poet Within meetings the 2^nd and 4^th Saturdays of the month at the Encinitas Library Study Room noon to 2 pm. A virtual session is the 1^st Saturday of the month. Email: drmartyanderson@sdcglobal.net for more info. and meeting links.

Katie Wade, the Senior Director of Creative Engagement tells us that The Front Porch Gallery, through these new workshops, is offering creative engagement for the community with hands-on making, discussions and new ways to look to enhance longevity and enjoyment of life.

The Front Porch Gallery: 2903 Carlsbad Blvd, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Open: Wed – Fri 11 to 5, Sat noon to 4 

Why weren’t we asked?

 

JFK

The big question is always how do I get funding or help for my cause? Although the answer is often “get involved”, the feeling is often ‘why weren’t we asked?”.

So I am going to spell it out here. To get involved you have to volunteer your time, energy or even some in-kind service. You don’t wait to be asked. You seek out opportunities to collaborate. When you volunteer you meet other committee members and volunteers and you get to really know them if you make an effort. You can then start to create a network of advisors and supporters.

You find out about volunteer opportunities and calls for by reading newsletters and social media. So you have to sign up for those from groups that interest you and you have to actually read those newsletters.  (like the twice monthly SDVAN message: sign up now if you have not done so).  But you don’t have to wait for a call for volunteers/artists, you can suggest a gap that you see that you could fill. You could have a vision for a strategic plan. You could write up a report for use in a grant. You could curate am exhibition. You might even be able to collaborate with that organization to do a joint grant.

And I am not talking about just arts organizations, but also civic agencies and not even just arts commissions but maybe public safety commissions or planning commissions. You could join the local tourist association or the chamber of commerce.

This all takes time and effort, and you have to be willing to give in order to get. Never wait to be asked or you will end up asking, "Why weren’t we asked?”

Get involved and float your own boat on the rising tide.  

By the way: Felica Shaw just announced an Emerging Leaders Arts Advocacy Training Program which is a program of Californians for the Arts and the SD Regional Arts and Culture Coalition. The deadline is Feb15 and accepted applicants will be paid $500! You have to attend 3 training session starting Feb 23 and ending in April. One person will be chosen to go to Sacramento all expenses paid for Arts Advocacy Day in April. Contact teri@caforthearts.org and reference Arts Advocacy Training.  

AND here is my story on how to advocate for your own passion: Americans for the Arts Advocacy 101: Advocating for the Arts 2024

State of the Arts 2024

There are environmental disasters, financial uncertainty with high inflation, post COVID impact and ongoing wars in the Ukraine and Israel/Palestine as well as a controversial upcoming election.  Is CRISIS also the defining word of the state of the arts? 

In San Diego, we have two fabulous new developments. The county came together to produce the first county wide AEP6 Arts and Economic Prosperity report (joint public presentation of results on Thurs. Jan 25, 10 – 12:30 at MOPA) and the county supervisors approved the formation of a new Commission of Arts and Culture which is well on its way to producing a strategic plan. 

There are funds coming to the arts in San Diego. Prebys Foundation awarded almost  $10.5 Million in Grants to Advance the Visual and Performing Arts throughout San Diego County! This includes $50k for our friends at the San Diego Guild of Puppetry and a whopping $150k for Space 4 Art and a giant $300k to the Woman’s Museum of California. Hurrah!  We look forward to seeing collaborations between Prebys Foundation and the newly formed SD County Commission for Arts and Culture.  Other awards went to San Diego Museum of Art $750k, Balboa Park Online Collaborative $619,856, Mingei International Museum $150k California Center For The Arts, Escondido $450k, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego $300k,  San Diego History Center $350k La Jolla Historical Society $56,700, Studio ACE $25k, The New Children's Museum $235k and  Vanguard Culture $50k  

The California Arts Council awarded 68 grants in the county of San Diego totaling $2,224,700. Some of the big winners in visual arts are: The Aja Project $81,250, Artreach $74,501, The City Of San Diego Commission For Arts And Culture $66,600 (State/Local Partnership Grant), Arthatch $51k, San Diego Museum Council Inc $50k, Escondido Arts Partnership $42k Vanguard Culture $42k, California Center For The Arts Escondido Foundation $25k, A Reason To Survive $21,250, The Veterans Art Project $21,250, Art Produce $14k. These are a combination of impact grants and general operating expense grants. 

In the 2022-23 fiscal year, the City of San Diego TOT (tax on tourist) revenue totaled $256.7 million. Arts funding was $14.3 million, i.e. 5.59% of the total. But budgets cuts meant that 2023-24 fiscal year was only 4.67% of TOT revenue. A resolution in December of this year encourages Todd Gloria to increase funding for the arts to 9.52% in each budget in order to meet the Penny for the Arts goal set in 2017. This was reported by KPBS.

We learned from AEP6 that San Diego County’s nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $1.3 billion industry (up from $1.1 billion in 2015)—one that supports 19,771 jobs (way down from 35,914 in 2015) and generates $320.7 million (less than half of the $894.4 million in 2015) in local, state, and federal government revenue. We know that there will be a huge call for art teachers coming up with the passage of CA Prop 28 and hope that the audience will return to the arts in 2024 and boast the job number and revenue. Read the SDVAN report: Not a Nicety, a Necessity: The Arts & Economic Prosperity Report AEP6.

This all bodes very well for San Diego, but we still locally have a duty to wider concerns. This year’s state of the arts reflects opinion shared in a Zócalo Public Square forum Arts in Times of Crises: The Role of Artists in Weakened Democracies on 1. the role of artists as activists and 2. how arts institutions navigate the culture wars.

The Role of the Artists as Activists was moderated by Karen Mack, Founder and Executive Director, LA Commons with performance/installation artist Suzanne Lacy and photographer Catherine Opie.

·       It was recognized that although artist have limited power compared to movie and social media, artists are able to walk between worlds and are always tasked in truth telling.  

·       Not everyone is an activist, but art can be a more subtle expression than a public protest.

·       Some artists are drawn to communities, others need isolation to create but both are able to open up people to accepting an uncomfortable ideal.

·       Many younger artists do need to learn how to make coalitions which can strengthen the impact of their work.

·       We should remember that artists are actually philanthropist every time they give their art away to a worthy cause.

·       Artists need to protect themselves from the onslaught of world events in order to make time to create their work, but every artist has a duty to vote.

How Should Arts Institutions Navigate the Culture Wars? was moderated by Kristine Sadoka – LA County Department of Arts and Culture with panelist MOCA director Johanna Burton, Center Theatre Group artistic director Snehal Desai, former Oregon Shakespeare Festival executive artistic director Nataki Garrett, and Whitney Museum director emeritus Adam D. Weinberg. The discussion was broken down into three main categories: the power of arts and culture, the weaponizing of culture and arts for human healing.  

Power of arts and culture
The arts are a great connecter of people. Artist are outsiders as well as insiders.

·       They identify self and can relate that to other individuals, to local communities and even wider civic spaces.

·       Everyone can make space for artist you believe in, so seek out artist who are storying telling to an underserved and vulnerable community.

·       Our first institution is our home. That is where community begins.  You can build within your home and let that spread as an education for all if you start listening to other.

·       Bridging means creating sense of belonging with shared ownership and an invitation so everyone feels they deserve to be there.

·       Try to make sure people see themselves reflected in the presentations, events, workshop, projects.  

Weaponization of Culture
Culture Wars means someone is a winner and someone is a loser. This is a bad model. Both sides need to win.

·       Institutions are re-organizing themselves. The question is should they try to fix what is wrong or tear down and start again.  Each organization is different, so preconceived solutions might not work. Is your vision really agreed on?

·       To build community, you must combine not separate, eliminate division but encourage varied thinking.

·       You must really know your funders, staff, board individually and create allies. Sometimes this is not a group effort, but an individual one. Be comfortable with conflict.

·       If you hire lots of women and culturally diverse administrators to clean up and make changes they need to be supported. If they succeed, they should be rewarded and recognized.

·       The first thing that is weaponize is the language: Woke  is the word instead of Visionary

·       Artists’ freedoms are always under threat as it is easier to attack culture than build culture.

·       Audience sometimes don’t want to be challenged. With 35% less attendance…the challenge is how do you bring audiences back. You can’t charge more as those who can’t afford it are left out

·       Recognize that the pandemic changed things as everyone was vulnerable. We shared our fears. We are identifying the when to compromise and when to draw the line. We know this is a long game, maybe more than 5 years, and change is always cyclical.

 

Arts for human healing
Culture provides a public place for discussion. We gather for communal experiences. We look to government for support

·       People are engaged in arts all over the world and in all sorts of ways. They are activated by social problems and arts are central to the solutions

·       Coalition building occurs outside of institution and into the community.

·       All Americans are still struggling with the identity of being an American and artists have insight into those surprising uncontrollable questions of ethics and beliefs.

·       Artists need to be valued and rewarded more in this role.