Mayor Signs Budget - P.A.W. Print - Philadelphia Arts Writers

On Thursday, July 1, Mayor John F. Street signed the Philadelphia City budget. The passing of the budget ended months of negotiations with Council. The budget restores $3.5 million of the $4.5 million in cultural funding cuts Street had initially proposed in March. The partial restoration does not signify that arts and cultural groups will be living high on the hog.

Peggy Amsterdam, President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (GPCA) led public demonstrations and media campaigns to save the funding, which, had originally amounted to 61 percent in proposed overall reductions. She repeats the implorations she issued during her numerous Hall addresses to the City Council, this time in a slightly sad albeit relieved past tense. "We can't overlook the fact that there are a lot of demands on a declining amount of dollars. Our concern was that arts and culture was supposed to be eliminated and that unfair cuts were imposed," she said, adding, "Now, we are back in line but the condition brings up the reality of the very small percentage of funding that arts and culture gets when it provides such a huge economic impact for the city."

The reductions eliminated the City Office of Arts and Culture, which was Philadelphia's designated "Local Arts Agency." It had participated in public policy on behalf of "the interests and concerns of the City's cultural community and advocates on its behalf," as stated on the agency's website.


GPCA President Peggy Amsterdam. photo, Phila. Foundation

Although Council's amendments included line-item funds, the Mayor is not obligated to spend those funds according to these amendments because the Office of Arts and Culture is not a city-chartered office or department. That former Office's voicemail currently announces, "Due to severe budget cuts, the Office of Arts and Culture is now permanently closed. Please do not leave any messages on this phone. It will not be returned." On July 1, 2004, the Office of Arts and Culture, which had formerly been part of the Commerce Department, was officially closed.

"Not a dime should have been taken from arts and culture," said At Large Councilman James F. Kenney, who added, "John Street has shown a great disregard toward and neglect for this sector. He doesn't understand or just chooses to ignore that Arts and Culture is responsible for a lot of the greatness of Philadelphia."

The Office's Art Commission (the City's charter-mandated design review board, appointed by the mayor, for architecture and art) has also ceased operations. The Office's Student Exhibition Program (a series of outreach projects displaying the artwork of public school kindergartners through twelfth graders) is also now defunct. The Street administration has announced that it expects to continue the Art in City Hall program (exhibiting artwork by professional Philadelphia visual artists) and the Percent for Art program (in operation since 1959, whereby the City commissions artwork for public spaces). The latter program is a joint effort by the City and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (RDA). It ordinance was written to allow for up to one percent of the yearly Capital Budget to be spent on public art.


	The Five Orders by John A. Beirs, a Percent for Art work, cost $75,000.

Another Percent for Art piece, titled, "Your Move," consists of several, massive, steel monopoly pieces. It was placed in front of the Municipal Services Building in 1996 and cost the City $195,000. Philadelphia Controller Jonathan A. Saidel explained the irony of drawing money away from cultural institutions while luxurious public works spending power is amplified. The money spent, he explained, is not part of a cash flow process, whereby private patrons would eject money into the economy (like they do whenever a consumer purchases a painting from a gallery) but is drawn from public coffers. Moreover, Percent for Art exists just because the mayor--- rather than the private buyers, says it can. "Your Move," was, composed by artists from Long Beach, California, Daniel Martinez, Renee Petropoulos and Roger White. Saidel feels that Philadelphia artists should be showcased, instead. "We have these great Philadelphia art schools and artists," said Saidel, "So why should places like Long Beach get the revenue?" Another Percent for Art commission was "The Five Orders," an enormous stained window installation decorating the façade of the Criminal Justice Center at 1301 Filbert Street. The erection, containing bevelled, etched and silk screen glass, an aluminum frame and zinc cementation (instead of lead), cost the City $75,000 in 1994. The most recent Percent for Art work is a fresco that is now being installed on the facade of the Free Library on Walnut Street and 40th Street. The progressing work is titled, "Natural Light." The program has commissioned it for $16,000. The artist of the new work is Philadelphian Paul Santoleri. The artist of "The Five Orders" is John A. Beirs, a Philadelphian, whose studio is located on Race Street. "The Philadelphia area has more arts schools, artists and arts groups than any other city," said Saidel, who added, "If we have to make large expenditures on public art, it is right that at least Philadelphia artists get these commissions." Percent for Art also commissioned, "Synergy," the huge archway whose towers flank the intersection of 18th Street and Spring Garden Street. The expensive steel installation, erected in 1987, is a creation by Rochester, New York artist, Albert Paley.


"Your Move" cost $195,000 and was commissioned from Long Beach, CA artists. photo, Philart.net

In the new budget, the Philadelphia Museum of Art receives $2 million, which is $250,000 less than it had been allotted last year. This amount represents 33 percent of what the budget cites as "general obligations," the funding of the museum's security and the maintenance of the city-owned building it occupies.

The City's Cultural Fund was cut 17 percent, from $2.4 million to $2 million. More than 250 local organizations receive general operating support from this fund.

In a letter the Mayor delivered to Council with the signed budget, Street noted that making cuts in years subsequent to previous years of restorations, is "inconsistent and illogical." Amsterdam explains the contradiction the 22.3 percent overall reductions communicate after the Street administration last year had issued a five-year plan to raise the Cultural Fund to $5 million. "It's pennywise and pound foolish," she said. "How can you cut something that has always been recognized as giving so much to the community?" Amsterdam urges her listeners to recognize the arts and culture as "a real economic sector." Citing its sources as "Greater Philadelphia's Competitive Edge: The Nonprofit Culture Industry and its Value to the Region," a 1998 study compiled by the Pennsylvania Economy League (PEL) and the 2004 "Greater Philadelphia Outlook Survey," by Sovereign Bank, GPCA, to protest the cuts prior to the final budget passing, publicized that taxes generated by the cultural industry for Philadelphia, equal $6.5 million. According to the PEL study, the arts and culture sector of the five county region generates yearly revenues of $564 million through consumer spending, $224 million in personal income derived directly and indirectly from arts and culture employers ($199 million of which is salary), $10.2 million in overall state income and sales taxes, and over $6.5 million in City of Philadelphia sales and wage taxes. "Cutting something that clearly benefits Philadelphia is ridiculous and ought never to have been done," said Kenney. The six year-old study also reported that the sector also is responsible for the creation of 11,377 jobs.


	"Synergy" was commissioned from Rochester, NY artist, Albert Paley. photo, Philart.net

GPCA's mission is to ensure that Street will not attempt larger or additional cuts next year. Its position is that the vulnerability of the sector is defined by the absurdity of overlooking the monetary value of arts and culture. "One of the good things to come out of the experience is the raising of the public awareness of how fragile the arts organizations are and how important it is for people not only to support the arts organizations, the community organizations that produce them, but to volunteer and invited their neighbors to attend one or two more performances or museum openings than they usually attend." Kenney added robustly, "It's going to happen all over again. The Street administration has shown its great disregard for cultural institutions. So, if awareness and activism do not persuade Street to respect the value of Philadelphia's arts and culture, he will propose and then make the cuts again."

Amsterdam, who attended the annual joint meeting in Washington, DC of the American for the Arts and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (July 17 to 20) gained national recognition during several addresses about her plight to protect arts and culture. However, she is reluctant to begin a national campaign that would alert the rest of the country about Philadelphia's "disproportionate" budget allotments. "What I need to do is to get the votes here at home in City Hall. To go on Dateline, is that going to get me my votes in City Hall? I'd have to think about that." John Hawkins, Legal Assistant for Kenney says, "The last thing this current mayoral administration wants to see is national attention about an issue paid to Philadelphia, especially if it is responsible for the problem."

Amsterdam concludes, "I think you have to set your priorities appropriately and my priority has been to change votes in City Hall. And if national attention comes of that, then fine."

FILM

Jersey, a Quarter-Life Crisis, and Sundance

High School Revisited in Strangers With Candy

PIGLFF Celebrates Ten Years of Queer Cinema in Philadelphia

Lost Film Festival

Cinema India! Brings Bollywood to Philly

THEATRE

A Potable Joyce: A Watered-Down Version of Ulysses

The Brick Playhouse Gives Voice to Local Playwrights

SOCIETY

Garden Varieties: Big Tea Party

Love for Sale: Profile of David Henry Sterry

Sex Cop: Josh McIlvain is on Patrol

Exploring Body Work at Hot Import Nights

COLUMNS

The Masked Perfesser in Dublin

Ghost of Fuddruckers

Distributing PAW Print