State budgets are a reflection of our collective moral values, an illustration of our priorities. Our choices about what to fund are based on what we think are the most vital and essential services for our State. Budgets also address how we raise funds, and from who. Through the budget we realize the projects, services, infrastructure, and initiatives that help us live our best lives.

How do we arrive at this balancing act each year? 

And how do we let our legislators know what we care about, so they can prioritize those investments?

Understanding the California budget process is a first step towards weighing in on those collective priorities. While some of the process remains a little opaque as legislators negotiate, there are plenty of places for citizens to be actively involved, and our voices matter a great deal in this process.

How much? You may think it matters very little. However, when legislative staff were asked what influences an “undecided” lawmaker, 94% said “in-person issue visits from constituents” would have some or a lot of influence and 92% said “individualized email messages” from constituents would.” This is a lot of power in the hands of the people! So let’s get to it!

The budgeting process happens every year (which means it's never too late to get involved!).

While the timeline seems relatively straightforward, from the Governor’s first budget proposal in January, through a period of negotiation, to the vote by the legislature by June 15th, there is a great middle over several months when new bills with new price tags are proposed, and discussions, debates, and deliberations ensue as the legislature attempts to view the document and the State’s needs as holistically as possible. It is in this multi-month period when citizens’ voices matter the most.

It’s during this period that legislators decide which bills will get heard and which will not. Discussion ensues! Are there similar bills being proposed? Was something a priority last year that this year needs to take a back seat? Is there an issue that suddenly takes precedence? Does the state's economy give them less to work for than they originally thought? Does it turn out that someone’s pet idea is actually very unpopular with constituents? This is your time to weigh in as an advocate with CAA. 

In May, the governor issues a revised budget. At this point, 3 members from the Senate and 3 from the Assembly get together to align the various proposals and prepare a budget which the whole Legislature then votes on. 

It must be decided by June 15th, or the legislators stop getting paid. However, even after this point, adjustments are being worked out through the summer and into the fall, with budget trailer bills that can go through mid September. This is yet another portion where speaking up for or against different measures matters a great deal, as the governor will need to sign these trailer bills to get them into effect.

….and the process begins all over again.

The Arts and the CA Budget Process

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Arts Advocates Launch Campaign Urging Governor Newsom to Reverse Arts Funding Cuts Proposed in May Revise 

Newsom’s Draconian 58% Cuts to Critical Arts Programming to have Catastrophic Consequences on Creative Industry That Supports 847,688 Jobs; Rural Communities and Communities of Color to be Most Impacted

On Friday, May 10, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom presented his May Revision proposal for the 2024-25 State Budget. With a remaining $27.6 billion dollar deficit in the current year, the arts were among the hardest hit in Newsom’s proposed spending cuts. The May Revise proposes fully cutting the state’s innovative Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund ($12.5 million), plus a reduction of 38%($10 million) in state grant funding for small arts nonprofits through the California Arts Council (CAC).

 “In total, we’re looking at budget cuts upwards of 58% that will decimate California’s small nonprofit arts organizations and industry workers reliant on this funding,” said Julie Baker, CEO, CA Arts Advocates. “While we understand that every agency and sector must play their part to balance the budget with a 7.95% reduction across nearly all departments, the additional cuts to arts and culture are massively disproportionate. We had hoped we were long past the days when the arts were the first to be cut and undervalued. The state’s recent investments recognized the creative industry’s essential service for bolstering the economic and social health of local communities, especially as an industry still very much in post-pandemic recovery.”

 Since 2020, a broad coalition of arts and culture workers, entertainment unions, producers, nonprofits, live entertainment venues, music  film, tv, and movie theater representatives have worked together on public policies and resources to ensure the recovery and sustainability of the creative industries. However, while some parts of the arts and culture ecosystem have recovered from the impact of COVID, many have not, most notably the nonprofit performing arts. The sweep of the $12.5 million intended for the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, a groundbreaking program that supports live arts workers at smaller, nonprofit companies, was approved just a few years ago with a strong, bipartisan vote from the Legislature. This policy innovation remains critical to stabilizing the performing arts workforce. The Governor's cut erases five years of building a legislative solution to address the deleterious impacts of both rising labor and operational costs and the pandemic on California’s small performing arts organizations. 

 “Over the past four years, our small performing arts nonprofits have suffered severe losses. During this time, our coalition urged the Legislature to act or risk decimating the live arts sector. The stakes today remain high: artists make up one of the most vulnerable populations in California and their jobs are crucial to preserve the State's creative workforce. Last September, pilot funding for the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund (EPF) was welcomed as a strategy to restore sustainability. Though $12.5M won't balance the state budget, it will save many arts workers' livelihoods,” says Martha Demson, Board President of Theatre Producers of Southern California.

Currently, Arts & Culture production drives 8% of California's economy, producing over $290 billion in direct impact and supporting 847,688 jobs; it also drives 7.3% of state tax revenues.  Meanwhile, the California Arts Council is already functioning at a cut-level and the performing arts community is facing unprecedented challenges.

 “The state’s commitment to the arts through modest investments deliver outsized impacts for California and must be protected to ensure a future that integrates arts and culture into solving civic issues, fostering social cohesion, revitalizing neighborhoods and ensuring access to the tools of creative expression and innovation for all,” says Al Vincent Jr., Executive Director, Actors’ Equity Association. “When people go to see live arts events, they generate economic activity – everything from spending on dinner and drinks to parking and childcare. When there is less arts funding, there is less economic activity in small cities and towns across the state. California has a chance to be a leader that prioritizes the arts and artists, not just when times are easy, but when times are hard. As the budget process proceeds, we look forward to engaging the Newsom Administration and the Legislature to restore this critical funding for the arts.”

 In total, the Governor’s proposed $10 million cut to the California Arts Council’s budget for Local Assistance Funding represents a greater than 38% reduction to the $26 million allocation level at which it has been stalled for the past seven years. The highpoint of support for the California Arts Council’s programming was at $30.7 million in the 2000-2001 budget, which in today’s dollars counting for inflation would be $54.7 million. Since 2018-19, general fund support has plateaued at $26 million – just .67 cents per California resident.  At this level, California ranks 36th in the nation in per capita arts spending. In contrast, Florida spends almost $2.00 per resident. The $10 million cut to this program would position California at 45th in the nation in local arts assistance funding, just above Kentucky, Kansas and Georgia. 

 “It is unthinkable that California would fall to 45th in the nation when it comes to funding for the arts, trailing behind Alabama and Florida. The California Arts Council’s budget is already too small to meet the needs of this state with close to 850,000 workers employed in the arts and culture industry alone. In the 2023 grant cycle, roughly 54% of applicants were denied due to a lack of available funding. If this program is cut further, this will have a devastating impact on the field, especially in rural communities and communities of color,” says Jennifer Laine, Board President, CA Arts Advocates and Executive Director of the San Benito County Arts Council.

Julie Baker, CEO, CA Arts Advocates | julie@caartsadvocates.org | 916-296-1838

Martha Demson,  Board President of Theatre Producers of Southern California | martha.demson@gmail.com | 310-614-6759

David Levy | press@actorsequity.org | 212-869-8530, ext. 115

Arts Advocates Launch Campaign Urging Governor Newsom to Reverse Arts Funding Cuts Proposed in May Revise

Every January, the Governor announces the budget proposal by January 10. While the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) has been predicting a $68 billion deficit, the administration suggests a more conservative $38 billion deficit. Governor Newsom unveiled yesterday how he proposes to manage the deficit, preserve key programs and balance the budget. He called it “a story of correction, a story of normalization after a period of a tremendous amount of distortion.” (source Cal Matters)

For arts advocates to note, the CA budget over the last several years included a lot of one-time funds for arts and culture as an influx of federal funds and a robust economy produced a confluence of unprecedented opportunities. The lobbying efforts of CAA and our partners resulted in unprecedented investments, including over $300 million of relief dollars to our sector, funding for new programs such as $60 million for the CA Creative Corps, $10 million for cultural districts, $25 million for arts in the parks, $40 million investment in creative youth development and $11.5 million for the implementation of SB 1116, Equitable Payroll Fund. 

What we see in the 24-25 budget proposal is a return to baseline levels for the California Arts Council (CAC) without any one-time funds for specific programs or increases to local assistance funds. Overall the agency’s budget for grants is proposed to be around $32 million with $8 million of that specifically earmarked for the Arts in Corrections program which has moved into the CAC’s general operating budget as a grant program (it was previously an inter agency agreement with CA Dept of Corrections with state contracts and not grants). In October of 2023, CAA sent a letter to the Governor urging him to increase the baseline funding to the agency by $20 million, as $26 million in baseline funding for a state of approximately 40 million people means while California drives the biggest sub-national arts and culture economy in the world, our state’’s investment of just $0.67 per person falls far behind Florida’s per capita investment oft $2.71. Unfortunately, due to the budget deficit, an increase to the CAC was not proposed in the Governor’s budget yesterday. In 24-25, CAA will continue to educate lawmakers to why the agency needs more funding, but we anticipate this will be a difficult year to realize any increases and, as the budget process unfolds, we may even need to protect the agency’s current appropriation. We will continue to update the field throughout the year.

The budget process begins in January but now goes to the Legislature to make its recommendations and proposals and negotiations until June 15 when the Legislature must pass a budget for the Governor to sign or veto (see here for the budget process). Arts advocates have an opportunity to influence the budget process by meeting with their state legislators on April 17 for arts advocacy day in Sacramento and sharing why public funding for the arts is necessary and critical for community development, economic vitality and social wellbeing. 

In addition, CAA will be monitoring legislation that affects our sector including ticketing bills, AI, workforce development, affordable housing and more while also monitoring implementation of SB 1116, AB 812 and equitable distribution of what is now proposed to be limited funds for the CAC.

Finally, CAA is pleased to join the creative economy working group under the California Arts Council, a $1 million initiative that CAA proposed last year in our lobbying efforts and thanks to leadership in the Legislature and Administration made it into the final budget. This is a critical opportunity for the state to not only learn about how the creative economy ecosystem functions but to build a strategic plan to ensure a healthy and vital creative workforce can thrive in California for generations to come.

2024-25 Governor’s January Budget Proposal

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced today that FEMA is reforming its federal assistance policies and expanding benefits for disaster survivors to cut red tape, provide funds faster and give people more flexibility. 

With the increased frequency of extreme weather events fueled by climate change, these updates will provide survivors with faster and easier access to resources they need after disasters. FEMA developed these new forms of assistance based on direct feedback from survivors, and in response to threats the nation faces due to our changing climate; they will create more equitable outcomes for all communities by increasing accessibility and eligibility for post-disaster support. 

FEMA opens tool replacement assistance to self-employed workers and removes "SBA rejection" requirement

On behalf of California Arts Advocates, I want to thank you for your ongoing support of the arts and culture of California. The recent establishment of the first in the nation CA Creative Corps, employing artists in service to civic issues and the public good, as well as the innovative Creative Youth Development and Cultural District programs, create a much-needed pipeline to careers in the industry. We sincerely applaud these and the many other meaningful programs at the California Arts Council.

However, these programs are now unfunded. California’s artists, culture bearers, and cultural organizations are generating critical economic and social benefits under challenging economic conditions, leading to low wages for creative workers and precariously undercapitalized organizations, in an environment of increased costs. At the current funding level, the California Arts Council has to deny 58% of its applicants, many of them from rural and underrepresented counties where private funders don’t reach, increasing economic disparities.

California is long overdue for a meaningful increase in support for the California Arts Council. As such, we respectfully request additional investment of $20 million per year, for a total of $46 million in general fund support for the California Arts Council. With an additional $20m in funding, the CAC can double its impact and continue to fund vital programs that are currently unfunded.

While there have been one-time program investments made over the last several years, ongoing local assistance funding for the CAC has remained around $26 million since 2018. This increase would restore CAC funding to its 2000-2001 baseline, adjusted for inflation, and raise California’s status from its low-tier ranking as 32nd in state funding for the arts nationwide. While California drives the biggest sub-national arts and culture economy in the world(1), California’s per capita investment of $0.67 falls far behind Florida’s per capita investment in the arts at $2.71(2) California should and could lead in funding for arts and culture by making a $20 million increase to the CAC in your January budget announcement.

1 Economic and Social Impact of Cultural and Creative Sectors, OECD 2021

2 From the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies database:

https://nasaa-arts.org/nasaa_research/raise-your-ranking/

Letter to the Governor - California Arts Council Funding

On Friday, May 13, 2022, Governor Newsom released the May revise. Due to an increase in General Fund revenues estimated to be nearly $55 billion higher than January, the budget includes new proposals including $18.1 billion in direct relief to millions of Californians to help offset rising costs. The Legislature will review the Governor's proposals and then present their own recommendations. A budget must be sent to the Governor by June 15 at which time he has 12 working days to reduce or eliminate any appropriation contained in the budget and sign the bill.

The following arts & culture investments remain in the proposed budget:

$30 million over three years to fund and expand the California Cultural Districts Program

$50 million one-time General Fund for the California Department of Parks and Recreation to create new California Cultural and Art Installations in the Parks Program for state and local parks 

$173,000 ongoing General Fund to the CAC to support the California Poet Laureate and California Youth Poet Laureate and other literary programs in all 58 California Counties.

The following new items were proposed in the May Revise:

An increase of $63 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, for a total of $1 billion one-time Proposition 98 General Fund, to support Expanded Learning Opportunities Program infrastructure, with a focus on integrating arts and music programming into the enrichment options for students.

$500 million one-time General Fund in 2022-23 for the California Small Business Hard-Hit Industries Grant Program administered by the Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), within GO-Biz, to provide additional relief to small businesses and nonprofits most affected by the pandemic including arts, entertainment and recreation. Eligible small businesses and nonprofit organizations can receive grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.

In addition there were important trailer bills introduced that include statutory changes to the CA Venues Grant Program and the Cultural Institutions relief grant program that are critical to ensuring that the funding appropriated last year gets to the intended recipients.

However several items that we believe are critical investments were not included and so our collective advocacy work continues. 

Learn more about our key priorities by reading the  2022-23 Legislative Asks Summary or watch this video where CAA Executive Director Julie Baker reviews in detail the summary document to include:

$50 million to fund the CA Creative Workforce Act, (SB 628)

“$1 for the Arts” - increasing baseline funding for the California Arts Council

$300 million for the Performing Arts Equitable payroll Fund (SB 1116)

$125 million for the California Culture and History Investments Act (SB 963)

STATE BUDGET 2022: May Revise: Arts & Culture Investments

“We are delighted the CA 22-23 Budget package includes new investments in arts and culture for vital programs such as lifting up community cultural districts and arts installations in parks. We also celebrate the $120 million investment in thirty one district across the state. We are however disappointed that the $307 Billion budget does not include specific investments in laws such as SB 628 (Allen) that mandate that creative workforce development is a state priority. Between 2019 and 2020 California’s Creative industries lost 100,000 jobs. It is imperative we invest in programs to support earn and learn opportunities for this essential workforce to California. We look forward to working with the Newsom Administration and California Legislature to ensure California maintains its position as the leading creative state by investing in building an equitable workforce pipeline for thriving wage jobs in the creative industry. Artists, culture bearers and creative workers are at the heart of every community. It is time we value and support their contributions to the health and vitality of the golden state.” 

Julie Baker, CEO, Californians for the Arts/California Arts Advocates 

Signed 22-23 BUDGET BILL: Click here 

Here are the highlights for arts and culture:

$30 million for CA cultural districts program (SB 154) including 1% for admin to CAC (SB 178)

$25 million for the California Cultural and Art Installations in the Parks Program through Parks and Recreation

Trailer bill for the Venues, Cultural Institutions clean up  (click here):

$20 million (or whatever was remaining from the original $50m) to SBA for the cultural institutions grant program including opportunity for applicants to re-apply if funds remain

$15 million more to venues grant to include movie theaters and also clean up language so more organizations that have already applied will be eligible

$250 million to to fund supplemental paid sick leave relief grants for small businesses and nonprofits.

$20 million Rehabilitative Investment Grants for Healing and Transformation (RIGHT) Grant to enhance the capacity of community based, nonprofit organizations to provide in-prison programming in Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation prisons 

Member/district asks: To be allocated by the California Arts Council as follows:
(1) $2,000,000 for the Warner Center Transportation Technology Infrastructure & Innovation Zone (WCTTIIZ).
(2) $1,000,000 for the Building 178 Performing Arts Center.
(3) $7,000,000 to the City of Fresno for the Fresno Arts and Facilities to support and expand the cultural arts and their associated facilities in the City of Fresno, supporting the city in preservation, operation, and maintenance costs for facilities such as Arte Americas.
(4) $7,000,000 to the Inner City Youth Orchestra for capital costs for the rehearsal and administrative headquarters.
(5) $3,000,000 to County of Merced for the construction of the Dos Palos Library.
(6) $400,000 to the Mid Valley YMCA for a New Youth Institute of Media Arts.
(7) $800,000 to Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural for Arts-based community wellness programming.
(8) $5,000,000 to the City of San Diego for the restoration of the Villa Montezuma.
(9) $8,000,000 to the City of Guadalupe and Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County (HASBARCO) for the renovation of the historical Royal Theatre and construction of community services center.
(10) $5,000,000 to the City of Santa Rosa for building a permanent library for Roseland, an extremely disadvantaged community within Santa Rosa.
(11) $2,100,000 to the Studio T Arts & Entertainment for equipment purchases.
(12) $2,500,000 to the National Animation Museum (nonprofit) for museum development.
(13) $3,000,000 to the City of Azusa for the relocation and preservation of the Old Schoolhouse.
(14) $5,500,000 to the City and County of San Francisco for the LGBTQ Museum.
(15) $500,000 to the City and County of San Francisco for the Tenderloin Museum.
(16) $2,100,000 to the California Academy of Science to support the Thriving California Environmental Learning Plan.
(17) $3,000,000 to the County of Stanislaus for the Bonita Pool Project and Leroy F. Fitzsimmons Memorial Park.
(18) $1,300,000 for the San Diego Natural History Museum for elevators replacement, roof replacement, collections storage restoration, coil system, and building security improvements.
(19) $800,000 for the Children’s Creativity Museum.
(20) $3,000,000 to the City of Los Angeles for building El Museo de Arte Chicano en Los Angeles (Museum of Chicano Art in Los Angeles) in the heart of Boyle Heights.
(21) $3,200,000 to the Historical Society of Pomona Valley to repair the historic Pomona Ebell Museum.
(22) $1,500,000 to the City of San Diego for the San Carlos Library Phase 1 funding.
(23) $20,000,000 to the City of San Diego for the Oak Park Library construction.
(24) $5,000,000 to the City of Chula Vista for the Land and entitlement costs for new library.
(25) $4,500,000 to the City of San Diego for the Ocean Beach Library expansion.
(26) $1,000,000 to the City of San Diego for the Marston House restoration and repair work.
(27) $500,000 to the City of San Diego for the Mountainview Sports Courts tennis court renovation.
(28) $200,000 to the Ramona Town Hall Association for the Historical Site Redevelopment.
(29) $5,000,000 to the California Science Center Foundation for the Air and Space Center.
(30) $10,500,000 for the Pomona Performing Arts Centers.
(31) $10,000,000 to the City of Santa Monica for the City Yards Modernization.

This bill would appropriate $3,560,885,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Education to establish the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant, for allocation to county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, and the state special schools, in accordance with a formula based on a per-pupil basis, as provided. The bill would authorize funds to be used to obtain standards-aligned professional development and acquire instructional materials in specified subject areas, to develop diverse book collections and obtain culturally relevant texts, and for operational costs, as provided.
SEC. 134. (a) For the 2022–23 fiscal year, the sum of three billion five hundred sixty million eight hundred eighty-five thousand dollars ($3,560,885,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the State Department of Education to establish the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant, for allocation to county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, and the state special schools to:
(1) Obtain standards-aligned professional development and acquire instructional materials, in the following subject areas:
(A) Visual and performing arts.
(B) World languages.
(C) Mathematics.
(D) Science.
(E) English language arts, including early literacy.
(F) Ethnic studies.
(G) Financial literacy, including the content specified in Section 51284.5 of the Education Code.
(H) Media literacy.
(I) Computer science.
(2) Obtain instructional materials and professional development aligned to best practices for improving school climate, including training on deescalation and restorative justice strategies, digital literacy, physical education, and learning through play.
(3) Develop diverse book collections and obtain culturally relevant texts, including leveled texts, in both English and pupils’ home languages, to support pupils’ independent reading. It is the intent of the Legislature that these book collections and culturally relevant texts be used to provide support for pupils through the establishment of site-based school and classroom libraries that are culturally relevant to pupils’ home and community experiences and be available in English, pupils’ home language, or a combination of more than one language.
(4) Operational costs, including but not limited, to retirement and health care cost increases.
(5) As related to the COVID-19 pandemic, acquire personal protective equipment, masks, cleaning supplies, COVID-19 tests, ventilation upgrades, and other similar expenditures, if they are necessary to keep pupils and staff safe from COVID-19 and schools open for in-person instruction.
(b) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall apportion funds to county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, and the state special schools on a formula based on a per-pupil basis, as those numbers were reported at for the second principal apportionment for the 2021–22 fiscal year.
(c) Funding appropriated pursuant to this section shall be available for encumbrance through the 2025–26 fiscal year. Local educational agencies are encouraged, but not required, to proportionally use resources received pursuant to this section for the purposes noted in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) and to support arts and music education programs.
(d) For purposes of this section, standards-aligned instructional materials includes, but is not limited to, books for school and classroom libraries.(e) The governing board or body of each school district, county office of education, or charter school receiving funds pursuant to this section shall discuss and approve a plan for the expenditure of funds received pursuant to this section at a regularly scheduled public meeting. It is the intent of the Legislature that each school district, county office of education, or charter school expend any resources received pursuant to this section consistent with their governing board or body approved plan.

Final CA State Budget: Arts & Culture Investments 22-23

As we begin our review of the Governor’s 2023-24 Budget proposal and identifying Senate budget priorities, I write now to alert your office to the process we will follow for members to provide input on statewide budget priorities, and district specific budget requests. For this upcoming 2023-24 fiscal year, new General Fund resources are anticipated to be limited. Additionally, revenues anticipated and included in the 2022-23 Budget Act have come in lower than expected. These fiscal constraints are described in the Legislative Analyst’s Office

Fiscal Outlook released in November 2022, and are reflected in the Governor’s January 10th proposal. Given these constraints, please keep in mind there is likely to be very limited ability to fund costly new priorities, and any new spending will have to be balanced with reductions or delays in existing expenditure commitments.

2023-24 California State Senate - Budget Policy Letter

Welcome back, it’s budget season again in California but things look a little different this year. Between spiraling inflation, a weakening stock market and a budget that relies heavily on capital gains, this year’s budget proposal announced by Governor Newsom on January 10, 2023 is a $298 billion spending plan which takes into account a projected $22.5 billion deficit and is about 3.6% smaller than last year’s record budget. 

 Over the last several years, due to your advocacy, we’ve seen record historic investments to the industry such as Live Venues and Nonprofit Performing Arts Grants Programs, new programs such as CA Creative Corps and funding for legislative mandates such as Cultural Districts and Museum Grants. Many of the appropriations were one-time allotments — commitments that if not yet spent are now at the greatest risk as the state negotiates over how to balance its books. In addition, we have seen historic legislation pass including, SB 628 (Allen) CA Creative Workforce Act and SB 1116 (Portantino) The Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund, but both programs remain unfunded, a problem we hope to solve as we move our advocacy forward.

However, for now, we must also protect funding that we had hoped would be in the arts for the next several years. Specifically the Governor has proposed that the following would revert back to the general fund budget by June 20, 2023.

A reduction of $20 million of the $30 million appropriated for the Cultural Districts program.

A reduction of $29 million of the $50 million for the Museum Grant Program.

A reduction of approximately $1.2 billion Proposition 98 General Fund from the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant included in the 2022 Budget Act.

The Governor’s budget  does include some new spending proposals:

$100 million one-time Proposition 98 General Fund—or roughly $200 per 12th grade student enrolled in California public schools—to enable local educational agencies to provide high school seniors with access to cultural enrichment experiences across the state by facilitating museum visits, access to theatrical performances, or other participation in extracurricular art enrichment activities.

Film and Television Tax Credit—$330 million per year beginning in 2025-26 to extend the existing program and make the credit refundable to benefit a wider range of productions and ensure the competitive program will maximize economic benefits to the state.

As many of you have heard before, advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint. This is just the beginning of the budget process. We must continue to make the case for arts and culture as smART investments for local economic development, cultural equity and community wellness. We’ve been here before, worse actually, and we’ve persevered. In fact since 2003, we have seen a 2500% increase in baseline funding for the California Arts Council, historic creative workforce legislation, an arts education ballot measure pass, record investments in one-time programs and relief funding, and increased public awareness that arts and culture are a leading industry and solution partners to California. 

 We can’t and we won’t stop now but our voice is only as strong as who shows up with us! Twenty-eight percent of the Legislature is new this year representing the most diverse California Legislature ever. We must share with them and returning members why you matter to their district and why arts and culture deserve public resources for our industry and impacts to sustain and thrive. 

 Here are three things you can do to engage:

Send a welcome letter to your state legislators using our prefilled template.

Save the date for Arts Advocacy Day in Sacramento on April 18, 2023.

Share this page with five friends and impress upon them the importance of engaging in arts advocacy.

2023-24 Governor’s January Budget Proposal

Last year the Assembly established two formal processes to accept input from member offices. Your input informs the Subcommittee hearing process and shapes the Assembly’s budget priorities. We have two different processes, one for overall budget priorities and issues and a smaller and more dedicated process for member district priorities. The revenue condition of the state is uncertain at this time. The Legislative Analyst’s Office has recommended the Assembly plan for a growing budget problem, as their revenue projections are overall lower than what was included in the Governor’s budget. So far, actual revenue collections have been closer to the lower LAO numbers, which could mean the 2023-24 budget will not allow for new investments or expenditures. However, to the extent we do have ability for new items this year, please send in your letters so those ideas can be considered if revenues improve in the next four months. 

Below are instructions for member offices on how to submit input for the two processes.

2023-24 Instructions to Legislators

From keynote panels to numerous breakout sessions, the 2023 CALED (California Association of Local Economic Development) Conference featured arts-based strategies for improving local economies throughout. Civic leaders are looking to the culture sector for ideas and we have some valuable things to learn from them as well.

CALED is the go-to thought leadership and professional development resource for people engaged in the field of local community development. Held in downtown Los Angeles, the theme of this year’s conference was “transformative economic development,” so it’s no surprise that the arts took front and center in many discussions.

In fact, two of the four presentations in the conference keynote were arts-based strategies. Jason Foster, CAA collaborator and COO/President of Destination Crenshaw, discussed how that project has put “unapologetically black culture” and its artistic expressions at the center of a strategic reimagining of the Crenshaw area, understanding its power to draw folks to the area while serving as a catalyst for social justice and economic vibrancy. Also featured was Akil West, founder and CEO of Sole Folks, a creative business co-op and incubator located in the Los Angeles neighborhood Leimert Park. Sole Folks provides retail space, a production lab and business development support for 40 Black designers and entrepreneurs.

“The Essential Role of the Creative Economy in Post-Pandemic Recovery” breakout session offered super valuable insights. Economist (and also CAA collaborator) Adam Fowler from CVL Economics kicked the conversation off by describing the arts as “meaning-making” activities that shape local economies, interact with the built environment and improve the well-being of communities. By creating cultural and social capital amongst residents, arts and culture provide an “important gravitational pull,” says Fowler, for attracting and bonding people to a place. He also emphasized how rigid zoning laws and outdated regulations can stifle creative entrepreneurship and business development as well as the creation of vibrant social spaces — see key takeaways below for ideas for advocacy opportunities.

Following Fowler was “DTLA Reimagined: Creative Economy to the Rescue!” by Nicholas Ziff Griffin, the Executive Director of DTLA (Downtown LA’s business improvement district). He reminded us that crises are also opportunities to provoke people to come together to reimagine social contracts and their cities, with arts and culture being essential to that process. The session wrapped with Jason Moody of Economic & Planning Systems discussing “Capturing the Value: Financing Arts and Culture.” He shared that funding arts and culture is difficult because these investments “defy traditional risk / return metrics” which rely on profit markers such as top-down business models, economies of scale and mass production rather than calculating civic and social value. And our society has a hard time investing in “public goods” where the benefits are diffused and difficult to monetize. He shared with the civic leaders what we already know, that arts/culture funding is often inadequate and unstable with non-profits doing the heavy lifting. He recommends that cities ”extract/divert a slice of economic value that normally goes to nearby businesses, property owners, General Fund,” etc. to the arts through mechanisms such as a hotel tax , percent for the art construction fees, or additional sales tax.

Other breakaway conversations featured arts and culture strategies. In the “Partnering with Planning” session, Peter Pallesen with the City of Ontario talked about their West Euclid Activation Plan which is being “ envisioned as the placed-based, people-focused, commercial, and cultural “heart” of the City.” And in the “Growing Local Business” session, Swan Asbury of the City of Eureka talked about how the priorities and opportunities identified in the city’s Strategic Arts Plan, as well as their status as a CA Cultural District, gave the cultural sector power and legitimacy in additional civic planning.

The conference offered vital insights for our field as well. Key takeaways and opportunities include:

Create partnerships with local economic development agencies — civic leaders are seeking ideas, strategies and advocacy partners

Join forces with others to get prioritized in plans — economic development is supported by multiple funding streams and being integrated into plans can help the arts access these dollars

We are the “There” — our programs, artists, festivals and public art are the stories civic leaders want to tell to about their community

Take advantage of economic development programs too like ”shop local” programs that incentivize supporting local businesses or local entrepreneurship programs and tourism marketing platforms

Champion updates in zoning, event permitting and other regulations to encourage innovation and social placemaking — Fowler mentioned “artisanal zoning” that allows for multiple types of activities like small scale production of creative goods to go with retail and public events to take place in one building

Get involved in land use planning too — your city or county General Plan is the DNA of the future built environment and some California localities identify economic development goals which can include the creative economy. This can lay the foundation for future investments as well as be leveraged to hold elected officials accountable.

➜ Visit the CFTA Arts + Economic Development web page for tips and resources to help arts leaders get informed and involved.

➜ Email Tracy@californiansforthearts.org with any questions

➜ Make sure you are a CFTA member so you can attend member strategy sessions on topics like these.

Tracy Hudak is Manager of Programs and Organizational Advancement at Californians for the Arts.

Arts & Culture take center stage at the 2023 CALED Conference

We’ve talked about the budget cycle here, but how does funding go from the State, to the artists and organizations? What are the mechanisms, and how much reaches us in what ways?


Arts funding levels in California are low compared to other states. According to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, we rank 30th, with funding far below Florida or Tennessee, who spend over $2.00 per capita.  And a far cry from New York’s 5$! Our recent average hovers around $.66 cents per person, yet California is home to more artists than any other state. So the funding that does get through, has to go even farther.

There are different ways that public funding flows to artists:

Each year after the State Legislature and the Governor’s Office hammer out the budget and it is signed into law, funds from the state can then go to the California Arts Council. The Arts Council also receives money from the Federal government via the National Endowment for the Arts. From these two main sources, money either goes (a) to State and Local Partner organizations to distribute throughout CA, (b) or artists and organizations can apply to receive it directly as a grant from the CA Arts Council, in one of their many funding categories.

California artists and organizations can also apply directly to the National Endowment for the Arts for funding. 

Many private foundations, as well as some corporations and local businesses, also provide funding for the arts. And of course, individuals do, too!

One of the most important aspect of arts funding in California has been its changeability over time. Without oversight and active advocacy, it is at risk of decreasing.

2021-22: Historic Relief Funding to CAL-OSBA - $150 Million Live Venues Grant program; $50 million Museum Grant program; $49.5 million Non Profit Performing Arts; $50 million cultural institutions, $500k to build a nonprofit paymaser. Over $300m in relief grants!

2021-22: Single largest appropriation to California Arts Council - $60 million CA Creative Corps; $40 million Creative Youth Development programs

2022-2023: $30 million for Cultural Districts Program; $25 million for Arts in Parks;

Nov. 2022: Prop 28 passes. Historic Ballot measure to allocate approximately $1 billion to arts education annually.

2023-24: Cultural district funding reduced from $30 million over 3 years to $10 million CAC Baseline funding remains at $26m; $1m for strategic plan; $11.5 m for SB 1116 implementation to CAL-OSBA

Arts Funding in CA

As the work progresses to build a paymaster service specifically to serve to the needs of the performing arts community in California, I am struck by the widespread concerns that exists among smaller live arts employers:

· Are we in compliance with California’s myriad of employment laws?

· What do we NOT know that could hurt us?

· How do we best manage payroll with all the different artist unions and reporting requirements?

In the weeks and months to come, Californians for the Arts (CFTA) will be hosting a series of webinars specifically designed to educate theaters, operas, symphonies, and dance companies around employer best practices and to explore many of the challenging questions that have arisen over the past 3 years. Principal among these, of course, are the questions of how, as a performing arts employer, you stay on the right side of the law in California. But there are other questions, less litigious in nature, that are also of genuine concern:

· How do we maintain a vibrant and healthy collaborative artistic environment while managing the administration of artists and production workers?

· How without a paid administrative staff, can we handle the burden that comes from putting dozens of artists on payroll?

Many of these questions can be answered by good legal counsel of course, but many more questions become ever more nuanced and can be more readily addressed by conversations among peers.

One of the solutions Californians for the Arts will be offering, to help support the field in the area of employment law compliance, is CANPAY.

CANPAY is a program that provides access to a paymaster that will facilitate payroll as well as supplement your existing administration around the greater payroll process. Californians for the Arts is working in partnership with Austin Creative Alliance (ACA), an existing nonprofit paymaster that has already been serving our communities for the past 10 years, to develop this program and ACA will provide the paymaster services in CANPAY.

I have been surprised to discover in my preliminary outreach that many organizations are not familiar with the distinctions between a payroll system and a paymaster. A paymaster (vs a payroll system) provides not only payroll services, but also administrative support to your organization by acting as the “Employer of Record” for the individuals you hire. CANPAY will help relieve smaller performing arts organizations of many substantive administrative burdens so that you can keep your focus on your mission. For more information on CANPAY, I invite you to share those questions with us.

Prior to launching the CANPAY informational webinars, CFTA will be sponsoring four in-person convenings statewide (San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles). The goal of these meetings will be for us all to come together as peers to discuss those more nuanced questions, and to share strategies for ongoing sustainability and resilience. With the monumental challenges facing the performing arts today, this is a critical moment for us all — arts advocates, organizational leaders, funders, and artists — to come together to learn from each other, to strengthen our creative and administrative practices, and to reinvigorate our collective advocacy.

I hope to meet many of you in person at one of our convenings and I look forward to our ongoing education!

Martha Demsom is Program Specialist at Californians for the Arts for The California Nonprofit Performing Arts Paymaster (CANPAY).

How the California Nonprofit Performing Arts Paymaster (CANPAY) will help educate and support the field

To lobby is to seek to influence legislators about a certain cause. 

According to Oxford Languages, it originated in the mid 16th century from medieval Latin (lobia, lobium) a ‘covered walk, portico’. It seems to have been derived from the practice of people who frequented the lobby of a house of legislature, using the space to talk with legislators about supporting a certain cause before they went into the chambers.

Which brings us to a further bit of definition. Lobbying refers to trying to convince legislators or other elected officials about a specific issue or matter. For example, if I contact my local representative because I’d like them to vote “yes” on a specific bill (say, that will increase the minimum wage), I am lobbying. If I write to them and express the need for better wages and explain how hard it is to live on a minimum wage job, I am advocating. Advocating takes the form of education on particular subjects.

Organizing or attending an event which rallies around the cause of arts education and shares its benefits? 

Calling school board members to ask them to support a specific, proposed measure in your district which would, for example, put an arts teacher in every elementary school? 

Lobbying.
People can lobby as an individual, as part of a group, or it can be part of their job. Organizations which do it (like certain nonprofits and issue-based organizations–like this one!) need to register with the State that these are part of their activities. But individuals speaking their own minds on a topic face no such criteria. 

People lobby their government as a way to engage in the democratic process, and it's a vital component. You elect your officials, but how do they know how people feel about a particular issue after that? How do they determine how to vote? Ideally, they look to their constituents and to knowledgeable parties with research about the issue and its possible impacts. It’s part of our first amendment right and an important part of the democratic process.

In that case, why does lobbying have such a bad reputation?

While individuals, groups, and organizations can lobby the government, so can corporations. And guess who has the most money and can hire professionals to lobby on their behalf, full time? Corporate lobbyists are typically working for what's best for big business, and this alone can be enough to give them a bad rap, because often those interests are drastically unaligned with what is better for families, workers, or the environment. There are also myriad ways that corporations can use this system to unduly influence legislators (if you want to find examples or know more, just query your favorite search engine).  

Because your interests are yours, not corporate. Tell your legislators and other elected officials what’s best for you, your family, and your community. Support your own values, by talking about what you want and need to the people who can help make it so. Align yourself with causes and organizations YOU care about, that don’t have big money backing them but which instead advocate, and yes, lobby, for change for good.

Lobbying is not a “one person, one vote” system, which can seem imbalanced. There's a growing amount of literature and introspection about how best to further represent the interests of people who don’t have the time or ability to show up for these and similar aspects of the democratic process. For example, if you’re a single parent who can’t afford childcare, what is the likelihood you’ll be able to go give feedback in person at a city council meeting? How can an elected official be reasonably sure that they are voting for their constituent’s best interest, when that person can’t tell them? That’s why grassroots organizations, nonprofits, and community organizations are a key part of building this bridge between citizen and representative. They have the ability to outreach directly to constituents to understand their needs and relay these to legislators. So use them, support them, and yes, if you are able, speak up on key issues!

What is lobbying and can I do it?

Congratulations to Danielle Brazell for her appointment by Governor Newsom as the Executive Director of the California Arts Council!

We are thrilled with the appointment of Danielle Brazell. Her selection signals that the Newsom administration clearly values the impact of Arts & Culture and its contributions to state government. We are grateful to the Governor for his steadfast support of the creative industry and to Ms. Brazell for her leadership stepping into this position at such a pivotal moment. She has the experience, the passion, and the strategic acumen to lead the agency and to support the critical work of the Arts & Culture ahead. We look forward to our continued partnership with the CAC under Brazell’s leadership!

We also congratulate the newly selected CAC Chair: Roxanne Messina Captor and Vice Chair Leah Goodwin. We thank them both for their service and look forward to supporting their leadership. Finally, we want to thank outgoing ED Jonathan Moscone and former-Chair Chelo Montoya for their stewardship and for their commitment to advancing the mission of the agency.

Governor Newsom Announces Appointment for Executive Director of the California Arts Council

CAMPAIGN TO VOICE OPPOSITION TO SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM CHANGES AT THE CAC

First, we want to thank everyone who took the time to sign the letter to the California Arts Council (CAC) urging them to reconsider proposed changes to field-serving programs. You can read more about the issues we took collective action on and the signed letter at our #FundCAarts webpage.

Almost 1,400 advocates signed on and your advocacy worked! The committee released an updated memorandum ahead of their Nov. 17th meeting, and their amended proposals and subsequent discussion at that meeting reflect that the council members are listening and responding to the needs of the field. The Notes from the Field meeting summary provides more details on the CAC deliberations as they design next year’s grant programs.

For those tracking this process, please let us know how proposed changes to CAC grant programs may positively or negatively affect your work or organization by emailing our Director of Field Engagement, Tracy Hudak at tracy@californiansforthearts.org.

CAA understands difficult decisions need to be made based on the limited funds available to the agency and yet we firmly believe that the CAC, one of the only statewide funders for arts and culture, should remain an agency that serves the entire ecosystem including all regions, all budget size organizations, and all artists and culture bearers across the state. We know that what is most needed now is multi year general operating support. We recommend that instead of offering new programs at this time of the agency’s transition, the council focuses on expanding the general operating support category. 

We look forward to working in partnership with the Council and the arts sector to advocate for increased funding for the agency while also contributing the field’s perspective on best practices for equitable grantmaking and a thorough review of grant guidelines, application and reporting questions and the panel process.

In a letter dated November 21, Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas has announced appointments to standing committees. Below are excerpts from the letter that highlight committees we interact with for creative industries advocacy. If you have a strong relationship with any of the newly appointed chairs, live or work in their districts or want to strengthen your strategy to advocate directly, please contact Tracy Hudak, Director of Field Engagement. Tracy@californiansforthearts.org

Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism 

I have appointed Assemblymember Mike Gipson to replace Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva as Chair of the Assembly Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism Committee. 

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks will replace Assemblymember Chris Holden as Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

I have appointed Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel to replace Assemblymember Phil Ting as Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. I have also appointed Assemblymembers Sharon Quirk-Silva and Avelino Valencia to the committee.. 

I have appointed Assemblymember Isaac Bryan to replace Assemblymember Luz Rivas as Chair of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. Assemblymember Luz Rivas has been removed from the committee. 

Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration 

I have appointed Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva as Chair of Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration.

Every year, CAA works to influence the California budget process to invest more in artists and the creative workforce. With that, we keep a close eye on state budget forecasting so we understand the climate in which we are operating. Due to state income tax filing extensions until November 16, the outlook for the budget forecast for 2024 - 25 is still unknown. 


However, we do know that in October, according to a report in the Sacramento Bee, “The department projected that, because of an unprecedented six-month extension in the state’s tax filing deadline earlier this year, California would collect $42 billion in October. That figure represented nearly a quarter of this fiscal year’s total projected personal income tax and a third of the corporation tax. But, as of Oct. 25, California collected just $18 billion, according to new disclosures from the agency. Should the revenue collected and tallied by the state in the coming weeks fail to catch up to its forecasts, Newsom and lawmakers will need to fill a wider budget gap than anticipated next year.” Stay tuned for updates as the news continues to unfold.

What’s Next for CAC Advocacy - Partnering and Campaigning for a $20M Increase

We are working in partnership closely with CAC council members and staff to inform each other of the needs of the field and to identify state policy changes that might help improve agency function and better support their work. And we are knowledge-sharing and building coalitions between arts services organizations to better understand their role in strengthening the arts ecosystem. Stay tuned!


But the single biggest difference we can make as advocates is to increase funding levels to the CAC. The state funds the agency at $26M a year, which ranks California 32nd in the nation in per capita state spending on the arts. This low level of investment is not commensurate with the outsized impact that arts, culture and creativity have on our communities and economy. This is why we submitted a Letter to the Governor on October 20, 2023, urging him to include a $20M increase to that funding in his January budget. CAA will be launching campaigns in the coming months and we will need your help. 

State Updates - Campaign to Voice Opposition to Significant Program Changes at the CAC

There are many problems, and opportunities too, in our communities. We encounter them every day of our lives: we are confronted with aspects of the government system that work…or that don’t work. Policies guide nearly every aspect of our existence, from our homes, our transportation, our workplaces and schools, our food, and our ability to access the things that make us happier and life worth living.

CAA approaches these issues from the frame of Arts and Culture, because we believe that the arts are central to public well-being, to a diverse and just society, and that cultural equity is essential to achieving social change and justice. 

There are many ways in. Your first question, after identifying a problem or an opportunity, is, “will legislation fix this?” The answer is not always yes. But if it is, here’s what you can do:

If you have an idea about how an issue could be fixed with legislation, bring it to your legislator. 

Develop your idea as much as you can, and understand the adjacent issues. Does this issue need a lot of funding to solve it, or is it something that establishing a new law would help alleviate, or enrich?

Don’t know how to reach your legislator? You don’t need to be deeply involved in local politics already in order to reach out. Write up your idea in an email, and send it to the staff, telling them about yourself, describing the problem and who it affects, and offering up your solution. 

But if you’re heading down this route, it's a good idea to build a relationship with your legislator.

What happens next? If your idea is picked up, your representative will author a bill. They send the idea to the Legislative Counsel to write it up in the proper language to introduce it to either the assembly or the Senate. 

Is there a best time to bring an issue forward? The legislative process works on a two-year cycle. 

Start with identifying a problem you think legislation can solve, bringing the issue to your elected official. Thinking about the case making etc and then the overall legislative process - how a bill gets heard and so on. 2 year process etc.

Resources: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bil2lawx.html

Resources: https://www.counties.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/v2-tab5_-_legislative_advocacy.pdf

The Arts and the CA Budget Process

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