Politics & Government

Mayor Proposes Increase for Arts Grant Funding

Mayor Kasim Reed makes announcement in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Orly plane crash tragedy; proposal increases arts grant funding to $940,000

Mayor Kasim Reed has proposed to double arts grant funding for the Office of Cultural Affairs in the City of Atlanta’s FY 2013 operating budget. Mayor Reed announced his intention to ask the Atlanta City Council for more arts funding last week during his keynote speech at an Atlanta Rotary International luncheon.

The Mayor’s speech followed a moving short film about the Atlanta arts leaders and patrons who lost their lives in a plane crash in France on June 3, 1962. The Atlanta Art Association had sponsored a month-long tour of European art with more than 100 of Atlanta's cultural and civic leaders. At the time, it was the world's worst air disaster involving a single aircraft.

The Woodruff Arts Center will commemorate the through a special Community Day on Sunday, June 3, the 50th anniversary of the event, with free activities at each of The Woodruff’s divisions, including an art installation from the Musée du Louvre.

“The leading cities of the world invest significantly in arts and culture, and Atlanta should be no different,” said Mayor Reed in a press release. “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Orly plane crash, which had a dramatic impact on the city’s arts community and was one of the most tragic days in Atlanta’s history. Leaders such as Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. and Robert Woodruff helped ensure that the spirit of the arts community would heal and continue to grow. I hope to do the same. The arts reflect our city’s soul.”

The Reed administration initially proposed an increase of $250,000 to fund arts contracts in the FY13 budget, bringing the total amount to $720,000. An additional $220,000 allocation would bring the budget to $940,000, doubling the FY12 budget of $470,000. The additional funding would jump start a new “power2give” initiative, intended to match funds given to arts-related projects from individual donors.

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"I am delighted that Mayor Reed is providing additional support for the arts and cultural communities,” Camille Russell Love, director of the Office of Cultural Affairs, said in a release. “By utilizing power2give, an innovative fundraising tool, the additional funding will provide an opportunity for the city's contributions to be matched."

The contracts for arts services program is currently granted to arts organizations, community-based organizations with cultural projects and to individual artists. The total budget for the Office Cultural Affairs is approximately $1.8 million. During last year’s budget discussions, Mayor Reed restored the city’s support of Office of Cultural Affairs grants program after it had been partially cut to make up for a budgetary shortfall.

The proposed increase is part of the Reed administration’s $537 million FY2013 general fund budget under consideration by the Atlanta City Council. A final vote is expected before June 30, 2012.


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