Arts4Nevada.org a success! Additional funds allocated for 2008/2009

During the 2007 Nevada State Legislative session, Senator Michael Schneider (D-LV) sponsored a bill to increase the state’s public funding to the arts from 30 cents to a $1 per citizen through the Nevada Arts Council (NAC) to expand programs, services and grants to serve the cultural needs of communities statewide.

To support Senator Schneider’s efforts, the Board of the Nevada Arts Council joined with the Nevada Alliance for Arts Education, Nevada Arts Advocates, Nevada Citizens for the Arts and Estipona Group (a Reno-based marketing firm) to create Arts4Nevada.org.
Designed as an electronic grassroots arts advocacy campaign, Arts4Nevada.org employed the online CAPWIZ system, which is used throughout the country to provide citizens with quick and easy access to their elected officials. Through Arts4Nevada.org, more than 1,200 citizens communicated support for SB431 to the Legislature by sending more than 5,600 electronic messages.

Nevada’s elected officials listened, and responded with an additional $425,000.00 to the Nevada Arts Council for the biennium ($212,500 for each of FY 08 and 09) – in support of the agency’s grants, statewide programming and technical assistance/professional development services.

Board chairman Tim Jones commented, “We certainly hope our grantees and other Nevadans see that a concerted advocacy effort works – and that our elected officials see the value of their actions. With a very tight state budget, these gains are a great triumph for our citizens. Many thanks to the bill’s sponsor, Senator Michael Schneider (D-LV) and our advocacy groups; the Nevada Alliance for Arts Education, Nevada Arts Advocates and Nevada Citizens for the Arts.”

Most of all, thanks to all of you who made your voice in support of the arts heard. You made the difference.
Keep Arts4Nevada.org on your Favorites list to receive updates on arts issues and to connect with Nevada arts supporters.

Artists and arts organizations throughout our state benefit greatly from public funding. For a list of the Nevada Arts Council’s grantees, click here.