TCG Bulletin

March 2010, Volume 33, Issue 3

ADVOCACY NEWS FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS ALLIANCE AND TCG

NEA Announces Ralph Remington as the New Director of Theater and Musical Theater

Ralph Remington will join the NEA as the director of theater and musical theater beginning March 15. He will manage the NEA's grantmaking for theatre and musical theatre, as well as develop partnerships to advance the theatre field as a whole and lead large-scale theatre projects such as the NEA's New Play Development Program.
Most recently, Mr. Remington was a city council member of the City of Minneapolis. Prior to that public service, Mr. Remington worked as artistic associate with Arena Stage in Washington, DC, producing artistic director and founder of the Pillsbury House Theatre in Minneapolis and as an actor with the Guthrie Theater and Illusion Theatre, both of Minneapolis.

Action: Visit the NEA website to read the full announcement.

White Space Update! FCC Issues Vacate Order For 700 MHz Spectrum

UPDATED! This story was originally published in the August 2009 issue of the Bulletin.
The FCC has set June 12 as the date by which all wireless microphone users must vacate the 700 MHz spectrum. The FCC Order also expresses interest in expanding eligibility for Part 74 licenses and requests comments with regard to defining parameters for eligibility. Expansion in eligibility for licensing will also allow for interference protections and continues to be our core request to the FCC. TCG is working closely with the Coalition of Wireless Microphone Users (CWMU) and the Performing Arts Alliance to draft comments to submit to the FCC.

Action: Visit the Advocacy section of the website for more information about the June 12 vacate deadline. The CWMU Comments regarding licensing will be filed with the FCC on or about March 1; soon after, they will be posted on the Advocacy section of the website

President Obama's Budget Released

President Obama’s budget was recently released. It contains mixed news for the arts community. Here are a few highlights:

1. The President proposed the same allocation as he did last year for the NEA, which translates into a $6 million decrease. The American Masterpieces program has been replaced by a new initiative called Our Town, with a $5 million line, which encourages the role of the arts in economic revitalization.

2. The budget would consolidate Arts in Education funding at the U.S. Department of Education into a new, broader program called Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education and there are concerns that this could lead to a diminished focus on arts education.

3. President Obama renewed his proposal to limit the value of charitable deductions for the wealthy. The proposal would limit the tax break couples earning $250,000 (or individuals earning $200,000) could get for their itemized deductions, including gifts to charity, to 28 percent. Arts advocates are concerned that this may dampen giving at a time when arts organizations are already reeling from the economic downturn.

4. Lastly, the good news: the President proposed the Small Business Jobs and Wages Tax Cut, which would provide tax credits to not-for-profit and for-profit employers to encourage them to hire new employees and increase wages. The proposal would provide employers a $5,000 tax credit against their payroll taxes for every new worker they employ in 2010. It would also reimburse employers for the social security payroll taxes they pay on real increases in wages for existing employees.

Action: The release of the President’s budget is the beginning of the arts advocacy process for 2010. As you receive Action Alerts from the Performing Arts Alliance or TCG, please participate and make your voice heard–it truly makes a difference!

2010 National Arts Advocacy Day, April 12-13

UPDATED! This story was originally published in the December 2009 issue of the Bulletin.
The dates for the 2010 Arts Advocacy Day have been announced–April 12-13. The 23rd annual Arts Advocacy Day is the only national event that brings together a broad cross-section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country, to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts and letting congressional leaders know that the arts are an economic engine for development.

Action: Visit the Americans for the Arts website to register. Email Laurie Baskin at TCG so your visit can be coordinated with other

NEA Chairman Announces Mayors' Institute on City Design Initiative

In his speech at the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman announced the Mayors' Institute on City Design 25th Anniversary Initiative. This funding program builds on the accomplishments of the Mayors' Institute on City Design (MICD) over its 25-year history and reflects the program's tenets of transforming communities through design. Application to MICD 25 is open to the 600 cities (or their designees) that have participated in the MICD since 1986 or are committed to participate in an institute in 2010. All phases of a project--planning, development, design, implementation and related innovative arts activities--are eligible for support. The NEA anticipates awarding up to 15 grants ranging from $25,000 to $250,000.

Action: The Statement of Interest deadline is March 15. Visit the NEA website for application guidelines and materials.

Next Section: Artistic Opportunities in the United States

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