Approved: A Spending Plan for CAN’s Proposed Public Fund

Posted on June 22, 2010 by sbenoit

Yesterday, the Creative Advocacy Network (CAN) Regional Steering Committee unanimously voted to approve a tri-county investment plan to ensure that every resident of our region enjoys equitable access to arts and culture and the economic development and educational benefits associated with a flourishing arts community for decades to come. With a proposed annual increase of $15-20 million in public funding, the investment plan would make arts and culture more accessible to underserved communities, increase participation, expand creative learning opportunities for school age children, seed new cultural activities and organizations and create greater access to the arts and culture region-wide.

“Because every dollar invested in the arts has a multiplying effect on economic development, this proposed investment in Clackamas County’s local arts and culture could be game-changing.” Said Ann Lininger, Clackamas County Commissioner and Regional Steering Committee Member.

The approved investment plan represents an unprecedented level of collaboration from the elected, business, arts and education leaders of the three counties that make up our metropolitan region. Agreed upon was:
•   A shared goal of equitable region-wide access to arts and culture and creative learning
•   Investments in a broad array of non-profit organizations, public sector programs and capital projects
•   81% of the fund to be disseminated in and by the county where the funds are raise d
•   19% of the fund to be pooled and disseminated by the Regional Arts & Culture Council to non-profit arts and cultural organizations that serve the region as a whole.

Yesterday’s unanimous approval was preceded by a months-long process involving public meetings and surveys that engaged 645 participants, two rounds of polling and the leadership and expertise of 93 arts, education, business and elected leaders in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington Counties. “I love that this process has found a way to hear the voices of a wide variety of constituencies, and craft their feedback into something that can have deep and lasting impact on the region’s culture.” Comments Chris Coleman, CAN Board President and Artistic Director of Portland Center Stage.

Jerry Willey, Mayor of Hillsboro, welcomed the CAN Regional Steering Committee yesterday to the Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center in Hillsboro. Led by Co- Chairs Portland Mayor Sam Adams, Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette, and Washington County Board Commissioner Dick Schouten, as well as Executive Director, Jessica Jarratt, the meeting was attended by 51 elected officials and business, arts, education and community leaders.

CAN was launched in 2008 to establish a new regional $15-20 million dedicated annual stream of funding for arts and culture. For a more on CAN’s mission and leadership, please go to theartscan.org.

CAN Thanks Portland City Council

Posted on March 23, 2010 by sbenoit

CAN would like to thank the Portland City Council and all of its supporters, members, and volunteers for making March 17^th a landmark day in the history of CAN.

Not only did over 220 supporters heed our call to action to come to Portland City Hall, but after a remarkable report from RACC’s Eloise Damrosch and Carole Morse and testimony from Roger Hinshaw, president of Bank of America Oregon; Holly Wilson, teacher at Rigler Elementary; Kim Stafford, poet; Jack Graves, Chief Cultural Officer for Burgerville; Elane Calder, Executive Director of the Oregon Symphony; Kiera Brinkley, a Benson High junior; and our own Executive Director, Jessica Jarratt, the City Council publicly championed and encouraged CAN’s efforts.

Here’s what they had to say:

City Council President Nick Fish:

“Here’s my commitment as one of the five members of the Council…When Jessica and CAN blow the bugle and rally the community towards the larger goal of dedicated funding for the arts, I will join with her and the mayor and the regional coalition that she put together to fight for that funding. The case has been made. It is time we went to the voters and asked for their support.”

Commissioner Dan Saltzman:

“I will do all that I can to help the Creative [Advocacy] Network’s proposed funding strategy.”

Mayor Sam Adams:

“The best days for Portland’s arts and culture communities are ahead of us. And I said five years ago when I took over the helm of being the arts commissioner for the city of Portland that the arts and culture, heritage, preservation, history community in Portland was the worst organized demographic, social advocacy group in the city of Portland and it is now one of the best and that is a huge, huge change.”

Commissioner Amanda Fritz:

“This is wonderful…Thank you RACC for supporting so many professionals in the community and also so many volunteer projects. It’s heartwarming to see how this community has pulled together in the worst recession of my lifetime.”

To read more about the event, please visit:

http://racc.org/advocacy/portland-city-council-accepts-racc%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cstate-arts%E2%80%9D-report-0

http://www.portlandonline.com/mayor/index.cfm?c=49278&a=291929

And thank you to the Portland City Council and to all of our supporters! Together we CAN!

Email the City Council and encourage them to continue to support the arts in Portland:

Mayor Sam Adams, SamAdams@ci.portland.or.us
Commissioner Nick Fish, Nick@ci.portland.or.us
Commissioner Amanda Fritz, Amanda@ci.portland.or.us
Commissioner Randy Leonard, RLeonard@ci.portland.or.us
Commissioner Dan Saltzman, Dan@ci.portland.or.us

Poll Results Show Clear Voter Support for the Arts

Posted on September 7, 2009 by CAN

Voters Understand Arts Funding Challenges and Are Willing To Step Up

PORTLAND, Ore. – Sept. 7, 2009 – Creative Advocacy Network (CAN) released polling results today that show voter resolve to continue attending, supporting and funding the region’s arts and culture in expanded ways.

“The economic crisis helped crystallize public priorities and funding in the minds of voters, and the result is an even stronger commitment to invest in the arts and arts education,” said Jessica Jarratt, CAN executive director. “Meanwhile, we also have a more galvanized arts community.”

Overall, the poll shows a significant jump in positive public opinion and understanding of the important role and need for increased funding of arts and culture in the community

Key findings of the poll include:

 Voters strongly support providing dedicated funding to support the arts in the region and are willing to pay for it. For example, more than two-thirds of voters believe that arts are a necessity, not a luxury, and 74% believe that dedicated arts funding is necessary, up 4% from 2008. And, another 70% of regional voters are willing to pay $1 more per month toward a dedicated public fund for the arts, despite widespread economic concerns.

 Voters continue to attend arts and cultural events and view them as critical to the Portland Metropolitan region’s quality of life and economic well-being. For example, 51% believe that arts and culture helps fuel creativity and innovation crucial to our economy.

 Voters are increasingly concerned that there will be fewer opportunities to enjoy arts and arts education in the region. For example, 71% understand that arts education in schools is being cut.

The latest poll was intended to reveal any shifts in public sentiment that may have taken place since a similar poll conducted in October 2008.

The poll, conducted by Fairbank, Maslin, Maulin & Associates, gauged the opinions of 400 voters within the Portland Metropolitan tri-county area during May 2009, with a margin of error +/- 4.9 percent. Of the 400 voters that surveyed by phone, 150 were in Multnomah County, 125 were in Clackamas County and 125 were in Washington County.

The Portland metro area’s local arts organizations receive less than two percent of their budgets from local government sources, compared to a five percent national average, according to research by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and National Endowment for the Arts.

View or download ‘Polling Summary PDF‘.

Contact Portland City Commissioners!

Posted on April 13, 2009 by CAN

Contact the Portland City Commissioners – send them an email and ask them to support RACC’s full budget request and make Portland a truly sustainable city!

Commissioner Nick Fish, Nick@ci.portland.or.us

Commissioner Amanda Fritz, Amanda@ci.portland.or.us

Commissioner Randy Leonard, RLeonard@ci.portland.or.us

Commissioner Dan Saltzman, Dan@ci.portland.or.us

April 13th 2009 Town Hall

Posted on March 26, 2009 by CAN

On Monday April 13^th Portland Mayor Sam Adams, Washington County Commissioner Dick Schouten, and Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette will be holding a regional Town Hall on transforming how we fund the arts and arts education.

You are encouraged to attend and bring others who are interested in the arts.

The program will cover the release of the Regional Creative Action Plan, tips for arts organizations in this economic crisis, and the official launch of the Creative Advocacy Network on what you can do to help establish a $15-$20 million dedicated regional fund for the arts.

Please RSVP to info@TheArtsCAN.org if you can attend the Town Hall.

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March 12 Portland City Council Hearing – what a turn out!

Posted on March 26, 2009 by CAN

Supporters of the arts in the Portland region turned out in full force at the March 12 City Council hearing where the Regional Arts and Culture Council presented their State of the Arts address. Council chambers were packed – 200 seats filled plus standing room only in the balcony!

Powerful testimony was presented by a variety of supporters, including CAN’s Board Chair Chris Coleman (Artistic Director of Portland Center Stage). See Chris’ reading of the CANifesto – developed by Portland’s own North.com.

March 12th 2009 Arts Action Alert

Posted on March 5, 2009 by CAN

The Creative Advocacy Network, a new non-profit working towards a regional dedicated funding solution for the arts, is working hard to make sure that the Regional Arts and Culture Budget is preserved by Portland City Council. On March 12th at 2:00 RACC will be giving their “State of the Arts” presentation to Portland City Council and describing how last year’s investments in the arts benefitted the City. It is important that City Council see strong support and solidarity from the arts community.

The Arts CAN, and must live here. Please RSVP to info@theartscan.org if you think you can make it on March 12th.

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There will be time after RACC’s presentation for a few enthusiastic art supporters to testify. If you have interest in testifying about how RACC has helped you or your organization over the last year please send me an email at kathleen@TheArtsCAN.org.

Keep checking back to this site for direction and messaging about contacting the Portland City Commissioners later this month about supporting RACC’s FY09-10 budget and add packages.

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