NEFA Blog post

FIRST ARTS DAY AT THE CAPITOL IN 20 YEARS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS A crowd of more than 350 arts workers, arts advocates, high-school students, performers, legislators and government officials celebrated the power of the arts to transform individual lives and stimulate the state’s economy at the first CT Arts Day in 20 years. Kristina Newman-Scott,…

The Connecticut Office of the Arts in partnership with our nine Designated Regional Service Organizations, The Culture and Tourism Advisory Committee, The Connecticut Arts Council and the Connecticut Arts Alliance is organizing the first State hosted Arts Day in over a decade. Connecticut Arts Day, “Moving the Arts from Nice to Necessary” will be held…

FEDERAL FUNDING VICTORIES  December brought some great federal funding news.   Thanks to Americans for the Arts for this update: The budget for the NEA was increased to $147.949 million – to the President’s request. Earlier this year, both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House proposals were to level-fund the NEA for the fifth year in…

Deficit Mitigation Agreement Reached On December 1, 2015 the legislature passed a $350 million state budget deficit mitigation agreement. The Governor had proposed a plan that included drastic cuts to the arts sector (eliminating all line item allocations to arts and culture organizations), but the approved legislative plan made less severe, across-the-board-cuts of 5% to…

How the Tax Code Hurts Artists April 1st editorial from the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/opinion/how-the-tax-code-hurts-artists.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

Connecticut  Arts Alliance (CAA) Response to 2016-17 Governor’s Budget Proposal as of March  2, 2015 PERSPECTIVE ON GOVERNOR’S 2016-17 BIENNIUM BUDGET and the OFFICE OF THE ARTS The CAA monitors trends in state funding in annual competitive grant programs, the availability of arts funding for operating support, and legislative designated funds for specific arts organizations.…

Governor’s Proposed Biennial Budget Seriously Impacts the Arts Governor Malloy introduced his proposed FY16-17 Budget on February 18, 2015 His proposal includes many cuts to the arts and humanities Department of Economic Development Reductions: Reduce Funding for Various Arts/Cultural Line Items:  Reduces funding for various arts and cultural programs and reallocates the balance to the…

Update on Federal Arts Funding from Americans for the Arts No Cuts to the NEA in Omnibus Bill With only two hours to spare before the federal government was scheduled to shutdown at midnight last night, the House of Representatives was able to narrowly pass the so-called “Cromnibus” (a hybrid Continuing Resolution and Omnibus bill)…