Follow up legislation to AB5 needs to address the arts sectors concerns

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It is important that you continue to let your state elected officials know the impact of AB 5 on your ability to work or sustain your organization. There is currently one bill, AB 2257 that includes amendments largely for musicians. California Arts Advocates supports these bills but also wants the legislature to know that further considerations still need to be made for other areas of the performing arts and in particular for workers connected to small budget community based tax-exempt organizations with budgets of $1 million and under who provide vital services and artistic programming to create cultural connections that serve all residents and provide an opportunity for work for emerging artists. Please customize your message to include the direct impact to your organization or your ability to work in your elected's district.

Additionally, as AB5 changes the way the arts do business and increases staffing costs up to 40% for some organizations, we also request that the legislature increase public funding for the arts either through the general budget or relief funds and other measures especially now with the additional impact from COVID 19.  The data shows that California is leading the nation in creative economy output but still falls behind in terms of public investment in the arts. Even with the $10 million increase in 2019 to the California Arts Council, California is still investing less than a dollar  – in fact .71 cents per capita per person (without one time funds)  – and ranks 26th in the nation for arts funding. As the creative economy represents 7.1% of California’s GSP ahead of agriculture and transportation, an investment in public funding for the arts makes good business sense.

Increasing public funding is also an equity and access issue. According to a James Irvine Foundation study in 2011, there are over 11,000 arts non-profit organizations in California delivering much needed creative and cultural programs to our state of 40 million people. Most of these organizations operate on small budgets with tight margins but do the work because they know the difference the arts bring to our lives and our communities. However, in grants awarded by June of 2019, the California Arts Council was able to fund only 12% of the total organizations in California. Without additional funding communities across California will continue to be deprived of access to the arts.