Virginia's arts funding is on the chopping block

RICHMOND

Virginia would become the only state without an arts commission if legislators approve a House of Delegates proposal to do away with the grant-making body in mid-2011.

"That's a big piece of our budget," said Keith Stava, managing director of the Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk. This year the group, which has a $2.6 million budget, received nearly $100,000 from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. "It'll be incredibly difficult to replace it."

"Everyone is very worried," said Pat Rublein, executive director of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Hampton Roads. She received numerous e-mails and phone calls Tuesday from arts supporters seeking advice on how to influence legislators to save the commission.

Virginians for the Arts contacted arts groups on Monday about Sunday's vote by a House committee. The statewide lobbying group sent out another e-mail Tuesday prodding culture fans to swarm the General Assembly on Thursday, when the budget measures are expected to come up for a full vote in both houses.

The commission this year is handing out about $3.9 million in state grant money plus $1 million in federal money to 700 recipients. If the commission disbands, the federal money will be lost, said Executive Director Peggy Baggett. Hampton Roads groups receive about 20 percent of the commission's funds each year.

The state spent a total of $4.4 million on the commission this year, including administrative expenses.

While the individual grants are relatively modest in relation to many arts groups' budgets, the grants help leverage cash from other sources, Baggett said.

The largest individual grant this year is $95,625, for each of the state's 19 major arts organizations, Baggett said. Local groups that received that sum were the stage company, Virginia Opera, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Arts Festival and the Chrysler Museum of Art.

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/backers-organize-after-vote-kill-virginia-arts-commission