The Elk County Council
on the Arts is dedicated to promoting the cultural enrichment of the
residents of Elk County by expanding the opportunity for public
participation in the arts.
The Council’s goal is to enhance the lives of county residents and the
various local arts by offering experiences in the arts, providing
educational opportunity and advice, and by supporting performers,
musicians, artists and writers.
images courtesy of
Katie Weidenboerner
The Elk County Council on the Arts receives state
arts funding through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts,
a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of PA and the National
Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
ECCOTA
▪ 237 Main
Street ▪ Ridgway, PA 15853 ▪
Phone 814.772.7051 ▪ Fax 814.772.7049
eccota@windstream.net
Gallery Hours:
Tues-Fri 10am to 5pm ▪ Sat 10am to 2pm ▪ Closed Sun & Mon
ECCOTA Home
You Gotta
ADVOCATE ECCOTA- State
Arts Funding is in Jeopardy
ACT NOW-
Now is the time to support and protect Governor Rendell’s proposed
appropriation of $14 million for grants-to-the-arts in the proposed
executive budget (a reduction of 8% from FY2008-2009 appropriation of
$15.4 million).
On May 1, 2009 Senators Corman, Pileggi and Scarnati introduced Senate
Bill 850. As the bill is currently written it eliminates all state
funding for the arts. There is no mention of funding Grants to the
Arts or the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) in the bill. That
means $0 for PPA grants, Arts Operating and Arts Programming Grants,
Arts in Education, along with the Artist Residency program, fellowships,
and other funding.
On May 6,2009 Senate passed SB 850 and the Pennsylvania FY 2009/2010
Budget moved to the House of Representatives with ZERO State Arts
Funding.
The PCA’s funding partnerships have expanded access to state funding.
Regional partners made more than 860 arts grants statewide, reaching
every Senate District and 190 of 203 House Districts. In 2008 the
PCA’s partnership program, PPA, granted $34,200 to fund 24 projects in
Elk, Forest, Jefferson and McKean Counties. These are projects and
programs that have made a positive economic impact on our community- and
their stories must be told to keep funding and the projects alive!
Pictured Above: Found a
top a column in in the Rotunda of the PA State Capitol, one of the four
medallions (along with law, religion and science) created by Edwin
Austin Abbey to depict the foundations of civilization.
Here are 3 easy ways you can
ACT NOW to save Arts funding in
Pennsylvania:
FIRST. Sign up for free advocacy alerts
from the Citizens for the Arts
in Pennsylvania.They are working hard to organize the
legislative advocacy process to support funding for the arts in
Pennsylvania.
SECOND. Speak out- Contact your state representative and state
senator in support of the Governor’s proposed budget for the arts. You
can find their contact information at
the
Citizens for the Arts website (It's easy, all you need is your zip
code and street address.) Also search the Advocacy page for
template and sample letters. These legislators are on the Allocations
and/or Leadership Committees in both the State House and the State
Senate. These men and women will be working very hard to plan
appropriately for Pennsylvania's future. It is important to thank them
for their past support and to tell them what a difference the Arts makes
in your communities- both socially and economically. Continue to speak out- write letters to the editor, contribute
comments to on-line blogs and articles about the state budget and find
other ways to demonstrate how the arts and arts projects support and
serve your community, especially the social and economic impact of the
arts and arts projects and their educational outreach.
THIRD. Sign the Save the Arts in Pennsylvania petition- again
it's effective, quick and easy
just follow this link.
Elk County Council on the Arts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization. The official registration and financial information of Elk County
Council on the Arts may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by
calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does
not imply endorsement.
