CRAFTIVISM: Updates in the Fight for Arts Funding: The Time to Act is Still Now!

To catch you up on arts funding happenings since my initial article about the need for Craftivism in saving The Arts, a recent timeline:

July 7: NEA Stimulus Grants Announced Today
Grassroots action through Americans for the Arts efforts led to a federal economic stimulus recovery package for the The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)! As part of the $50 million federal, the NEA announced

July 9: SB 850 Rears Its Ugly Head
A huge blow as Senate Bill 850 came up again for back in consideration- the bill includes zero funding for the arts and total elimination of the PA Council on the Arts (PCA) plus another $1.7 billion in cuts to other remaining appropriations. Its passage would mean no grants to the arts for FY2009-2010. Immediate and significant action to support state funding for Pennsylvania's arts! Programs, jobs and services are at stake. TAKE ACTION NOW!

July 14: Save the Arts Rally in Harrisburg, PA

July 20: HB 1416 now zeros out PCA funding
Tthe PA Senate approved HB 1416 as amended, which included ZERO funding for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. HB 1416 as amended will be sent back to the House of Representatives tomorrow morning where one of three options can take place:
* They concur with the changes made by the Senate and send the bill to Governor Rendell for his signature;
* They vote to nonconcur with the changes and send the bill to a conference committee for further diliberation and compromise, or;
* They take no action on the bill

PA ARTS NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW! There is seriously no time to waste... :/

What you can do:
1.Sign the on-line state petition to Save the Arts in Pennsylvania (it will take you only about three to four minutes).
2.Sign up for action alerts from Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania.
3.Contact your state legislators today through the Legislative Action Center.
Facebook Members: Sign up for the “Save the Arts in Pennsylvania” Cause and become a friend of Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania.

The Crafty Scene: Pittsburgh's 'I Made It! Market' on Vid!

Pittsburgh, PA's indie craft community is unique in it's richness, visibility, connectedness, intitiative, and commitment to supporting local artisans and all things handmade. A huge force in the 'Burgh's crafty scene is the I Made It! Market, the area's only "nomadic" indie arts & crafts market, which sets up in different city neighborhoods several times throughout the year. By doing so, and by partnering with organizations and venues sharing a similar vision, I Made It! seeks to connect Pittsburgh and surrounding communities with the economic and cultural vitality of local arts, artisans, and the craft scene. I Made It! was founded by Carrie Nardini, a powerhouse in the local Handmade Revolution who has made Craftivism and supporting area artisans the "cool" thing to do, while creating a strong presence and following for the market and those like it.

Check out this nifty vid by KeystoneEdge featuring Carrie (and many of my craftastic pals, including some from Etsy Pittsburgh!) at a recent I Made It!. I'm there as a speck in the background vending at my table. :) You'll miss me if you blink...

Plant a Billion Trees: $1=1 TREE

This month, 10% of profits from my Etsy shop, SilentLotus Creations, will be donated to an organization I learned of from Belinda of viceroyrose, a fellow EtsyVeg member who donates 100% of her shop revenue to The Nature Convervancy's "Plant a Billion Trees" project. This massive reforestation effort seeks to restore 2.5 million acres of land and plant 1 billion trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest over the next 7 years. Planting one tree for every $1 US donated, the project's success will fight global climate change by removing 10 million tons of carbon dioxide from the earth every year, the equivalent of removing 2 million cars from the roads!



Another opportunity to support a worthy cause by shopping at SilentLotus Creations is by purchasing a copy of Cooking With Compassion, a vegan cookzine that benefits Peaceful Prairie, a sanctuary for abused and neglected farm animals.

Could you ask for a better excuse for shopping? Give back while supporting handmade and an indpendent artisan! :)

CRAFTIVISM: A Critical Fight- Help Save the Arts!

Thought my first official post should be about something I care alot about, so here's my plea for support in helping in saving The Arts! The past few years have seen increasing declines in arts funding and arts-friendly public policies throughout the U.S. (Arts Action Fund). Arts funding impacts arts programs in schools (including K-12), the performing arts, arts organizations and individual artists, and the richness and diversity of our national culture and heritage. Additionally, The Arts generates billions of dollars in economic activity and federal tax dollars from income every year, not to mention millions of jobs (American Arts Alliance), the reduction of which will further tax our teetering economy! On the national front, recent news has been hopeful as the U.S. House of Representatives approved an increase in National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) by $15M (Americans for the Arts)! However, the Senate must be convinced to match this funding level, making public support and advocacy still hugely important.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Please visit Americans for the Arts E-Advocacy Center and write to your Senators to urge them to support the NEA funding increase, and join the Arts Action Fund (it's free)! Spread the word about this important issue to everyone you know. Your action is critical!

Each year, 40 percent of the NEA's program dollars go to state arts agencies to help maintain the stability of arts funding, policy, infrastructure, and access. BUT, this is conditional on each state appropriating its own funding for the arts, making the situation in Pennsylvania particularly dire. In May, the State Senate passed a budget bill that would eliminate all arts and culture grants in the state through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) from the PA State budget (Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council) for FY 09-10! While the PA House of Representatives Appropriations Committee voted down that Senate bill in June, we're now awaiting the House's own budget bill (Citizens for the Arts in PA). It is essential that PA voters let the House know loudly and clearly that funding for arts and cluture grants must be budgeted for!

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Sign this petition. Join the "Save the Arts in PA" Facebook cause or follow the cause on Twitter. If possible, attend the "Save the Arts in PA Rally" on July 14th (see above). Tell everyone you know about what's happening, and ask for their help to stop it! And please, contact your Senators and representatives in the House to urge them to support state arts funding!