Below is a letter released by Michael Spring, Director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs:

Dear Colleagues,

The 2nd and final County Budget Hearing concluded at approximately 5 am this morning. With input from the Mayor and County Manager, the Board of County Commissioners restored a total of approximately $8.65 million to the Department’s FY2009-2010 grants budget.

With the County Commission’s actions just hours ago, we will need time to sort out how the restoration of these funds affects each of our grant programs and individual organizations’ grants. As soon as we have more specific information about these grant awards for the coming year, we promise to be back in touch with you.

Cultural Affairs Councilors Adolfo Henriques, Xavier Cortada, Jorge Luis Lopez and Dwayne Wynn were present during the evening and all stayed until the end of the meeting. Chair Adolfo Henriques addressed the County Commission just before midnight and urged that the funding for our Department’s grants programs be restored fully.

Throughout the evening, the County Commission heard impassioned testimony and saw support from dozens of diverse representatives of our cultural community. Artists, administrators, civic leaders, children and parents spoke with deep conviction about the way the arts change lives and improve our community. At the hearing, the performance by the kids of the Greater Miami Youth Symphony and Roxy Theater Group was both moving and powerfully effective.

I am proud of the dedication and tireless efforts of our entire Cultural Affairs Council, the extraordinarily diverse and supportive voices of our artists, board leaders and fellow arts administrators – and day in and day out, the indefatigable commitment and hard work of our staff. This remarkable community of people re-energizes us about the job ahead and provides us with renewed hope for the future of our young and vibrant cultural life.

Chairman Adolfo Henriques wanted me to let you know that all of our County officials – County Commission Chair Dennis Moss, every member of the County Commission, Mayor Alvarez and County Manager George Burgess – affirmed their strong support of the enormous impact that your work is having on our community.

We look forward to the beginning of a new and productive year together.

Michael

Here’s a great Call to Action sent out by the smart folks at the Wolfsonian. Show them some love and join their mailing lists!

http://www.enflyer.com/s/v?ib=3116;116117;144297;-1;71758;11539

Dear Cultural and Community Leaders,

We need your help again.  The second and final Miami-Dade County public Budget Hearing is scheduled for this Thursday, September 17^th and we must redouble our efforts. What we do in the next four days is crucial for the restoration of “zeroed out” grants support to more than 400 cultural organizations from the Department of Cultural Affairs.

I am encouraged that a number of County Commissioners have heard our message and have responded with expressions of support for the arts.  So, it is very important that we remain visible and that our central message to elected officials remains positive:

“Thank you for recognizing that the arts are critical for the economy and return enormous benefits to our community. We are counting on you to restore the County’s cultural arts budget.”

As Chair of the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council, I am urging you again to take each of these following important actions now to help save the County’s cultural arts budget:

• WRITE Send e-mails, faxes and letters to every County Commissioner, the Mayor and the County Manager, personalizing the positive message stated above.
• CALL Call every key County official and emphasize specifically the central message above (County contact list attached).
• TESTIFY Attend and speak at the upcoming County Commission Budget Hearing where the County’s budget will be finalized for the coming year.  The Budget Hearing is being held at 5:01 pm on Thursday, September 17 in the County Commission Chamber, 111 N.W. 1^st Street, 2^nd Floor.  Crowds are expected so get there early and be prepared to wait to make your case; you will have two minutes to speak. It is critically important that we are present – in force – at this meeting and that we positively reinforce the County Commission’s support for restoring the arts budget.

At the 1^st Budget Hearing, we had an incredibly diverse array of citizens address the County Commission – ranging from volunteers and artists to kids and parents whose lives have been changed by the arts. This is what counts: people from all walks of life who believe deeply that the arts are a priority.

I want to thank you for all that you have done so far.  Your letters, calls, e-mails and appearance at the 1^st County budget hearing have helped enormously to keep our chances alive.  Your passionate and articulate stories about the importance of County funding support continue to be the most compelling testimony.

Please forward this message to as many people as possible.

Time is short and the stakes remain high. Please know that your voice can make the difference this week. Thank you for your help.

Adolfo Henriques
Chair
Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council

Commissioner Katy Sorenson provides public comment regarding the effects of current property tax decisions.

Date Posted: September 9, 2009
By Howard Cohen
Link: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/communities/story/1224082.html

Message from Michael Spring, Director of Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs:

“Colleagues,

The 1st County Budget Hearing concluded at about 4:30 am today. The Board of County Commissioners voted for a total millage rate that will generate less revenue than that proposed by Mayor Alvarez.

At the hearing, Cultural Affairs Council Chair Adolfo Henriques, accompanied by Councilors Rosa Sugrañes, Xavier Cortada and Jorge Luis Lopez, spoke to the County Commission on behalf of the Council and the cultural community and asked for the full restoration of funding for our Department’s grants programs. In addition, numerous speakers also addressed the County Commission making the case for restoring the cultural budget, including School Board member Marta Perez, former School Board member Betsy Kaplan. The testimony from representatives of more than 20 cultural organizations, ranging from major cultural institutions to small neighborhood groups and artists, reflected the fortitude, passion and vision that have come to define our cultural industry.

During the subsequent discussion among County Commissioners, several Commissioners expressed support for program restorations in various areas of the budget, including our Department’s budget. Ultimately, a majority of the County Commission voted to set the operating millage at a flat rate; overall, this will result in approximately $17 million less in revenue than what was proposed by Mayor Alvarez.

It is important to note that this millage rate represents the “ceiling” – the budget that will be worked on over the next two weeks and adopted on September 17th cannot exceed this millage limit.

Mayor Alvarez and the County Manager commented that it would be very difficult to achieve the various budget restorations discussed given that the County Commission voted on a millage rate that is even lower than that recommended by the Mayor. The Mayor and County Manager also committed to working cooperatively with the Commission to find solutions wherever possible.

The County Commission is scheduled to hold a budget conference committee meeting on September 11th. The second (final) County budget hearing is on Thursday, September 17, at 5:01 pm in the County Commission Chamber.

I will share our Council Chair Adolfo Henriques’ message to me after the hearing, “Get some rest – our work has just begun.”

We will keep you informed about budget news.

Michael”

ALERT: There does not appear to be a sign-up sheet for public speakers – just a speaker cue line.  If you want to speak, you must stand in line until your turn to enter the Chambers and address the Commission.  There is a separate cue line for people that just want to sit and observe in the Chambers. Good Luck!

The Miami Herald has published an update on the budget hearing process for tonight.

http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/1215211.html

Our planning meeting on Monday was very productive! Below are the steps we ask you to take on behalf of restoring the Department of Cultural Affairs’ 11.2 million budget.

1st Budget Hearing – Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009 at 5:01pm

2nd Budget Hearing – Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009 at 5:01pm

• Wear a white shirt! We want the commissioners to be able to easily identify our constituency in the crowd!
• Meet in the lobby of the Historical Museum of Southern Florida on the Miami-Dade Country Cultural Plaza located at 101 West Flagler St at 1:00 PM to pick up your green “Arts Perform” and yellow “Arts Supporter” stickers, get any fast breaking updates, and pick up talking points if you need them. We need volunteers to hand out stickers from 1:00 to 5:00. Please email us at MiamiArtsAction@gmail.com if you can help.
• After picking up your stickers and talking points walk across the bridge to the Miami-Dade Government Center. Plan to be in the lobby by 2:00 PM to register to speak and to get in line for entrance to the Commission Chambers for the meeting. At 3:00 they will open the speakers sign up table. At 4:00 they will open the commission chambers. Hundreds of people will be in line and the chamber only holds 350.
• Use this opening line at the beginning of your spoken presentation:

“I am here to speak on behalf of arts and culture in our community. I urge you to fully restore the 11.2 million grants funding to the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs.” - then add your individual presentation.

• Bring friends in white shirts. Everyone does not have to speak – just have lots of arts supporters in white shirts will have an impact. If you are lucky enough to get a seat in the chamber make sure to stand and clap (politely) when one of our cultural supporters speaks.
• You do not have to speak to every point. Just concentrate on the one or two you feel you can present well. You are limited to two minutes speaking time.
• Be strong but, polite and professional. Overly emotional and angry presentations do not win us any points.

Prepare for a chaotic scene as there promises to be over a thousand people in the area trying to lobby the commission for their cause. Parking might be difficult.  Take MetroRail or the MetroMover if you can -  both stop right at Government Center. Click here for the Miami Parking Authority with downtown parking options. https://www.miamiparking.com/maps/ProximitySearch.asp Select Government Center in the drop down box and see a map listing lots of parking options around the area.

Click here to sign up for future action alerts.

When:  AUGUST  31 at 5:30 PM-6:30 PM

Where:  GableStage, 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables.

The theatre is east side of the Biltmore Hotel. Free Parking in hotel lot.

Keep It Up – the county budget will be finalized in September and after that it is too late to alter arts funding.

Speaking to the Commission!

You’ve communicated with the members if the Miami-Dade County Commission through phone calls, emails and letters. September 3 is our chance to talk to them in person.

This meeting is to plan our strategy in speaking to the commission on September 3!

• Pick up your green Support Arts sticker to wear
• Meet other Arts supporters
• Hear from a panel of arts advocates with guest speakers
• Identify the important role you can play at the September 3 Budget Hearings
• Ideas for standing out and getting noticed at the hearings
• Sign up for Arts Action Alliance updates

RSVP to: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&safe=moderate&safe=moderate&formkey=dHA2TjNpMW41cGMxdDAyWWxCLWRjWHc6MA

The Herald covers the upcoming meeting of the Miami-Dade County Performing and Visual Arts Task Force.

Date Posted: August 23, 2009
By Daniel Chang
Link: http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/story/1196603.html

The Miami Herald posted a new editorial…could they actually be “supporting” the arts?!?!

Date Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009
Link: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/1197592.html