Rounds wants to kill the SD Arts Council

It doesn't get more short-sighted than this.

SOUTH DAKOTA ARTS ADVOCACY ALERT!


January 22, 2009

SOUTH DAKOTA ARTS COUNCIL FACES ELIMINATION IN NEW BUDGET

The revised budget Governor Rounds presents to the South Dakota Legislature today cuts all funding for the South Dakota Arts Council.

If passed as written, this budget will eliminate our state arts agency and the programs and services it provides. It will not allow South Dakota to receive its annual appropriation from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The budget now goes to the Joint Appropriations Committee, then to the full Legislature.

LET THEM HEAR FROM YOU!

South Dakotans for the Arts is calling on all members to join in the most important advocacy campaign for the arts in the history of our state. THIS WILL BE HARD, BUT WE CAN DO IT!

! TODAY’S ACTION:

Contact the Legislators from your district: http://legis.state.sd.us/who/index.aspx

Today’s message can be brief:

Tell them you are aware of this proposed elimination of the South Dakota Arts Council and that you EXPECT them to lead the way to the restoration of this vital funding.

Our advocacy campaign must develop quickly and effectively. Working together, we can speak with one voice to ensure adequate public funding of the arts in South Dakota. Expect success. The arts are hard work; we are not strangers to this task.

*You will be receiving continuing information, updates and advocacy tools from South Dakotans for the Arts and Americans for the Arts. If you do not wish to receive this information, please reply to this email.

For more information contact: South Dakotans for the Arts

soda@rushmore.com (605) 722-1467