4Culture supports good art of all kinds. Ask an artist. Any artist. Or look at the funders behind anything you've really loved in this city in the last year. There's absolutely no reason its budget should be slashed—it has no relation to the budget crisis and its funding source (read: a small amount of money made to go the longest possible way) simply needs to be renewed by the legislature this session.

This ain't no controversy.

So sign this list to indicate your support. Or, if you need to hear a bit more, attend the brown-bag lunch at Harbor Steps put on by Great City about it tomorrow (details on the jump!).

Let's do this thing already.

Advocate4Culture
Where: GGLO Space at the Steps, 1301 First Ave., Level A
Date: Thursday, January 13, 2011
Time: 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Enter through door located about 1/4 of the way down the Harbor Steps (click for map)

Advocate4Culture is a coalition of people who believe that arts and heritage is vital to our economy, quality-of-life, education and pride in our communities. Since 1990, a portion of hotel-motel lodging taxes have been supporting arts and culture in King County. These revenues are managed by 4Culture, which is now the largest regular source of grant revenue for King County arts and heritage organizations and programs.

4Culture invests $4.5 million in more than 500 local organizations, artists’ projects and education initiatives every year. These funds are a powerful economic driver for local tourism because they make King County an attractive place to visit. Arts and heritage enhances our quality of life and defines our communities. Together, the cultural industry in King County pumps $250 million into the local economy each year, including $100 million from tourists.

Despite these enormous benefits, the lodging taxes that support arts and culture will expire in 2012 if our state legislature does not act now. The loss of the lodging tax would mean a devastating 90 percent reduction in funding for arts and heritage in King County.

While elected officials are facing considerable economic pressures, this crisis can be averted by the state legislature this year, by reauthorizing a small percentage of future visitor taxes to be invested back into King County’s cultural industry. This presentation will provide an overview of 4Culture's impact on the community and explain how you can join the effort to save 4Culture.

Presenters:

Ronda Billerbeck is currently a volunteer member of the 4Culture Arts Advisory Committee. As Cultural Programs Manager for the City of Kent, she oversees the Kent Arts Commission's active performing arts program, community events, granting programs and public art collection. Ronda is an active member of regional and national arts organizations, and has served as President of Arts Northwest and the Advocacy and Lobbying Chair for the Washington State Arts Alliance. Ronda completed a Senior Management Fellowship at Americans for the Arts in Washington D.C. (2004) She also participated in Americans for the Arts’ Local Arts Agency Executive Leadership Seminar at the Aspen Institute (2009) and Sundance Institute (2010).

Visual artist and arts activist Mary Ann Peters is is currently a volunteer member of the 4Culture Public Art Advisory Committee. As a painter, her awards include the prestigious MacDowell Colony Fellowship, the Neddy Award for Painting from the Behnke Foundation, a residency from the Northwest Institute of Architecture & Urban Studies in Italy, and an Artist Trust Leadership and Painting Excellence Award. She recently completed a large scale commission facilitated by Olson/Kundig Architects in Hong Kong. For seven years she served as the Northwest representative on the board of the National Campaign for Freedom of Expression. Mary Ann also served as a founding member of Seattle's Center on Contemporary Art (COCA) and is an advisor to multiple arts organizations.

Josef Krebs has been involved in Seattle's cultural life as an artist, administrator, board volunteer, advisor, and loudmouth since 2001. He has served as chief development officer for Annex Theatre, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras (SYSO) and ACT Theatre, creating new departments at each and driving significant revenue growth. Josef served Treasurer for the Washington State Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals for four years and serves on the board of Theatre Off Jackson, the Great City Arts Committee, and the Cabinet of the Advocate4Culture Coalition. In his spare time, Josef provides pro bono advice and consultation to artists and smaller arts organizations including fringe theatres, visual artists, musicians, and dance companies.

The panel will be moderated by Great City board member Cheryl dos Remedios, who chairs the Arts, Heritage, Historic Preservation and Public Art Committee. Cheryl currently serves on the Cabinet of Advocate4Culture and has been a volunteer member of the 4Culture Public Art Advisory Committee (2001-2006).