I am very concerned that in her 2011-13 biennium budget, Governor Gregoire has proposed eliminating the Washington State Arts Commission.

As a life-long arts advocate, I know first-hand that public funding for the arts allows access for ordinary citizens to transformative cultural experiences. It provides funding so that residents of rural communities such as Orcas can enjoy performances, concerts and exhibitions that could not otherwise be supported by our modest box office revenues; or so that our public school students might see their first professional dance performance, or have a gifted dance teacher instruct them right in the classroom. Orcas Center has received critical funding from the Washington State Arts Commission for for the Orcas Arts Education Project, through which thousands of classroom instruction hours in dance and theatre have been provided to K-8 students. Several other Orcas Center programs have also been funded by the state agency.

I know and have worked with many of the staff members at the Washington State Arts Commission and can guarantee that the taxpayers are getting a huge return for a very small investment. State funding that goes out to communities like Orcas Island leverages jobs and adds to economic vitality. It supports arts education in the public schools and learning opportunities for adults, not to mention providing the intrinsic value of thousands of other high-quality cultural programs around the state.

On many occasions over the past two decades, I have written my elected officials in the State Legislature and Congress and asked them to support funding increases. Now I advocate that we hold funding steady, minimize the cuts, or at least hold onto the agency. Of course times are tough, and every sector is taking a hit, including non-profit arts. But to eliminate the agency is a drastic, short-sighted measure that has long-ranging negative repercussions that outweigh the small amount of budget savings.

I intend to write Senator Ranker and Representatives Lytton and Morris to express my serious concern about the Governor’s proposal regarding the State Arts Commission. If you care about arts funding in our state, I invite you to join me.

Barbara Courtney

Orcas Island