It's all over for arts funding, or is it?
Local arts groups are miffed about losing their Guilford County funding this year. Skip Alston wants to give them some help, but it appears unlikely that the board will reverse its decisions.
Now comes an email from Debbie Lumpkins, the executive director of the High Point Area Arts Council who's urging arts supporters to give those cocos a call:
Hello everyone. This is a CALL TO ACTION regarding Guilford County arts funding!You are probably aware that the County Commissioners eliminated funding to arts on June 21, without prior notice, which resulted in a loss of $73,500 to the High Point Area Arts Council. As a united arts council, this loss of funding will affect 7 arts organizations in High Point: Carousel Theatre, High Point Ballet, High Point Community Concerts, High Point Community Theatre, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Piedmont Artists, and the arts council itself. The United Arts Council of Greensboro loss $145,000 which impacted 14 arts organizations for a total of 21 in Guilford County.
Thank you to everyone who has made phone calls and written letters to the newspapers and/or our county commissioners. Your voices are being heard! Now it is more important than ever that you pick up the phone or e-mail one or all of the county commissioners listed below ... I need for you to do this today.
Commissioner Skip Alston will be making a motion at the county commissioner's meeting this Thursday, July 19, to restore funding to the arts councils in Greensboro and High Point that have proven to be excellent stewards of county funds and have provided arts services that benefit everyone in our county.
Also, we need our Friends of the Arts to attend the County Commissioners meeting at 5:30 p.m. on July 19 at the Old County Courthouse on E. Market Street in Greensboro (coming from High Point, it will be on your right after you go through the intersection of Eugene and before you get to Greene Street - turn right onto Greene to park in the parking deck). Although you will not have an opportunity to speak to the agenda, your presence will demonstrate your support for the arts.
See you soon!
Debbie B. Lumpkins, Executive Director
High Point Area Arts Council
200 Fisher Avenue
PO Box 5526
High Point, NC 27262336-889-2787 ext. 22
336-889-2789 (fax)
website: www.highpointarts.org
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