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Resolutions Adopted at the
67th Annual Conference of Mayors
New Orleans, Louisiana
June 11-15, 1999 |
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ARTS, CULTURE AND RECREATION
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE ARTS, HUMANITIES AND
MUSEUMS
WHEREAS, the arts, humanities and museums are critical to the quality of life and
livability of America's cities; and
WHEREAS, the National Endowment for the Arts' and the National Endowment for the
Humanities' thirty plus years of promoting cultural heritage and vitality throughout the
nation has built a cultural infrastructure in this nation of arts and humanities agencies
in every state and 3,800 local arts agencies in cities throughout the country; and
WHEREAS, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), National Endowment for the
Humanities (NEH), and the Office of Museum Services (OMS) within the Institute of Museum
and Library Services (IMLS) are the primary federal agencies that provide federal funding
for the arts, humanities and museum programs, activities, and efforts in the cities and
states of America; and
WHEREAS, federal funding serves as a catalyst to leverage additional dollars for
cultural activity — the annual federal investment made to these three agencies (NEA @
$98 million; NEH @ $110.7 million; and OMS @ $23 million) leverages up to 12 times that
amount from state and local governments, private foundations, corporations and individuals
in communities across the nation to support the highest quality cultural programs in the
world; and
WHEREAS, federal funding for cultural activities stimulates local economies and
improves the quality of civic life throughout the country — the NEA, NEH and IMLS
support programs that enhance community development, promote cultural planning, stimulate
business development, spur urban renewal, attract new businesses, draw significant
cultural tourism dollars, and improve the overall quality of life in our cities and towns;
and
WHEREAS, the nonprofit arts industry generates $36.8 billion annually in
economic activity and supports 1.3 million jobs — from large urban to small rural
communities, the nonprofit arts industry annually returns $3.4 billion in federal income
taxes, $1.2 billion in state government revenue and $790 million in local government
revenue; and
WHEREAS, federal arts funding to cities, towns and states has helped stimulate
the growth of 3,800 local arts agencies in America's cities and counties and $750 million
annually in local government funding to the arts and humanities; and
WHEREAS, federal funding for cultural activities is essential to promote full
access to and participation in exhibits, performances, arts education and other cultural
events regardless of geography and family income; and
WHEREAS, the NEA has been very responsive to Congressional concerns and has
undergone a major restructuring of its grants programs to more directly reach and help
build communities across the nation; and
WHEREAS, Congress has not increased funding for either the NEA's or NEH's budget
since the 40 percent cuts made in 1995; and
WHEREAS, the President has recommended substantial budget increases for these
agencies - $150 million for NEA and $150 million for NEH - both of which are linked to
special initiatives applying the increased budget in part to grant programs which would
strengthen America’s communities through the arts and humanities; and
WHEREAS, the delicate balance in shared responsibility and partnership for
public funding of the arts and humanities at the federal, state and local government
levels has been in serious jeopardy since local governments cannot make up for the current
funding cuts in the federal government’s share; and
WHEREAS, the United States Conference of Mayors has issued official letters in
the past on Arts Advocacy Day to the President and leaders of the U.S. Senate and House,
signed by more than 200 of the nation’s mayors, to save federal funding for the arts
and humanities,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors
reaffirms its support of the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the
Humanities, and the Office of Museum Services within the Institute of Museum and Library
Services and calls upon Congress to fund these agencies at the President’s FY 2000
request level in order to fulfill the federal government’s responsibility to help
make the arts accessible to all Americans for the social, economic and cultural well-being
of the American public, as well as to help sustain this nation’s cultural
infrastructure for public support of the arts and humanities at the federal, state and
local levels.
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