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$1-million startup for arts reserve sought by Danner

The privately endowed fund would be self-sustaining and offset city cuts.

By CRISTINA SILVA, Times Staff Writer
Published December 26, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG 

When city officials took an ax to the budget earlier this summer, arts organizations were among the first to get cut.

Now, City Council member Jeff Danner wants to make sure those arts organizations get some funding back with the creation of a privately funded arts reserve administered by the city.

"The arts have a huge economic impact on the city from the Dali and the Fine Arts museums all the way down to the galleries," Danner said. "We are known as a cultural center now so it is real important to promote that."

The City Council gave the measure an initial thumbs up at the Council meeting last week. More discussion will be required before the council has a final vote on the plan.

Danner said he has already met with several private enterprises about donations.

His goal is to raise more than $1-million over the next few months, he said.

Eventually, he wants the fund to grow to at least $5-million.

The fund would work similarly to the city's Weeki Wachee fund, which supports recreation projects.

The principal balance of the art fund would be invested and only interest earned on the fund would be used to provide grants and support for local art and cultural institutions.

While arts organizations would not stand to benefit from the fund until at least several years after its launch, it would still provide a more reliable source of funding than revenue generated from property taxes, Danner said.

The city slashed funding to arts organizations by more than $300,000 this year in response to the state Legislature's reform on property taxes in June.

The city's more than 200 arts and social service groups now stand to share $710,000 this fiscal year, less than one-third of the money that was available the year before.

Organizations of all sizes have been affected, including Creative Clay, the Studio@620 and the Dali Museum.

Council member Leslie Curran called Danner's proposal "an excellent alternative" to city funding.

"The plus is our account would be gaining interest," she said, allowing donors to "get more for their money."

Art leaders also applauded the proposal.

"Every community that has been able to advance in the arts has always done it in a private and public partnership," said Maria Emilia, executive director of the Florida Craftsman Gallery. "This is great."

Bob Devin Jones, director of the Studio@620 said he did not think the fund would impact the donations arts organizations already seek from the private sector.

"There is enough to go around," he said. "This sounds like a good idea, particularly if the city would take some lead in contacting the businesses."

Cristina Silva can be reached at csilva@sptimes.com or 727 893-8846.

By the numbers

Better math for arts

200 Number of arts and social services groups in the city

$710,000 Money groups have to share for fiscal 2008, less than a third of what was available last year.

$300,000 Amount arts group lost to the city's budget cuts.

$1-million Amount Danner wants to raise within the next few months.

[Last modified December 25, 2007, 21:14:17]