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In the early 1960's, Kendeja was created as a reservoir for national culture in Liberia. It became a symbol of Liberian nation tapestry, melting in one pot traditions from every parts of the country.
Young men and women came from remote villages to learn and practice many aspects of a culture that was being ghastly swallowed by modernism. The kids went to school and graduated from high school just like any other child of the country, with the added advantage of having lived in a cultural environment where they learned to dance, sing, and practice many cultural acts that their peers were oblivious to. 1989 war brought an abrupt end to all things. Like everything else, Kendeja fell into pieces.
On Tuesday, June 9, 2009, L. Johnson officially opened his new hotel, on the land that once hosted the soul and heart of Liberia's culture. The ceremony was attended by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Chief Justice Johnnie Lewis, the US and Chinese Ambassadors and a cohort of government officials, business leaders and international workers.
The government promised to reopen Kendeja, our national treasure, on another piece of land. The arts and culture community needs this promise to be fulfilled.
The Urbz: Sims in the City was an absolutely amazing game which was a nice touch away from the traditional Sims games, where the player was an 'Urb', a Sim-ish character that travelled around the urban city and gain a reputation.
Also, there was a nice touch from a small appearance from the Black Eyed Peas.
3. SAVE OUR HERITAGE & SAY 'NO' TO MCDONALD’S 
An inn, the "Tumble Down Dick" has been present on the Farnborough Road since the 17th Century, with connections to Richard Cromwell, and being the central focus of the town before its 20th century development.Since the closure of The Tumbledown Dick Hotel in 2008, the current owners have allowed the pub to fall into a terrible state of disrepair and we have now discovered the pub has been sold to McDonald's Restaurants!
4. Support for Live Music at Moto Saloon
In July of 2012, Black Market Moto Saloon applied for a Special Use Permit with the City of Charlottesville, VA to change their business zoning from Mixed Use Industrial to a Music Hall. This would allow the business to offer live, amplified music.
Charlottesville Planning Commission voted to approve this Special Use Permit with a list of restrictions to protect the neighboring residential area. On October 2nd, 2012, City Council denied the Special Use Permit, effectively ignoring the Planning Commission recommendation and the written wishes of over five hundred residents interested in the continued cultural development of Charlottesville.
The criteria given for the rejection was presented by Councilor Kathy Galvin and consisted of a very subjective interpretation of City Code and cited "non-harmonious use" and incompatibility with Charlottesville's still undeveloped Comprehensive Plan. Kathy Galvin, Dede Smith and Kristin Szakos were influenced by a small but politically outspoken group of individuals in the Woolen Mills area who consider the family friendly restaurant "adverse branding" to their neighborhood.
The standard options for recourse on this decision would be for the Moto Saloon to re-apply a year from now with another $1500 application fee. Another means would be an appeal of the decision in the Circuit Court of Charlottesville. Either way, the Moto Saloon would like your voice of support to be heard in this petition.
5. Art and Craft Workshops in Rhyl
Started, as part of the Regeneration of Rhyl, Rhylcreate was founded in 2004. The group became incorporated as a not for profit business limited by guarantee in 2007 and opened a small gallery in Rhyl. In March 2012 the gallery moved to larger premises in the White Rose Centre.
We are now in a position to run workshops in a variety of art and craft subjects. We offer these at a full cost recovery but this means they are out of the reach of a lot of the people we would like to take up art or craft as a hobby or interest.
We hope to attract funding to help with the cost of kitting out our workshop area and the running of the workshops at a reduced rate.
6. HRM, Fund Symphony Nova Scotia appropriately on an annual basis!
Currently the City of Halifax drastically underfunds its large arts organizations compared to other Cities in Canada. Recent annual grants were at approximately $18,000 for Symphony Nova Scotia compared to $500,000 in London, a similar-sized Canadian City with a similar-sized orchestra.
A City with a strong infrastructure for funding its orchestra ensures continued health of its arts community. This is a benchmark for attracting new businesses and citizens to the area. Without sufficient City funding, organizations like Symphony Nova Scotia struggle to make ends meet and cannot implement meaningful initiatives such as innovative programming and education programs for outreach to the youth of our communities.
With the huge financial gains HRM makes from having a vibrant and innovative arts community, it makes sense to create infrastructure for ongoing yearly appropriate funding that doesn't require ongoing re-application. HRM needs to fund at a level that ensures the lasting health and prosperity of such organizations as Symphony Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Film Festival, Brookes Diamond Productions, 2b Theatre Company, Dalhousie Centre for the Arts, Mermaid Theatre, Theatre Nova Scotia, Halifax Pop Explosion, Onelight Theatre, LiveArt Dance, Eastern Front Theatre, Music Nova Scotia, Neptune Theatre, Halifax Dance, Scotia Festival of Music and all local writers and publishers and visual artists.
You can share this petition by going to the top left of the page and clicking on "Tell" or forward this petition link to your email and social media lists. Thank you!
Your civic and email addresses are not visible on the internet.
www.snsplayersassociation.ca
For the full story on the background to the campaign, see http://exceptionaltalent.wordpress.com/
8. Allowing Ground and Pound in Florida Amateur Mixed Martial Arts
Florida Boxing Commission passed the ruling to allow Amateur Mixed Martial Arts back in Florida on July 7, 2010. Rules and regulations state that ground and pound is not allowed in amateur mixed martial arts.
The definition of ground and pound is defined as to describe a fighting style or technic. To take one's opponent to the ground, establish a dominant position. Usually a top position (i.e., mount, side mount, half mount, etc. can also be used while in one's "guard"). Reign down closed fist punches to the head while on the ground. After amateur mixed martial arts fighters have attained 5 verifiable amateur fights in Florida, they qualify to become Professional fighters.
The issue we have is that without amateur fighters gaining any experience on ground and pound before going Pro, we the (Association) feel it is very dangerous on these fighters entering Professional status without exercising the experience.
A solution that can be made is to revise this particular rule and that once the Amateur fighters have reached 5 amateur mixed martial arts fights, they become eligible to become semi professional, or advanced amateur fighters, and to allow them to experience ground and pound like it is at the Professional level. All protection rules of 7 oz gloves and shin guards remain the same.
9. Legitimize Breakdance and Hip-hop at UCI
In 2010, the dance department at UC Irvine conducted research in Ghana that provided a new lens to view dance styles.
Dance styles that were based on choreography and the stage were proven to be euro-centric concepts, and dance styles based upon improvisation within the context of the cypher, or circle of onlookers, and community building, were proven to be afro-centric.
UC Irvine has dozens of Hip-hop dance teams, dozens of world class breakdancers, and several nationally recognized championship dance crews, yet Breakdance and Hip-hop is largely ignored by the dance department, the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, and is grossly exploited by recruiters for UC Irvine.
In 2011, due to community efforts, breaking was given a tiny foothold within the dance department in the form of a 1 unit course. The course has become overwhelmingly popular with students of a variety of different majors on campus. Students representing every single on campus Hip-hop team, flock to the class to learn and receive the foundations of Hip-hop dance knowledge. It has served as a platform to unify Breakdancers and Hip-hop dancers under common history.
A much needed history course was slated for the summer of 2012, but was eliminated at the last minute due to no specific course content issue, or lack of enrollment (the course was eliminated 1 week into the enrollment window) but in truth to fear-based faculty complaint amidst breaking's growing popularity and the over all budget crisis.
10. BCTC Open Letter to Canadian Heritage Minister Moore
Honourable James Moore
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A5
March 20, 2012
Dear Minister Moore,
The BC Touring Council is a not-for-profit organization serving presenters and touring professional artists for over 35 years. Included in BCTC’s purposes is to support the work of regional performing arts presenters through a networking marketplace, and to promote and support the coordination of tours for primarily BC and Canadian artists.
The vitality of the presenting and touring sector is demonstrated with nearly $1,000,000 to be paid to BC artists, and another $746,000 going to Canadian artists, in this current season. The vitality of presenting is clearly demonstrated during the 2011-12 season when BC presenters paid $1.8 million in artist fees for over 500 performances in their communities. The revenue is anticipated to exceed $5.25 million.
The BC Touring Council works with more than 90 presenters in every part of British Columbia. These include volunteer organizations, festivals, municipalities, universities and schools, all of which share a common passion of supporting and developing artists, and building community.
With continued support for 20 years from Canadian Heritage, the BC Touring Council has hosted its signature event, Pacific Contact; a 3-day annual trade show and booking conference bringing together over 200 presenters, performing artists and artist management and agencies.
The conference includes:
• Over 40 juried live performing showcases;
• The ‘Contact Room’ where the buying and selling of shows occurs;
• Professional development;
• Networking opportunities with peers from across the province and the country.
In January, with less than three months before Pacific Contact, the BC Touring Council was informed that our funding request to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund was not approved. This represents a cut of approximately 25% of the budget. After a long history of funding, and without forewarning, the complete cut was a blow to the organization and members.
As a testament to the recognized value of this conference and the work of BC Touring Council, many supply companies and individuals offered deep discounts and personal donations to ensure the March 2012 event will be successful. The BCTC board and staff also adopted a number of cost-reducing measures. This is not a sustainable situation.
BC Touring Council Directors and staff have taken steps to understand the rationale for the withdrawal of funding including several meetings with officers from Canadian Heritage. We would like to know what funding criteria we did not meet this year that we have been meeting since 1992.
The real beneficiaries of the work of the BC Touring Council are the communities and residents of BC. Located in smaller communities throughout BC, our many members are volunteer organizations that wholly depend on the work of the BC Touring Council to introduce them to new performing artists, and to support their efforts in providing a variety of professional artistic experiences in their communities.
The BC Touring Council is one of a number of presenting and touring art service organizations across the country. The BC Touring Council is the only provincial presenting arts service organization in the country to have its Canadian Heritage funding withdrawn. With provincial arts funding already one of the lowest in the country, this cut will further impact the ability of the BC Touring Council to support presenting in the communities throughout the province. The loss of funding in BC also weakens the entire Canadian touring and presenting sector.
Funding support to the BC Touring Council from Canadian Heritage is vital and essential and we believe continues to meet the CAPF program objective which is to give Canadians access to a variety of professional artistic experiences in their communities. We ask that you reconsider our application and to restore Canadian Heritage funding to the BC Touring Council so that we can continue to support the work of artists across Canada and presenters in communities in British Columbia.
Sincere regards,
Margo Gram
Chair, BC Touring Council
Manager, Centennial Theatre North Vancouver
11. Bring Kim Possible Back On Air!
Kim Possible was Disney's longest running show. After season 4, it was cancelled.
We need you to sign this petition to urge Disney into producing another season. Come on, Kim Possible fans!
Anything is POSSIBLE!
12. Rethink the council cut to Eden Arts
The cut of 70% to Eden Arts funding by Eden District Council – from £49k in April 2010 to £13.5k in 2014 will all but cease the local authority’s support for arts and culture in England’s biggest and most rural district – Eden in Cumbria - rural people love culture too!
Eden Arts turns the core funding funding it receives from EDC into a five fold (+) benefit . EA’s budget forecast for 2012-13 is that against the originally intended £43k from EDC Eden Arts will undertake £220k of spending on projects. We are only able to do this because we receive core funding paying for a small staff who fund-raise and create projects and promotions for the benefit of local residents and tourists alike.
We bring big stars like Bill Bailey, Billy Bragg, Globe Theatre, Northern Sinfonia to Eden on a regular basis. We create community projects like a new rural touring cinema for villages. We create locally embedded projects like FLOCK (www.jointheflock.co.uk) that allow people to participate in a fun and creative scheme that celebrates our local sheep farming. We support writers through creating www.newwritingcumbria.org.uk.
We support Cumbrian artists through our www.c-art.org.uk. We contribute to the vibrancy of the local area and its economy by running installation projects and a pop-up cinema in empty shops.
There is no publicly funded theatre, arts centre or gallery in Eden and no local authority arts officer. Eden Arts is all that the district has by way of arts development organisations– a cross arts organisation with a 20 year history of work for and in Eden. We work with other organisations such as Highlights Rural Touring to ensure that the arts are promoted and enjoyed in Eden. Eden Arts does way more than can be listed here, it punches way above its weight in order to give to the people of Eden.
The arts are a major employer, and they generate far more revenue than they cost to fund. In addition they are a major attraction for tourism in the UK. While cutting arts funding may save money in the short term, in the long run it risks undermining what has been one of the country’s most vibrant areas of growth over the past fifteen years, and destroying one of the national achievements that we should be most proud of.
One specific disturbing area of taxpayer abuse comes from the Department of Heritage and Official Languages.
It’s budget in 2010 was 3.1 BILLION – yes billion dollars of your money. We want you to know to whom that tax money was given.
Here are some "benefactors"; a group called FACTOR received $8.7 million to funnel to friends and music type projects. Factor funded a Vancouver punk rock “band” to produce an album titled Holy S*!t which contained very offensive content and graphics.
Another organization, Telefilm, received $104 million dollars last year. In the past couple of years it has funded films most Canadians would consider objectionable, including Young people F…ing, The Masturbators and The Year of the Carnivore (1.2 million ), the latter of which we question whether it contains child pornography images.
Funding for both these groups seems to given with no proper accountability or review.
The Canadian Council for the Arts received $183 Million and the National Film Board $69 Million, both annual recipients of millions of your dollars.
The CBC also received about $1.1 billion from Heritage budget last year, with a promise of more this year.
Heritage department policy and objectives state that it funds sustainable projects. The laundry list of recipients that receive money over and over is long and objectionable. Sustainable funding of unsustainable arts projects is a violation of Heritage policy. James Moore publicly bragged about how his government had given more money to the arts community in 2010 than any other government.
Canada has record debt and a large budget deficit. Taxpayers cannot afford this kind of waste.
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WE OWN 84% of Royal Bank of Scotland
WE OWN 41% of Lloyds (Bank of Scotland)
Join the online petition to guarantee AGM control so that we stop bonuses at RBS and Lloyds and lend to deserving small businesses who can safeguard and create jobs.
ALSO
VOTE THE BAN BANKERS BONUSES PARTY
at the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary elections on Thursday, 5 May 2011.
In the Highlands & Islands region:
Kit Fraser, Owner of Award-Winning Pub & Live Music Venue Hootananny, Inverness
and the West of Scotland region:
Willie McLaughlin, Clydebank, Independendent Councillor West Dunbartonshire Council
Please also see the pledge to RBS & Lloyds at:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/rbs-lloyds-customer-pledge/sign.html
15. QLD government support to an all ages music venue in Brisbane
Currently in Brisbane, none of the sizeable live music venues host live music for those under the age of 18, with the exception of the Old Museum Building and Powerhouse. Most deem the issues with delicensing too expensive or too much effort.
To make matters worse, dedicated all ages live music venues in Brisbane are at an extreme low, and due to government regulation, associated costs and the general lack of interest from the QLD Government, have been forced to operate illegally or close.
Currently within the Brisbane CBD (Southbank to Bowen Hills) there are five active all ages venues, Edge, The Hive, Old Museum, Powerhouse and The Alley. Recently Room 8 @ Fort closed which was the only venue of the size required to host all ages shows for more than 150 people for our more extreme alternative style acts, short of using Riverstage, which is obviously far too large for an average show.
While these three active venues are all great, The Alley is also soon to be closed, leaving Edge at the Library in South Brisbane and The Hive, both too small and too strict to run shows of any variety and Powerhouse and Old Museum. All of these venues reject heavy bands from playing in their venues.
While heavy music might not be glamorous for the types of people this petition is aimed at, it is still a large part of the music industry and some of the bands coming out of Brisbane are amazing and need support. Freezing out heavy music just because you don't like it is cruel and unfair, considering that as an experienced promoter in this town, and having dabbled in many genres, metal and hardcore remain the most outwardly popular styles of music.
This leaves a huge portion of the Brisbane live music community without a place to play. Young heavy bands have nowhere to play short of community halls in the outer suburbs, which, needless to say is a nightmare of logistics and hardly ever works out for the people putting on these shows.
Yes there are venues and options, but through costs, issues with regulations and those in positions of power simply not liking styles of music, anything heavier than Frogstomp era Silverchair is cast asunder.
The issues I hear about with behavior of heavy music crowds is way out of order. If these kids dance violently, they know what to expect. If one gets hurt in the mosh pit, they've gone in there knowing that there's a good chance of it happening. I've seen indie crowds break a venue. I've never seen a metal or hardcore crowd do it yet.
I believe the government needs to assist us with our cause. Either by opening up a new space, or encouraging the current ones to diversify.
16. Crisis in Arts and Culture Funding
On 13th March 2011 a letter signed by 46 Equity members appeared in the Observer newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/mar/13/theatre-funding-cuts-actors
The letter speaks out about local and Government cuts to the arts and culture.
Read the letter here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2011/mar/13/letters-arts-spending-cuts?INTCMP=SRCH
17. Save The Arts! (Music, Theatre, Dance, etc.)
Our petition is stating that we want funds to go the arts, not just the sports.
At our school, funds are being taken out of the arts programs (Band, Show Choir, Art Classes) and being put into sports.
18. Save the Forest
The Forest is a volunteer-run, collectively-owned, free arts and events space. We provide a dedicated space for people to get involved in any creative activity imaginable, and have also become a vital resource for social, political and environmental groups, providing space and equipment for events, workshops and fundraisers.
Due to the bankruptcy of our landlords, the building that the Forest currently occupies is up for sale. On the 19th of February 2011 we learned that a prospective buyer is currently in the process of closing a deal to buy the building with the estate agents, Graham and Sibbald.
So now, as well as continuing a hugely successful fundraising campaign to secure Forest's future, we're asking our friends and community to show their support: we do not want to see this listed historic building transformed into yet another generic coffee shop or sports pub, and we want to let any prospective buyer or developer know how strongly the community feels we should stay in our home. Please sign this petition to show our strength.
Up-to-date information about the campaign and details of how to donate are available at http://blog.theforest.org.uk/savetheforest and through our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Forest-Campaign/187769714596278?ref=ts
19. Stop the cuts to Blackheath Halls
Greenwich Council is currently proposing to withdraw the whole of the Blackheath Halls’ annual grant effective from April 2011.
Blackheath Halls is in the process of appealing this decision and plans to make representations to the Council at a meeting later this month.
In addition to its vibrant programme of jazz, rock, folk, classical and world music, comedy, cabaret, literary events, opera, dance, exhibitions, children’s theatre and family concerts, the Halls offers a diverse range of activities and participatory events to cater for all ages, and all levels of ability.
These include a community orchestra and chorus, a youth orchestra, an annual community opera, workshops for children and adults and tea dances. The Halls also works very closely with local schools and community groups, with well over 1,500 children and young people from right across Greenwich and the local area getting the opportunity to perform in the Halls last year, including young people with special needs.
The Greenwich Council grant has specifically been used to support these areas of activity, and its withdrawal will remove the Halls’ ability to continue to deliver such a programme of work for the local community.
20. Save Visual Art in Leicester
Petition against the plans to permanently close The City Gallery in Leicester and reduce all public contemporary art provision in the city.
Leicester City Council has now drawn up it’s proposed budget for 2011/12 to 2013/14 (http://www.leicester.gov.uk/budget2011/) It has also submitted a new report to the Overview & Scrutiny Management Board (See proposal CS 05 on page 17 http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=24432) meeting on the 3rd February prior to proposals being potentially approved by Cabinet on 21st February and Council on 23rd February.
These new plans are similar to those submitted back in early December 2010 and result in funding for the City Gallery (and therefore contemporary art in Leicester) reducing from the current 2010/11 amount of £311,000 to £69,000 by 2012/13 – a 78% cut.
Whilst some of the details have altered slightly from the plans submitted to the Overview & Scrutiny Management Board in late November 2010, the substance of these proposals remains the same. The cut is still massive and leaves Leicester without any dedicated space for contemporary arts. Leicester is due to be the first city in the country to cut is only contemporary art gallery.
Below details the petition drawn up on 30th November 2010 based on the published proposals to the Overview & Scrutiny Management Board (30th November 2010), since withdrawn (7th December) then resubmitted with slight alterations and no other options (27 January 2011).
Our objections all these plans stand as they were with two minor alterations:
Objection point 5 has been given more clarification in the new proposal ‘CS 05’ (reduction in FTE posts from 6.24 to 2) but still does not make clear cuts to other workers (i.e. Educational project leaders & helpers).
Objection point 6 is now a £69k budget rather than the £34k budget, still a radical cut and still resulting in reduced contemporary art offer and exhibition space in New Walk Museum.
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A report has been submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, of Leicester City Council, prior the their meeting on 7th December with a recommendation to: “Integrate contemporary visual art services within the exhibition programme and overall offer at New Walk Museum and Art Gallery.”
These plans permanently close The City Gallery, provide a radically reduced (financially by 86.7%) contemporary visual art exhibition & education programme for Leicester and lose around £126,909 of inward investment from Arts Council England per year.
Details of previous plans submitted in December can be found here: http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=23614
We object to these cuts to services and seek clarification as to why:
• The options do not include a continuation of the current provision of exhibitions by City Gallery staff based at New Walk Museum, nor do they include cheaper development options either in the Central Lending Library or in other council or privately owned buildings. They are only options for large capital costs or large reductions in service.
• Options to work with other arts and/or education organisations within the city to provide a dedicated space for the display and education in contemporary art do not seem to have been explored.
• There appears to have been no consultation with current, previous and potential users of The City Gallery, or with other arts/education organisations within the city to determine to need and therefore the loss to the city if provision was radically reduced or completely withdrawn.
• Arts Council funding of £126,909 for 2011/12 will not be available without a robust programme of exhibitions - these proposals do not constitute a robust programme. Also and the option to apply for funding from 2012 onwards has been discounted thus loosing a potential investment into Leicester’s visual arts of £463,471 over four years (based on ACE 15% reduction on 2010/11 City Gallery funding).
• Under ‘Legal Implications’ Section 5.2.2 it states that: “Possible redeployment and redundancy issues for affected staff are identified in the report.” But these are not clearly identified in the report. The current number of staff, (full-time, part-time and sessional staff) are not referred to in the report and therefore a judgment on the implications of the loss of some or all of these by the Councilors at the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board is not possible.
• The proposed Option 2 budget of £34,000 per annum for the integration of City Gallery services to: “cover the staffing costs of exhibition, learning and community engagement support at New Walk Museum and Gallery.” With: “All other costs […] would be found from New Walk Museum and Gallery’s existing budget.” Would result in a loss of exhibition space and budget for New Walk Museums traditional program of displays, as well as representing in a reduced contemporary art offer, education offer and community engagement.
This petition is to ask Leicester City Council to immediately re-think these proposals and:
• Continue with current City Gallery services maintaining the 2011/12 funding from Arts Council England whilst a plan is developed for a sustainable and permanent space for contemporary visual art provision in Leicester.
• Consult with current and past users of City Gallery services, other arts/education organisations and key potential funders to determine the need for these services and how these needs can best be met within potential resources.
• Consult with Arts Council England and apply to the ‘National portfolio funding programme’ for funding from 2012 onwards (by the advertised deadline of 22nd January 2011).
• Clearly identify the implications on staffing including numbers of permanent and sessional staff that will be moved out of the organisation or made redundant.
Whilst it is acknowledged that with large cuts to local council funding as well as Arts Council funding new ideas must be thought of, we feel that these plans to not provide adequate arts services to Leicester. We are therefore feel duty bound to request that the plans be revisited with a view to finding new ways to provide contemporary visual arts in Leicester.
21. Save Somerset Arts Funding
We have until February 2011 to save Somerset Arts Funding.
Somerset Country Council have made the decision to cut 100% of next year’s £159,000 arts development budget. If you value the arts in Somerset then have your say...
If the cut goes ahead it will mean:
Arts organisations in Somerset will not be able to continue the same levels of arts activities within communities;
Children and young people will have fewer opportunities to access arts and education;
Vulnerable people, including isolated, older and disabled people, will have limited chances to benefit from social and health related arts projects;
Somerset’s arts organisations need to produce a petition signed by at least 5,000 Somerset residents in order to generate a new debate at a full County Council meeting on February 2011. Everyone in the family can have their say by signing a form or joining the online petition by the 16 December.
AS LONG AS YOU LIVE, STUDY OR ARE EMPLOYED IN SOMERSET YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO SIGN.
Under 18s need permission from a parent or guardian. Members of a household can sign using the same email address.
22. Darlington for Culture - Save Darlington Arts
Darlington Borough Council is preparing to withdraw the subsidy from the Civic Theatre and the Arts Centre; this may lead to their closure.
Darlington needs a meeting place for clubs and societies, for arts and recreation, for activities and enjoyment, for celebration and discovery, for new partnerships and creative ideas. That is what we mean by Culture...
For 30 years Darlington Arts Centre has been that place, giving everyone a rich quality of cultural life through shared experiences.
We won’t let it go ...
23. Save the Arts
Radical cuts to current levels of arts funding will decimate what has been one of the UK's chief success stories over the past 20 years, and will bring an end to the UK's reign as a global capital for culture.
Arts organisations all accept the need to reduce their budgets. But while the arts can possibly sustain a ten percent funding cut, the 25-30% cuts that the government is currently considering would result in the closure of many smaller arts organizations and would also have a crippling effect on the functioning of the country’s leading arts venues.
The arts are a major employer, and they generate far more revenue than they cost to fund. In addition they are a major attraction for tourism in the UK. While cutting arts funding may save money in the short term, in the long run it risks undermining what has been one of the country’s most vibrant areas of growth over the past fifteen years, and destroying one of the national achievements that we should be most proud of.
24. Postponement of Changes to UT College of Arts and Sciences
The University of Toledo Strategic Planning Committee has put forth a plan which would split the College of Arts and Science into a College of Sciences and Sustainability, a College for the Study of the Human Condition, and a College for Visual and Performing Arts. The plan also creates many new directorships and deanships to administer an overall new approach to education at UT.
Though students, faculty, and all other interested bodies are very willing to hear any ideas which could improve the College of Arts and Science, more input and vetting must be done before any plans can be undertaken.
25. ΝΑ ΜΗ ΣΤΑΜΑΤΗΣΕΙ ΝΑ ΜΕΤΑΔΙΔΕΤΑΙ Η ΕΚΠΟΜΠΗ ΚΑΤΩ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΚΙΟΣΚΙ
Θέμα: Διατήρηση της εκπομπής « Κάτω από το Κιόσκι» με τη Νανά Τσούμα
26. Support an Arts facility for Ryde
Ryde council is well behind other Sydney councils in its support for the arts. Its very first Arts development framework (2007-12) is coming to the end of its tenure with little or no progress in its mission.
The City of Ryde Arts Development Framework 2007-2012 states that Ryde council will develop arts resources and infrastructure, will develop arts initiatives, create exhibition spaces and build social connectivity through the arts as well as building arts audiences. It states that Ryde council will develop arts projects, attract arts service providers, develop an artists’ network, webpage and database. It states that Ryde council will develop an exhibition and performance program, increase visibility of local arts and creative product, attract key institutions to assist in developing creative industries, create partnership opportunities with private industries to deliver arts facilities, and develop partnerships with state and federal government funding bodies for arts projects.
These are just a few of the many key points published in the Ryde Arts Development Framework on the council’s website.
It is acknowledged that some mission statements are being honoured, such as the engagement of public artists to create works along the new developments at Parramatta River, Meadowbank. This is to be applauded, as public artworks greatly enhance the area’s identity.
Yet, whilst Eastwood’s Brush Farm House was developed as an arts facility, it will no longer hold exhibitions (from early 2011), and is being handed over to the private sector.
This appalling track record is unacceptable for a large and wealthy council such as Ryde, who itself has stated “a key sign of a vibrant City is the health of its arts scene…arts products and services contribute to the growth of the economy.”
Ryde has maintained little or no support for the arts for way too long. We want Ryde City Council to honour its promises, to stop wasting the community’s valuable time by asking them to contribute to policies and promises council has no intention of honouring, and to start delivering on its Arts Development Framework.
http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/WEB/SITE/RESOURCES/DOCUMENTS/Community/Canvas_CityofRyde_Arts_Development_Framework_20072012.pdf
27. Let the One-Act-Play team preform for the school!
Our One-Act-Play team worked for a month preparing to represent our school in the One-Act-Play Festival and we won superior. Now we want Mr. Keever to let us preform it for our classmates.
28. No Sales Tax on Concert and Theatre Tickets
On September 22nd the associated press published an article outlining the proposed final budget plan for the state of Pennsylvania. This proposed budget among other things calls for the addition of a 6% sales tax to concert and theater tickets.
From The PA Budget Website
"$100 million from lifting the sales tax exemption on admissions costs for theater, dance, concerts and performing arts, as well as museums, historical sites, zoos and parks."
There is a specific singling out of the performance arts in this proposal. Sporting events and other forms of entertainment are not slated to receive any additional taxation in the budget proposal.
This proposal has been confirmed with the Governor's office of public liaison. As of Sept 23rd 2009 the proposal is slated to be on the Governor's desk in to weeks time in bill form for signing.
In an already crippled live performance industry and an era of limited household incomes it is important to act quickly to keep entertainment outlets affordable.
The City of New Westminster intends to sell the Burr Theatre.
For many years we have enjoyed excellent theatre at the Burr. Local business enjoyed increased business that came as a result of the theatre.
Based on the above experience, we believe that the needs of the people of New Westminster would be better served if the Burr Theatre is retained as a City-owned multi-disciplinary arts facility.
Cuppacumbalong Homestead Precinct, in Tharwa, is a significant place, listed in the ACT Heritage Register due to its historical, aesthetic, and social values. The farm was resumed by the Commonwealth of Australia in the 1970’s. In 1975 the homestead precinct was leased with the purpose to promote Australian arts and crafts.
Cuppacumbalong was a destination, with public access to the homestead, heritage gardens and picnic area, with a restaurant, an arts gallery, craft shop and artists’ studios. Part of the Tourist Drive 5, Cuppacumbalong had a national and international reputation of being one of Australia’s best arts and craft destinations.
Visitors once flocked to enjoy café fare and regional crafts in the main rooms of the majestic principal homestead. Later, shunted to outbuildings to make way for the failed reception centre, visitors’ numbers dwindled. Closing the gates indefinitely, the owner meanwhile lodged unsuccessful applications to change the homestead to domestic residential use.
Today the place is permanently closed, electric fenced, without public access, no restaurant open, no arts and craft shop or exhibitions, signs of Cuppacumbalong removed. Local, national and international visitors following the promotion still available in various tourist information sites are greatly disappointed when they find the place shut.
A new Development Application has been lodged demanding changes to the lease purpose clauses, from promoting Australian arts and crafts to operating one (or more, no guarantees) of various uses including agriculture (in previous applications the agriculture activity proposed was chicken farming), tourism, or residential accommodation linked to the other uses.
The new development application also strips the ACT government from determining public access times and to charge entry fees. (You can see the application at http://apps.actpla.act.gov.au/pubnote/pubnoteDetail_new.asp?DA_no=200915227
Public comments about the DA were invited by the ACT Land and Planning Authority until the 4th of September. We have submitted the signatures and comments as objections to the change of the lease on behalf of 150 who signed the petition by the 4th of September.
We will keep the petition going until we have an answer from ACT Planning and Land Authority.
ACTION:
Sign this letter and forward to people who believe this unique heritage place should continue to be publicly accessible and used for the purpose of promoting Australian arts and crafts.