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Orozco, Norma From: Victor Payan <vctor@masamedia.org> Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2020 9:26 AM To: eComment Cc: Pulido, Miguel; Sarmiento, Vicente; Penaloza, David; Solorio, Jose; Bacerra, Phil; Villegas, Juan; Mendoza, Nelida; Ridge, Kristine Subject: Public Comment 65-D: 2020-21 Budget / Funding for the Investing in the Artist Grant Dear Santa Ana City Councilmembers, I first wrote to you to advocate strongly for maintaining funding for the Santa Ana Investing in the Artist Grant program on June 16. Since then, many people in the community have reached out to express their support for funding this program. Santa Ana artist Kimberly Duran, for example, posted a petition on change.org to save the arts grant funding, which has received nearly 900 signatures since June 25. Also, in the past week, the State of California has INCREASED arts funding, and the cities of Los Angeles and Sacramento have created new programs to support artists and arts organizations economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Clearly, there is an understanding of the importance of the arts sector to local economies, and I again urge the Santa Ana City Council to continue its visionary support and leadership in the development of Santa Ana's arts infrastructure. Research shows that every public dollar spent on the arts generates three -times the amount in spending. Thus, Santa Ana's $375,000 investment in the Investing in the Artist grant has already generated $1.125 million of economic activity. Public funding for the arts assures critical public oversight to foster a citywide culture of equity, access and inclusion. The Investing in the Artist Grant has brought a fair and professional process to support Santa Ana artists, which has benefited every ward of the city. By contrast, we have all seen how private arts initiatives have been fraught with cronyism, conflict -of -interest and personal profit agendas. I am including links to Kimberly Duran's change.org petition as well as links to recent stories about California, Los Angeles and Sacramento's increased support for the arts. I am also including links to the Otis Report on the Southern California Arts Economy and the Americans for the Arts "Arts and Economic Prosperity 5" report, both of which feature exciting new research on the profound economic impact of the arts and culture sector. Finally, I am including a list of all the artists and arts organizations who have received the Investing in the Artist Grant to demonstrate the quality of this program and also to highlight how many recipients provide programs for youth, workforce development, and crucial presentation and performance opportunities for Santa Ana's emerging and established artists. In addition to their direct artistic services, Santa Ana's artists and arts organizations create jobs and give back to the City by marketing Santa Ana as a cultural destination that drives tourism, promotes local businesses and restaurants, and generates important positive press coverage for the city. The public benefit of maintaining funding for the Investing in the Artist grant provides an excellent return compared to the relatively small amount that it represents in the City budget and will provide wonderful and exciting cultural programming at a time when the community needs it most.