9-28-07
State Government as Theatrical Spectacle
Arts organizations are scrambling to plug holes in their budgets after Gov. Blagojovich slashed funding for the Illinois Arts Council by $4.4 million as part of the fallout from the state budget infighting. (PerformInk Online, 9/14.) The extreme cuts to arts funding have many arts administrators in Chicago concerned for the fiscal health of their companies, especially the smaller ones.
“I think it’s a dirty shame that the powers that be cut the IAC for what I believe to be dubious reasons,” fumed Guy Van Swearingen, founder and artistic director of A Red Orchid Theatre.
It seems that this budget crisis has come about because of a personal clash at the upper levels of our government, and now affects everyone in the state. Preferring to remain above the fray, Ra Joy, head of the Illinois Arts Alliance, a state-wide arts advocacy group separate from the Illinois Arts Council. said only, “I’m an arts advocate, not a theatre critic.”
Let’s map it out for you the way we see it (admittedly biased and un-nuanced): Gov. Blagojovich has a beef with House Speaker Michael Madigan. Madigan’s wife, Shirley Madigan is chairperson of the Illinois Arts Council. Gov. Blagojovich takes out his beef on the IAC to show the Madigans who’s got bigger stones (or at least who knows how to use them). Suddenly small theatres are in a crisis because the $14,000 general operating grant they have budgeted for in their current fiscal year is cut to $7,000, and they have to scramble to come up with another $7,000 to keep the lights on and their rent paid.
As Mike Schuppe, the new managing director at Imagination Theatre, put it, “Our legislators are acting like playground children.” He would know, as this social issues theatre company presents several shows to school kids on topics such as bullying, communicating effectively, respect and many other responsible behaviors it seems the members of our state government have forgotten. “Perhaps we could do one of our pieces for them,” he said. “Ease the Tease or Show Some Respect? We could have barged in and done a ‘happening.’”
Unfortunately, it seems no amount of outreach programming can fix what ails the statehouse.
And the result is fiscal damage not just to our great cultural institutions that receive IAC funding, but to these smaller groups like Imagination, A Red Orchid, Strawdog, Live Bait, Black Ensemble Theatre and many others.
It’s not so much that IAC funding is a huge percentage of these organizations’ budgets (although it is not insignificant). The problem is that the IAC is one of the very few organizations that funds general operating expenses. Most foundations and donors want to see their money go to a specific program. Paying for the electricity bill and office supplies is not nearly as sexy as the latest world premiere featuring Cherry Jones, or bringing performances to kids in Pilsen.
“The funding is a direct hit to us,” said Jessica Cochran, artistic director of Around the Coyote. “It’s that much less money that we have to work with. It’s not a huge percentage, but a significant part of the yearly donation and affects our ability to plan ahead.”
In an unprecedented communication, the IAC sent letters and e-mails to grantees with a “preliminary funding estimate.” These sent managing directors around the city into a panic.
According to Schuppe, Imagination had traditionally received $14,000-$15,000 from the IAC for general operating funds. Their “preliminary estimate” was half that. “Where it hurts us is in our day-to-day operations and our ability to support our programming. It may only be 3-6 percent of our income, but when you’re small like we are, there’s not a lot to cut without really affecting things.”
Van Swearingen said that as a small company, A Red Orchid already looks to government funding to help manage and produce the work that they do. “When any of that money shrinks up it sends a chill down your spine. As a tax-paying citizen of Illinois I would like to see my money go towards the art. Cutting cultural and arts programs isn’t the answer.”
“We have such a small budget already, to lose a couple thousand dollars...could easily mean the difference between ending the year with a surplus or a deficit,” said Kevin Heckman, Stage Left Theatre’s artistic director (and PerformInk listings editor). Like many companies, Stage Left has already begun its fiscal year, and cutting the budget now can be a significant hardship for those who have planned their seasons with the expectation of IAC funding.
Mercedes Rohl, development director of American Theatre Company and artistic director of Speaking Ring Theatre noted, “IAC money is one of the only sources of income on which organizations can usually depend year after year. The disappearance of those funds threatens the fabric of what makes Chicago a nationally celebrated city.”
So what can you do to reverse this tide? Lyle Allen, acting executive director of the League of Chicago Theatres suggests two courses of action that everyone can take. “First, legislative sessions are coming up. Attend those meetings and make sure our voice is heard. Second, write to your alderman, congressman and governor. Make sure they know how important the arts are to the community.”
By the time this issue goes to print, the House budget hearings held throughout the state are likely complete; however, it is not the House that is the problem. President of the State Senate Emil Jones will not allow the Senate to vote to override the line-item vetoes which cut the budget so drastically in the first place. The IAA’s Joy urged people to speak out particularly to their state senators and to raise awareness about the impact the arts have on our state. A call to action is available on the IAA Web site at www.artsalliance.org.
As Schuppe so eloquently put it, “The cuts suck.” However, if you value your theatre and your art, and if you feel these forms of expression are vital to the quality of life in our city and our state, don’t let a bunch of overgrown playground bullies ruin things for everyone else. Now is the time to speak up.
This story contains additional reporting by Caroline O’Hare.