Arts and Culture Losses and Funding Relief Statement - Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon

The Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Cultural Trust, and the Cultural Advocacy Coalition are collectively working to support Oregon’s arts and cultural sector.
The Oregon COVID-19 Impact Survey results, which received more than 1,200 individual responses (900 responses from Multnomah County) and more than 260 arts and culture organizations in 25 counties, show $56 million in economic losses statewide in one quarter alone, according to the Regional Arts and Culture Council. 
These losses are projected to increase month over month. The Cultural Advocacy Coalition is continuing to work with its partners and members, and we are pressing Oregon’s legislators and Governor Kate Brown to provide relief funding for organizations threatened by closure and impacts to those working within the sector.
We support the relief proposal developed by the Oregon Cultural Trust and the Oregon Arts Commission and urge its rapid passage by the legislature.
The Cultural Advocacy Coalition has worked for many years to build the corpus of the Oregon Cultural Trust through tax credits, license plate sales, sale of state property, and other ways. It weighs heavy on us to dip into the corpus for any purpose, but if we have to do so, a global pandemic would be the time to use this option.
We want to see these dollars distributed as quickly, equitable and flexibly as possible. We believe the governor and legislature should match these funds, which were given by Oregonians with state dollars recognizing the economic impact of this sector as well as the importance of creative expression to the health and well-being of every one of Oregon’s residents.
We also hope Oregon’s foundations will step up to support arts and culture reinvestment in creative ways.
“We hold the dream that one day the corpus is large enough to provide stable and increased resources to our beloved cultural sector,” said the Cultural Advocacy Coalition’s Board of Director’s President, Dr. Nancy Golden. “However, unusual times require us to look for quick and sometimes difficult solutions, such as using some of the corpus. We will continue to work closely with our partners and members to ensure we survive now so we can thrive in the future.”
Thank you.
Cultural Advocacy Coalition