Arts Included in House-Proposed Economic Recovery Package

This just in from Americans for the Arts...

House Appropriations Committee yesterday released an $825 billion economic recovery package and the arts are included in package.

Included is an infusion of $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (in addition to its annual appropriations) to specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support. The House plan proposes additional opportunities throughout other parts of the federal government that could also help the nonprofit arts sector and individual artists. Here’s a summary analysis of how the Americans for the Arts recommendations compare to the related provisions currently in the House bill:

*Americans for the Arts Recommendations

*Include artists in the proposal for Unemployment & Healthcare Benefits for Part-Time Employees
Bill: Proposes to extend unemployment insurance coverage for low-wage, part-time, and other jobless workers

*Boost arts projects in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Bill: $1 billion in additional funding for CDBG

*Provide economic recovery support to the National Endowment for the Arts to be administered by local arts agencies
Bill: $50 million in additional appropriations for the National Endowment for the Arts

*Include cultural planning through Economic Development Administration program (Department of Commerce)
Bill: $250 million for Economic Development Assistance

*Increase community cultural facilities support in Rural Development Program (Department of Agriculture)
Bill: $200 million for critical rural community facilities

*Provide more support for arts projects in Transportation Enhancements (Department of Transportation)
Bill: $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure

*Fulfill the Obama pledge for an “Artist Corps”
Bill: $200 million to put approximately 16,000 additional AmeriCorps members to work doing national service

*Make Human Capital Investments in Arts Job Training (U.S. Department of Labor)
Bill: $5 billion for working training and employment services

Get involved at http://www.artsusa.org/go/recovery