Good news from RI Citizens for the Arts: state-wide funding for the arts/creative sector was restored to the 2011 budget by the House Finance Committee last night. According to RICFA’s press release, the budget has the support of the Senate Finance Committee as well, although the full General Assembly still needs to approve the budget in the next few weeks.
While thanking House and Senate fiscal leaders for restoring arts and creative funding in a tough environment, RICFA notes that the Committee’s proposed budget fully restores the 1% for the public art program, the film tax credit, and $700,000 in grant funds through RI State Council on the Arts ($600,000 for discretionary grants and $100,000 for a Waterfire and RI Philharmonic collaboration this summer). So, yay.