IN THE NEWS

NEW CITY ARTS BUDGET HITS RECORD HIGH

The City budget for FY 2008, which began July 1, contains a record high allocation for the Department of Cultural Affairs, totaling $127.9 million. This is a 10.5 percent ($16 million) increase over FY 2007 and 13 percent ($12.9 million) more than the Executive Budget proposed. It includes $35.5 million for cultural programs and $128.1 million for City-owned institutions.

The Department of Cultural Affairs also received $1.4 billion for the four-year capital plan, including $270 million for FY 2008.

ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION INTRODUCES NEW ARTS FUND

On June 13 the Rockefeller Foundation announced the creation of a new fund that will annually give $2.5 million in grants to innovative cultural programs in New York City. The New York City Innovation Fund's awards will range from $50,000 to $250,000 over a two-year period. Qualifying organizations must have a minimum annual budget of $250,000. The application deadline is July 20.

NEW NOMINEES FOR NYSCA

Governor Eliot Spitzer has nominated five new members to the New York State Council on the Arts, including Mary Schmidt Campbell, Dean of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, as Chairman. The other nominees are Laura L. Aswad, performing arts consultant and director of Real Arts and Culture; Jeffrey Hayden Lynford, Chairman and CEO of Wellsford Real Properties; Natalie Merchant, musician; and Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Adjunct Professor of Afro Latino studies at Hunter College. The State Senate must ratify the nominations.

FRENCH PRESIDENT PROPOSES FREE ADMISSION TO STATE MUSEUMS

Nicolas Sarkozy has declared his intention to remove admission charges at all museums operated by the French state, at a cost estimated to be 150 million Euros, according to a report in The Art Newspaper (June). This policy would, in effect, follow the lead of Britain, which eliminated admission charges at national museums in 2001. The British government reports an increase of 83 percent in attendance since the change.

PEOPLE

Adrian Ellis has been hired as the executive director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and will assume his new position this fall. He is currently the president of AEA Consulting.

Heather A. Hitchens has been selected as executive director of the Board of the State Council on the Arts. Ms. Hitchens is currently the President of Meet the Composer.

NEWS AT THE ALLIANCE

ALLIANCE CONDUCTS ATTENDANCE SURVEY
Cultural organizations are being asked to respond to a new Alliance for the Arts survey of attendance in the 2004 to 2007 period. The results of the survey will be published in the fall, updating the 2005 report NYC ARTS AUDIENCES: Attendance at NYC Cultural Venues.