Arts in the California governor's race

Recently Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would allow school districts to dilute art education requirements in California high schools. He made the right call: The plan was a misguided attempt to ease dropout rates. The arts don't always make it into political campaigns, least of all for governor, but the veto shows that the subject can matter significantly.

Now, a nonpartisan coalition seeks to move the arts onto a front burner -- or at least somewhere in the vicinity of the kitchen -- before November's election. Arts in the California Governor's Race describes itself as a consortium of "nonprofit arts organizations, arts support groups, artists and concerned individual supporters of the arts [who] believe strongly in the need for meaningful public support for the arts and arts education."

They have their work cut out for them.

Jerry Brown's website shows just two mentions of the arts, both citing accomplishments from long ago (putting artists on the California Arts Council in the 1970s and founding Oakland School for the Arts, a pre-professional secondary training school, in 2001). A look through Meg Whitman's website turned up no arts references.

Arts in the California Governor's Race notes that the nonprofit arts sector is a sizable employer -- 66,000 full-time and 95,000 part-time jobs -- with a $5.4-billion economic impact in California. It returns $300 million in state and local tax revenues.

Those are impressive numbers. More information about the nonpartisan arts issue group and its plans for the 2010 campaign's final weeks is here.

--Christopher Knight

twitter.com/KnightLAT

Photos: Meg Whitman, Jerry Brown. Credit: Eric Paul Zamora/Getty Images

 

Comments

[Mark Slavkin]

Thanks for this piece on the arts in the race for California governor. The arts, arts education, and the creative economy are critical for California's future. I hope the Times will help draw out the candidates positions on these vital issues.

[MovieWorker]

Following up on "the creative economy" comment, I would like to know how each candidate stands on incentives to keep TV & film productions in Los Angeles rather than continue to watch them flee to Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan and New Mexico. Since that's my industry - and since I'm exclusively voting my wallet - that will be THE deciding factor.

[Danielle Brazell]

Tell Meg and Jerry that you're an arts supporter and you vote. Let them know that you want the next Governor to support quality arts education for every student, a robust creative economy that includes the nonprofit, as well as commercial sector and an engaged voters throughout the region who have the ability to think critically and participate in building a healthy communities.
http://caarts.org/support/send-a-letter-to-candidates/

[Sandy Seufert]

Thank you, Mr. Knight, for bringing this question out in the open. The more the candidates know how many of us value the arts as an economic engine, an engine of instruction, and a way to instruct about ideas, the more likely they are to take notice.

[Rick Stein, Executive Director, Arts Orange County]

Thanks so much for calling attention to this effort!
I would like to make your readers aware, too, that similar efforts by the arts community have been directed to school board candidates on the subject of arts education. In Orange County alone, my organization has surveyed over 75 of the 120+ candidates in 24 school districts with contested seats. Their responses can be accessed here: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs009/1102237885473/archive/1103736738377.html

[indianadarren]

Ridiculous article. Title should have been "NO MENTION of arts in the CA governor's race." Not surprising to see CTE bashers still glorying in the veto of AB2446, even though it was vetoed purely for financial concerns, and Schwarzenegger's comments clearly reflected this was his reason , not some mamby-pamby "mustn't water down the arts" reason.
You misguided confidence in politicians is sad and naive at the same time. They will tell you want you want to hear, and then wreak havoc after they get into office. Political promises to "make sure the arts are strong" won't be worth an empty peanut shell no matter who wins.
BTW- I'd bet money that "MovieWorker" is part of the group of people that forms the MAJORITY individuals working in the "arts" in California - and they are NOT actors, sculptors, fine artists, dancers, or musicians - rather, I am sure he is one of the MAJORITY working in the Technical (read: Career TECHNICAL Education) fields related to film. Getting a BA/BFA/MA/MFA does not equate to stable employment nor a living wage.