February 14, 2023
Members of the Joint Finance Committee:
Thank you, your staff, and the Controller General’s Office for the opportunity to testify today about the Division of the Arts budget. It’s great to see many familiar faces from my previous roles as an education advocate and a Legislative Fellow. My name is Neil Kirschling and I am here as the Executive Director of the Delaware Arts Alliance, a nonprofit organization that serves as the unifying voice for the arts in Delaware. We represent nearly 50 organizational members across the state, as well as over a thousand individual advocates, artists, educators, and patrons.
I am here today on their behalf to ask that you increase the Division of the Arts budget by $2M in FY24 in order to raise general operating support and other key grants that benefit arts nonprofits, individual artists, and arts education.
The Division of the Arts grant funding has remained the same since 2014. Yet in that time, total expenses of arts nonprofits have increased 16.5% due largely to inflation. Since just 2019, DAA member organizations report an average 25% increase in expenses. In recent months, I asked art leaders what concerns them regarding their budget. They said:
- “The biggest factor that concerns us is the slow return of audiences. This year we’re having a tougher time filling seats.”
- “We are fearing job layoffs in FY24 and beyond if revenues are not increased.”
- “Materials to build sets and other technical equipment are more expensive. Compensation for creatives is still under market value. Insurance and benefits have increased dramatically.”
- “In this economy, the families we serves are having to make a decision to pay utility costs or enroll their student in creative classes”
Yet we are optimistic. When Governor Carney put forward his FY24 recommended budget, we heard his goals to strengthen the economy, invest in public schools, and support families and workforce. We share in those goals, as we know you do, and we ask that you consider a $2M increased investment in the Division of the Arts as a key strategy to achieve them. I’m joined today by a group of stakeholders who are excited to give public comment and share how your investment is doing just that – developing a thriving creative economy in Delaware. In every county, they are developing vibrant local cultural scenes to attract people to live, visit, and work here; they are creating jobs and generating ROI for other sectors like hospitality and restaurants; they are building healthy/connected/resilient communities and leading tough conversations about social change.
We invite you to be partners in this work, and I close asking that you please consider joining the Arts and Culture Caucus, chaired by Senator Lockman and Representative Shupe. You can get in touch with them directly, or with me at nkirschling@delawareartsalliance.org, to be added to the meeting invitations this session.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration of this budget increase.
Respectfully,
Neil Kirschling
Executive Director
Delaware Arts Alliance