Big thanks to the amazing Cynthia Cooper and FCASH for hosting the wildly successful, first-ever Cultural Arts Conference last week. It was really thrilling to see so many of our great nonprofit and arts organizations altogether in one packed conference room. It appeared as if 250 people attended, and it was an incredible value. For only $50 we received 3 meals, a wide range of outstanding workshops (many of them attended by local politicians and some of our finest national arts advocates), along with a world-class performance by Patrick Contreras at the Warner's.

One of the more shocking statistics cited during a keynote speech was that California ranks at the very bottom of arts funding. Our state, with all its vibrant creativity, gives less to the arts than *every* other state in the nation including the territories and Guam.

Another item to pass along is the introduction of CA Assembly Bill 1365. If you care about supporting the arts, lend your support to this Bill. Basically, for every arts-related sale in the state, the sales tax would go to the California Arts Council instead of somewhere else. They estimate this would bring in $30 million in arts funding in its first year alone.

Here are some links on the Bill:

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_1351-1400/ab_1365_cfa_20070...

http://www.californiaartsadvocates.org/AB1365SupportLetter.html

Thanks again to Cynthia and FCASH! I urge all of you to attend next year. Well done!

~C

http://www.cindywathen.com

Co-author of REMEMBERING CESAR: THE LEGACY OF CESAR CHAVEZ
The first book to be endorsed by the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation