The screams are many. And they’re loud. And they’re coming from all directions.

Government entities, on all levels — much like plenty of private businesses out there — are feeling the painful bite of extreme recession. There’s no money, which makes it tough to pay for things. With a lack of Benjamins to play with, governments far and wide are facing decisions. And as the axes fall, many are crying for their necks to be saved.

One such scenario is playing out in Pierce County right now.



Created in 1985, the Pierce County Arts Commission has responsibilities such as awarding grants to area artists and nonprofit arts organizations and supplementing art education in public schools through the hiring of artists in residency.



At least for the time being, anyway. The Pierce County Arts Commission may soon be a thing of the past — for all intents and purposes. Facing an estimated $8- to $11-million deficit, Pierce County is looking to trim any project deemed “fat” during these times of irrational recession fervor. Apparently, the commission and its miniscule budget — in the neighborhood of $150,000 a year — has been forked as “fat.” Funding for the Pierce County Arts Commission for the rest of ’09 has been put on hold starting March 1 — pending the approval of a supplemental budget in late March.



These are economically challenging times, sure, but really? When Chris Van Vechten — one of 12 members of the Pierce County Arts Commission — got involved a little over a year ago, the arts commission had a budget of $180,000 a year. As of Sept of ’08, the commission was still slated to receive $135,000, which surely — given the circumstances — could have been dealt with. But things got worse.



There’s no finessing a zero. If the Pierce County Arts Commission ends up getting no funding for 2009, not only is it dead, but several other problems arise — not the least of which being the fact the commission has already hired artists in residence to supplement art programs at local public schools in ’09 and notified grant winners of funding.

Call it a domino, or a snowball, but there’s no denying the effects of such a decision will be felt.



“We’re an incubator for the county,” says Van Vechten of the Arts Commission. “To call it frustrating isn’t even the word. It’s mind-boggling. They say they want to create jobs. It’s counterproductive.”



“I understand they have a deficit,” continues Van Vechten. “Why us?”



For $150,000 a year, versus the loss of much needed supplemental art programs at almost a dozen local schools — not to mention everything else the Arts Commission does, including create jobs — it’s a very worthy question, and one the Pierce County Council will soon be answering.