Liberals Don't Like Bad Spending Either. Even When They Call it Cultural.

I get the sense that people really see any cuts in funding to the Greater Augusta Arts Council as tragic. Do we like to see tax dollars go to the Arts Council because it's good for business or because it brings culture to the people of Augusta?

How does it help business? As I remember Brenda Durant of the GAAC telling the commission, people go out to eat and drink after the events, thereby boosting the economy. If my tax dollars are going to help businesses, at least them them be businesses that provide their employees with healthcare, retirement, and vacations rather than restaurants and bars that don't even pay minimum wage (and turn drunk drivers out onto the streets- might be better not to rely so much on alcohol taxes).

And what cultural benefit do we get for our investment? The biggest expenditure is Arts in the Heart, which to me is like a county fair- the part where you walk around and buy trinkets and food- except that it charges admission.

If these cultural events are benefitting Augusta, doesn't that mean that the people should get to enjoy them without paying to get into them on top of funding them? Or at least that local talent is showcased? Even the Twelve Bands of Christmas is going with non-local musicians now, and the concert costs $20 advance or $25 at the door.

The biggest cultural splurge last year was on Slow Dancing for Westobou, the super-slow-motion video portraits of non-local dancers projected onto screens in Augusta Common. Brenda Durant of the Arts Council says the funding for Slow Dancing did not go through GAAC, but one of our city treasure chests was dipped into for it.

The Porter Fleming Foundation donated $25,000 (according to the Augusta Ballet, that's only about one-third the total cost) specifically to Slow Dancing (much, much more on Westobou overall). There is a new block of money since 2005 which is designated specifically for "excellence in the arts," but might they still follow the spirit of the foundation? Here from The Porter Foundation website: "The Foundation directs the Trustees of the Academy to 'contribute annually to the educational,literary, artistic, scientific, historical, musical, and cultural enrichment of the lives of the residents of the City of Augusta and the geographical area immediately adjacent thereto, composed of Richmond, Burke, Jefferson, and Columbia Counties in the State of Georgia, and Aiken and Edgefield Counties in the State of South Carolina.'" Since the videographer and his dancer subjects are not residents, the benefit must have been to the residents in the audience. The admission was free, but what did we get?

The Westobou Festival called the video "Dance," even while the brochure reads, "in a time where less than 8% of the population will see a live dance performance, it is imperative that we consider the best possible means to take dance to the people." Uh, the Augusta Ballet (and Mary Pauline McDowell, curator of the- dance? projected video?) presented the traveling slideshow. Couldn't they have done an actual performance? That would have been of cultural benefit to residents (and maybe the ballet company) of Augusta in a wonderful way. Instead of culture, we got a promo for culture.

Here's another excerpt from the Porter Fleming Foundation that they might want to re-read. "The grant will be made, preferably, to organizations supported by dues or voluntary contributions," (rather than those funded by taxes).

Maybe there were no more suitable candidates. Please, anyone with genuine educational,literary, artistic, scientific, historical, musical, or cultural contributions to make to Augusta, apply for this grant. Applications are due January 31.