Arthur Blank Family Foundation

Atlanta, March 20, 2007 - Mayor Shirley Franklin’s Arts and Culture Task Force will hold a press conference to present its Cultural Investment Fund recommendations to Mayor Franklin on Wednesday, March 21 at 11:00 a.m. at the Youth Art Connection Gallery, 63 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303. The Cultural Investment Fund recommendations focus on fund administration and governance, funding distribution and funding source principles. The Task Force, chaired by Penelope McPhee, President of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, was formed in April 2006 and includes philanthropic, civic and business leaders from throughout the city.

Recognizing the need to increase the level of support for arts and culture in Atlanta, Mayor Franklin established The Task Force to determine how City investment can best help catapult Atlanta’s arts and culture scene into world-class status. Before developing their recommendations, The Task Force: listened to presentations regarding arts and culture funding and possible approaches for Atlanta to consider; reviewed large sums of funding data, successful solutions and best practices in other cities and compared the implications of various funding models. The approach to which The Task Force committed is known as the Cultural Investment Fund.

The Cultural Investment Fund is designed to impact all residents, especially children and underserved residents of the city so that everyone will be able to enjoy Atlanta’s rich artistic and cultural offerings more easily. "In 2005, Atlanta spent about $4 for each resident on arts and culture initiatives. I think we can all agree that this city’s residents deserve more. I am thrilled with The Task Force’s progress and The Cultural Investment Fund recommendations that they worked hard to create. Through this Fund, we hope to increase the amount invested for each resident by more than five times," said Mayor Franklin.

The Arts and Culture Task Force recognizes the many benefits of becoming a world-class arts and culture city, including:

Positive educational outcomes hinge on arts and culture education
Arts and culture make for an exciting tourist destination
A vibrant arts and culture scene attracts a talented workforce
Arts and culture enable responsible urban development
Arts and culture create substantial economic impact

"Arts and culture" are defined by The Task Force as classical music, ballet, opera, theatre, dance, visual art, folk and popular art from American and world cultures, festivals and organizations as well as facilities that serve to enhance the public's understanding of the humanities, zoology and the sciences. The recommendations call for enhanced public funding for arts and culture. Details on how the plan will be implemented will be discussed at the March 21 press conference.

In April 2006, Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin formed The Arts and Culture Funding Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of fifteen philanthropic, civic and business leaders from throughout Atlanta and is chaired by Penelope McPhee, President of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Mayor Franklin charged The Task Force with determining how City investment can best help catapult Atlanta’s arts and culture scene to world-class status. The Task Force has worked in close partnership with The Schapiro Group, Inc., a data-driven strategic consulting firm in Atlanta and has benefited from the research and guidance of Americans for Arts, based in Washington, D.C.