Yesterday I wrote a piece about 4Culture's impending doom, and spammed my email list and Facebook. If it seems like overkill, it's because it's extremely urgent.

4Culture funds working artists such as myself so that we may continue making art. Viewers benefit from this far more than you may realise. I know a lot of people say "I hate most public art, it's weird abstract shite that has nothing to do with me". What you might not realise is  you've seen and participated in events put on and funded by 4Culture without even realising it. And if you know anyone who's a working artist, an active member of the Burner community, dancers, musicians, writers, or anyone else in your friends group who participates in art events around town; chances are we've all been funded by 4Culture either directly or indirectly at some point. And as a case in point, I'm writing a grant right now alongside hundreds of other artists who will be submitting to 4Culture before 10 March, which might be our last chance to do so. 

Want to know more about how/where to find public art? See my December post about where it's at. (fyi the show that was over in December is actually ongoing and has been replaced with a new lineup) Here's an excerpt:

"I know a small but loud group of the population complain the public art they see is somehow beneath them, not good enough, vulgar, unapproachable, or an otherwise wasteful expense of tax dollars. Before you say that, think hard about where the larger percentage of your tax dollars go and tell me you aren't glad any part of it goes towards something more sustainable, enlightening, and important to our society and culture than our larger, more sinister contributions.

So I'm motivated to act. I demand you pack your lunch to go and walk over to the Municipal Tower to look at the art before the show ends on the 31st. And once that's over, I demand that you do your research and go find all the art that is just waiting to be discovered all over this small but abundant city. We have all these gifts, and a very tiny portion of your tax dollars fund these gifts, so the best way to say thanks and appreciate them is to find them."

Please please re-post on Livejournal/Facebook/MySpace/Twitter etc, and please please also write emails to those who oppose the bill. Spreading the word is critically important at this time, because the legislative session ends 11 March.