April 07, 2008
State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas
Here’s the situation: Veteran Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke is leaving her seat as of July 1, and there’s a fierce contest being waged between State Senator Mark Ridley Thomas and LA City Councilmember Bernard Parks to fill it. Throughout her years representing the Second District, Burke has been a major force in ensuring that the County Arts Commission remained stable, even as – or perhaps, probably, because – the City of LA’s Department of Cultural Affairs was nearly dismantled several years ago, and the California Arts Council was all but annihilated the year before that. In fact, Burke was the deciding vote to approve a 2007 budget measure that doubled the Arts Commission’s grant budget. The upshot of that move? More dollars for more arts for more people across the 80 municipalities that make up Los Angeles County.
Putting a new Supervisor in the District 2 seat who believes as deeply as Burke does in public investment for the arts isn’t – surprise! – just a matter of who you vote for. (After all, only residents of the Second District can actually vote in this election, though the winner will undoubtedly cast pivotal votes on any number of issues – including arts funding – that now divide the five-member Board.) The real key is putting the leading candidates for the job on notice that all County residents expect the incoming Supervisor to live up to the high standard Burke has set as an arts advocate.
To that end, Arts for LA is hosting a candidate forum with Mark Ridley-Thomas on that very topic this coming Saturday, April 12, from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon at the Veterans Memorial Complex in Culver City. A strong showing at this event – and not just from artists and organization staffers, but from board members, donors, educators and everyday Joes/Josies – will reinforce for Ridley-Thomas that there is broad public support for the arts community and the County Arts Commission. And a poor showing on Saturday? Well, you know the answer to that.
RSVP for this free event at the Arts for LA website, and I’ll see you there!
PS – Arts for LA will host another forum in May with Bernard Parks. Check their website for updates.