Arts Advocates To Fight Looming City Cuts

Angels Gate Cultural Center

Advocates for arts programs in Los Angeles were scheduled to meet up Monday night as part of a letter-writing campaign to urge the city to back off possible staff reductions at the Department of Cultural Affairs and a proposed elimination of $2.2 million in arts grants.

Leaders of the nonprofit Angels Gate Cultural Center, which works in conjunction with the city on arts and culture programs, have organized the campaign in conjunction with the Grand Vision Foundation. The meet-up is set to take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Grand Annex, 434 W 6th St., San Pedro.

The group argues that "the arts in Los Angeles are a 14.8 billion dollar industry. For every dollar spent by the Department of Cultural Affairs, eight dollars are generated directly in jobs for artists and businesses."

It decries possible city arts staff reductions of 24 to 48 percent as "catastrophic." The letters will go to San Pedro Councilwoman Janice Hahn and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The city is in the midst of a budget crisis, with a near $200-million-and-growing deficit and proposals on the table to eliminate 1,000 city jobs and even entire departments.