[DAC] Fwd: Arts Action News - FEMA To Include Coverage of Nonprofit Arts Agencies

[Donna Penn]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Survilla M. Smith" <1space at verizon.net>
> Date: October 4, 2006 9:54:01 AM EDT
> To: "Ada R. Robinson" <Robinson_Ada at hotmail.com>, "Joyce Durst"  
> <durstjoyce at yahoo.com>,	"Mari E. Adams" <mariradams at Yahoo.com>,  
> "Lawrence Karen Crosby" <lawkar at verizon.net>, "Deborah Bernat"  
> <debbernat at aol.com>,	"Robin Aleta Melvin" <rmelvin at rcn.com>,  
> "Calvin M. Smith" <Calvin.Smith at state.ma.us>, "Joyce Linehan/ 
> Dorchester Arts Collaborative" <joyce at empathetic.com>, "Earline  
> Moseley" <EMOS895488 at aol.com>, "RICHARD A SIMEONE"  
> <donniesimeone at comcast.net>, "Donna Penn"  
> <Donna at krausedesigninc.com>, "Liora Beer"  
> <lbeer.dnd at cityofboston.gov>,	"Terry Spoor" <crafTSpoor at aol.com>,  
> "Chandra Dieppa Ortiz" <c_dieppa at yahoo.com>
> Cc: "Survilla M. Smith" <1space at gte.net>
> Subject: Fw: Arts Action News - FEMA To Include Coverage of  
> Nonprofit Arts Agencies
>
> FYI
>
> And please Pass it along.
>
> Artfully,
>
> Survilla M. Smith
> Founder/President/CEO
> S. P. A. C. E. An Artistic Community, Inc.
> Tel:  617-436-1063
> Fax:  617-436-3808
> www.spaceartists.net
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Americans for the Arts
> To: Survilla M. Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 4:18 PM
> Subject: Arts Action News - FEMA To Include Coverage of Nonprofit  
> Arts Agencies
>
>
>
>
> October 3, 2006
>
> Dear Survilla M.:
>
> We have good news to report!
>
> Congress has approved a law to fix a problem that last year’s  
> hurricanes exposed in dramatic and tragic form.  In short, most  
> nonprofit arts organizations other than museums were not even  
> eligible to apply for financial assistance from FEMA to help cover  
> the costs of emergency protective measures or recovery.  Unable to  
> help themselves, many arts organizations were therefore unable to  
> provide the artistic services that would have helped rebuild their  
> communities.
>
> The obstacle to applications was an internal decision by FEMA  
> during the 1990’s. In previous years, it had covered a broader  
> range of organizations.
>
> Following appeals by a broad range of nonprofit organizations,  
> including the arts, Congress has stepped in with a new definition  
> of eligibility.  Simply stated, the new definition covers “any  
> private nonprofit facility that provides essential services of a  
> governmental nature to the general public.” It specifically  
> includes performing arts facilities and community arts centers as  
> well as other cultural, health, and human service organizations  
> that FEMA had previously deemed ineligible to apply.  The chief  
> sponsor of the new provision was Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), and  
> we are very grateful indeed for his leadership.
>
> The provision was initially part of a larger bill to reform the  
> Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  When that bill stalled, the  
> provision became part of the annual DHS appropriations bill for FY  
> 2007.
>
> FEMA will make decisions on a case by case basis.  In other words,  
> arts organizations will not qualify automatically.  But at least  
> their applications can be considered.  It is clearly a big step  
> forward for the arts – but even more important, it should help to  
> ensure that the tragic lack of artistic services and healing in  
> communities that desperately need them will never happen again.
>
> ###
>
> We encourage you to forward this message on to friends and  
> colleagues that may be interested in these issues. To join our  
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>
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>
>
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>

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