Charlotte Ballet’s Pete Leo Walker. Photo credit: Peter Zay

On June 16, the Cultural Life Task Force released its final report in answer to the “perfect storm” generated by the “Great Recession” and the consequentially weakened funding sources and fundraising model of the Arts & Science Council (ASC). The Force, made up of a diverse group of 23 Charlotte-Mecklenburg citizens, was formed in early 2013, and spent the past year researching the current state of affairs, best practices, funding mechanisms, trends and models from comparable cities across the country. Their main goal was to develop options for a future sustainable funding model.

The timing of the Task Force’s work was critical, as local cultural nonprofits had experienced nearly a decade of budget reductions, and several organizations had ceased to exist or were in danger of closing. The cultural sector is a vital asset to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community; one that touches a huge number of people with 3.9 million participants in 75,000 separate events, exhibitions and performances annually. Furthermore, according to the Task Force’s report, the economic impact of the sector is $202 million with 6,240 full-time employees. As co-chair of the Force, Pat Riley said, “Arts and culture are imperative to our region’s vitality and are a major contributor to the quality of life here in Charlotte. The path we’re on will not sustain the cultural sector we need to remain an outstanding place to work and live.”

“Flying Shuttles” by Andrew Leicester. Photography by Mitchell Kearney

The group recommended four main actions to developing a better funding model:

1. “Restructure Arts & Science and private sector giving to increase individual, corporate and foundation donations directly to the Cultural Partners and other nonprofit cultural organizations.”
   • Change ASC fund drive to a year-round campaign that shifts purpose to directly connect ASC donors to the Cultural Partners
2. “Engage local and state government to recommit and expand support for the cultural sector….”
   • Increase annual support from the City, County and Towns
   • Increase CMS’s financial participation in cultural field trips for students
3. “Redesign ASC and its mission from the ground up so that it can be more effective in leading the cultural community’s adaptation to 21st-century trends….”
   • ASC launches major data collection and sharing project with Cultural Partners
   • Invest in grassroots programs
   • Tap into potential for cultural tourism destination by expanding partnership with Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
4. “Support the ASC Cultural Partners with administrative, fundraising, and managerial resources….”
   • Private sector investments targeted for revenue-generating staff and technology resources
   • Implement a $125 million endowment campaign over the next decade
   • Help groups focus on investing in revenue-generating departments

To read the final report, click here.

To what extent these recommendations will be taken up, and whether they will achieve a successful funding model, remains to be seen. But at Tuesday night’s Mecklenburg County Commissioners meeting, the County took a step toward the Force’s recommended actions by passing the referendum to allow voters a chance to approve a quarter-cent increase in the county sales tax. 7.5% of this increase would go to area cultural institutions.