Chi Ossé, Chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, joins New York City’s cultural institutions and organizations in calling for funding the Culture VIBE Plan in FY23

NEW YORK, NY: On Thursday, May 19, Council Member Chi Ossé will host a rally on the steps of City Hall for increased funding to New York City cultural institutions and groups. Joined by representatives of cultural organizations from around the city, he calls for passing the Culture Visionary Investment in Building the NYC Economy (VIBE) Plan. 

The $100 million plan would provide:

  • $50 million in baseline funding for Cultural Institution Group members (CIGs) and the Cultural Development Fund (CDF).
  • $45 million in grants for five strategic initiatives
    • $15 million for a Cultural Equity Fund to support BIPOC-led and -serving organizations
    • $10 million for tourism and marketing for culture across the five boroughs
    • $5 million for accessibility and inclusion of the deaf and disabled
    • $5 million for individual artists and renewal of the City Artists corps program
  • $5 million to increase staffing at the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) for the agency to provide efficient and timely support to the field. 

“New York became the greatest city in the world by accident, an amalgam of the world’s best immigrating to a new place and bringing with them the cultures and communities that became the cornerstones and building blocks of this metropolis,” New York City Council Cultural Affairs Committee Chair Chi Ossé said. “But we retain our position atop the podium with bold intentionality, recognizing what makes us who we are and investing accordingly. This plan is good economics and good government. It’s how we will retain our place as the cultural capital of the world.

“There has been a systemic, persistent, and cumulatively damaging underinvestment and disinvestment in BIPOC-led and serving arts groups,” explained Lisa J. Gold, Executive Director of the Asian American Arts Alliance. “Our organizations are deeply embedded in our communities, and we often provide more than just arts programming—we serve as food banks, vaccination centers, career counselors; we protect our communities by providing mental health resources and so much more. The Cultural Equity Fund is critical to ensuring the future of BIPOC organizations and our innumerable contributions to New York City’s economy, welfare, and reputation as a world leader in arts and culture.

“One of New York City’s most valuable resources is its vibrant arts and culture scene,” said Council Member Sandra Ung. “It is not only one of the primary reasons that tens of millions of people visit the city every year, but our arts and cultural organizations also educate, enlighten and inspire the 8 million people who call the five boroughs home. My district alone is home to numerous cultural institutions that are so important to the vibrancy of Flushing. I am committed to working with Council Member Chi Ossé and my other colleagues in the City Council to ensure that they, as well as all of the great cultural institutions across the city, get the support they deserve.”

“Ensuring our cultural programs are well-funded guarantees fundamental opportunities for BIPOC communities,” said Council Member Farah Louis. “By increasing DCLA staffing, who reflect all of New York City, we are putting New Yorkers first. We are creating advocates for the arts: from fine arts to commercial to alternative to underground. Prioritizing investment and robust funding for our cultural institutions, we are preserving the invaluable experiences available in New York City, for all New Yorkers.”

The Clemente stands firmly with Councilmember Chi Ossé and the cultural community in calling for a $100 million fund for arts and culture,” said Libertad Guerra, Executive Director of The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center. “Our artistic and cultural communities are much more than an economic engine: they are direly needed after this prolonged period of loss and suffering. They are a lifesaver.

The arts and culture scene accounts for 13 percent of New York City’s economy but receives closer to 1 percent of City Funding. As the City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs moves to rectify this discrepancy, they have the full backing of New York’s cultural community.

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