Press Release: Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month 2024

Contact:

Eduardo Robles
eduardo@caforthearts.org 
Senior Manager of Communications
916. 520.6049 ext. 102

For Immediate Release

April is California’s Annual Celebration of Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month 

Art Work is Real Work - Invest in Creative Workers

CA for the Arts is pleased to announce the sixth annual Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month (ACCM). A statewide celebration honoring the intrinsic value of arts, culture, and creativity as not only a public good – transforming communities and individuals –  but also as a driver of prosperity for the California state economy. This year’s thematic focus is “Art Work is Real Work”. Artists play an essential role in our economy and our health with critical contributions across a variety of social impact areas but often are without the services and conditions they need to thrive due to the ongoing undervaluing of their work. 

CA for the Arts is excited to spotlight this month-long spotlight on the arts to raise visibility and awareness of the value that artists, culture bearers, cultural organizations and creative workers generate for Californian’s economy and communities.

The creative economy contributes $507.4 billion dollars to the state’s Gross Regional Product (GRP) and employs over 1.8 million workers, nearly 7.6% of the state’s workforce. And yet, despite one-time historic investments for relief funding due to the impact of the COVID pandemic on the cultural sector, ongoing arts funding in CA to the state arts agency has remained at stagnant levels since 2018. With only .67 cents per person investment, CA ranks 32nd in the United States for arts funding putting CA behind states such as Florida, New York, and Minnesota.

With 15,000 new jobs on the line for teaching artists in schools as a result of Prop 28, and a one-time now expended $60 million invested in the state arts agency pilot program Creative Corps, embedding artists in communities to provide solutions around California’s Healthy Places Index, it’s a fact that arts workers are beginning to be seen as an essential workforce across government agencies. Continuing on the momentum from the 23-24 legislative session and passage of AB 812 (Boener), allowing up to 10% of affordable housing in cultural districts to be reserved for artists and a budget inclusion of $ 1 million for a multi-agency creative economy task force and strategic plan, CA for the Arts will continue to advocate for policies to support thriving working conditions for artists, culture bearers and creative workers. 

“California must create favorable conditions for artists to live and work here if we want to retain our standing as the leading creative state with 25% of the creative economy workforce. We need policies and investments for good-paying jobs with benefits, worker protections for independent contractors, affordable housing and live-work spaces, healthcare, and much more. It is high time that artists are recognized as an essential workforce and that their contributions to communities are met with the sustained economic security they need to thrive, not just survive,” says Julie Baker, CEO of CA for the Arts.

ACCM programming is also designed to empower arts advocates to take action and to spur greater investments in the arts. In addition to statewide activations including social media campaigns, local proclamations, and programming, ACCM 2024  also includes events in Sacramento.  On April 16, ACCM comes to California’s Capital City with the CA Arts & Culture Summit. On April 17, advocates will meet in the Capitol Park for a press conference and rally before they meet with their legislators. 

ACCM 2024 programs include:

CA Arts & Culture Summit

Tuesday, April 16 | 9am-5pm |

Join leaders and practitioners in Sacramento to celebrate, exchange knowledge, and advocate for arts education, arts workers, and the creative economy.

Advocacy Day at the Capitol

Wednesday, April 17 |  9am Rally followed by Legislator Meetings | FREE

Arts Advocacy Month |  Virtual and In-person DIY legislator meetings throughout April. Learn more.

Join other arts advocates in your community to meet either in-person or virtually with your state representatives throughout the month of April. CA for the Arts will provide the resources and training you need to organize your very own meetings.

About Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month

In 2019, CA for the Arts successfully campaigned for the state to recognize and celebrate the arts by declaring April as Arts, Culture & Creativity Month (ACCM) through a concurrent resolution passed in the California Senate. In 2021, an additional resolution was declared to recognize artists as second responders.

About CA for the Arts

CA for the Arts is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary advocacy service organization focused on building resources and public awareness of the value and impact of arts, culture, and creativity across California.