Help us override Gov. Haley’s veto to keep state funding for the arts in place!

Dear Friend of Charleston Stage,

We expect Governor Haley to follow-thru on her promise to veto ALL funding for the arts in the next few days-funds that mainly go to arts education programs all over South Carolina. Unless this veto is overturned by a 2/3 vote of the legislature, South Carolina will not only become the ONLY state in the union without state arts funding, but South Carolina will also lose close to a million dollars in matching funds from the National Endowment from the Arts, a federal agency-funds that will then go to other states.

Over the past few years, everyone has had to tighten their belts and the SC Arts Commission has been a part of this tightening, reducing staff and its operational and grants funds by over 50%. Reducing this funding to zero will send a terrible message that the arts and arts education funding are not important to South Carolinians. In addition, Gov. Haley’s veto will reduce state arts funding for Charleston arts organizations by over $100,000-funds that will be difficult if not impossible to make up in the private sector.

Both houses of the legislature feel arts funding is important to our state and while they made difficult cuts to this funding, they felt it was important enough to keep over a million dollars of funding in place. In doing so, they also gave the Governor a completely balanced budget.

In past years, Governor Sanford also vetoed all state arts funding, and each year his veto was overturned by the legislature. To ensure this remains the case this year, we need your immediate and vocal support to ensure Governor Haley’s veto is also overturned.

Please contact your State Senator and Representative TODAY and urge them to override Gov. Haley’s veto to keep state funding for the arts in place.

Thank you,

Sincerely,

Julian Signature