THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603150072
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 49 lines
THE VIRGINIA General Assembly has awarded an additional $425,000 per year for the next two years to the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
The increase, voted on this past week, brings the arts commission's state appropriation to $2.6 million per year through June 1998.
The commission had ranked 49th among states in per capita funding for the arts, and the boost will raise the state four notches, said Peggy Baggett, arts commission executive director. States ranking below Virginia will likely be Texas, Arkansas, Nevada, Oregon and California.
The funds will go for support of the state's arts groups, Baggett said, and will help ``soften the blow'' of a reduction in federal funds to the commission. For 1996-1997, the commission's grant from the National Endowment for the Arts will be cut from the $700,000 awarded this year to $400,000.
Virginians for the Arts, the state's only organization of arts lobbyists, claimed primary credit for the funding increase. ``We were the ones who encouraged the House and the Senate to add amendments to the governor's budget,'' said Barbara Bolton, the advocacy group's executive director.
Also, various city and private museums in this area learned they were awarded line-item grants.
Among those who received money for 1996-'97 and 1997-'98:
The Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk: $621,816 for 1996-'97; $471,816 for 1997-'98.
Norfolk Botanical Garden: $100,000 for 1996-'97.
Virginia Marine Science Museum, Virginia Beach: $100,000 per year.
Children's Museum of Virginia, Portsmouth: $100,000 per year.
Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, Portsmouth: $50,000 per year.
Virginia Zoological Park, Norfolk: $150,000 for 1996-'97; $75,000 for 1997-'98.
Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton: $200,000 per year.
The Mariners' Museum, Newport News: $145,000 per year.
Virginia Living Museum, Newport News: $596,910 for 1996-'97; $246,910 for 1997-'98.
Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News: $160,000 per year.
Hampton University Museum: $30,000 per year.
Hampton History Museum: $25,000 per year.
Crispus Attucks Theater, Norfolk: $25,000 for 1996-'97. by CNB