The Fine Arts in Burbank

It has been most exciting on the past few weekends to be involved with the Fine Arts Federation of Burbank and its Art Awareness days to gain support for the arts from the community. A coalition of 12 Burbank arts groups and over 1,000 artists and art patrons are seeking the support of residents in their efforts to ask developers to contribute 1% of their development costs to the arts and to improve the aesthetics of their buildings. These fees would be deposited in a city fund and distributed by a council-appointed commission, which in turn would ensure the growth of performing arts, visual arts and communication arts in this community.

The groups participating in Art Awareness Day at local shopping centers were representatives of the Burbank Symphony Assn., the Lancers Youth Marching Band, Burbank Choral Club, the Burbank Pipe Band, the Victory Theatre, the Burbank Theatre Guild, the Third Stage, the Civic Light Opera and the Friends of the Creative Arts Center.

The Burbank arts groups feel Burbank has a serious image problem which could easily be corrected by the 1% for the arts program which has been successfully implemented in many cities throughout the country. Art programs and facilities would not only greatly enhance the image and life style of the city, but recent surveys have shown that the arts stimulate business, generate new jobs and increase property values.

Let’s bring “people, pride and progress” together through the arts--a new vitality for Burbank!

BETSY LUEKE

Burbank

Lueke is executive director of the Fine Arts Federation.