MORE ACTIVISM : NEW ROLE URGED FOR ARTS GROUP

Although the Orange County Arts Alliance is attempting to become a more activist organization, it is still hampered by its “service-oriented” image and the lack of support from the county and other key local donors, president Robert Garfias told the alliance’s annual membership meeting Saturday in San Juan Capistrano.

The alliance is still seeking research grants from the state arts agency, especially those for ethnic arts projects; however, local fiscal support remains weak, said Garfias, dean of the UC Irvine School of Fine Arts.

The group’s 400 members include prominent government and corporate figures, as well as representatives from major arts and educational organizations. Garfias, who was reelected president of the alliance, was recently nominated by President Reagan to serve on the National Council on the Arts.

At the meeting the alliance also presented the 1987 Outstanding Contributions in the Arts awards to five Orange County residents: Betty Turnbull, former art gallery owner; Winifred Gregg, retired arts coordinator for the Westminster School District; Melissa Hasin, classical and jazz cellist; Roger Suva), editor of the Electrum poetry journal, and D.N. Evans), jewelry and fashion designer.)

In his report to the membership, Garfias noted that the county Board of Supervisors recently turned down a $5,000 grant request from the alliance, the county’s official advisory panel since 1980. The money would have been used to help underwrite the alliance’s current countywide survey of ethnic arts, including those involving ethnic minority and immigrant artists, he said.

Another case of fiscal lag is the “Artscene” public television series, Garfias said. Announced a year ago, this $100,000 alliance proposal remains shelved, even though KOCE, Channel 50, has agreed to air the artists’ profiles and the state arts agency has approved a $24,755 matching grant for the project. Even so, the alliance has been unable to obtain private underwriting to complete the project.

In Garfias’ report Saturday, he argued that the Orange County Arts Alliance’s fiscal setbacks also stem from the group’s own structural handicaps. Founded in 1974, the alliance has focused on being a “support agency” in arts research, organizational forums and professional workshops.

“But we haven’t been as aggressive, as clear-focused as we need to be for the 1980s. We have to do much more to revamp our image, especially for those in the community who believe we are too passive an organization,” Garfias said. “Today, like so many other (arts) alliances, we are being asked to make the transition from being service-oriented to project-oriented.”

Last fall, the California Arts Council approved a basic operations grant--$17,000--for the Orange County Arts Alliance. But the state agency rejected another alliance request: $22,500 to hire a full-time project coordinator.

The state agency’s advisory panel argued that the Orange County staff request was premature. The local alliance, state panelists said, has to first develop more forceful programs in arts development, community outreach, government relations and fund raising.

At Saturday’s meeting, held at the regional library complex in San Juan Capistrano, Garfias pointed to the alliance’s ethnic arts project meeting new state criteria.

The survey seeks to describe the work of European, Indochinese and other refugee artists, as well as the arts efforts in the county’s long-established Latino, Asian, black and American Indian communities, he said. The survey’s preliminary findings are be submitted in late March by the three-member consultant team.

Although the alliance obtained about $8,000 in survey underwriting--chiefly from the California Arts Council, Pacific Bell and a private statewide multicultural consortium--Garfias said he is “greatly disappointed” that the alliance did not also get county supervisors’ backing.

“We were hopeful because earlier last year the county had given us $10,000 (for staff costs). And we felt this survey request was just as valid and appropriate,” said Garfias in an interview after Saturday’s meeting.

“Frankly, we were taken aback by the supervisors’ rejection. It seems to us a sign of indifference on their part. Obviously, it means we will have to work even harder on making our mission clear to them and demonstrate the high priority of cultural needs in this county.”

Garfias said the alliance had considered submitting a 1987-88 “regranting” proposal to the California Arts Council. Under that proposal, the alliance would have sought a state “block grant” of $26,000, which would be allocated by the alliance to local ethnic arts projects.

“It would make us more directly involved in outreach and development, no question. But right now, we’re not ready organizationally to handle that kind of responsibility,” Garfias explained. “We’re looking at making that kind of move next year, when our survey will be more complete.”

In addition to the election of Garfias to a second one-year term as board of directors’ president, alliance members reelected Ann Avery Andres as board secretary and Rick McCarthy as treasurer.