Committee Recommends Funding for ‘Alternative’ to Soviet Arts Fest

A San Diego City Council committee Wednesday agreed to help fund an “alternative” to the Soviet arts festival, recommending that two arts groups split $30,000 in city funds for the project.

The council’s Public Services and Safety Committee recommended awarding $25,000 to Festival of Freedom Inc., an organization formed specifically for the festival, and $5,000 to the Ilan Lael Foundation, fiscal agent for a recurring “Avenue of the Arts” project. The expenditures must be approved by the entire council.

The Festival of Freedom organization plans to “complement” the city’s $3-million arts festival, “Treasures of the Soviet Union,” by displaying native art from the Ukraine and at least five other countries, and involving at least six ethnic communities in the folk art demonstration.

The two-day Avenue of the Arts project, scheduled for the last day of the Soviet arts festival and the first day of National Arts Week, is envisioned as a four-city-block display of arts and crafts by local artists, art activities for children and ethnic food booths.

In approving $3 million in city hotel tax funds for the Soviet arts festival, scheduled to run Oct. 21 to Nov. 11, the council responded to criticism about worldwide victims of Soviet aggression by earmarking $30,000, or 1% of the festival budget, for the alternative “freedom festival.”