City Officials, Arts Group to Hold ‘Congress’ on L.A. Grant Program

The Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and the California Confederation of the Arts have called an open “Arts Congress” meeting for artists, arts administrators and others interested in the city’s L.A. Endowment for the Arts grant program. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Monday at the Gallery Theatre in Barnsdall Art Park.

City officials have said that the much-heralded grants program, which awards about $3 million annually to artists and arts organizations, may be in jeopardy of cuts and reductions this year because of an estimated $190-million shortfall in the city’s overall 1992-93 budget.

Cultural Affairs began its bid to maintain the grants program last month when its advisory commission recommended a 1992-93 grants package of 252 proposed grants totaling more than$2.7 million, as well as allotments of $200,000 for technical assistance to arts groups and $75,000 for grant appeals. The recommendations must pass through lengthy budget reviews ending with mayoral and City Council approval in June.

“This is a great chance for everybody in the huge arts community to come together and talk about the grants . . . and their concerns,” said Al Nodal, Cultural Affairs general manager.

Further information on the meeting can be obtained through the California Confederation of the Arts at (213) 936-4014.