O.C. Groups May Get Less State Aid : Funding: Between budget cutbacks and lower ratings for organizations, California Arts Council money might be reduced 30%.

Orange County arts groups stand to receive nearly 30% less California Arts Council money than last year, partly because of state budget cuts and partly because some organizations have deteriorated in the eyes of the council.

According to figures released Friday, CAC advisory panels are recommending 14 local groups for a total of $202,838 this year, down from $285,409 in 1991-92. Among the county’s largest organizations, Newport Harbor Art Museum, which received $21,141 last year, has been recommended for no money. Museum officials say they haven’t decided whether to appeal the diminished council rating responsible for the loss of a grant recommendation.

Additionally, South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa is down to $55,187 from $77,813 last year, while Opera Pacific’s recommended grant of $24,627 is just over half what it received the previous year.

The council has been attempting to equalize distribution of money among large and small groups, which is also a factor in the reductions to the major players.

Pacific Symphony, however, saw a slight increase, from $35,523 last year to a recommendation of $39,344 for 1992-93. And the Laguna Art Museum will almost double its money, to $14,923, if the council approves the panel recommendations on Thursday.

Normally, the council approves those recommendations, although some groups have successfully lobbied the council to improve their ratings and, in turn, increase their grant amounts.

The council on Friday also released its written evaluations of the applicants. The evaluations and numerical ratings were formulated earlier this year by a state panel that assesses organizational strength and community outreach.

Last year, the Newport Harbor Art Museum received a 3 rating on the council’s scale of 1 to 4. The Orange County Symphony of Garden Grove got a 3- and a $3,387 grant. For fiscal 1992-93, both dropped to 2+ rankings. Typically, groups ranked below 3- fail to win grants. The Orange County Philharmonic Society, after receiving a top rank of 4 for five consecutive years, got a 3+.

Orange County’s two highest-ranking groups were South Coast Repertory and Pacific Chorale, both of which were given 4- ratings. Pacific Chorale’s grant recommendation is down slightly, from $9,939 last year to $9,769 this year.

The 11-member council may elevate the rankings of each of the three groups when it meets Thursday and Friday in Sacramento. In fact, council director Joanne C. Kozberg said that Newport Harbor Art Museum’s ranking will be reconsidered. Here is a summary of the comments:

* Newport Harbor Art Museum: Artistic programming at the museum, which recently laid off three senior employees and is facing a $768,000 accumulated deficit, is “generally high, although the museum does not originate a great many exhibitions,” panelists said.

It is, however, in “a grave financial crisis indicative of a lack of planning and follow-through. . . . While the vision has been grand, it has not been supported by careful planning. . . . Membership and attendance are low. . . . There is no staff (ethnic) diversity. . . . The organization needs to reach its community more effectively.”

Ellen Breitman, the museum’s director of education, said no reaction to the evaluation would be given until museum officials have seen the panel comments personally, at which time officials would also decide whether to appeal the ranking.

Kozberg said the council requested a site visit for the museum because of its low ranking this year.

“We asked for a visit because this museum is in transition and it has a new director,” said Kozberg, referring to Michael Botwinick, who came aboard in January, 1991. “The council recognizes the important role the museum plays in the life of Orange County residents.”

* Orange County Symphony of Garden Grove: The “quality of the players is there,” panelists said, but they questioned the “quality of the conducting” and said there are “problems in tempo and a lack of togetherness.” In addition, they found a “narrowness in scope” and “programming to be a mishmash. . . . Submitted reviews are negative.”

Orchestra officials were unavailable for comment, although they have said they will appeal the ranking. Technically, no appeal can be made until the council next week decides whether to accept the rankings and makes final grant recommendations.

* Orange County Philharmonic Society (which received $23,665 last year): While programming is “excellent and well-rounded,” panelists said, some found the group’s programming “conservative and would like to see more inclusion of emerging, American and multicultural artists and works.”

Some panelists found outreach programs “outstanding,” but others, based on a video, felt they were “somewhat insular,” which “brings into question the artistic vision of that program and its effectiveness in reaching diverse school populations.” In addition, the group’s board “could show more ethnic diversity.”

Philharmonic Society spokeswoman Rebecca Menes said that the video submitted to the panel failed to represent the broad range of schools reached by the organization’s educational programs and that it is presenting more ethnically diverse programming, such as the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. She acknowledged that its board needs to be diversified. The organization plans an appeal.

Even if all three groups’ ranks are raised by the council, it’s possible their Organizational Support Program (or institutional) grants will be smaller this year because of the recent 15% cut to the council’s budget, which was lowered to $13.7 million.

Large-budget groups, such as the museum and Philharmonic Society, will suffer the most, council officials said. The institutional grant category budget was cut by 13.5% to $5.6 million, they said.