Governmental Giving

Jan Breslauer’s article about improvements in the grantmaking programs of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission was extremely informative (“Granted, It’s a Big Task,” Dec. 20). As a mid-size arts organization in Los Angeles County, we applaud the county’s leadership in supporting the sustainability of organizations.

However, to call arts funding by local governments “philanthropy,” as Breslauer does, is quite misleading. Webster’s Dictionary defines philanthropy as (1) love to mankind; benevolence toward the whole human family; universal good will; desire and readiness to do good to all men; (2) active effort to promote human welfare; humanitarian activity.

Government arts funding is not philanthropy. Local governments support the arts for a multitude of reasons. Arts organizations provide jobs, promote tourism, foster economic development and provide educational services, to name only a few. Local governments are wise to support the arts because a small investment goes a long way to improve the overall quality of life of residents and to increase the viability of the area.

STEPHANIE KIMMEL

Executive Director, Friends of the

Junior Arts Center, Los Angeles