TESTIMONY
Judith Insell, Executive Director of the Bronx Arts Ensemble, on the Need for Increased Funding for Community Arts and Cultural Programming in the Bronx
4:06:18
·
3 min
Judith Insell advocates for increasing the cultural budget to restore and baseline funding for the Bronx Arts Ensemble and other cultural organizations in the borough. The Bronx Arts Ensemble annually provides over 20,000 Bronx residents with free live performances by professional musicians across multiple genres, aiming to provide culturally responsive events.
- Due to budget cuts and loss of cultural development fund support, the Ensemble could only present performances in districts with direct council member funding this fiscal year.
- Over half of the Bronx did not experience the Ensemble's live performances as a result.
- Insell highlights the positive impact of the Ensemble's community-building performances on residents' wellbeing.
- She stresses the essentiality of funding neighborhood cultural nonprofits that employ artists and nourish citizens' spirits.
- The Ensemble has endured challenges like the Bronx fires, stock market crashes, 9/11, and the pandemic over its 52-year history.
- Insell urges adding $53 million to the FY2025 cultural budget to allow organizations like the Bronx Arts Ensemble to continue serving the underserved Bronx community.
Judith Insell
4:06:18
Good afternoon.
4:06:19
Cheers, Rivera, and Brandon, and council member Brewer.
4:06:24
My name is Judith Fitzel.
4:06:25
I'm the executive director of the Bronx Arts ensemble, an organization that annually provides over 20,000 residents of the Bronx with free of charge.
4:06:35
Live performances presented by professional musicians and multiple music genres aiming to provide culturally responsive events to the neighborhoods we serve.
4:06:46
I joined my colleagues in asking that the council at 53,000,000 plus to the adopted budget to reverse the cuts and restore and baseline the one time funding for CIGs and CDF in FY 25.
4:07:03
The Bronze Arts Ensemble and thousands of other CDK cultural institutions are committed to serving New Yorkers with something we all need, which is arts and culture.
4:07:14
How do I know that bronchitis need arts and culture?
4:07:17
They actually tell us at our events.
4:07:21
Each year, thousands of Bronx residents experience the Bronx Arts on to Hubble's live performances and tell us how much our performances have a positive impact on their lives.
4:07:31
They show gratitude to us for bringing a community building experience to their neighborhood that has healing and restorative, emotional effects on their mind, body, and spirit.
4:07:43
Bronx Arts And Zambos strives enhance the lives of the citizens of our entire borough through arts and culture.
4:07:50
Unfortunately, we could not serve everyone this fiscal year due to the loss of cultural development fund support.
4:07:57
Since being zeroed out of the CDF, we have only been able to present formances in the districts where we receive direct council member support.
4:08:08
Thank you, council members.
4:08:10
That's 4 districts out of 9.
4:08:12
So over half of the Bronx did not experience our live performances this year at all.
4:08:18
Bronx Arts at Sabol has dealt with the challenges of FY 24 vowing to remain on mission.
4:08:25
Over the past 52 years, we have endured the Bronx burning stock market crashes 911 and a global pandemic.
4:08:34
We are broad, strong, and we will fight through any circumstances to continue to serve our deserving borough.
4:08:42
Funding neighborhood cultural nonprofit institutions is not it optional.
4:08:46
It is essential.
4:08:48
We employ artists and cultural workers as a part of the New York City economic ecosystem and nourish the spirits of the citizens of our city.
4:08:58
Add the 53,000,000 plus to the FY 25 cultural budget so we can essentially continue our work of serving New Yorkers.
4:09:09
Thank you again for giving me this time, and we are an organization that will in you to come here and ask for support.
4:09:18
Being zeroed out doesn't work for us.
4:09:20
We need support 247 every single day because we are serving the most underserved borough in the entire city.
4:09:30
Thank you.
Justin Brannan
4:09:30
Thank you.
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Lisa Gold, Executive Director of the Asian American Arts Alliance, on the Inequitable Impact of Funding Cuts on Small and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Organizations
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Risa Shoup, Co-Executive Director of the Alliance of Resident Theatres New York, on the Importance of Funding for Arts and Culture Organizations in New York City