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QUESTION

Why were the Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEGs) not fully restored this year and did the Department of Cultural Affairs fight for full restoration of the Scheduling and Grants (Sigs) and Cultural Development Fund (CDFs) budgets with city hall?

2:32:12

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Commissioner Laurie Cumbo explains that the Department of Cultural Affairs has advocated for restoring arts funding but there was only a partial restoration from prior cost-saving measures.

The department was exempted from budget cuts initially but had significant partial restorations later
New York City remains the largest funder of arts and culture in the United States
Funding shown does not include investments in arts by other city agencies like Education and Youth
The capital budget for cultural projects across the five boroughs brings funding closer to 1% of the city's total budget

Justin Brannan

2:32:12

So departments a $152,000,000 FY 25 budget represents about 1 10th of 1%.

2:32:20

The city's proposed FY 25 budget.

2:32:23

In our budget response, we advocated for the provision of an additional $75,600,000 for the city's cultural organizations to restore the pegs from their current previous year.

2:32:35

The executive plan included the restoration of 7,400,000 in FY 24, 5.4 in FY 25, 5.5 in FY 26 to 28 for the 6, 2.2 in FY 25 and 2.1 in FY 26 or 28 for the CDF, the cultural development fund.

2:32:55

Could you tell us why were this year's pegs not fully restored and had there been conversations between your agency and city hall with regard to fighting for the full restoration to the Sigs and CDFs at adoption.

Laurie Cumbo

2:33:09

Thank you so much for that question.

2:33:11

Chair, Braden.

2:33:12

Our agency from the time that I've been appointed commissioner, we were the only agency in the 1st 2 fiscal years that was exempted from the cost saving measures that many agencies, unfortunately, had to take and to tighten those belt that much harder to make sure that we were able to get the city through this very challenging time.

2:33:33

We have had a very significant partial restoration from many of those cost saving measures, and we continue to advocate and to have many conversations with the administration but the administration has, over the 1st 2 fiscal years, demonstrated its commitment to the arts.

2:33:50

We are still the largest funder in the United States.

2:33:54

As it pertains to art and culture.

2:33:56

We understand that we could always do more with more, but the funding numbers that you are looking at do not also include the funding that many other agencies also spend on the arts.

2:34:09

From the Department of Youth And Community Development, to the Department of Probation, to the Department of Education.

2:34:16

Many agencies throughout the city of New York also have arts budgets that are quite robust, that contribute to the art and cultural vibrancy of New York City.

2:34:25

So what you see here from the Department of Cultural Affairs does not represent the entire cultural budget.

2:34:31

There are many agencies that participate, and we are proud to work with them but also I'd like to bring to your attention that if you were to include our capital budget, we would be very much close to that 1% in terms of the amount of investment that the city brings forward to so many cultural institutions on the capital front all throughout the 5 boroughs.

2:34:52

No significant capital projects are being seen that investment in all five boroughs all across the city.

2:35:00

And as commissioner, I've been incredibly proud that we've been able to invest in so many organizations from the BiPOC community in record breaking numbers from the New York region that I just spoke about.

2:35:12

In terms of in Wicksville, in Brooklyn, New York.

2:35:15

And all throughout the five boroughs, we just cut the ribbon on the new Bronx Children's Museum, We cut the ribbon on the Louis Armstrong House in Queens, and we're so excited that the National Black Theater will be cutting a ribbon next year on that incredible project that also includes affordable housing, and we can't forget the hip hop museum in the Bronx.

2:35:35

These are incredible capital investments that are very meaningful all across the city.

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Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, on the Mayor's Fiscal Year 25 Executive Budget Proposal for NYC Cultural Programs and Initiatives

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Council Member Justin Brannan remarks on importance of New York City's cultural institutions