HISTORY matters. ART matters. CULTURE and the HUMANITIES matter.

Federal funding sources that support organizations doing this work are disappearing or are at risk of deep cuts that will eliminate the services they provide to communities across the nation, like Corvallis. Dramatic changes are happening every day. IT IS TIME TO SPEAK UP.

While it is a challenge to keep track of the sweeping changes at the federal level, it’s even more difficult to comprehend what the potential effects will be on our community. We want to help you understand, as much as we can, what the direct impact will be on the arts and culture organizations in Benton County.

• The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the only federal agency that specifically supports libraries and museums. Already reduced, on March 31^st all remaining staff were put on leave, effectively shuttering the organization. This has severe repercussions which are already being felt by libraries across the county. Museums will not be far behind.
• The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education nationwide. It has canceled a grant which supported projects that reach underserved groups/communities. Further, guidelines for all their grants were changed to state that applicants “…will not operate any programs promoting ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI)…” and “…that federal funds shall not be used to promote gender ideology…”.
• The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) made changes to their grant programs very similar to those made by the NEA, and on April 4^th eighty percent of their staff were placed on leave and active grants were cancelled.
• On March 2th, the Vice President was directed to eliminate “divisive race-centered ideology” from Smithsonian museums, educational and research centers, and the National Zoo. This order was titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History”.

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? Reduced federal support for arts and culture organizations and projects. Fewer comprehensive studies done on these industries that support and explain how important they are to our daily lives and to our society as a whole. Changes to the way we discuss history, the humanities, art and culture.

All this is happening at a time when many non-profits still have not recovered from the effects of the COVID- 19 pandemic. Local and regional resources are already stretched thin. Private foundations are overwhelmed by requests. The need is profound and growing.

This is where you come in. THE TIME IS NOW. The time to support. The time to be vocal. The time to make sure your friends and neighbors know that we need your help. Your support matters more than ever. Every gift, no matter how large or small, makes a difference to the work we do.

If you aren’t familiar with our organizations, please peruse our websites, sign up for email updates, and attend programs. There is incredible work being done in Benton County, and we need you to be a part of it.

The old adage says A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS In the same way, supporting one of our organizations supports all of us. We are actively working together to share resources to better serve you. We want to make sure that our children grow up with museums, libraries, art centers, and all the other institutions that enrich our lives. Please help us in this mission. You can donate to any of our organizations using the links below.

If every person in Benton County gives $5, we would raise over $488,000.

Supporting these organizations doesn’t just help us; support helps the entire community. We are businesses here that provide direct economic impact. When visitors visit one of our spaces, they also visit our farmers markets, locally owned restaurants, and the stores that line our Main Streets. A 2015 study in which 60% of our arts and cultural organizations participated showed those organizations contributed $71.8 MILLION annually to the economy of Benton County through direct spending to produce programs and audience spending in the community. $71.8 MILLION. Imagine our community with a $71.8 million reduction in the economy.

Arts and Culture mean business. We improve the community’s image and identity, provide shared experiences, and WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

WHAT WE DO AND DON’T DO MATTERS.

To support the Corvallis-Benton County Library, please donate to their Friends group at https://www.cbcplfriendsandfoundation.org/give-now