Dear Commissioners,
I know this is an extremely difficult budget year and you have many hard decisions ahead of you, but I hope you will find a way to keep funding for the OC Arts Commission at current levels.
The arts are an integral part of Orange County - a part of what makes this a wonderful place to live and a part of what helps our community thrive. The OCAC plays a tremendous role in the economic engine of the county. As a former community leader and nineteen year resident, I have witnessed the multiplicative effect the arts - and specifically OCAC events - have on every aspect of our economic ecosystem.
The OCAC, through events and programming at the Mill, also brings high quality events to our community at low to zero cost. (It may always be zero! I can't think of a ticketed event). At a time when the cost of doing anything besides paying for basic necessities feels more out of reach for more people, these events are an amazing way to make the arts accessible to everyone in our community. The proposed cuts, as I understand it, would severely hinder that programming.
It really is an incredible organization and asset that both generates money for the local economy and provides free events and low cost programming to the community.
Thank you for your service and serving in this difficult role during this hard time. Please keep the OCAC fully funded or very close to it.
Thank you,
Jenn Weaver
Hillsborough