Continued support of the arts in Orange County

[Ashley Nissler]

To whom it may concern:

In addition to having the honor of serving the Orange County community as a board member of both the Orange County Arts Commission and the Orange County Arts Alliance for many years, early in my career as a writer I received an Emerging Artist Grant. I still have the note of congratulations Barry Jacobs sent me. That grant proved essential to helping me build a portfolio of work so that I could apply successfully to MFA programs, making connections that would allow me to do much of the work I do now. That grant was a critical stepping stone to my current quality of life, as well as the reason I originally applied to serve on the Arts Commission. For this I will always be thankful.

During my family's lean years, my children were exposed to different kinds of art through community events and school arts programming funded in part through grants from the Arts Commission. Both of my children went on to do art in the IB program at Cedar Ridge and use what they learned in various ways in their current lives.

In addition to building creative minds and creating community, this funding, one way or another, found and continues to find its way back into the community. Whether because it allows artists to live and work in Orange County or because arts patrons are spending their dollars on art, in restaurants, or on hotel rooms, supporting the arts makes good business sense.

The Arts Commission is on the verge of being able to provide a more income-generating event and classroom space. With the proposed job cuts, we simply won't have the capacity. And I know that the trajectory of my life and my family's life would have looked very different with the arts funding we have benefitted from.

My warmest thanks for your past support of the arts. I ask for continued support.

Sincerely,

Ashley Nissler