From WFPL:

The orchestra’s administration has been in talks with the musicians over ways to save money. The musicians were reportedly told the ensemble needed to save two million dollars to remain solvent. The musicians say the administration tried to cut costs through staff, season and pay reductions, but the players did not agree to the concessions.

Instead, they offered to help with fundraising. An anonymous donation helped the orchestra meet payroll this week, but administrators have said for several weeks that bankruptcy was an option. Orchestra CEO Robert Birman will speak to WFPL later today. He previously declined to comment on the orchestra’s finances.

The orchestra is trying to cuts costs by about $1 million and move to operate with 55 full-time musicians that could be supplemented with part-time professionals. The musicians have been paid through Dec. 15, and are expected to play all scheduled performances until then, however, it is unclear what will happen after that date.

During the debate, a question from the audience asked the major party candidates if they would support a local sales tax option called “The Percent for the Art”. In recent years, the recession has hit the arts community hard. In 2008, for instance, Mayor Jerry Abramson cut $1 million in arts funding to fill a budget shortfall.

“I just don’t feel that there’s any sentiment for any type of discussion around taxes,” Fischer said. “My focus is on making government leaner, getting bigger bang on the buck (and) return on tax dollars. I just don’t feel like that’s the right path to go down.”

At a primary debate earlier this year, however, the Louisville businessman told an audience of arts groups and their supporters that he was in favor of such a measure.

In February, the Kentucky School of Art hosted a mayoral forum at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, focusing on local issues that addressed their recent cuts. The moderator asked both Democratic and Republican primary candidates if they would be in favor of a sales tax to help fund art groups.

“I would support the local options sales tax that we just spoke about earlier and the percent for art programs.” Fischer said. “These are funding mechanisms.”

Check the video below:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jJkIhvXL_o[/youtube]

In an e-mail message, LEO Weekly has sent the Fischer campaign its questions asking for clarification.

Responding to the same question at today’s forum, Heiner said he was surprised that Fischer changed his mind before telling the audience that he was against any additional taxes.

“We need to find other ways to accomplish what we want in this community,” Heiner said. “Supporting the arts is important, but we cannot increase taxation and still be successful in job attraction.”

The recession has hit the arts community hard as of late. In 2008, for instance, Mayor Jerry Abramson cut $1 million in arts funding to fill the projected $20 million budget shortfall. The budget cuts his smaller arts groups especially hard.

6:19 p.m. During the candidate introductions, Democratic mayoral candidate Connie Marshall added an interesting tidbit to her otherwise strange biography. The west Louisville resident says she was once a Tina Turner impersonator. Immediately after, Democratic mayoral candidate and Metro Councilman Jim King, D-10, showed a sense of humor and said, “I’m no Ike,” which got a good laugh from the audience. The remark was likely in reference to his recent troubles in the media after a series of stories The Courier-Journal did on Councilman King’s divorce records.

6:30 p.m. The opening remarks are either the candidates usual biographical introductions or a personal narrative about the importance of the arts. Hopefully the questions will pinpoint the agenda of arts in their potential administrations.

6:35 p.m. The first questions asking how the candidates would leverage the city’s arts resources to create a Louisville of tomorrow? Councilman King says creating a fund for the arts was the first building block, but that the best way to see if a candidate will prioritize art is to look at their personal involvement before listing a series of activities.

The candidate with the most forwarding thinking answer that hit a cord with the audience at the Kentucky Center on that question was by attorney Lisa Moxley, who advocated the importance of attracting the film industry to the state with tax incentives to produce movies. Nice!

6:42 p.m. “Arts are an agent of social cohesion,” says Democrat Tyler Allen. “It engages not just the economy in us but the spirit in us and artists are creative entrepreneurs and city builders.” If Allen can keep this sort of inspiration going and present the big idea, he might breakout of being called the “one-issue” candidate.

6: 45 p.m. From a practical viewpoint, Democrat Greg Fischer made it a point to highlight the importance of keeping and strengthening arts education in Jefferson County Public Schools. More and more the Louisville businessman that he’s a building. The JCPS component resonated with the audience and received heavy applause.

Though he’s often criticized for being “Mr. No” on development projects downtown, Republican mayoral candidate and Metro Councilman Hal Heiner, R-19, credited the arrival of the Kentucky Center for the Arts as revitalizing downtown Louisville. The east end Republican says Metro government has a responsibility to invest and build better infrastructure for the arts.

Councilman King pointed out that the area around 4th & Oak Streets is a blighted neighborhood that could be used to connect the Speed Art Museum and University of Louisville to the St. James Art Fair and downtown Louisville. Interesting, the idea that art could be the battering ram for redevelopment.

6:54 p.m. The discussion has turned to the hope of both artists and developers — east Market Street.

7:00 p.m. The question turns to harnessing the arts community and its diverse workforce.

Democrat Burrel Charles Farnsley, whose claim to fame is that his father was mayor of Louisville in the 1940s, refuses to answer any questions that aren’t asked to the entire panel of candidates. Good luck with that strategy. The moderator politely suggests they’ll wait to hear his closing remarks.

As the candidates address expanding the arts corridor, Independent candidate Jackie Green hits an excellent point that accessing public art requires a better public transit system. If this sort of remark seems like common sense in other places, you’re right. That thinking that should be commonplace among any city’s political leadership. Welcome to Louisville.

7:11 p.m. Q&A from the audience …

“If the Kentucky Consuttion allwoed would you suport local option sales tax for local arts?”

David Tandy: Absolutely. It allows for communities to be able to come up with permanent funding streams to fund different projects.

“What do you plan to do for the self-employed artists in the community?”

Tyler Allen: The landscape we create and where people live and thrive means a lot. We have to talk about land uses and public transit to integrate them back into community. It means reaching out to lower communities and helping them out.

Greg Fischer: We don’t have ample opportunities for people to stop and shop and eat to thrive with local art. We can provide local incentives with artists to finance studios and homes and apartments, bring them back into neighborhoods like Old Louisville.

“What’s the last cultural arts experience you went to and what did you learn?”

Jackie Green: … I work about six hours a day and spend most of my time with family (audience groans).

Hal Heiner: Fund for the arts kick-off, moved by choir and suggests all candidates should promise to have their angelic voices at inauguration.

“Would you include a local arts leader in your senior advisory team?”

Greg Fischer: That could be incredibly exciting. There needs to be specific function, but I’d like an artist in residence program with daily work in the Mayor’s Office.

Jim King: We definitely need someone in charge of arts and culture. It would definitely occur.

7:25 p.m. “Immigrants are the fastest growing population in Louisville. What would you do to enhance ethnic art in the city?”

Lisa Moxley: Incorporating ethic art strengthens people’s identity and infuses them in the city. I haven’t thought of particular program, but I’d support anything regarding that.

7:32 p.m. In the back of the auditorium a group of artists are holding up a big yellow sign that reads: ARTS $ = JOBS. The audience roars.

Before the candidates offer their prepared closing remarks it should be noted that an announcement is pending from the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Public Art, which spent $50,000 to hire Creative Time, a New York City-based art group, to develop a master plan for creating and displaying more public art in the city. The group of artists and curators have reportedly spent the past year studying Louisville’s visual arts history and laying out a strategy for funding and placing more public art in all parts of the city.

Glassworks is presenting Glass Olympics II during the First Friday Gallery Trolley Hop on Sept. 4 from 6-9 p.m. The free public event has two teams competing for medals in such events as Longest Drip, Biggest Bubble, Cane Pull and Glass Relay.

Kroger is giving away free ice cream at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft during the Trolley Hop. 

The 16^th Annual African American Art Exhibition at Actors Theatre has issued a call for entries. Deadline: Oct. 30.

The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft is looking for artists interested in their Artist-in-Residency Program. It provides an emerging artist the opportunity to hone their craft within an active museum environment. Benefits include the use of studio space and tools, a $4,000 stipend and $1,000 for materials, free admission to adult workshops, and the opportunity to network with professional artists. The deadline for the spring 2010 residency is Dec. 20.

The New Albany Bicentennial Public Art Project is seeking artists residing in Indiana and Kentucky to participant in their new art project. Deadline: Sept. 15.

The Louisville Visual Arts Association’s Children’s Fine Art Class (CFAC) program is now enrolling students for the fall 2009 semester. Louisville Metro and Southern Indiana high school visual art students with demonstrated talent are encouraged to apply for the CFAC program by submitting work at the fall portfolio review on Saturday, Sept.19.

The Efroymson Family Fund, Central Indiana Community Foundation has announced fellowships for contemporary visual artists in Indiana and Kentucky. It will award five $20,000 awards to artists age 25 and older. Deadline: Oct. 2.

Suzanne Dougherty is doing a portrait demonstration at Dunbar-Dougherty Studio, 2003 Frankfort Ave., during the August 28 F.A.T. Friday Trolley Hop.

The Arts Council of Louisville is hosting a “Creative Conversation” on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 332 W. Broadway, Heyburn Building, second floor conference. Contact Nana Yaa Asantewaa at 585-9525 for more information.

The Artist and Craftsman Supply’s Artist Market at 1002 Barret Ave. is on Saturdays from 5-9pm through October 31.

Art in Speed Park in Sellersburg is Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The juried arts and craft show features over 100 artists.  

Tonight’s showing of “Art & Copy” has moved to 21c Museum, 700 W. Main St. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the film starts at 7:30 p.m. Free for LGDA and LFA members, $5 non-members.

The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft (KMAC) has recently acquired a large assortment of folk art and they will host an exclusive sale of these works on Thursday, August 27 from 6:00-8:00 P.M. The sale is being held in celebration of the revival of The Kentucky Folk Art Society, which was reestablished in honor of Marvin Finn, one of Kentucky’s most noted folk artists. 

Arts Sanctuary and Alley Theater are asking for help. Remodeling is under way for the non-profit art organizations’ new home in the Pointe in Butchertown. It’s more expensive than anticipated, so they are asking for community donations from their supporters.

You can send money via PayPal at Art Sanctuary’s networking site. You can also send checks to P.O. Box 4873, Louisville, KY 40204. Both Alley Theater and Art Sanctuary are 501(c)3 non-profits, so any donations are tax deductible.

F.A.T. Friday – the Frankfort Avenue Trolley Hop on the final Friday of the month, August 28. Explore the art galleries, shops and restaurants along Frankfort, Story and Mellwood Avenues from 6-10 p.m. There’s free parking, then hop on and off the free trolley.