A round of applause. A standing ovation.
Our passionate, talented, and dedicated arts sector deserves no less — not just for the world-class performances, artistic experiences, and visual pieces that grace theaters, galleries, and communities all across the state of New Jersey — but also for the tremendous advocacy work that happened this past June to maintain historic state funding of $31.9 million to support arts, culture, and history over the next year.
The arts sector narrowly avoided a devastating blow to not just state funding, but to the ongoing financial stability of the sector for years to come. As a statewide arts advocacy organization that represents and fights for the needs of the arts in New Jersey, it is part of ArtPride New Jersey’s mission to be a watchdog for the arts in the notoriously contentious arena of governmental affairs and state funding. As we were keeping an eye on the most recent negotiations, we learned how challenging balancing the state budget is in a post-pandemic world. There’s much less funding to go around, and still so much need across the board, everywhere. “It’s a tight budget.” That had been the resounding message from every corner of the State government.
Then, just days before the budget was scheduled to be voted on, a bill was introduced to cut $5 million from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts in order to find more funds to balance this challenging budget. And while $5 million might not seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, the future implications of this bill were far more detrimental. In order to decrease the Governor’s proposed funding of $31.9million, the legislature would need to remove an essential provision that sets a minimum appropriation level for the arts, history and tourism. This provision, signed by Governor Murphy in 2019 but with a history dating back to 2003, is known colloquially as the Poison Pill. In order to understand the Poison Pill Provision, we need to back up more than 15 years.
What is the Poison Pill?
In 2003, the arts experienced an unprecedented attack when then Governor McGreevey proposed zero funding for arts, history, and tourism ArtPride New Jersey led a resourceful and unrelenting citizen’s campaign throughout the spring of 2003, which included student Valentines to the Governor and a rally at the State Capitol. Ultimately, arts champions in the legislature proposed and successfully passed legislation establishing the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee. This statute authorized municipalities to levy a fee for occupancy of a hotel room that is collected and forwarded to Trenton. 40% off total fee revenue collected by the state is dedicated for the state’s arts, history, and tourism programs. The law further offered minimum levels of support for arts, history, and tourism, and stated that if funding went below those levels, the State of New Jersey would no longer be able to collect the NJ Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee, a fee that now draws in over $160 million each year. This landmark provision has become colloquially known as the "poison pill".Through this legislation, New Jersey achieved something no other state in the country had at that time—a dedicated revenue source for arts, history, and tourism that did not depend on annual budget battles in Trenton. This provided robust and sustainable appropriations that would grow as the revenue source grew.
However, the minimum levels of support dating back to FY04 did not change for more than a decade, while revenue from the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee grew over that time. Over the course of fifteen years, ArtPride New Jersey led grassroots advocacy efforts alongside an inspiring coalition of legislators, arts leaders, and partners from tourism and history, to increase funding beyond the minimum levels stated in the legislation.
With the leadership of State Senator Troy Singleton, and bipartisan support in the NJ Senate and Assembly, new legislation was proposed in 2018 to increase the minimum levels of support for arts, history, and tourism through the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee. The passage of A3101 was signed into law by Governor Murphy in December 2019, and as a result, FY21 funding for the New Jersey State Council of the Arts effectively doubled. The legislation successfully raised the FY21 minimum appropriation for cultural projects funded by the NJ State Council on the Arts from $16 million to $31.9 million.
For over thirty-five years ArtPride served as a pivotal point of contact for a diverse and committed constituency of arts advocates consisting of legislators, arts patrons, arts professionals, artists, and community members united together to assert the importance of the arts in the economic vitality of our state and the vibrance of our communities. And while we continue to celebrate these historic successes, the work of advocacy is never done. Just this past summer, the arts sector’s need for advocacy was once again put to the test when ArtPride staff was alerted by colleagues at Public Strategies Impact that the poison pill provision of the Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee was in jeopardy.
Fast Forward to 2024: Arts Funding is Once Again at Risk.
The New Jersey state legislature, without substantial COVID-related federal funds, needed additional revenue to balance the fiscal year 2025 budget by this past June 30th. A newbill was proposed days before the final budget vote to eliminate the poison pill provision of the NJ Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee and decrease state funding for the arts below the $31.9 million minimum claimed in 2019. Removing this provision would allow future Governors and legislatures to reduce funding as they wished - even to the point of eliminating all support for arts and cultural projects. .
Once the alarm was sounded, the ArtPride New Jersey team sprung into action, alerting professionals in the sector and advocates across the state. We rallied our closest advisors and our government affairs colleagues at Public Strategies Impact, and in a matter of hours, ArtPride staff put together an advocacy campaign to protect the poison pill provision. Using the Action Alert system and tapping into a database of thousands of advocates, ArtPride New Jersey members, patrons, and other supporters generated emails and text messages to spread awareness of the bill and urge arts lovers far and wide to contact their elected officials and the Governor to oppose the bill that would eliminate all protection for funding.
The Campaign to Protect the Poison Pill.
Our campaign proved one thing unequivocally: the arts sector in New Jersey is strong, committed and ready to fight at a moment’s notice to sustain arts and culture in the state. In less than 48 hours, arts advocates sent 18,865 emails to their elected officials and Governor Murphy. 2,340 total advocates reached out to contact officials. 183 Facebook posts were shared. Countless phone calls flooded the offices of legislators across the state. Executive directors of New Jersey’s anchor arts institutions leveraged their influence and connections, gaining access to the ears of political leadership. Arts champions in the legislature, cultivated by ArtPride New Jersey and the arts sector, led conversations to impress upon their colleagues the importance of preserving the poison pill provision.
As an organization dedicated to advocacy for the arts, ArtPride New Jersey was both astounded and proud of the speed and strength of the response of our community. In a moment when this vital protection to arts funding may have been quietly taken away, we activated all the resources available to us cultivated over nearly 40 years of fighting for a thriving and sustainable arts sector. Through this intricate and powerful network of relationships and lessons learned, our community stepped up and our government listened.
Within 48 hours our voices were heard. The machinations of government went to work, informed by the concerns of state constituents. These efforts were heard and supported by Governor Murphy, who continues to prove himself to be a staunch ally to the arts throughout his entire administration. After many conversations with advocates, the Governor met with Senate and Assembly leadership to find a solution. Ultimately, it was decided that the best course of action was to pass the existing budget bill and have the Governor conditionally veto specific language. This allowed the budget process to continue and the poison pill provision to be reinstated. Then the Governor introduced a new piece of legislation that allocated $5 million back to cultural projects. This marked an immense moment of celebration for the arts sector.
Advocacy works.
President and CEO of ArtPride New Jersey, Adam Perle, expressed his deep gratitude to our dedicated arts sector:
“We, at ArtPride New Jersey, are inspired to see what's possible when we come together as a unified community working in partnership with the government. Many thanks to all of the advocates who joined the efforts and who continue to help the arts thrive in New Jersey."
The current level of state funding for the arts is the highest level of support in the state's history. Governor Murphy secured his place as one of the state's most pro-arts Governors ever when he signed A3101 in December 2019. Without Governor Murphy’s support, the New Jersey arts world may have never recovered after the pandemic shocked the world only three months later. Governor Murphy’s support of ArtPride New Jersey’sPoison Pill campaign is a continued affirmation of his legacy as an arts champion.
Without ArtPride New Jersey’s resources, staff, advisors, advocacy technology, and strong relationships with arts leaders and elected officials, the poison pill provision would have been eliminated with no advance notice to the field. Every single piece of this puzzle was necessary and impactful. Since the campaign, arts leaders throughout the state have shared gratitude for the effective advocacy work of our community. ArtPride New Jersey Board Chair and Assistant Director of New Jersey Ballet Paul McCrae shared:
“To all my colleagues and friends at ArtPride and the many constituents and stakeholders who participated in this last-minute emergency campaign, thank you for your quick and immediate response to our call to action. It is times like these that demonstrate the effectiveness of ArtPride as a collective that supports the needs of the entire arts community.”
As we celebrate not just this most recent success, but also the successes of the past 20 years that led us to this moment, we continue to remind you that advocacy is critical to helping our elected officials understand the importance of the arts to our state. Advocacy is not just for when emergency situations arise; advocacy happens 365 days a year. Remember that anyone can participate in advocacy, and everyone has a voice and a role. If advocacy feels daunting, or you’re not sure where to start, there is support and resources to help you in your advocacy journey. ArtPride New Jersey has been, and will continue to be, the go-to resource and partner for all those fighting for the sustainability of the arts in our state. We are committed to building on and growing our long legacy of successful advocacy, but we can’t do it alone. Every individual citizen, artist, arts leader and organization united together is what makes us strong.
“Thank you to ArtPride New Jersey for all of your hard work to galvanize this effort. It is encouraging to see what can happen when we work together,” writes Lynne Toye, Executive Director, NJ Arts & Culture Renewal Fund.
And thank you to our arts community, our legislature and Governor Murphy. We are inspired, energized, and hopeful for the future of the arts in New Jersey, and all the potential of the arts and culture to improve communities, strengthen our economy, and make New Jersey the best place to raise a family. To stay in touch with our work and grow in your own advocacy journey with us, we invite you to connect with us in the following ways:
- Become a member: We offer free introductory membership to all new members of ArtPride New Jersey! Get access to exclusive benefits, including Inside Track newsletters with opportunities and resources in the field, professional development, promotional opportunities on our Discover Jersey Arts website and more.
- Subscribe to Action Alerts: This is the platform that helped make our Poison Pill Campaign successful! Stay in the loop of our advocacy initiatives and learn how you can take action and let your elected officials know how to support the arts. Don’t forget to opt into text messages.
- Donate to ArtPride New Jersey: ArtPride is a grassroots organization run by a small but mighty team of seven. We are sustained not only through the vital state dollars that we advocate for, but also through the generous donations of our community of arts lovers.
We’re excited for what the coming year holds and feel affirmed in our collective strength as a sector. We can’t wait to grow, learn, and make change with you. Onward and forward!
Written collectively by: Vanessa Ramalho (Director of External Relations) and Gina Marie Rodriguez (Voices from the Field Contributor), with support from Vince Hall (Director of Advocacy Operations) and Isaac Serna-Diez (Digital Content Manager)
