Ms Betsy Baker, Director

Georgia Council for the Arts

260 14^th Street NW Suite 401

Atlanta, GA 30318

Madam:

Congratulations, it is hoped your new perspective will bring a real improvement in the Georgia Council for the Arts. Your assessment of Research Atlanta's art-support study as, "a great wake-up call," is an apt characterization of the paternalistic approach to art funding towards the black community. Your honesty regarding the deficiencies and inadequacies in arts funding in Atlanta is a "great first step." The true tragedy in arts funding is the total neglect of art needs in the African American community.

A life-long patron of the arts, Atlanta's budding art effort symbolizes trying to grow beautifully exotic flowers on a barren windswept landscape. A tremendous expenditure of energy and resources but in the end very little is left to show for the effort. Locked out of the inner workings of the arts community like most blacks, I viewed the situation as an allocation bias. In 1998, I began working with several young black performers struggling to produce community theater projects. The arts regime dictating funding policies at that time would not even talk with these young artists about underwriting any of their projects.

Unable to secure funding from the city, county, state, or federal government, private businesses and foundations turned deaf ears to their requests also. Their determination to present relevant and realistic art to the community inspired Yohannes Sharriff Smith to developed a concept around his artistic dream, T.H.I.N.C. (Teaching Humanity In New Consciousness): The Chrysalis of Evolution. He saw a tremendous opportunity in Atlanta's underground poetry scene, if its format could be expanded and varied. Starting with a small group of poets, he organized The Atlanta Repertory Company. The ATL Vibe, as it is known on the streets, is a consortium based on individual networks of artists who pool their talents and other resources to create performance opportunities for its members.

First, operating out of each other's homes, apartments, dorms, student unions, etc., they energized Atlanta's laid back poetry scene. Introducing new ideas and techniques, Atlanta exploded into one of the hottest spoken word venues in the nation. Establishing its unique flame throwing, up-front-in-your-face style, the ATL's mad boomers of truth are searing the minds of young people with their new millennium blues. Recently, the ATL Vibe moved into a new space, The Atlanta House of Poetry (AHOP) 840 Ralph D. Abernathy Blvd. They launched their new community theater space with an open mic each Wednesday @ 8:30 PM. The collaborative has two web sites http://www.a-hop.com and http://www.thedish.ws/. Vibers have published several anthologies, produced two full stage productions, a CD and a video all without any funding or technical support from the Atlanta artistic community.

Director of Georgia Citizens for the Arts, Gloria Engleke's commented about the need for "increased arts support if the Atlanta region hopes to live up to its potential," opens the door. Coupled with John Bacon of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce statement, "I'm eager to better understand the messages here. Many businesses in the high-tech area, are just starting to appreciate how critical the arts are to attracting and keeping smart talent," hints that there may be new receptivity toward programs like those of The Atlanta Repertory Company. Pointing to several examples of current community-based initiatives such as Business Volunteers for the Arts, the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, the ACVB's cultural partners, the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts, a lack of a perspective representing young black artists was clearly lacking. Unfortunately, their comments concerning, "taking art to the suburbs," indicate some still think exclusively about art rather than inclusively with out-reach in the inner-city.

Madam, no objective observer would dare suggest Atlanta's black citizens receive the same level of arts funding as do white art lovers. This divide is a relic left over from segregation's color line. Many members on arts councils and boards still hold to that heritage. It was members with such attitudes who refused to even talk with Yohannes and collaborative members back in 1998. Today, it is the black community's hope your arrival signals a new attitude and willingness to develop inclusive policies regarding the funding of black community-based art initiatives. Our young people are still waiting to engage the arts community in a fair, equitable and productive dialogue as members of the same community. This letter seeks a meeting of minds to begin building trust and cooperation. I await your response.

Respectively,

John Burl Smith,

Public Relations Director

Intuit Creative Ideas Manifested

CC: John Bacon, Arts & Business Council

Gloria Engleke, Georgia Citizens for the Arts