In the midst of the economic downturn, as consumers cut back on entertainment and other discretionary spending, “We realize we do not have a stable product. We’re not selling widgets here,” said Allison Cain, Lifeline managing director.
Quinn’s 50 percent cut in state spending for the arts in 2010 to $7.8 million, will mean Lifeline will need to reduce its operating costs and band together with other local theater groups to save money.
In the finalized budget that came out on July 31, Gov. Pat Quinn had to slash $1 billion overall. For the 2010 fiscal year this leaves arts for the state behind with half of the funding earmarked from an already down condition of last year.
In a summary of findings from March 2008, the Illinois Arts Alliance called the previous year “a tragedy for arts funding in Illinois.” That reaction came after the arts budget for that fiscal year had been cut back $4.5 million; a 30 percent decrease in funding.
Cain said that, while state arts funding has been cut, it wasn’t a surprise. “At least they let us know what was going to happen so we could plan with that in mind.”
For now, the theater has worked to make ends meet by banding together with other area theaters, The Boho and Side Project, to share their parking shuttle in an effort to bring patrons to the district. Cain and other salaried employees of the Lifeline have also covered box office shifts typically done by part-time workers.
“There’s enough art to go around,” Cain said. She added that Lifeline, located in the Glenwood Avenue Arts District, doesn’t view other nearby theater groups as rivals.
Illinois Arts Council Executive Director Terry Scrogum expressed worry over community arts and education in the state for the next year. “The options where people will turn are definitely limited.”
Scrogum said he also fears that, while the funding may return someday, the attitude toward the arts in general might suffer from the inevitable lapse in education.
“Because arts are so much a part of our daily lives we don’t think about it,” he said. “Whether it’s the radio in our cars, or the building we step into, or the car we rode in, that all was designed by someone. The more the funding decreases the less and less available these things become and the less people think about those fields as job opportunities.”
The lack of funding puts several Illinois arts programs in danger. The arts council has already had to suspend things like the youth employment program, where high school students learn about jobs in artistic fields. Scrogum said the programs are officially suspended but will not be canceled for good, and the biggest cuts will be to the amount of grants the council will be able to provide.
For now both the Illinois Arts Council and The Lifeline Theater are remaining cautiously optimistic about the future. “We’re going to remain hopeful that funds will come back in a year.” Scrogum said.
To Cain, the most important thing is not letting this compromise the quality of the theater’s work. “We are not cutting back on our product. We feel very strongly about that. Without that we have nothing.”
