The Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation has taken to the road to save federal funding for the arts, humanities and public radio through a series of constituent hearings held across the state.

About 50 people turned out at the Greenwich Odeum recently to discuss the impact President Trump’s elimination of funding to the arts and humanities in his proposed budget would have on Rhode Island and the nation. Senators Reed and Whitehouse and Congressman Cicilline have conducted similar forums.

Randy Rosenbaum, executive director of the Rhode Island Council for the Arts, chaired the hour-long session at the Odeum, urging advocates for the arts and humanities to lobby for restoring funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities. He praised Congressman Langevin for his continued support and urged those present to lobby aggressively for continued funding.

“Everyone benefits from the partnership between the NEA and the states,” Rosenbaum said. “The arts are a positive investment, creating jobs, strengthening education, and returning revenue to the states.”

Congressman Langevin told the audience that the country is facing serious “budgetary challenges,” and Rhode Islanders have the support of the entire delegation in the continuation of funding.

Rosenbaum said that 30 percent of RISCA’s budget comes from federal grants, and elimination of funding would cause hardships and affect programs and staffing, causing a serious economic impact.

“In 2016, the NEA provided $744,500 in Partnership Agreement funds to the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts,” Rosenbaum said. “These critical funds are used in conjunction with state legislative dollars to support grants and services across the state.

“This is public money for public good,” he said.

The economic impact to the state in the form of tourism, restaurants, wages and a number of spinoff jobs was mentioned by many attendees, in addition to the educational benefits for Rhode Island schoolchildren.

Langevin and Rosenbaum left the attendees with the challenge of reaching out through letters, advertising, phone calls and proclamations in a bi-partisan effort to convince Congress to continue its support.

Less than one one-hundredth of 1 percent of the national budget ($744,500 out of $4 trillion) had been allocated last year for the arts and humanities, according to data compiled by the R.I. Council for the Arts.

In Congressional District 2, which includes Cranston and Warwick, 1,202 businesses related to the arts employ more than 5,787 people. (Figures provided by Americans for the Arts-Data current as of January 2015).

Rosenbaum noted that because not all businesses register, the analyses indicates under-representation of arts businesses, particularly non-profit organizations and individual artists, which are in abundance in Rhode Island. Nationally, 702,771 businesses are involved in the arts, employing over 2.9 million people.

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, which includes RISCA (R.I. Council for the Arts) disputes the claim that eliminating the arts will help the government balance its budget.

“The arts return $22.3 billion in revenue the federal, state, county and municipal governments,” according to their most recent study.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) receives 0.004 percent of the total federal budget, less than half of one hundredth of one percent. Appropriations to state arts agencies constitute just 0.04 percent of state general funds expenditures

Rosenbaum pointed out the many benefits to schoolchildren by arts associations in Rhode Island, including Trinity Rep’s Project Discovery. .

“NEA and state funds enabled RISCA to not only award 300 grants totaling $1,527,600 in fiscal year 2015, but also provide non-grant services to arts organizations, community groups, schools and artists,” according to Rosenbaum.

“These grants and services supported access to the arts, employment, arts education, community well-being and the cultural heritage of the entire state.”

Also affected by elimination of NEA funding would be direct grants to arts organizations. In fiscal year 2016, the NEA made 14 direct grants totaling $465,000 in Rhode Island.

The economic impact that the arts have on Rhode Island is difficult to pin down, but Chambers of Commerce throughout the state all agree that the return on investment is large, when you factor in the wages earned and spent, plus the increased traffic to restaurants, hotels, parking lots, and other businesses supported by arts organizations.

“Consider the jobs that would be lost and the many arts organizations and educational programs that would cease to exist with government funding,” Rosenbaum said.

“What a shame to lose the legacy of Senators Pell and Chafee, whose non-partisan leadership in arts funding was so vital to the success of the arts in Rhode Island,” said Congressman Langevin.