In a continuing effort to communicate the value and importance of museums in California, CAM will be commencing its eighth statewide public relations and advocacy campaign on behalf of the state's museums. California Museum Month in May 2007 will focus the attention of media, legislators, and the public on the important role that museums play in our state. Organized by CAM, the purpose of California Museum Month is to celebrate the community services provided by California's 1,300 museums, science centers, zoos, historical societies, botanical gardens and cultural centers.

To make this statewide event a success, we need your assistance. CAM is asking California museums to host a community event during California Museum Month and/or meet with a state elected official to promote your institution and museums across the state. You may wish to fold the celebration or meeting into an existing event or program. A toolkit and other resources will be sent to all CAM institutional members in the coming weeks. In late April, CAM will distribute a general release to media outlets across the state about the merits of California museums. We look forward to working with you to promote the vital services of California museums!

GOVERNOR APPOINTS THREE NEW CALIFORNIA COUNCIL MEMBERS
On February 23rd, Governor Schwarzenegger appointed three new people to the California Arts Council: Charmaine Jefferson, Executive Director of the California African American Museum in Los Angeles; Eunice David, a current Council member since 2004, of Los Angeles; and Karen Skelton, a partner with Dewey Square Group, of Sacramento. Congratulations to our museum colleague, Charmaine Jefferson! The position of California Arts Council member requires Senate confirmation. Three California Arts Council appointees go before the Senate Rules Committee on March 14th for confirmation. They are Chong-Moon Lee, founder and chairman of the AmBex Venture Group and the Silicon Valley Venture Fund, and the chairman of Nara Bancorp; Carlos Martinez, Executive Director of the Fresno Art Museum, and Fred C. Sands. For additional information about California Arts Council members, see http://www.cac.ca.gov/3/.

CALIFORNIA TRAVEL AND TOURISM COMMISSION'S WHAT'S NEW IN CALIFORNIA SUBMISSION DUE MARCH 15, 2007
What’s New in California is a quarterly round-up of new happenings in California, generated by the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC), and is targeted to the media. Appropriate items for consideration include new attractions, new hotels, major renovations, new trail brochures or special themed guides, museum exhibitions and galleries, etc. They do not report on recurring events, new retail stores, restaurants, vacation packages or new editions of vacation guides. CTTC will do its best to include as many submissions as possible, but there are no guarantees. All items must be provided on the appropriate submission form. To receive a submission form, send your request to Sam Caygill, Media Relations Manager, at scaygill@cttc1.com or call him at 916-319-5424.

SAVE AMERICA'S TREASURES AWARDS $7.6 MILLION IN GRANTS
Save America’s Treasures competitive awards preserve the nation’s most significant endangered intellectual and cultural artifacts, historic structures and historic sites. The awarding of $7.6 million in federal "Save America’s Treasures" grants--a joint project of multiple cultural federal agencies--announced the grantees late last year. California received funding for the following projects: Alcatraz Island Gardens, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, in the San Francisco Bay; and Hearst Metrotone Newsreel Collection, UCLA Film and Television Archive, in Hollywood. To see a PDF copy of all the projects funding by "Save America's Treasures," go to http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/treasures/download/2006SATgrants.pdf . (Excerpted from CAC Update, 2/15/2007.)

NEH PRESERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS FOR SMALLER INSTITUTIONS
These grants help small and mid-sized institutions, such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, town and county records offices, and colleges, improve their ability to preserve and care for their humanities collections. These may include special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine arts, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, and historical objects. The deadline is May 15, 2007 and the grant amount is $5,000. For additional information, see http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/pag.html

OVER 100 CALIFORNIA NONPROFITS RECEIVE "ARTISTS IN SCHOOLS" FUNDING FROM CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL
The California Arts Council is pleased to announce that they have recently approved funding for 102 arts organizations for "Artists in Schools," a grant program designed to support artists in residency activities that take place in schools, both in the classroom and in after-school settings. The intent of the new Artists in Schools program is to integrate community arts resources--artists and professional arts organizations--into a comprehensive, standards-based program that underscores the critical role that the visual and performing arts play in shaping students' overall well-being and academic achievement. More than $800,000 in funds was awarded. Ninety grants were designated for school partnerships and K-12 standards-based arts in after-school programs, while 12 were allotted as planning grants. To see a list of recipients, see the press release about the Artists in Schools program from the California Arts Council's homepage at www.cac.ca.gov. (Excerpted from CAC Update, 2/15/2007.)

PUBLIC ART AND PROPERTY RIGHTS - WORKSHOP FROM CALIFORNIA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS
Developers of real property have long sought to add value and distinctiveness to their projects by commissioning artists to create artworks for their properties. Attorney Stephen L. Davis, of the firm Davis & Leonard, will discuss the many legal issues faced by property developers who commission artworks, murals and sculptures in private buildings and public places. Legal issues covered may include copyright issues, whether the builder may remove or destroy the artwork, and resale royalties exploring whether the artist is entitled to a percentage if the building is sold. The workshop takes place Tuesday, March 6, 2007, at 6:00 p.m. at the Center for Contemporary Art in Sacramento. For more information, contact Ellen Taylor at (916) 442-6210 or clasacto@yahoo.com. Website: www.calawyersforthearts.org . (Excerpted from CAC Update, 2/15/2007.)

REPORT FINDS FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR MOST PROGRAM AREAS UP IN 2005
Foundation giving in most program areas rose in 2005, with international affairs and the environment experiencing the fastest growth, a new report released by the New York City-based Foundation Center finds. Foundation Giving Trends: Update on Funding Priorities provides a comprehensive analysis of all grants of $10,000 or more awarded in 2005 by 1,154 of the largest private and community foundations in the United States and tracks changes in funding trends since 1996. The report also found that grant dollars awarded by sampled foundations rose 6.1 percent in 2005, following an 8.1 percent gain in 2004, and that foundations awarded a record 308 grants of $5 million or more. In addition, grant dollars awarded for international affairs, development, and peace jumped nearly 41 percent, to a record $591.2 million, boosted in part by tsunami-related giving and increased funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, while the share of grant dollars allocated to capital projects rose to 18.5 percent, following five consecutive years of decline. For additional information, see http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10006389/story.

SUNLIGHT FOUNDATION MINI-GRANTS
The Sunlight Foundation offers grants to local groups that have creative ideas for changing the relationship between elected federal representatives and the people they represent. Successful applicants will receive the grant, consulting and strategic support, and networking opportunities. The foundation’s goal is to provide that extra element that takes a project from good to great -- server space, a video camera, or access to polling data -- or provide the seed that makes a new project viable. Projects could range from citizen media, to creative use of the internet to engage citizens in watchdogging, to opening up new ways of communicating with federal lawmakers to creative mapping of lawmakers' activities. Grant applications are accepted through June 1, 2007. Grant awards are $1,000 to $5,000. For additional information, see http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/node/2058.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION UPDATES DATABASE WITH EXPANSIVE SECTION ON THE ARTS
The U.S. Department of Education has recently updated its Federal Resources for Educational Excellence website. The website has an entire section devoted to the arts and provides more than 1,500 teaching and learning resources available throughout the federal government. Collecting organizations such as the National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian, Library of Congress, and other repositories have made their content available for exploring online, while agencies ranging from the National Endowment for the Arts to the U.S. Department of Labor have created educational websites. For further information, please contact Senior Director of Federal Affairs Andy Finch at Americans for the Arts at afinch@artsusa.org. (Excerpted from CAC Update, 2/15/2007.)

ASSOCIATED GRANT MAKERS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
The Associated Grant Makers’ fellowship program aims to inspire the next generation of philanthropic leaders among people of color by offering training and support to a select group of passionate, emerging professionals. The organizations strive to increase the number and proportion of people of color as staff - and executives - in the field of philanthropy. The closing date is April 12, 2007 and grant awards are $30,000 each. Eligible applicants are U.S. citizens, persons of color; with a Bachelor’s degree and five years work experience; or a Master’s degree and three years work experience. For additional information, see http://www.agmconnect.org/About/DiversityFellowship.aspx.

DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR WEBSITE LISTING OF LOS ANGELES AREA ARTS EDUCATION ORGANIZATION IS MARCH 23
The interactive website www.LAArtsEd.org centralizes information in Los Angeles County's on quality, vetted, K-12 arts education programs that support the Content Standards for California Public Schools, which include the Visual and Performing Arts Standards. This online directory, launched in February 2004, enables educators to strategically search for arts education field trips, performances, residencies and workshops by arts discipline, subject area, grade level, and cultural origin. The deadline for applying for a listing is March 23, 2007. (Excerpted from CAC Update, 2/15/2007.)

CAN'S NONPROFIT POLICY DAY ON MARCH 21ST
The California Association of Nonprofits (CAN) is hosting their Nonprofit Policy Day on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 in Sacramento, 9am to 4pm. This year, proposed budget cuts and landmark healthcare legislation could have a significant impact on nonprofit organizations. CAN is dedicated to creating venues where the voice of the nonprofit community can influence Sacramento’s policy debate. Click on http://www.canonprofits.org/nonprofitpolicyday/ for additional information or to register.

NEW CALIFORNIA TAX EXEMPTION REGULATIONS FOR VISUAL ARTS
The Board of Equalization, the California state agency that deals with sales and use taxes, released a special notice concerning artwork. As of January 1, 2007, the legal code regarding taxes (RTC section 6365) has been amended to provide the following: 1) An exemption from the sales or use tax for original works of art leased from one nonprofit organization to another nonprofit organization for 35 years or more; and 2) An expansion of the definition of works of art to include costumes, dress, clothing and personal adornment. For more information, see the Board of Equalization's Special Notice at http://www.boe.ca.gov/news/pdf/L160.pdf . (Excerpted from CAC Update, 2/15/2007.)