By Gail Russey
November 30, 2004

You will want to be a part of the ''Hearts for the Arts'' in Abilene, a new program sponsored by the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council.

Growing up in Abilene when it was a small West Texas town, I witnessed the expansion of cultural arts and the organizations that sponsor them. Cultural arts have changed our town into a city on the

''Friendly Frontier.''It has been an exciting time.

We can thank the individuals who came before us in our community for their

vision and the ability and determination to bring those visions to life for all of us to enjoy. The friendly, caring folks of Abilene through the years have appreciated and supported the not-for-profit arts organizations in Abilene.

Businesses considering moving to Abilene ask, ''What does Abilene have to offer for my employees and their families?'' Fortunately, we have something to offer that will capture everyone's taste with the variety available. Downtown has evolved into a vital and energized area with new business activities and the many cultural entities that grace our city.

A Nov. 21 guest column by Claudia Ladensohn, chair of the Texas Commission on the Arts, emphasized the need for cultural growth in the communities statewide. She said, ''The arts help our children do better in school. The arts enhance economic development in our communities. A renewed zeal is required to support the arts and our artists to capture the spirit of Texas.'' This is so true. We must move forward to encourage cultural growth and development in our community.

Dr. Ken Ford from Pensacola, Fla., an authority on urban renewal, spoke at the Community Foundation of Abilene's annual luncheon about ''leveraging our core.'' He complimented what has been accomplished in Abilene with cultural activities and stressed the importance of strengthening the city's cultural foundations and the impact this has on economic growth.

Abilenians have an opportunity to invest in ''Hearts for the Arts'' to ensure the continuance of the cultural groups that have made our city so individual. Through the Cultural Incentive Grants Program and the Grants Assistance Program, the CAC in 2004 awarded grants to support 354 performances, five master classes, 235 school tours and the attendance of more than 476,000 participants. These grants are made possible by Taylor County, the city of Abilene and the Tax Increment Finance District.

TIF will be sunsetting in a couple of years. With the loss of this grant money, the CAC will have to cut the amount local arts groups receive, which means they will have to cut programs or raise extra money to meet their budget.

Would you be willing to give up a $1 bottle of water a month? Or a $2.50 hamburger or some other $5 item? These small amounts can make the difference to fill the gap and help keep Abilene's arts community strong and viable. ''Hearts for the Arts'' is a simple, inexpensive plan. With an automatic withdrawal from your bank account of $1 or $2.50 or $5 a month, we can meet this loss of grants and you will have had the opportunity to participate in one of the greatest arts initiatives and partnerships around. The individual amount is small, but the impact of their combination can be dynamic.

Several directors of Abilene cultural arts organizations - Judy Godfrey, president and CEO of The Grace Museum; Richard Metzger, executive director of the Center for Contemporary Arts; Laura Moore, director of the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature; Celia Danforth, executive director of the Abilene Philharmonic Association; Betty Hukill, executive director of the Paramount Theatre; and Nancy Gore, director of the Abilene Ballet Theatre - have agreed that ''Heart for the Arts'' is a program that would fill the needs of Abilene's cultural organizations and would not affect the individual groups' membership or donation campaigns.

With your generosity, this can happen. Present needs will be met and may even increase support.

Every dollar received will go directly into the pockets of the cultural organizations served: Abilene Ballet Theatre, Abilene Collegiate Opera, Abilene Community Band, Abilene Community Theatre, Abilene Opera Association, Abilene Performing Arts Company, Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra, Abilene Preservation League, Abilene Writer's Guild, Abilene Zoological Society, Ballet Folklorico, Celebration Singers, CCA, Classical Chorus of Abilene, Friends of the Abilene Public Library, The Grace Museum, ICAN, African American Cultural Center of Abilene, Christmas Carousel, Key City Chorus, Sweet Adelines, NCCIL, the Paramount, Cinco de Mayo Festival, Western Heritage Classic, Young Audiences of Abilene, with assistance to special programming at Abilene Christian, Hardin-Simmons and McMurry universities.

These grants cover the gamut of community cultural organizations from A - the Abilene Ballet Theatre - to Z - the Abilene Zoo. You are sure to find many of your favorite groups among them.

Become a committed, dedicated supporter of ''Hearts for the Arts.'' For more information, call the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, 325-677-1161, or visit at the T&P Depot at 1101 North 1st St.

As Ladensohn said, ''Funding the arts in Texas is much like the arts themselves. It takes discipline, inspiration, passion and a great deal of hard work.'' Please accept this challenge and participate in ''Hearts for the Arts'' to become a part of the passion and dedication for this important part of our community.

Gail Russey, co-owner of Russey's Printing and Lithography, is past president of the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council and is chairman of the ''Hearts for the Arts'' campaign. She was Editor for a Day Monday at the Abilene Reporter-News.

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