Bill Text: VA HJR1046 | 2017 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 34-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-02-24 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ1046ER) [HJR1046 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2017-HJR1046-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, in 1968, the Virginia Commission for the Arts was established for the purpose of recognizing excellence in and encouraging growth of the arts in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, the mission of the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) is to increase availability of and accessibility to the arts, demonstrate a commitment to lifelong arts learning and education, build a healthy and productive arts infrastructure, recognize the arts as a vital component of the Commonwealth's economy, and provide an environment that is open and conducive to artistic expression; and
WHEREAS, for almost 50 years, the VCA has been committed to funding works based on artistic quality, increasing access to the arts for all, promoting the diverse cultures of the Commonwealth, assisting artists to grow in their careers, developing innovative arts organizations, and providing an exemplary arts education to all the people of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, the VCA held the 2017 Art Works for Virginia conference, the themes of which were creative place making through land use and urban design projects; opportunities for arts and cultural instruction through education reforms, including the Every Student Succeeds Act; workforce policies that use the arts to encourage more critical and original thinking for 21st-century industries; and analytical tools to help arts organizations measure their success and extend their social and economic influence on their communities and beyond; and
WHEREAS, the focus of the VCA has always been to share and promote the richness that artists from the Commonwealth bring to the arts and provide an environment in which young artists can develop their talents and find success in a career in the arts; and
WHEREAS, the VCA will commemorate its 50th anniversary with a full year of programming, leading up to the anniversary celebration during the 2018 Session of the Virginia General Assembly; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Virginia Commission for the Arts for its mission to bring beautiful works of art to the public, provide opportunities for emerging and established artists, offer arts education programs, and promote advancement in the fine arts; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Margaret Vanderhye, executive director of the Virginia Commission for the Arts, as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the commission's work to cultivate enthusiasm for the fine arts in the Commonwealth.
