As you know, July 1, 2013 marked the beginning of the City's Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14). Through much of the spring, A.R.T./New York was busy advocating for full restoration to the budget of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Read the most recent testimony »

In late June, the NYC Council and Administration announced an agreement on the framework for a balanced FY14 Budget. Shortly after the agreement was announced, the City Council voted to formally adopt the City’s $70 billion FY14 Budget.

The City’s FY14 Adopted Budget includes $156.5 million for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), $500,000 more than was allocated to DCA in the City’s Fiscal Year 2013 Adopted Budget. Of the $156.5 million allocated to DCA in the FY14 Adopted Budget, $28.5 million will be given to recipients of DCA’s Cultural Development Fund (CDF) grants. The FY13 Adopted Budget also included approximately $28.5 million for CDF grants. However, due to mid-year budget cuts, the FY13 Budget for CDF grants was reduced to $25 million. The FY14 Adopted Budget restores this cut to CDF grants, bringing the FY14 Adopted Budget’s CDF grant allocation to the same funding level as the FY13 Adopted Budget’s CDF grant allocation.

It is important to note that although the City adopted a balanced budget for FY14, spending shortfalls are projected for future fiscal years. A $1.9 billion shortfall is projected for the City’s next fiscal year (Fiscal Year 2015) and a $1.7 billion shortfall is projected for Fiscal Year 2016.

To address these projected shortfalls, the Mayor is anticipated to require all City Agencies, including DCA, to begin planning for and implementing new budget cuts. The Mayor is expected to announce additional information regarding the new round of cuts this autumn and for cuts to be implemented in early winter. It is unclear what impact, if any these cuts will have on DCA’s Cultural Development Fund.

In addition, all City offices will be up for election in November 2013. The current Mayor and approximately 19 of the 51 current Council Members (including the Speaker of the City Council) will be term limited out of office on December 31, 2013 and are not eligible for re-election to their current offices. As a result, there will be significant changes in City leadership approximately half-way through the City’s FY14 budget. Again, it is unclear what impact, if any these changes will have on the City’s FY14 Budget or DCA.

We will continue to closely monitor the City’s Budget and will send updated information as it becomes available.