Dear New Yorker:

This week the City of New York released its preliminary Financial Plan, Fiscal Years 2014-2018, including financial detail for the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA).

The total planned DCLA expense budget for the year ahead, fiscal year 2015, is $149 million, consistent with the financial plan released in November. With this plan, our new Mayor de Blasio commits to ending the "budget dance" of prior years. Read full DCLA details released this week on the Office of Management and Budget's website.

As the City works toward adopting a fiscal year 2015 budget in the months ahead, this is time for all of us to make the case for DCLA and the future of dance and culture funding.

Please join Dance/NYC in welcoming our new mayoral administration and City Council and acting on opportunities to speak up and be heard. Consider connecting with your legislative representatives--by phone, letter, e-mail, fax, or better still, in person. Forward, post, and tweet this e-mail to your friends and colleagues. Follow Dance/NYC for regular advocacy updates, research, and tools.

With your help, I know we will succeed in keeping City funding vibrant.

Onward,

Lane and the team at Dance/NYC

Lane Harwell
Executive Director