CANDIDATES TO TAKE CENTER STAGE ON THE ARTS

St. Johns County Cultural Council, Inc., a local nonprofit organization and Local Arts Agency for greater St. Johns County, will circulate the first ever Arts & Culture Survey to county and city commission candidates during the month of July. This survey includes questions on a variety of topics that will impact the development and growth of arts and culture throughout all regions of the county.

“We are following the lead of other Cultural Councils around the state and nation on this survey. The purpose is to help inform the voters of St. Johns County to precisely where candidates stand on the importance of Arts and Culture.” said Philip McDaniel., board president of the St. Johns Cultural Council. “In particular, our 4,500 weekly newsletter subscribers, plus all subscribers to our member organizations including Limelight Theater, EMMA, the St. Augustine Art Association, the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra and other arts groups, will have the opportunity to see where candidates stand on key issues such as arts instruction as part of county recreation programs, art in public places, and continued investment of tourist generated taxes in arts and cultural programming to grow tourism and improve our local quality of life.” 

The deadline for candidate responses is July 28th. All responses will be distributed to local media outlets as well as published of the Cultural Council’s website, its weekly E-newsletter and to member organization constituents during the week of August 4th, 2008. 

The Cultural Council does not endorse or support political candidates in any election.

The purpose of the survey is to provide equal opportunity for all candidates to express their ideas, positions and opinions on the arts to the general public. For more information on The St. Johns Cultural Council, visit www.stjohnsculturalcouncil.org or call (904) 826-4116.