NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1977 SESSION
CHAPTER 986
HOUSE BILL 947
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL RESOURCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH CAROLINA'S NONPROFIT PROFESSIONAL THEATRES.
Whereas, the Theatre Arts Section of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources was created by an act of the General Assembly in 1973; and
Whereas, the State has adopted the slogan, "North Carolina, the State of the Arts"; and
Whereas, the annual appropriation of said section was set at seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) to provide economic aid to the established outdoor dramas and the other professional theatres and to encourage the development and support of professional theatre in the State; and
Whereas, the number of outdoor dramas and other professional theatre companies has increased from eight to 18 while the annual appropriation has not been increased; and
Whereas, the two million two hundred twenty-three thousand five hundred dollars ($2,223,500) expended by the nonprofit professional theatres in North Carolina during the past fiscal year represents an economic impact of thirteen million three hundred forty-one thousand dollars ($13,341,000) on the State's economy; and
Whereas, the professional theatre companies attract thousands of tourists to the State annually to view their productions, thereby further increasing money into the State's economy; and
Whereas, all 100 counties in North Carolina receive the service and economic stimulation of the nonprofit professional theatres; and
Whereas, the number of audience members (600,000) attending performances by North Carolina nonprofit professional theatres during the past fiscal year was twice the number of those attending any other single type of cultural attraction; and
Whereas, the nonprofit professional theatre in North Carolina created 855 jobs during the past fiscal year with an annual payroll approaching one million dollars ($1,000,000); and
Whereas, the budgetary shortfall of the nonprofit professional theatre in North Carolina for the past fiscal year was more than nine hundred thousand dollars ($900,000); and
Whereas, the Theatre Arts Section of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources has been able to fund only thirty-two percent (32%) of the total grant requests since 1973; and
Whereas, in order to be more economically and culturally viable, the nonprofit professional theatres in North Carolina need increased financial support; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. There is hereby appropriated to the Department of Cultural Resources from the General Fund the sum of two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000) for the fiscal year 1977-78, and the sum of two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000) for the fiscal year 1978-79, to be used for the further development of North Carolina's nonprofit professional theatres. These funds are in addition to all funds appropriated to the Department of Cultural Resources for any purpose. Of the sums appropriated to the Department of Cultural Resources by this act, the department shall allocate the sums specified to the indicated dramas according to the table below:
Allocation for
Drama 1977-78 1978-79
The Liberty Cart $30,000 $30,000
From This Day Forward 10,000 10,000
Waxhaws Historic Festival 10,000 -0-
Flatrock Playhouse and Vagabond 30,000 -0-
N.C. Shakespeare Festival 10,000 10,000
Bath Outdoor Drama 20,000 -0-
Strike at the Wind 10,000 10,000
House in the Horseshoe 20,000 20,000
An organization receiving an allocation under this section by the acceptance of the allocated sums agrees to permit the State Auditor to inspect and audit its financial records.
Sec. 2. Upon the request of the Advisory Budget Commission, the State Auditor shall conduct an audit of the financial records of any organization receiving an allocation under this act and shall report the findings of his audit to the Advisory Budget Commission.
Sec. 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 1977.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 1st day of July, 1977.