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.