The quality of life we enjoy in Ventura County is due in no small part to our many outstanding arts and cultural organizations. The county is also home to many individual artists whose passionate pursuits are on display throughout California, reminding us of the emotional and transformative power of art. The ongoing quality of the work of these artists and organizations points to the vibrancy of the region, and to successful collaborations between nonprofits, for-profit partners and the artists themselves.

But the forecast for the arts funding landscape in Ventura County, and across California, is rather bleak due to pressures on public budgets and economic woes. Currently, for example, the state of California ranks last among 50 states in per-capita arts spending with less than 11 cents per person on the arts.

In response, leadership in our region continues to focus attention on the importance of the arts — to quality of life within our community, to the economic benefits of tourism and to providing our school students with a "creative toolbox" to build an innovative work force.

The city of Ventura's recent efforts to solidify its position as California's next arts destination has helped "rebrand" our region as a cultural destination. The Ventura County Arts Council has been instrumental in helping individual artists hone and excel at their work. And a recent study from Americans for the Arts highlights the importance of the nonprofit arts and culture industry as an economic driver in communities — a growth industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue and attracts tourism.

Recent investments from the James Irvine Foundation with the Ventura County Community Foundation seek to expand support for the array of artistic creativity that is occurring throughout the region. One grant supported a study that will be released later this year and highlights the breadth of the arts in every region in our county. Additionally, the foundations recently announced a $450,000 grant through the Communities Advancing the Arts initiative to build local support for artistic efforts throughout the county.

This new initiative is designed to highlight the art being produced and nurtured within the county and to help local organizations strengthen their financial capacity to sustain the arts for decades to come.

Through dedicated training, provided by VCCF's Resource Center for Nonprofit Management, and through countywide convenings around key issues elemental to funding and sustaining the arts and arts organizations, we are working together to make these organizations stronger, help more art be produced and enjoyed by our communities and expand the source of support for the arts.

Goals in the initiative will include expanding operating support for local arts companies, expanding endowments and the impact of planned/deferred gifts on organizations throughout the region and establishing an endowed scholarship at VCCF for emerging artists to help strengthen the next generation of artists.

As we enter into this three-year dialogue about how best to strengthen the arts, and to connect artists — professional and amateurs, nonprofits and for-profits, consumers and patrons — we are motivated not only by the economic and cultural reasons above, but also by the personal and communal impact of the arts in our lives.

From the experience of the individual examining a painting, listening to music, watching dance or creating video art, a painting or a photograph, and to the excitement of a live performance where the most profound of human emotions, sorrows and joy is shared, we know that the arts bind our communities together and tap into the array of emotions that define us as humans.

Despite some funding challenges, we are happy to see a vibrant artistic community in Ventura County and to play a role in ongoing efforts to strengthen our community through the arts. Exciting developments lie ahead and we invite you to stay tuned!

— Hugh J. Ralston is president and chief executive officer of the Ventura County Community Foundation. John E. McGuirk is arts program director of The James Irvine Foundation.