Esperanza Peace & Justice Center

a n d p u b l i c f u n d i n g

Myths and Realities

Myth Reality	The Esperanza did not receive funding from the San Antonio Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs (DACA) for FY 97-98 because it did not qualify. The Esperanza meets every requirement to qualify for DACA arts funding. As a matter of fact, the Esperanza received funding for seven years before being "eliminated" in September 1997. The Esperanza's applications were reviewed by a panel of community members who debated Esperanza's artistic merit, audience development, and administrative capabilities according to a process approved by City Council. This panel ranked the Esperanza's Operational application Number One and recommended it for funding.
Myth Reality	Arts funding was cut last year only because more money was needed for streets and sidewalks. There was nothing wrong or illegal about that hard choice. Arts agencies were cut across-the-board 15% in the name of a "back-to-basics" campaign. This does not explain why the Esperanza, San Antonio Lesbian and Gay Media Project and VAN were singled-out and defunded 100%. This also does not explain why large increases in funding were given to pet projects of individual Council members, projects that have nothing to do with streets, sidewalks, fire stations, police or schools. We believe basic services, including the arts, for all sectors of the city are very important. We do not appreciate arts and culture being pitted against these other important needs. We believe the people of San Antonio deserve a basic infrastructure and quality of life.
Myth Reality	The Esperanza is a homosexual organization promoting a homosexual agenda, and should not receive taxpayer money. The Esperanza wholeheartedly supports the civil rights and cultural expression of lesbian, gay, bi and transgendered people. The Esperanza is also diverse and represents many different communities, and is not exclusively a lesbian/gay organization. We work to bring many different communities together: queer and straight, Black, brown and white, female and male, poor/working class and middle/upper class, physically challenged, youth and elders. According to the U.S. Constitution, all people of this country have rights and deserve participation in government, regardless of their political viewpoints, religious beliefs, or definitions of morality. Excluding one group because another group finds their viewpoints objectionable is clearly a violation of the Constitution and threatens everyone's freedoms.
Myth Reality	Respect is basic, but the Esperanza does not respect the Religious Right. The Esperanza wholeheartedly supports religious freedom. People of many faiths work together at the Esperanza. Moreover the Esperanza gives respect to members of the Religious Right by listening to them and not attempting to prevent them from speaking or participating in public life. Some members of the Radical Right seek to use the power of government to impose their own vision of what it means to be American. The Esperanza does oppose this effort to regulate our culture.
Myth Reality	The Esperanza excludes people who are not gay, female, Black or Brown, disabled, poor, or working class. The Esperanza welcomes all individuals and groups who support the Esperanza's mission, regardless of sexuality, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, physical and mental challenge, age, and class. People of different sexualities, genders, races, ethnicities, religions, physical and mental challenges, ages, and classes work together daily at the Esperanza Center.
Myth Reality	The government can do whatever it wants with its money -- no one "deserves" arts funding. Like governmental contracts, grants are awarded to the applicants who are best qualified, based on defined criteria. For arts funding, the City itself defined three criteria: Artistic Excellence, Audience Development, and Administrative Capability. Government decisions are unconstitutional if they are made because of public prejudice or disapproval.
Myth Reality	The Esperanza is being selfish in filing a lawsuit. It will cost the taxpayers more money. Outside of litigation, the Esperanza has exhausted all remedies to resolve this issue amicably. DACA and City Council failed to follow their own published criteria and seriously undermined community participation in City government. Litigation is not a course that will bring monetary gain to the Esperanza, but filing a lawsuit is what the Esperanza can do to demand that Council act responsibly in a culturally diverse city.
Myth Reality	The Esperanza will hurt other arts organizations and the whole arts funding process. The Esperanza believes very much in the Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs and the process that was used for seven years to fund the arts in San Antonio. It was an open, democratic process that honored artistic merit, outreach to communities, and cultural diversity -- all within a system of strong administrative abilities and accountability. Sadly, the current Council has chosen to disregard the City's own process because of outside pressure, and that choice has brought the process to the verge of collapse. Many who participate in the process welcome this litigation because they see that the Council's disregard for criteria has opened the door to disrespect and favoritism. This litigation will defend and restore a respectful and open process.
Myth Reality	The Esperanza is not an arts organization, it is a political organization, and therefore does not qualify for City arts funding. The Esperanza is nationally recognized as a "leader in combining outstanding arts and cultural programming with a broad range of social justice advocacy." Like the San Antonio Children's Museum, the Witte Museum and many other cultural arts organizations, the Esperanza believes that art and culture and people's everyday lives cannot be separated. We believe all communities have cultural human rights and deserve justice and respect. The Esperanza's mission is explicitly to support the cultural expression of disenfranchised groups and to build bridges between those groups and other communities. This mission cannot ignore issues of social justice that divide people from one another. In a culturally diverse society, respeto es basico. There is a long history of artists being involved in the issues of their times -- clearly some of the world's most acclaimed artworks are "political." There is nothing in the guidelines outlining DACA funding that bars applicants from being involved in social justice advocacy. In fact, this kind of ban would be unconstitutional discrimination against particular viewpoints -- something clearly condemned by the Supreme Court in NEA v. Finley.
Myth Reality	This arts funding comes from hotel/motel taxes and is provided to arts organizations for the purpose of increasing the tourism trade. The Esperanza brings in no tourists, and therefore does not qualify for City arts funding. All across Texas, a portion of hotel/motel taxes are used to fund the arts and culture without any requirements or quotas to promote tourism or sell hotel rooms. Many in the arts community in San Antonio believe that using hotel/motel funding for the support of local culture is wise public policy, helping to repair the damage done by tourism -- providing alternatives to the commodification of local culture, and improving the quality of life of local communities. During the last seven years, the Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs has never, in any of their criteria or guidelines for general operational and project support, required applicants to promote tourism. Most organizations do bring in tourists, including the Esperanza, but few make that their mission. The Esperanza does not design its programming specifically for tourists, yet many people who do come to our events are from out of town. We meet every published requirement for funding by DACA. We are disturbed by the growing tendency of city politicians to disregard their own established guidelines and criteria and instead make up new "rules" to benefit their pet projects or please their friends.
Myth Reality	The Esperanza has disqualified itself from receiving funding in the future by filing a lawsuit. The Constitution protects the rights of all individuals and organizations, including our right to seek assistance from the courts. The law is clear that the City may not retaliate against or punish the Esperanza Center, the Media Project or VAN for exercising their constitutional rights by withholding future grant awards or disqualifying us from applying again. Doing so would be another unconstitutional violation of our rights.
Myth Reality	Esperanza does not use arts funding from the Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs as the DACA's mission intends these monies to be used. Public arts funding has always been used by the Esperanza to support specific artistic and cultural events and programs. We never have and never will use this kind of funding for litigation, construction or other activities not included in our city-approved contracts. The Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs has a rigorous system of accountability to ensure their funds are used properly -- reviewing every purchase, every penny before funds are released. The Esperanza fully participates in this process, and has always received praise and high review marks for our ability to handle these funds properly.
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