I've hosted a few free public events, usually in Crown Point, for the South Shore Arts Association over the years. They've included everything from a Valentine's Day party saluting Rudolph Valentino to a Halloween party open house for all ages.

We are very fortunate to have such not-for-profit treasures in our region such as the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, South Shore Arts and Theatre at the Center in addition to galleries, other music opportunities and community theater all around us.

It's an audience that remains the support, life and blood of the arts.

You most likely saw the front page of The Times' Wednesday edition. Indiana has finally passed a state budget that includes cuts because of the ongoing gloomy economy.

And, yes, funds for grants supporting the arts were part of the cuts.

This is a story I've been following, while receiving regular updates from the Indiana Arts Coalition, including a desperate missive that arrived June 2, well before the budget was passed, explaining:

"As you may know, Gov. Mitch Daniels rejected the budget the Indiana Legislature presented to him at the end of April. In both the House and Senate versions of the budget, the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) was treated fairly, with an 8 percent cut like other state agencies. This was in response to Gov. Daniels' initial budget proposal which would have slashed the IAC's budget by 50 percent! Today, June 2, Gov. Daniels released a new budget for the special session of the Legislature that will be called for at the end of June. His budget AGAIN calls for a 50 percent reduction of the IAC, from approximately $4 million to $2 million a year for the next biennium. This loss of support for our state's arts infrastructure will put community and regional arts organizations of all sizes and types at risk of going out of business. Your legislators need to hear from you NOW. Only they can create a budget which treats the arts fairly."

As feared, cuts came.

They weren't as steep as they could have been, but still, steep enough to hurt.

"Despite the efforts of many arts advocates, the new state budget for the biennium beginning July 1, 2009 resulted in a 20 percent cut to the Indiana Arts Commission," The Indiana Arts Coalition reported Wednesday.

" Because the House Democrats accepted the Senate Republicans' budget, the final figures for the IAC are the same as those in the Senate's special session budget bill. For each year of the biennium with $418,557 allotted for personal services/personnel and $2,783,811 for other operating expenses, including grants and services, for a total of $3,202,368. The good news is that the National Endowment for the Arts is slated for an increase in the federal budget that begins Oct. 1, 2009. The U.S. House has passed a $15 million increase, and the federal budget bill goes next to the U.S. Senate. Forty percent of all NEA funds go directly to the state arts agencies. Now would be a great time to contact Sen. Evan Bayh and Sen. Richard Lugar: And, we can be thankful that the federal stimulus package included $50 million for the arts, $375,000 of which came to Indiana. Of course, our state advocacy work never ends."

Patty Spillers, marketing coordinator for Theatre at the Center, John Cain, South Shore Arts executive director and so many others also work tirelessly to help keep the Arts a priority for our corner of the state.

This is a reminder for readers to also lend support by attending the wonderful arts opportunities that abound around us.

While attending the most recent opening nights of performances at Theatre at the Center in Munster, I've noticed many empty seats.

The newest show to open on this stage is "Footloose," opening Thursday in previews, with the press opening on July 16. I hope I see you there.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

Today's Celebrity Birthdays

Cartoon voice-over actor Tommy Cook ("Jabberjaw" "Aquaman") is 79. Actress Katherine Helmond ("Who's The Boss," "Soap") is 80. Actress Shirley Knight is 73. Musician Robbie Robertson is 66. Former first daughter Julie Nixon Eisenhower is 61. Singer Huey Lewis is 59. Country keyboardist Charles Ventre of River Road is 57. Singer Marc Cohn is 50. Actress Edie Falco ("The Sopranos") is 46. Actress Kathryn Erbe ("Law and Order: Criminal Intent") is 44. Actress Claudia Wells (Jennifer in "Back to the Future") is 43. Rapper RZA is 40. Singer Joe and drummer Bengt Lagerberg of The Cardigans are 36. Rapper Bizarre of D12 is 33. Irish pop singer Shane Filan of Westlife is 30. Singer Jason Wade of Lifehouse is 29. Musician Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum is 27. Bassist Nick O'Malley of Arctic Monkeys is 23.