During the last week of October, in Buffalo, NY, many passersby saw an interesting new type of protest aimed at local legislators. Multiple artists lay on the sidewalks and streets playing dead, in an attempt to show those in financial control of local funding the type of impact that cuts to the arts scene would have on the community. The cuts to the arts that the county has proposed would leave many local arists without a job or ability to continue sharing their visions with the public.
This type of protest can be much more effective than standing on streetcorners with signage. This is a more visible display of how county funding choices actually do affect small community art organizations. Responses from local councilpersons state that they are allocating 4.5 million dollars to the local cultural community and that not every small business can expect to receive funding. However, it is still important for local artists to remind community leaders of the importance of individual artistic galleries and displays on the community around them.
Video footage of the protest and a written article on the event can be found here: Protest Has People Playing Dead
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