THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

242

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE CONVENING OF A CREATIVE RESURGENCE TASK FORCE TO BUILD AND FOSTER CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION THROUGH THE ARTS, CULTURE, AND HUMANITIES.

 

 


     WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a devastating impact on the nation's creative economy, with many in the art, music, theater, dance, photography, fashion design, architecture, film, and publishing industries suffering immense losses in sales of goods and services, employment, and earnings; and

 

     WHEREAS, not only have those in the creative industries and creative occupations suffered disproportionately due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but creativity has been diminished in schools and universities, with students, educators, and artists being unable to gather, perform, hold art and cultural events, and pursue their studies, which has further led to significant losses in arts education and the humanities; and

 

     WHEREAS, creative persons are fundamental to society and essential to a robust economy and, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, have kept people grounded and inspired optimism, thus helping people find their way through chaos and uncertainty and heal; and

 

     WHEREAS, creative persons also embrace new ideas and possibilities, inspire collective thinking, and contribute to a better understanding of the world and among people; and

 

     WHEREAS, the arts and humanities, whether through history, philosophy and religion, modern and ancient languages and literatures, fine and performing arts, media and cultural studies, or other fields, are sources of vast creativity, innovation, and learning; and

 

     WHEREAS, a broad-based effort by the public and private sectors, arts and cultural organizations, economic development groups, and the community is needed to build and foster creativity in the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, public funding for the arts, humanities, and other creative art forms leads to a high return on investment that benefits every Hawaii resident in communities throughout the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, those in creative industries, creative occupations, and creative fields of study contribute to the State's and nation's economies and well-being through innovation, inspiration, and opportunities for growth; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the House of Representatives concurring, that a creative resurgence task force be convened to build and foster creativity and innovation through the arts, culture, and humanities in the State; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the creative resurgence task force is requested to:

 

     (1)  Examine and determine measures that can be implemented to:

 

          (A)  Protect the tax-exempt status of creative and cultural nonprofit organizations;

 

          (B)  Support tax policies that increase charitable support for the creative sector;

 

          (C)  Repeal the monetary cap on charitable donation deductions from the state income tax;

 

          (D)  Increase the people's access to the arts, creative sector, and humanities through education, training, and workforce opportunities; and

 

          (E)  Advance and diversify the creative economy;

 

     (2)  Identify policies that specifically support and enable the creative economy to thrive; and

 

     (3)  Establish policies and programs that can be implemented by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to assist qualified creative sector workers in obtaining employment opportunities, training, and unemployment insurance benefits; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the creative resurgence task force is requested to include the following as members, or their designees:

 

     (1)  Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism;

 

     (2)  Director of Labor and Industrial Relations;

 

     (3)  Director of Taxation;

 

     (4)  A faculty member of the College of Arts and Humanities of the University of Hawaii at Manoa to be selected by the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities;

 

     (5)  A faculty member of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Hawaii at Hilo to be selected by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences;

 

     (6)  A faculty member of the arts, music, creative media, or related program of the University of Hawaii West Oahu to be selected by the University of Hawaii West Oahu Chancellor;

 

     (7)  Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education;

 

     (8)  Executive Director of the Garden Island Arts Council;

 

     (9)  Chief Executive Officer of the Maui Arts and Cultural Center;

 

    (10)  Executive Director of the Molokai Arts Center, Inc.;

 

    (11)  A representative of the Royal Hawaiian Center;

 

    (12)  Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs;

 

    (13)  Executive Director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; and

 

    (14)  Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts, City and County of Honolulu; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may invite additional organizations, agencies, or individuals to participate in the task force; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the creative resurgence task force are requested to elect a chair and vice chair from among its membership; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the creative resurgence task force is requested to submit a report describing the progress made by the task force and its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the creative resurgence task force is requested to dissolve on June 30, 2022; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Director of Labor and Industrial Relations; Director of Taxation; President of the University of Hawaii; Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, University of Hawaii at Manoa; Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo; University of Hawaii West Oahu Chancellor; Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education; Executive Director of the Garden Island Arts Council; Chief Executive Officer of the Maui Arts and Cultural Center; Executive Director of the Molokai Arts Center, Inc.; representative of the Royal Hawaiian Center; Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs; Executive Director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; and Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts, City and County of Honolulu.

Report Title: 

Creative Resurgence Task Force; Report to Legislature