Context
There are two elections in 2004, in March and November.  Both elections will have national attention as Democratic candidates seek to first win the party's nomination and then the general election to send GW Bush and his destructive policies (war, fear, governmental intrusion, huge debt, environmental destruction, greed, ethics, etc.) back to Texas.  

Here in San Francisco, several big issues for artists are also popping up:

The need for better school arts programs

The need for better City arts leadership

The dire need for enhanced funding and facilities for the arts.

The Arts Environment
So much of what people love about San Francisco is intertwined with the arts. And yet we seem to have taken the arts for granted for far too long in San Francisco. Arts organizations are crumbling, arts funding has dried up, artists have moved out, audiences have stopped attending, patrons have stopped supporting, the rich organizations still get the huge proportion of public dollars, and the City has done little to help artists grapple with this tsunami of toxic effects. San Francisco has not updated its Arts Policy in 15 years, and this neglect shows.

What We Must Do
Get involved to change the system.  Help elect candidates that will make the tough decisions and real changes.  Call/write/email your Supervisor to express your views.  Demand better City services and more effective results.  It is public money, we have not only the right but the responsibility to see that it is wisely spent.