Hawaii-2021-HCR183-Amended

WHEREAS, the coronavirus 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 coronavirus, 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 to arts education and the humanities; and

WHEREAS, creative persons are fundamental to society and essential to a robust economy and, particularly during this pandemic, have kept people grounded and inspired optimism, thus helping people find their way through chaos and uncertainty while helping people 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 House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the Senate concurring, that a creative resurgence task force be convened to build and foster creativity and innovation through the arts, culture, and humanities; and

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

(1) Protecting the tax-exempt status of creative and cultural nonprofits;

(2) Supporting tax policies that increase charitable support for the creative sector;

(3) Repealing a cap on charitable donation deductions from the state income tax;

(4) Identifying policies that specifically support and enable the creative economy to thrive;

(5) Establishing policies and supports within the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to assist qualified creative sector workers seeking employment opportunities, training, and unemployment insurance benefits;

(6) Increasing access to the arts, the creative sector, and the humanities through education, training, and workforce opportunities; and

(7) Other ideas and proposals that would advance and diversify the creative economy; and

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

(1) A faculty member of the College of Arts, Languages, and Letters of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, to be selected by the Dean of the College of Arts, Languages, and Letters;

(2) 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;

(3) A faculty member of the arts, or related program, of the University of Hawaii West O‘ahu, to be selected by the University of Hawaii West O‘ahu Chancellor;

(4) The Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism;

(5) The Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Arts Alliance;

(6) The Executive Director of the Garden Island Arts Council;

(7) The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Maui Arts and Cultural Center;

(8) The Executive Director of the Molokai Arts Center;

(9) The Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Hawaiian Center;

(10) The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs;

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

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

(13) A member of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; and

(14) A member of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 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 shall cease to exist on June 30, 2022; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Hawaii System; Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Executive Director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts of the City and County of Honolulu; Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Arts Alliance; Executive Director of the Garden Island Arts Council; President and Chief Executive Officer of the Maui Arts and Cultural Center; Executive Director of the Molokai Arts Center; Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Hawaiian Center; and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs.

Report Title:

Creative Resurgence Task Force; Report to Legislature

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	183
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII