General Motors, long a supporter of the arts scene in Detroit and beyond, says it is dramatically reducing its donations and sponsorships from the GM Foundation effective immediately. Not surprisingly, the move means that venues and galleries – like the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Michigan Opera Theatre – are reeling.
In 2007, the GM Foundation dispersed more than $31 million on arts gifts and grants, the Detroit News reports.
The Michigan Opera Theatre will be without its title sponsor, Cadillac, for the first time since the opera house opened in 1996. The house was promised an additional $250,000 that it won’t receive.
The GM Foundation also promised a further $350,000 to the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit and $100,000 to the Detroit Symphony Opera. Neither venue will receive the pledges.
The Foundation had alerted Detroit’s higher-profile arts organizations in late 2008 that the pledges would be cut this year. The Foundation says it will continue to help, but in a much smaller, less-costly capacity.
01/08, 9:40 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Good. They should cut arts spending. Artsy types are the type of fruitcakes who hate domestic anything and always drive Smart cars or other euro-trash. Why subsidize their misguided infatuation with useless crap like opera?
01/08, 9:50 AM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM
Who cares, the artsy fartsy stuff is for queers and losers. VW and Mazda owners for instance
01/08, 10:28 AM
posted by:
HoosierHero
Hmmm, if they’ve long been supporters of the arts, then wouldn’t it make you guys queers by association? I guess the truth hurts. GM should keep sponsoring them because their line-up could use some artistic direction…
01/08, 10:52 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
This comes as a surprise. One might have assumed GM had been funding the porn industry seeing as they spent so many years jerking off their customers.
01/08, 11:24 AM
posted by:
Jon Luc
Hoosier is correct. Mayer & NMOFGM are queers.
01/08, 1:46 PM
posted by:
Borat
Johnny, I’ll send you bill for destroyed laptop. I spilled coke (as beverage) all over keyboard!
01/08, 3:31 PM
posted by:
Mutant@DCX
So Nascar and WWF are safe! Southern culture and refinement unabashed.
01/08, 4:20 PM
posted by:
Need more oil for GM is an idiot
Gm needs to cut their throats …oh wait they already did.
01/08, 5:19 PM
posted by:
Get Real
With wind-tunnel-committee designed cars they don’t NEED any ART in designing any GM car.
01/08, 5:22 PM
posted by:
Get Real
Oh yea, no ART from GM either thanks to NASCAR’s crappolla “car of tomorrow” design.