MichiganRadio

'Devastating' - GM Cuts Arts Funding ANN ARBOR (Michigan Radio) -

General Motors' decision to dramatically cut its support for Detroit area arts groups is expected to have repercussions across the state of Michigan.

GM is cutting its corporate support for several pillars of culture in southeast Michigan, including the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Michigan Opera Theater.

John Bracey is the executive director of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. He expects Ford and Chrysler, and eventually auto part suppliers will soon follow suit. Bracey says the ripple effects will touch arts groups large and small across Michigan.

"The small and mid-sized theater groups for who 10, 20 thousand dollars is huge in their annual budget," says Bracey, "I'm deeply concerned."

Bracey laments some arts groups are becoming more reliant on state funding as corporate money is drying up. © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio