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May 14 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels December 26, 2003 Oregon Cultural Trust a local investment At the core of our city, lies the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Without a doubt they are one of the, if not the most, significant economic cogs in the wheel that is Ashland. So it's good for the city - good for the entire region really - when OSF succeeds. For the second time this year, that's exactly what Time Magazine has bestowed upon our theater when it named the OSF/Berkeley Repertory Theatre production of David Edgar's two-play cycle, the "Continental Divide" as the No. 1 theater experience in the magazine's "Best and Worst of 2003." This is another significant accolade, following on Time's earlier recognition of OSF as one of the country's top regional theaters. All of which pours economic strength and vitality into the city of Ashland. So we applaud the well-deserved accolade. But we also want to ask for a bit more than applause. Now is the time, before the end of the year, for theater lovers, business owners, builders and all of those who directly or indirectly benefit from Shakespeare's success to give a little back for the good of the arts, and the good of Ashland. The state budget woes are well documented. What's not as well-known is that the main source of state funding for the arts was chopped away this year, directly costing OSF in excess of $100,000. But the Legislature did leave in place a significant vehicle for public contribution to the arts: The Cultural Tax Credit. Here's how it works. First, make a donation of up to $500 dollars to any Oregon cultural non-profit. If you have already donated this amount of money, then step one is done. Next, make an equal gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust. Finally, you claim a tax credit for 100 percent of your gift to the trust. It comes directly off your taxable income to the state, basically refunding all of your money, not to mention giving you a federal write off. The reasons for doing this are numerous. But simply put, so much of what we value in Ashland is a result of our love and investment in the arts in general, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival in particular. It's a small way to show our appreciation and to ensure that all of our local arts and cultural institutions remain for decades to come. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams