If you aren’t from Texas, you can’t put this license plate on your vehicle. This is a specialty plate that Texans can put on their truck … or car… if they choose. It is a pretty simple way to support the arts in Texas. I’ll bet you a dollar to a hole in a donut that your state has one like it.
Texas State of the Arts License Plate
The plate costs $30 more than a regular license plate, and you don’t have to wait until it’s time to register your car to get it. You can order it now and your registration fees will be adjusted.
I know you are thinking, “Shelly, why in Thunder would I spend an extra thirty bucks for a pretty license plate for my pickup? It’s just gonna get splattered with mud anyhow.”
That might be true. But, if you get yourself one of these plates you are supporting the arts in the Lone Star State. Out of your $30, there is an immediate donation to the Texas Commission on the Arts of $22. That money is used to preserve our culture and unique heritage by funding arts programs throughout the state.
The arts have taken a major hit in this recession, did y’all realize that? Perhaps you don’t think this impacts you, but I urge you to think again. Have you ever enjoyed a visit to a festival of any kind? Most of those can’t exist without funding from some source, and TCA is quite often involved in that funding. Has your child ever come home excitedly telling you about a performer who came to their school? TCA grants often help fund those, too. Does your local library have programs? Have you been to a museum?
Right about now, you are probably thinking, “But, I paid to go to the museum and to that festival.” Yes, you did. But, if you think that the attendance money covers the costs of providing those entertainments for the public, then you need to volunteer for the board of directors of those things to find out the truth of the matter. If there were no funding sources like The Texas Commission on the Arts, then those activities wouldn’t be there for us to enjoy.
I have a personal interest in the funding of TCA, because I benefit from it, too — I am a “starving artist” who occasionally is funded by them! In fact, today I am headed to a rural town called Chico, Texas to perform at the local library. I’ll take my spinning wheel and my imagination and “spin yarns” for the people living in that tiny community. They won’t have to pay a penny to hear me, because I’m being sent there by the TCA. You see, I am one of the artists on The Texas Touring Artist Roster and am one of twenty-five artists on the Texas American Masterpieces program (yes, I’m just as surprised by that as you are).
If you live in Texas, I want you to buy a “State of the Arts”license plate! If you don’t live in Texas, consider searching the internet to see if your state has license plates that support the arts and the artists in your own neck of the woods. Thirty dollars might seem like a lot of extra money to pay, but that money goes a long way!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a good way to lend your support. Those that want to can do so and make a statement, calling attention to the arts.
In Wisconsin, they have Green Bay Packer state issued license plates. No, Really! We don’t have them on our car, (but I do have a US Veteran Plate on my motorcycle with the 25th Infantry Division as a number). Funny, we had to buy a new car recently. In Wisconsin, the plates are issued to the person and then are transferred to the new car. Our new car is gold in color. It would match the green and gold of the Packers quite nicely.
Spadoman´s last blog ..Solon Springs Water Run
OK, we are psychic sisters or something. Just yesterday I was telling my hubby that I wanted to get a specialty license plate! No kidding! I was trying to decide last night between the Police Memorial plate and the Pet Friendly plate and decided to just get one for each car. I just checked and Illinois does not have a “support the arts” plate ;( I wish they did, that would have been my first choice. I believe the are equally as important as any other subject taught in school.
It kills me how we come up with the same ideas at times!
Jessica The Rock Chick´s last blog ..Baby Girl
This is such a great idea. I would do it if I lived in Texas.
Artists are the creators of the future.
Sheila
Sheila Atwood´s last blog ..WordPress Plus Thesis
You have to love your car /or truck/ to get something special like that. I have the First in Flight design in NC, but wouldn’t pay extra bucks for custom number. There was a guy at work who had JRK on his plate and he was a jerk
Nobody ever told him people make fun of his plate – may be he would have changed it 
Ellie´s last blog ..Old Street