Democrats skeptical of Kansas arts funding endeavor
Brownback emphasis on art business development
The Legislature's top House and Senate Democrats expressed doubt
Friday about the texture and appeal of Gov. Sam Brownback's overhaul
of Kansas government's financial contribution to the arts.
"The administration has pretty much dropped the ball on the whole issue," said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.
His peer in the House, Lawrence Democratic Rep. Paul Davis, described the current incarnation of a state arts program as "highly dysfunctional."
In the aftermath of Brownback's defunding in 2011 of the Kansas Arts Commission and the uncertain financial impact of a private arts foundation launched to supplant KAC, lawmakers last year went a different direction by appropriating $700,000 to a new arts-promotion entity within the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, formally added to the government's roster seven months ago, has yet to issue an arts grant of any kind.
A request submitted by the commerce department to the National Endowment for the Arts for matching funding for Kansas is pending, and no decision is expected on federal assistance until July. Brownback's elimination of KAC triggered withdrawal of $1.2 million in grants to Kansas by the NEA and the Mid-America Arts Alliance.
The new commission's advisory board met for the first time Thursday, and the 11 members elected Lana Gordon, secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor and a former Topeka House member, as chairwoman of the group.
Linda Browning Weis, who is a Manhattan member of the commission's board, said there was consensus to make available about $550,000 in state funding to assist arts industries. Approximately $150,000 would be used as incentives to attract new or expanding businesses and $400,000 to aid community projects tied to economic development in the arts.
"We are setting up opportunities for people to create jobs," Weis said.
Dan Lara, spokesman for the commerce department, said examples of commission grants might be a package in support of a city attempting to form a commercial arts district. He said another possibility was appropriation of incentives to attract a special-effects movie company to the state.
Meanwhile, Brownback requested the Legislature cut state contributions to the new commission to $200,000 in the fiscal year starting July 1 and in the subsequent fiscal year.
Lara said it was premature to determine whether a reduction in state funding recommended by Brownback would jeopardize prospects of securing matching grants from NEA and other external funding sources.
"It's clearly inadequate," said Davis, "in terms of getting support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Mid-America Arts Alliance."
Hensley said advocates of public arts funding should make their opinions known in the Statehouse as legislators consider budget adjustments.
"The arts community, I think, needs to come to the Legislature and advocate for themselves," he said.
"The administration has pretty much dropped the ball on the whole issue," said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.
His peer in the House, Lawrence Democratic Rep. Paul Davis, described the current incarnation of a state arts program as "highly dysfunctional."
In the aftermath of Brownback's defunding in 2011 of the Kansas Arts Commission and the uncertain financial impact of a private arts foundation launched to supplant KAC, lawmakers last year went a different direction by appropriating $700,000 to a new arts-promotion entity within the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, formally added to the government's roster seven months ago, has yet to issue an arts grant of any kind.
A request submitted by the commerce department to the National Endowment for the Arts for matching funding for Kansas is pending, and no decision is expected on federal assistance until July. Brownback's elimination of KAC triggered withdrawal of $1.2 million in grants to Kansas by the NEA and the Mid-America Arts Alliance.
The new commission's advisory board met for the first time Thursday, and the 11 members elected Lana Gordon, secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor and a former Topeka House member, as chairwoman of the group.
Linda Browning Weis, who is a Manhattan member of the commission's board, said there was consensus to make available about $550,000 in state funding to assist arts industries. Approximately $150,000 would be used as incentives to attract new or expanding businesses and $400,000 to aid community projects tied to economic development in the arts.
"We are setting up opportunities for people to create jobs," Weis said.
Dan Lara, spokesman for the commerce department, said examples of commission grants might be a package in support of a city attempting to form a commercial arts district. He said another possibility was appropriation of incentives to attract a special-effects movie company to the state.
Meanwhile, Brownback requested the Legislature cut state contributions to the new commission to $200,000 in the fiscal year starting July 1 and in the subsequent fiscal year.
Lara said it was premature to determine whether a reduction in state funding recommended by Brownback would jeopardize prospects of securing matching grants from NEA and other external funding sources.
"It's clearly inadequate," said Davis, "in terms of getting support from the National Endowment for the Arts and Mid-America Arts Alliance."
Hensley said advocates of public arts funding should make their opinions known in the Statehouse as legislators consider budget adjustments.
"The arts community, I think, needs to come to the Legislature and advocate for themselves," he said.
