Kansas Arts Groups Still Waiting for State Funding

I attended the Kansas Citizens for the Arts Legislative Breakfast in Topeka on Wednesday where I was pleased to see that the arts continue to have support in the Legislature.

Legislators I spoke to including Vern Swanson, whose district covers the northwest part of Geary County, were surprised about the turn of events for the state dollars that were dedicated to the arts last year. After having received support from the Kansas Arts Communities for the creation of the Creative Industries Commission, Gov. Brownback allocated $700,000 to that new commission with the promise of three full-time employees.

We should be happy to know that now, eight months after the commission was formed, the have their first meeting scheduled. I hope in that meeting we can find out what happened to the $700,000 that was allocated and when they plan to hire the three employees.

Unfortunately, even I, the eternal optimist, have serious doubts that anything productive will come from the Creative Industries Commission. I base that on the fact that the state arts plan does not address the needs of artists or non-profits, both of which are required for the Federal matching dollars. Kansas lost more than $1 million when the Gov. line-item vetoed funding for the arts in 2011. A move made, despite strong bipartisan support for arts funding.

With $700,000 not being spent on the arts, an arts plan that doesn’t address the arts, and a governor who refuses to acknowledge the need for the arts in order to become an economically viable state, I guess we continue the fight for another year.

Upcoming activities

Closer to home, there’s work to be done. We continue with our regular classes; Tuesdays, Japanese Calligraphy; Wednesdays, preschoolers at noon, and painting at 6 p.m.; Thursdays, drawing techniques; Saturdays, elementary art.

Additionally we are planning a Valentine Art Night, this is in place of our normally scheduled Tipsy Easel class on the first Wednesday of the month.

Later in the month we are having a Murder Mystery Dinner;  Eat Drink and be Murdered will be on Feb. 16 and the cost is $25 per person.

For information or to register for any of our classes or events please visit the web site at www.junctioncityac.org.

Dick Blick Wish List

Last week I mentioned our first-time use of the Art Room Aid program the Dick Blick art supply company offers. After one of our local donors to the program experienced difficulty with the site, Dick Blick very generously made amends by completing the project.

The donated to JC Arts more than $600 worth of art supplies so that our Saturday Elementary Art Class will be able to work with quality canvas, paints and brushes.