Well, ain’t this a nice turn of events: Today, a great victory has been won by everyone in the state of Kansas who loves the arts. The Governor this morning signed the budget, which includes $700,000 for the newly-created Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission. Advocates from all corners of the state spoke – and spoke loudly.Read More
Around the horn: Rock me like a hurricane edition
First, two personal items of note: I’m honored to be listed once again as one of the top 25 (really, 40ish) arts leaders on Barry Hessenius’s annual list of such things; and the video of my talk at TEDxMichiganAve given many months ago is now available for viewing. CLOSURES, OPENINGS, MERGERS, AND PAY CUTS Gentrification claims anotherRead More
Reactions to the demise of the Kansas Arts Commission
Everyone is talking about Governor Sam Brownback’s (R-Kansas) decision over the Memorial Day holiday weekend to veto funding for the Kansas Arts Commission. After an unexpected attempt to override the veto on Wednesday failed, this action officially leaves Kansas as the first US state — I believe ever — to completely withdraw its public fundingRead More
Kansas Arts Commission vetoed by Governor
Well, it’s happened. After initially eliminating the agency via executive order, only to be defied by the Kansas state legislature which restored $689,000 in appropriations, Governor Sam Brownback has vetoed funding for the Kansas Arts Commission. Although this action does not formally eliminate the agency — it still exists in theory, just with no moneyRead More