|
The statement which appeared
in the Sunday March 9th editorial in the Kansas
City Star on regional funding, stated
"That plan was hurt by
an arts funding plan that wasn't well understood
" assumes incorrectly
a limited public understanding. In other words it
is a lie
The public
understood precisely that the proposal would hand
over hundreds of millions of tax dollars to wealthy
"arts advocates" who were self appointed to their
official positions.
The public
understood that Hispanic, African-Americans, new
immigrants and leaders from our community centers
were not included in the planning and that meant
little or NO funding for those
constituencies.
The public
understood that Missouri law mandates 74+ hours of
tax supported art and music education each year for
Missouri elementary children and Kansas
doesn't.
The public
understood that too many groups in Kansas City,
have for too long believed that those who vote do
not understand. The vote showed that we understood
only too well that an arts dynasty was in the
making and the public overwhelming said
NO.
If we are to
achieve regional funding for the arts, precise
egalitarian guidelines must be included in the
ballot proposal. An overwhelming attempt must be
made to balance the inequities that exist across
county and state lines and parameters must be set
which will preclude the development of an arts
aristocracy that will in fact, pick what is art for
the metro area.
We need arts councils and
not-for-profit arts agencies as filters for
proposals, but not as the dispensers of public
taste or public tax funds. They should function as
pass through agencies, with suggestion abilities
only.
A Kansas City Metro Regional
Arts Proposal needs to:
1. Establish an endowment
fund where only the interest is
used.
2. Disperse the interest
funds in the form of "pass through" grants to
not-for-profits who attach their 990's to their
pesonal grant requests and a letter of reference
for all individual grants they forward to the
individual art fund committee.
3. Establish ten designated
individual art funds committees, Dance,
Exhibitions, Music, Festivals, Folk Arts, Visual
Arts, Film, Theater, Ethnic Arts, and Literature
each of which would receive 10% of the total funds
available. By dividing the funds according to
artistic endeavor the diverse citizenry of the
Kansas City Metro area will enjoy a diversity of
arts programing rather than only the preferences of
an elitist group
City Council appointment of 4
persons to each art oversight committee with no pay
and only a few meetings would avoid arts
administration overhead, the largest area of
funding in the last proposal.
This system will provide
fairness as long as the appointees are changed
every couple of years.
This system allows for the
inclusion of academic art endeavors and popular
arts, it allows for individual and group proposals
in our community. Each has a place in Kansas City
and each should be provided a chance at any Arts
funding that takes place with taxpayer money.
The public
understands and it will require new assurances
before passing a regional art
proposal.
WHAT
ARE THEY PLANNING??
|
