Missouri Arts Council cuts back

Local artists draw inspiration from the hard economic times.

By Brook duBois

Published March 9, 2009

Due to cuts in the state budget, the Missouri Arts Council is cutting back grants for this fiscal year, affecting not only state, but also local artists and art galleries.

Organizations such as local not-for-profit art, theater and dance companies around the state and even large-scale organizations, such as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will be affected by this budget decrease, which is expected to be $5.5 million.

John Fougere, Missouri Department of Economic Development spokesman, said the state expects a budget shortfall of $261 million.

Concerns about funding for local art centers and organizations are forming, as the budget cuts at the state level can have an effect on many local projects.

Marie Hunter, City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs manager, which has received grant funds from the MAC for certain ongoing projects, said the program would have to start planning ahead for ways to preserve itself.

"Any time funding opportunities are suspended it has a negative impact," Hunter said. "With MAC's withholding, it means that arts agencies cannot access matching funds for smaller projects that might occur in the coming four months. Those projects almost always involve artists, as well as the purchase of services and materials, so the impact trickles down."

The city provides $95,000 for the Office of Cultural Affairs' 18 programs, which include art classes, workshops, performances and exhibits. There is no indication that the city's contribution to the programs will be cut. Hunter said funding is based on sales taxes -- which are down significantly -- collected by the city.

"Columbia is an arts-supportive town, so I imagine that many citizens will be concerned if arts opportunities become limited," she said.

Local artist Grant Blackwell said art is a necessity of society and the funding for artists will never completely go away. He said artists could use a time of economic recession to create great art.

"When the economy crashed, I drew a lot of inspiration from that. Since the day the stock market crashed more of my art has actually sold," Blackwell said. "All art that comes out of depressions, people are going to look at that as a time capsule. This is not the time to quit. That is why art is necessary."

Hunter said the arts industry has always had a way of showing its creativity in tough economic times, and artists don't seem to be trying any less to get their artwork shown than before the economic crisis began.

"I am always impressed at the resourcefulness of the creative industry, both arts organizations and individual artists, so I know that while we are likely dealing with less, or preparing for such, we will find ways to deliver quality arts services and experiences," Hunter said.

Other divisions that are also seeing withholds for the fiscal year under the Department of Economic Development include the Division of Tourism and Division of Business and Community Services. But the MAC will be seeing the largest cut compared to other departments or divisions.

Fougere said the council has built a trust fund and could sustain itself to cover the next two quarters of the current fiscal year.

"That puts them in a unique position of being able to better absorb this amount of withholding and that is why we made the decision that we did," he said.