Kansas Senate Proposes Cuts to Arts Funding: How You Can Take Action
The Kansas Senate has recently approved a budget proposal that entirely eliminates the $1 million in state funding for the Kansas Arts Commission. This alarming move has raised widespread concern among arts advocates and community leaders, particularly those in rural areas where state funding is a critical lifeline for creative programs that enhance local culture and boost tourism.
What’s Happening with Arts Funding in Kansas?
According to a Salina311 report, this proposal could potentially shut down the Kansas Arts Commission, leaving the state’s creative community without essential support. Jane Gates, Executive Director of the Stiefel Theatre, highlighted how cutting this funding could have severe economic and cultural repercussions, especially in rural communities. Kansas already ranks 47th in public arts funding, and removing this support could further diminish creative accessibility across the state.
The Kansas House version of the budget retains the $1 million funding, which sets the stage for significant negotiations. Without intervention, this funding cut could eliminate crucial support for programs that benefit artists, organizations, and communities statewide.
Harvester Arts Responds
Harvester Arts, a Wichita-based nonprofit dedicated to community engagement through art, has also expressed concern about these proposed cuts. The organization recently posted on Instagram and sent out an email urging supporters to contact their representatives and voice their opposition to the proposed budget changes. Their message highlights the importance of funding for programs that empower artists and promote cultural growth throughout Kansas.
Why This Matters
The arts are about more than just creative expression—they are about economic growth, cultural identity, mental health support, and educational enrichment. Programs supported by state funding often provide essential opportunities for artists, organizations, and small businesses to thrive, particularly in underserved areas that may lack other resources.
How You Can Help
If you are passionate about preserving arts funding in Kansas, it’s essential to make your voice heard. Contacting your local representatives can make a difference.
Use the tool below to easily send messages to your representatives:
Send a Message to Your Representatives
By advocating for continued support of the Kansas Arts Commission, you can help ensure that creative programs continue to enrich lives across the state.
Real Fake Art: A Symbol of Resistance
As an artist, I’ve built my practice around the concept of Real Fake Art—a creative philosophy that blends positive nihilism with the subversive power of art to challenge conventional boundaries. It’s about embracing absurdity, humor, and surrealism as tools of resistance against the status quo. By intentionally blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s imagined, I aim to question the systems that undervalue creativity and dismiss its importance.
Now, as Kansas debates defunding the very programs meant to support artistic expression, Real Fake Art becomes a more powerful symbol of resistance than ever. Art thrives in environments where people have the freedom and resources to explore, create, and share. When those resources are threatened, the act of creating becomes an act of defiance.
Stay Informed and Get Involved
Stay updated on the latest news regarding arts funding in Kansas and how you can get involved. Share this post, spread the word, and encourage others to take action. Because every voice counts, and every piece of art created in resistance is a testament to the importance of creative freedom.
Related Pages:
Harvester Arts and Artist Inc.
Wichita Family Promise Painting Donation
Author’s Edit 3-26-2025:
Thank you to The Shout for giving me the space to discuss this matter and promote my advocacy for the arts in Kansas. Head over to their article to learn more.