Kansas Arts Commission Not Eligible for NEA Support

Kansas has been told again by the National Endowment for the Arts that it's not eligible for federal funds, prompting the state Arts Commission's chairwoman to declare that the group will move forward with a "truly Kansas" plan for supporting arts programs with private money.

An NEA official told Gov. Sam Brownback's office in a letter this week that the Kansas Arts Commission remains ineligible for funds because it hasn't demonstrated that it's supported financially by the state. The letter, obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, says private contributions would not fulfill the requirement for state support.

Brownback vetoed the commission's entire budget in May, making Kansas the only state in the nation to eliminate its arts funding. Brownback, a Republican who took office in January, has said the arts still can flourish with private dollars and the state must focus on "core" functions such as education, social services and public safety.

The governor's veto prompted the NEA and the Mid-America Arts Alliance, a private group based in Kansas City, Mo., to cut off funds as well. The Arts Commission lost nearly $2 million — the $689,000 legislators set aside and $1.3 million from the NEA and the alliance. But Brownback's actions didn't eliminate the law creating the commission, and he's since replaced seven of its 12 members.