By Sara Strong
Ben Vander Kooi is at the Capitol today as part of Arts Advocacy Day, the same as he has for 20 years.
This year is a little different from the rest because of the state budget crisis. But just the same, he’s saying that the arts are worth the money.
He’s a team leader during Arts Advocacy Day, visiting state lawmakers to ask that arts funding doesn’t suffer more than others in fixing the budget.
"We’ll share in the pain," Vander Kooi said. "But we don’t want to be hit more than anyone else."
Vander Kooi is president of the Council for Arts and Humanities in Rock County (CAHRC). He’s also a life trustee and past president of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, Chair of the Minnesota State Arts Board and president of Blue Mound Area Theater, Inc.
CAHRC administrates local art organizations such as the Fine Arts Association (which displays art in the Carnegie Cultural Center), the Green Earth Players and Blue Mound Area Theater.
Vander Kooi said that it’s difficult to lobby for arts funding when so much state money is having to be cut.
"Right now the arts are getting by with very little as it is," he said.
Two-thirds of the state’s arts groups are projecting deficits by the end of the year. Along with lower state funding, private and corporate donations are decreasing this year.
The state spends about $13 million a year on the arts, and Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s budget proposal calls for a 22 percent decrease, leaving $9 million.
Locally, that money goes toward Carnegie Cultural Center displays and Palace programs. Touring orchestras visiting Worthington or theater groups performing in Pipestone would be other arts activities Rock County people would lose access to.
Most of those programs come with grants from the state, but call for 50 percent matches.
Even though the outlook isn’t great for the state budget, Vander Kooi is looking forward to doing what he can for the arts. "We have support across party lines. And we’ve never had more than 400 [at Arts Advocacy Day] and there’s going to be more than 800 this year. Busloads are coming from all corners of the state."
Keeps money circulating
Minnesota is repeatedly named "Most Livable State in the Nation" partly because of the strength of its support for the arts.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press said, "We are recognized nationally for the exceptional quality of our 31,000 working artists and 1,600 arts organizations. In 1998, almost 9 million people attended non-profit arts events statewide; outnumbering the people who attended sports events."
The Minnesota Citizens for the Arts points out that arts strengthen the state’s economy, promote tourism and are a vital part of a complete education.
Here is some pro-arts information from MCA:
o"A vibrant arts community is critical to how corporations decide where to locate, and how people decide where to work." (Megatrends and Megatrends 2000, John Naisbitt)
o"Arts availability in a community enables local employers to attract and retain higher skilled employees." (Warren Satterlee, President and CEO, Great Plains Natural Gas Company, Fergus Falls)
oOn a promotional tour to Canada, former Gov. Jesse Ventura was asked what Minnesota has to offer to Canadian tourists. His reply was "Our theaters, our museums, our culture. We have everything New York has without the hassles."
