Arts Commission eliminates two grant programs

After receiving heavily reduced funding for the 2010 fiscal year, the Indiana Arts Commission eliminated two grant programs and scaled back money for others.

The state budget, which passed June 30, reduced expected funds for the arts commission by 20 percent in addition to a state-mandated 5 percent budget holdback for all agencies, according to a press release.

The Presenter Touring Program, which gave money for  artists and ensembles to tour rural Indiana, was one of the cut programs.

The other, the American Masterpieces program, was co-sponsored with the National Endowment for the Arts and aimed to bring national-level arts organizations to the state through education and touring programs, according to the Indiana Arts Commission Web site.

The organization met earlier this summer to discuss budgeting prior to the state budget’s passage. The organization did not expect a 20 percent decrease and scheduled an emergency meeting July 20.

“The additional reduction made it necessary to call a special commission meeting earlier this month to finalize our FY2010 budget,” said Lewis Ricci, executive director of the IAC, in the release.

In addition to program eliminations, block grants to regional organizations were slated to be scaled back by 21 percent.