More than 20 community meetings took place across Kansas City last week – morning, noon and night – to discuss the future of the city’s arts and cultural policy. It’s the first comprehensive review since 1997.
Porter Arneill is the Director and Public Art Administrator for the Kansas City Municipal Art Commission. Arneill says the community-outreach meetings - he attended more than a dozen - provided lots of insights from the 500 participants. But he knows there are some gaps.
"And we want to talk to the other people that might be intimidated or might not see arts as a primary source in their lives," says Arneill." So we’re going to find ways to reach out a little more."
Arneill says they’ll continue to seek ideas and feedback through meetings and the Mayor’s Task Force for the Arts website that’s up through February.
An assessment and planning report, based on the information collected will be submitted to the City Council. A first draft is expected to be ready late spring.
