Arts

Bob Workman was named director of the Ulrich Museum in November of last year. He has a strong arts and museum administration background that started at the Ulrich back when he was a student at Wichita State University in the late 1970s.

“This is the place that really launched my art career, so when the opportunity presented itself to return to Wichita and lead the Ulrich to its next phase of growth I was very excited to have that chance,” says Workman.

The new agency formed to fill the gap in Kansas arts funding began it’s first round of grant opportunities this week, but the grants are very different from those that were offered through the now defunct Kansas Arts Commission.

The agency that was formed by the 2012 Kansas legislature to replace the Kansas Arts Commission is holding a series of public input meetings.

The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (CAIC) seeks public input to guide future activities and to help draft a strategic plan for FY 2014 that starts July 1.

The CIAC was awarded $700,000 for operations and grants in fiscal year 2013. It was the first time that state funding was available for Kansas arts agencies since Gov. Sam Brownback fired the staff of the Kansas Arts Commission and vetoed arts funding in 2011.