Arts Council

To advance and promote arts and culture in the Wichita community

through advocacy, leadership, education and collaboration.

2008 Arts Council Board of Directors & Ex-Officio Members

Board of Directors

• Sharon Mallory, Chairman of the Board
• Dora Timmerman, Vice-Chairman/Special Events
• Mike Lowry, Treasurer
• Susan Arnold, Secretary
• Joan Cole, Advocacy Chair
• Judy Goodpasture
• Diana Gordon, Marketing/Membership Chair 
• Ann Keefer, Art Advisory Chair 
• Bob Lamkey, Policy and Procedures Chair 
• Steve Peters, Cultural Funding Chair
• Norm Terry
• Courtney Ruthven

Ex-Officio Members

• Sharon Fearey
• Helen Galloway
• Olivia Simmons
• Lavonta Williams

Become a member of the Arts Council and help support the arts!
pdf - Arts Council Membership Form 
word - Arts Council Membership Form

History

In March of 1999, the Arts Council entered into a formal agreement with the City of Wichita to serve as the designated focal point for the implementation of the City's cultural arts plan. The Arts Council serves the 424,000+ residents of the Wichita-Sedgwick County Area and has accepted the responsibilities to strengthen all art venues and to promote cultural arts within the community.

Mission Statement

To advance and promote arts and culture in the Wichita community through advocacy, leadership, education and collaboration.

Our Goals

• Create a community calendar of arts and cultural events.

• Encourage and improve tourism/convention attendance at Wichita /Sedgwick County arts and cultural attractions and events.

• Coordinate the creation of a joint marketing program for arts/cultural activities.

• Encourage and promote collaborative activities between arts and cultural organizations.

• Establish strategies and programs that will increase revenues/support for all arts and cultural organizations.

• Encourage new and support existing neighborhood-based arts and cultural outreach programs

Our Services

• Facilitated the development of the Cultural Funding Committee who granted $1,080,270 in funds from the City of Wichita to 30 arts organizations for 2008.

• Sponsorship of a full-service website (www.wichitaarts.com) featuring the only Cultural Arts calendar in the area. Growing to over 2,000 hits per month, the calendar is easily accessible to citizens throughout the county as well as those traveling from outside of Kansas. The website offers information and contact information for and about artists, galleries, museums, and arts and cultural organizations.

• Presentation of the Annual Art Awards, which honor area individuals, businesses and associations that support the arts throughout Sedgwick County.

• Sponsorship and support for youth programs including fieldtrips and a variety of CityArts programs.

• Offers local artists and arts organizations visibility by supporting the gift shop and exhibit gallery located in the CityArts building. These venues offer artists a unique opportunity to sell their original creations. Artists are allowed to keep 70% of their gross sales. Artists showing in the gift shop and exhibit gallery are promoted by post cards, e-mail press releases and website announcements. The Arts Council sponsors free, open to the public artist receptions in the exhibit gallery.