Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser isn’t proud of how much state funding has been cut from arts programs in Louisiana.
“When I took office and learned that $5.4 million had been cut out of the arts over the last several years, I was embarrassed that we have cut it back to nothing,” Nungesser tells The Shreveport Times, adding that he’s also concerned about dwindling federal dollars.
The lieutenant governor’s tourism budget under former Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne was earmarked $1 million solely for arts programs. Nungesser says increasing that pot of money is a priority for him.
But for now, once divvied up, those state dollars are only a small percentage of what an arts organization needs to plan and execute one program—let alone a year’s worth of educational, outreach and artistic programming for their communities.
Nungesser recently proposed a budget increase to nearly double what’s budgeted for art programs. Under Nungesser, the Decentralized Arts Fund Program budget was increased to $1.95 million for the 2017 fiscal year, which ends June 30.
“This year and next year, I will take money that is here to promote Louisiana to fund some of those programs so we don’t lose federal money,” Nungesser says. “Some of those programs I just can’t say no to because they are such a part of our history and our culture.”
