Arts Commission

Purpose

The Osawatomie Arts Commission’s function is to continue to develop public art and arts and culture activities within the City of Osawatomie, and to recommend to the City Council each year, prior to adoption of the City budget, a budget for arts and culture-related projects or improvements.

Commission members work to design, develop, and fund arts and culture-related projects in and around the City of Osawatomie.

Definition of Arts and Culture

For the purposes of the Commission’s studies and recommendations, public art and arts and culture shall mean:

Public Art: “Public art can express community values, enhance our environment, transform a landscape, heighten our awareness, or question our assumptions. Placed in public sites, this art is there for everyone, a form of collective community expression. Public art is a reflection of how we see the world – the artist’s response to our time and place combined with our own sense of who we are.” (AssociationforPublicArt.org)

Arts: A vast subdivision of culture, composed of many creative endeavors and disciplines. The arts encompass visual arts, literary arts and the performing arts.

Culture: A set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that define a group of people, such as the people of a particular region. Culture includes the elements that characterize a particular peoples' way of life.

The goal of the Commission is to focus primarily on the introduction and implementation of public art projects, and arts and culture projects within and around the City limits, and to develop public art projects that may also integrate with other public art projects, installations, or objectives in the region including metropolitan Kansas City and other rural or urban centers.

Description of Commission Duties

  • Recommend priorities and an annual action for public art funding and installation using information from existing public art or engagement plans and specific study of other successful program implementation.
  • Obtain public art project funding for approved City public art projects, leveraging funding to the greatest extent possible using matching funds, grants, partnerships, donations, and other cooperative approaches.
  • Coordinate project recommendations with the decision making and budgeting processes of the City.
  • Develop, coordinate, or organize other activities determined to be necessary to accomplish the goals of the Commission.

Download Arts Commission Procedure and Policy Booklet

Board Vacancies

When a board member vacates their position, or as a member's term expires, the City of Osawatomie will seek to fill the position immediately. Persons interested in serving are required to submit a completed Public Service Application to be considered for appointment. City Staff and/or current Board members may conduct brief interviews with applicants if necessary or desired.

Staff Contacts

Name Title Phone
Samantha Moon Assistant to the City Manager - Staff Designee (913) 755-2146 Ext. 103

Board Members

Name Title
Sarah Dorsett Secretary
Shay Hanysak Vice-Chairperson
Emily Duncan
Heather Burke
Jordy Goff
Elizabeth Holmes
Nicole Henness Chairperson
Dale Bratton City Council Liaison