City of LG Eyeing Arts & Culture Fund

The La Grange City Council met Monday night to discuss the establishment of a La Grange Arts and Culture Fund.

City Manager Jack Thompson proposed the idea.

“A good and robust arts program has throughout the United States shown to be a very viable way to encourage more tourism, sales tax with visits to the community,” Thompson said. “It helps build a robust economy. It’s one of those pieces to the puzzle.”

Under Thompson’s proposal, the City would contribute $50,000 in seed money for a “quasi-endowed fund” to be administered by the Greater Fayette Community Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit. The seed money would come from the City’s hotel occupancy tax (HOT) revenue. The fund would hopefully attract other philanthropic donors. The money could be used to fund grants for public art installations such as outdoor sculptures or murals. An advisory council would review applications and recommend grant awards.

“People can donate to it and raise funds for helping us create an arts program,” Thompson said. “This is something we didn’t want to just fall on the City’s shoulders. We are asking for seed money to begin this program. However, at the end of the day, it’s really meant to become the community’s Art’s Council.”

Several council members expressed interest in the idea but raised some concerns as well. Councilman Ken Taylor and Councilwoman Violet Zbranek questioned why this idea was not first brought before the City’s Tourism Committee, which oversees HOT spending.

Thompson said the com- mittee normally reviews and recommends grant applications for specific purposes, such as grants to cover advertising expenses for local events that draw visitors to town. But he agreed to meet with the committee to gather their input on the arts proposal.

Furthermore, Taylor expressed concern about an “irrevocable clause” in the terms that would establish the fund.

The terms presented Monday night stated the following: “The contribution is irrevocable, and (The Greater Fayette Community Foundation) shall be the sole and exclusive owner of the fund.”

“If this thing doesn’t make it, and I hope it does, but the $50,000 – poof – it’s gone,” Taylor said. “We have no right to get it back.”

Greater Fayette Community Foundation CEO Susannah Mikulin said her organization would agree to remove the irrevocable clause.

The Council ultimately decided to take no action while they and the tourism committee review the proposal more closely.