The Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts is trying to expand enrollment and space, but the summer program will have to compete for extra funding to make up for a decrease in its state appropriation.
GSA has proposed a two-year budget of over $1 million that would almost double enrollment to 400 for the three-week arts program, but the legislature is still faced with a slow recovery since the recession and there will be competition for funding, said GSA Executive Director Carrie Nath.
“Everyone’s going in there, everyone needs more money, everyone truly believes their program is the most important program, and the fact is they’re all important,” she said.
Interest in the program has grown, but GSA has been unable to expand.
“We really want to extend to a second campus. I mean last year we had 1,750 students apply and out of that we can only sever 224 and that’s strictly budgetary,” Nath said.
The Cabinet for Tourism, Arts and Heritage has reduced appropriations to the program by nearly 30-percent over the last few years. Almost half of the budget is now raised through donations.
GSA will plead its case before the legislature early next year, said Nath.
Applications for the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts summer program are due by year’s end. The three-week summer program celebrates its 25th anniversary next year.