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ArtsKC Board of Directors Oppose Missouri SJR39
Kansas City Metro (4/19/16) — The Board of Directors of ArtsKC – Regional Arts Council unanimously voted to oppose Senate Joint Resolution 39 (SJR 39) today. ArtsKC stands in opposition beside Gov. Jay Nixon and other good corporate citizens, including the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, VisitKC, Folk Alliance International, MasterCard, and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.
The full text of the letter ArtsKC sent to Missouri Speaker of the House Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, and Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin is below:
ArtsKC is adamantly opposed to Senate Joint Resolution 39. Based in Kansas City since 1999, we believe SJR 39 will harm our relationships with our 10,000 constituents, donors, artists, arts organizations and corporations in a five-county region. SJR39 is bad for business, tourism, and the reputation of the state of Missouri.
Last year, within weeks of passing a similar law in Indiana, Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, resulted in consumer boycotts that harmed businesses and the community. We don’t want this negative fallout repeated in Missouri, harming Missouri businesses, their employees, and the communities that depend on such businesses and employees for economic sustenance and growth.
SJR 39 would enshrine discrimination against the LGBTQIA community in the Missouri Constitution. As an arts organization that supports inclusion, diversity, and equality, we stand firmly against any such legislation. It is in direct opposition of ArtsKC’s 2013 diversity statement.
“ArtsKC – Regional Arts Council is committed to inclusivity and accessibility. The Arts Council seeks to achieve diversity and cultural equity in its leadership, partnerships, grant making and programs. The Arts Council seeks to be a supporter and model for all arts organizations in the region, particularly in areas of board make-up, staffing, training and communications practices. The Arts Council carries out its region-wide mission with proactive efforts to embrace differences of culture, ethnicity, race, religion, international origin, sexual orientation, physical abilities, socio-economic status, age and gender.”
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About ArtsKC
ArtsKC is a diverse, inclusive organization that believes in equality, humanity, and access to the arts for all. The mission of ArtsKC is to unleash the power of the arts. Please visit our website www.artskc.org for more information and follow us on Twitter at @ArtsKC.