Highland City Council denies additional funds for annual art festival
Another arts festival has seen a request for funding increase denied by the Highland City Council.
The Highland Arts Council requested an increase from $8,000 to $10,000 in the city’s investment in the annual art fair. Council president Lynnette Schuepbach explained the festival needed to spend more on advertising, as in the past they had had their booklet and ad insert printed by the Belleville News-Democrat, but was no longer able to do so.
“To keep up the advertising, we had to print the book ourselves, and do an insert for the paper,” Schuepbach said.
Funding for tourist events like the art fair comes from Highland’s hotel tax funds, and councilman Rick Frey said he was concerned every festival would then want an increase in funding.
“I’m just trying to be careful with city money,” he said.
The $10,000 would have provided funds for both the art fair and the Plein Air Festival, taking place in early October. The festival has been operating for 17 years, with a two-day juried exhibit of artists in several media and approximately 9,000 attendees.
“We treat artists like the royalty they are,” the application read.
But some council members suggested the arts council should seek the increase from the private donors, whose support comprises approximately $14,000 of the festival’s $41,000 budget. They also receive $1,990 in grants and $900 in individual donations, according to its application. Sponsors include Hearst Publications, the Belleville News-Democrat, Edward Jones, Highland Rotary, St. Louis Homes and Lifestyle Magazine and others.
The council voted 3-1 to reduce the request from $10,000 to $8,000, the same as last year. Councilwoman Peggy Bellm abstained due to her own participation in the art fair, and Mayor Joe Michaelis voted in favor of the reduction. Councilman John Hipskind voted no.
The council then voted unanimously in favor of the $8,000 donation, with Bellm abstaining.
Schuepbach declined to comment on the council’s decision.
It isn’t the first time the council has balked at a nonprofit’s request for arts funding. In June 2019, the council turned down a request from the Highland Chamber of Commerce for $6,254 for the street art festival, which included $800 for new signage.
Highland’s Art in the Park will take place Friday, Oct. 9, through Sunday, Oct. 11, with the plein air event Wednesday, Oct. 7, through Friday, Oct. 9, in Lindendale Park and the Madison County Expo Hall.