James Metzen (DFL) Incumbent

1. Minnesota’s nearly 1600 non-profit arts organizations provide access to the arts and support quality of life in every corner of the state. While providing over 22,000 jobs, arts organizations served nearly 12.3 million people in 2009.

Question: What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year?Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other

Answer: Music, Theater, Visual Arts

2. What’s on your iPod?

Answer: No Response

3. The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, passed by 56% of the voters in November 2008, created the new Arts and Culture Fund. The constitutional amendment stated that these funds “may be spent only for arts, arts education, and arts access and to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage.” It also states that “The dedicated money under this section must supplement traditional sources of funding for these purposes and may not be used as a substitute.” MCA led the arts community campaign to pass the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment so that all Minnesotans would get access to the arts via the grants and services of the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council system, which ensures that people in all 87 counties get access to the arts.

Question: Will you support at least 50% of the Arts and Culture Fund being dedicated to the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council system, to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the arts, regardless of their geographic location, through grants that reach all 87 Minnesota counties?

Enthusiastically Support; Support; Neutral; Opposed

Answer: Enthusiastically Support

4. Nonprofit, tax exempt organizations provide social services, health services, education and arts to the public. Under Minnesota law, nonprofit organizations have been free from paying sales or property taxes because their services benefit the public.

Question: Do you agree or disagree that nonprofit organizations should continue to be free from paying taxes?

Agree; Disagree; No Opinion

Answer: Agree

5. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years. The arts are required both by No Child Left Behind and also by Minnesota’s student academic standards, but our schools are not required to report how they are meeting those standards.

Question: Would you support policies to increase accountability for school standards in the arts?

Enthusiastically Support, Support, Neutral, Opposed

Answer: Support

6. Comments: We would welcome any additional comments you would like to make with regards to the arts in Minnesota. Please use additional pages as necessary.

Like many Minnesotans, the arts and cultural opportunities in our state are a great source of pride for me, and are part of the reason Minnesota is often ranked as one of the best places to live. I have voted in favor of the arts many times including policy initiatives, general fund support and capital bonding projects. I am proud to have been supported by the arts community in past elections, and hope that I can count on your support again this year.

Rick Hansen (DFL) Incumbent

1. Minnesota’s nearly 1600 non-profit arts organizations provide access to the arts and support quality of life in every corner of the state. While providing over 22,000 jobs, arts organizations served nearly 12.3 million people in 2009.

Question: What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year?Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other

Answer: Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance

2. What’s on your iPod?

Answer: Owl City’s Fireflies

3. The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, passed by 56% of the voters in November 2008, created the new Arts and Culture Fund. The constitutional amendment stated that these funds “may be spent only for arts, arts education, and arts access and to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage.” It also states that “The dedicated money under this section must supplement traditional sources of funding for these purposes and may not be used as a substitute.” MCA led the arts community campaign to pass the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment so that all Minnesotans would get access to the arts via the grants and services of the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council system, which ensures that people in all 87 counties get access to the arts.

Question: Will you support at least 50% of the Arts and Culture Fund being dedicated to the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council system, to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the arts, regardless of their geographic location, through grants that reach all 87 Minnesota counties?

Enthusiastically Support; Support; Neutral; Opposed

Answer: Opposed

4. Nonprofit, tax exempt organizations provide social services, health services, education and arts to the public. Under Minnesota law, nonprofit organizations have been free from paying sales or property taxes because their services benefit the public.

Question: Do you agree or disagree that nonprofit organizations should continue to be free from paying taxes?

Agree; Disagree; No Opinion

Answer: Agree

5. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years. The arts are required both by No Child Left Behind and also by Minnesota’s student academic standards, but our schools are not required to report how they are meeting those standards.

Question: Would you support policies to increase accountability for school standards in the arts?

Enthusiastically Support, Support, Neutral, Opposed

Answer: Enthusiastically Support

6. Comments: We would welcome any additional comments you would like to make with regards to the arts in Minnesota. Please use additional pages as necessary.

I have been a strong supporter of the arts and the Legacy Amendment, however, although an admirable goal, I do not support an arbitrary 50% carve out from the Constitutional funds for the next 23 years. The Legislature should have the flexibility to prioritize based on need, rather than a set percentage. We need to strengthen arts in schools programs through all ages.

Joe Atkins (DFL) Incumbent

1. Minnesota’s nearly 1600 non-profit arts organizations provide access to the arts and support quality of life in every corner of the state. While providing over 22,000 jobs, arts organizations served nearly 12.3 million people in 2009.

Question: What arts activities have you attended, participated in or supported in the last year?Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Dance, Other

Answer: Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Dance

2. What’s on your iPod?

Answer: An eclectic mix.

3. The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, passed by 56% of the voters in November 2008, created the new Arts and Culture Fund. The constitutional amendment stated that these funds “may be spent only for arts, arts education, and arts access and to preserve Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage.” It also states that “The dedicated money under this section must supplement traditional sources of funding for these purposes and may not be used as a substitute.” MCA led the arts community campaign to pass the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment so that all Minnesotans would get access to the arts via the grants and services of the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council system, which ensures that people in all 87 counties get access to the arts.

Question: Will you support at least 50% of the Arts and Culture Fund being dedicated to the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Council system, to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to the arts, regardless of their geographic location, through grants that reach all 87 Minnesota counties?

Enthusiastically Support; Support; Neutral; Opposed

Answer: Enthusiastically Support

4. Nonprofit, tax exempt organizations provide social services, health services, education and arts to the public. Under Minnesota law, nonprofit organizations have been free from paying sales or property taxes because their services benefit the public.

Question: Do you agree or disagree that nonprofit organizations should continue to be free from paying taxes?

Agree; Disagree; No Opinion

Answer: Agree

5. Research shows that students with high levels of arts participation outperform other students on virtually every measure from standardized tests to community participation, and that learning through the arts has a significant effect on learning in other areas, particularly in the early years. The arts are required both by No Child Left Behind and also by Minnesota’s student academic standards, but our schools are not required to report how they are meeting those standards.

Question: Would you support policies to increase accountability for school standards in the arts?

Enthusiastically Support, Support, Neutral, Opposed

Answer: Enthusiastically Support

6. Comments: We would welcome any additional comments you would like to make with regards to the arts in Minnesota. Please use additional pages as necessary.