Dear Governor Brownback:

I lived in Kansas for 20 years. From ages 2 to 22. I was educated in Kansas – both in the public schools and at the University of Kansas. I love the Midwest – its seasons, its open space, its practicality. I’m the kind of person it should be easy to get to stay there. So, why don’t I live in Kansas anymore?

I packed my truck to move to Minnesota the night I finished my last commitment at the University. In the last 13 years I can safely tell you that no one--not one single person--has ever asked why I left Kansas. Because my career is in the arts. The assumption is that, because I wanted to make a career and a living in the arts, I had to leave Kansas.

It’s not impossible to make a living in the arts in Kansas – I have many friends who are making a go of it—but the opportunities are scarce. And you’ve just made those opportunities even scarcer by eliminating support for the Kansas Arts Commission. The short-sightedness and recklessness of this decision have been well documented. A loss of over a million dollars in national and regional matching funds, loss of opportunities for children to participate in creative expression, loss of jobs – none of those things have swayed you. So I’m not optimistic that this story will either, but maybe it will make the reality of your action a little more tangible.

What is the consequence when one 22 year old with a theater degree from one of the best programs in the region decides they can’t stay in Kansas to make their life and their career? Who cares? Does that really have any impact on the state’s health or economy?

There’s a financial consequence: In the last 13 years, I’ve paid approximately $22,000 in state income taxes and $15,000 in state sales tax. I bought a car, a house, had a wedding – all in Minnesota. That money could have gone to the Sunflower State instead of the Gopher State.

Beyond that, since I moved to Minnesota, my entire family has moved here, too. They moved here, in part, because they also care about the arts. None of them work directly in the arts, but they see cultural opportunity as a necessary part of a community they want to live in. So, three adult children who grew up in Kansas, took advantage of its public education and other services and then chose to pay their taxes, make their livelihood, volunteer, vote and serve in another state. Plus, two retired parents who made their whole careers in Kansas, who then chose to spend their retirement years and income in another state.

Just for the 5 members of my immediate family who have relocated to Minnesota, I estimate that Kansas has given up about $100,000 in state and sales tax income so far (not to mention the numerous other ways that we contribute to the local economy.) By that calculation, your veto of the Arts Commission budget only has to convince a handful of young, energetic college graduates that they’d be better off somewhere else for Kansas to be worse off financially because of this decision.

And those are just the direct actions that I feel confident tying to the lack of opportunity and support for the arts in Kansas. But there are also ripple effects: my siblings and I have six young children who will grow up expecting and understanding the value of vibrant support for culture and who will have little incentive to locate their lives in Kansas. In short, Governor Brownback, I think you’ve lost this family for good.

And that makes me sad. Kansas is a wonderful place-a great place to raise children, with a beautiful landscape and a surprisingly diverse population. There are also really excellent cultural opportunities in Kansas. Just not enough of them to keep me there.

Your actions have taken away opportunities for young people to find their voice, for citizens to make their communities better, and for the cultural traditions of Kansas to be preserved. Your actions have taken away very real income opportunities and jobs for the state of Kansas. And you’ve made sure that no one ever will ask me why I left Kansas.

Sincerely,

Laura Zabel

# posted by laura @ 10:36 PM 0 Comments

New Community Health Clinic on West 7th in St. Paul

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve driven down West Seventh Street in St. Paul. In high school, I spent two summers as an apprentice painting at the old Schmidt Brewery through COMPAS’ ArtsWork program. Heck, our ArtsWork group was even banned from the West 7^th McDonalds for re-using beverage cups (I know what you’re thinking, but I promise I was not the culprit.) Since then, I’m happy to say I’ve discovered some nicer restaurants and shared many wonderful meals with great company on that street.

Last week, I found myself taking that familiar drive to an unfamiliar location, United Family Medicine. Laura and I were invited to tour the community clinic, located in the new ‘Peter J. King Family Health Center’ on the corner of West 7^th and Randolph. I was surprised to find that this new destination evoked feelings of warmth and nostalgia; feelings that I’ve come to associate with this historic street (well, with the exception of McDonalds).

So, what creates this kind of welcoming environment? First, the clinic, whose history dates back to 1930, serves all people regardless of insurance status. As a federally qualified health center, uninsured and underinsured patients can apply for a sliding fee scale based on income and family size (this is determined easily via your last tax return). The clinic employs Patient Advocates to help you determine eligibility and apply for the sliding fee scale. For those with insurance, the clinic accepts more than 400 insurance carriers. As CEO Jeanne Bailey explained, the providers are there for you during all stages of your life. Just because you lose or change your insurance, you shouldn’t have to change doctors.

This same thought extends to the design of the new site. The clinic is light-filled and open, encompassing a whopping 31,000 square feet with forty exam and treatment rooms. The building is beautiful, yet unassuming, and easily accessible from a bus line. There’s also plenty of free parking via an attached ramp.

We're working to start up an Artists’ Access to Healthcare (AAH) pilot program with the clinic, offering $40 vouchers to use like a gift certificate towards primary, mental and even urgent care services (which can be oh-so-helpful for those pesky injuries like broken bones and cuts). United Family Medicine can also provide admittance to and care at United Hospital and Children’s Hospital in St. Paul (though the hospitals won’t be part of the voucher program.)

Those who have used the AAH voucher program know that we currently partner with three low-cost clinics, all located in Minneapolis. So I am especially thrilled that our neighbors here in St. Paul can connect to a more conveniently located option for high-quality care!

For more info about the United vouchers, please stay tuned to our e-newsletter in early June or click here to sign-up.

-Nikki

# posted by Springboard for the Arts @ 11:35 AM 0 Comments

Labels: Andy Sturdevant, archive, infotainment, resource center

# posted by Springboard for the Arts @ 10:12 AM 0 Comments

A couple weeks ago, the Kaiser Family Foundation released the results of a poll finding that nearly half of Americans don't know that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act- aka Healthcare Reform- is still the law. Despite a vote to repeal in the House (later rejected by the Senate), not only is it still the law, but a handful of important provisions are already in effect.

When I set out to write this post, I intended to share one of the law’s already-established benefits that artists with any kind of health insurance should be taking advantage of. I've since discovered that this new pathway to ‘Free Preventive Care’ is not as straightforward as one would hope. According to the law, those with any health insurance plan (even high-deductible health insurance) purchased on or after September 23, 2010, have the right to free preventive healthcare. That means no co-payment, co-insurance or deductible. The services and those they are recommended for can be found at http://www.healthcare.gov/law/about/provisions/services/lists.html

Sounds lovely, but read the legislation further and you’ll find some exceptions:

1) If your preventative service was the not the primary reason for your visit, co-insurance may apply.*

2) Your insurance company can require you to see a provider that is in your plan’s “network” in order for the service to be covered in full.

3) Many of the guidelines do not say how often you can receive a recommended preventative health service. In these instances, it’s up to the insurance company to determine how often they will cover the services.

*For examples, check out Part 147 of the Affordable Care Act by clicking here

Still, what I find most confusing to us as consumers is something that is completely left out of the provision: What qualifies a service as ‘preventive’ in the first place? According to the guidelines that both healthcare and health insurance providers use for medical coding and reporting (developed by two agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services):

Preventive "screening" is the testing for disease or disease precursors in seemingly well individuals so that early detection and treatment can be provided for those who test positive for the disease.


The testing of a person to rule out or confirm a suspected diagnosis because the patient has some sign or symptom is a diagnostic examination, not a screening. In these cases, the sign or symptom is used to explain the reason for the test. (Examples: rectal bleeding, unexplained iron deficiency anemia, unexplained weight loss.)

So, generally speaking, if you have no symptoms and no reason to suspect you may have the ailment they’re testing for, the service must be billed as ‘preventive’ and must be free under the Affordable Care Act. However, it seems that there are a number of things that influence your service to be considered a ‘diagnostic examination’ and, therefore, ineligible to be covered under the Affordable Care Act. They may include a previous diagnosis, symptoms, or family history of the ailment you’re being screened. I’ve even read that your 'preventive' screening may change to ‘diagnostic’ if treatment is required during the procedure (for example, polyps removed during a colonoscopy).

This won’t be the case with all providers and the last thing I want to do is discourage anyone from seeking the preventative healthcare they need. But, to prevent any surprise charges, I encourage you to check with your insurance company and healthcare provider prior to making an appointment to understand your benefits and what steps to take to make sure the screening is billed as ‘preventive’ (such as what type of appointment to request). And get it in writing while you’re at it.

Obviously, it’s reasons like this that Springboard created its Artists’ Access to Healthcare (AAH) voucher program, Free Screening Days and Free Flu Shot Clinics. There’s no fine print. If you’re an artist or arts administrator and are uninsured or underinsured, you qualify. However, just because we keep things straightforward with our own programs, doesn’t mean there isn’t value in knowing how the healthcare system works. If you’d like to learn more, check out healthcare.gov, The Kaiser Family Foundation and other resources in our Guides to Healthcare for Artists. You certainly may not like everything you discover, but keep in mind that knowing the system means knowing how to best use it to your advantage.

- Nikki

# posted by Springboard for the Arts @ 9:23 AM 0 Comments

Labels: advice, art collecting, art love

# posted by Noah @ 2:21 PM 1 Comments

Why I'm impatient with #supplydemand...or how a long Minnesota winter can make you beg for faster change.

A couple weeks ago at the new play convening at Arena Stage, NEA chairman Rocco Landesman said, “You can either increase demand or decrease supply. Demand is not going to increase, so it is time to think about decreasing supply.“ His follow up blog was a call for conversation. And he got it…a lot of conversation. Some of it very thoughtful, well researched and insightful.

But to what end? I can’t help feeling like none of this discussion really includes any practical solutions or ideas for action. We seem to mostly be debating the semantics of the argument – “what does oversupply really mean?”, “Demand by what definition?”

It’s hard to have this conversation in any real way without pointing to organizations we think are part of the problem—which no one, understandably, is willing to do. But I really wonder if the issue of supply and demand isn’t a red herring? In my experience, organizations that have drifted off their mission or whose impact is lagging, do get less support and often struggle and sometimes close. And, while there is usually sadness and hand wringing when that happens, in a short amount of time other groups pick up the pieces and new projects are started that fill those needs, if indeed the need still exists.

I’m much more interested in Chairman Landesman’s idea that we should support the “survival of the most creative and most dynamic.”

Since I’m dangerously close to contributing more talking to this topic, let me see if I can put on the table two suggestions for practical things we can do to avoid being one of those faltering organizations and, instead, be part of the “creative and most dynamic.”

1. Create a culture of innovation and change. Organizations need to create cultures that allow new ideas to sprout and grow quickly. We need to be able to see new audiences or new delivery mechanisms and try new things quickly. Instead of using big business as a model for how we create infrastructure--where mergers, take-overs, growth and consolidation are the goals, why don’t we look to the artistic process as a model instead? I believe that organizations that can work like artists are the ones that will be successful – organizations that place a high value on experimentation, constructive failure and rapid learning.

2. Reach outside of the sector. Let’s look at models from local food, urban agriculture, community organizing, and social entrepreneurship for help and partnership. We can’t talk about these seismic cultural changes with only ourselves and expect to have a big impact. To remain relevant we have to lift our heads up from our own work long enough to see what’s happening in the rest of the world and figure out how we connect to it.

Neither of these are revolutionary or new ideas - we've talked about them a lot. But there seems to be a gap between talk and action.

I think the solution to the #supplydemand question is simple:

Innovate. Collaborate. Be relevant. Now.

It’s the work to do those things that is hard. So maybe we should get to it?

# posted by laura @ 10:13 AM 2 Comments

It takes a village to make it to 20 years.

2011 is Springboard for the Arts’ 20^th year.

I have mixed feelings about celebrating anniversaries for organizations. On the one hand, merely surviving doesn’t seem to really be cause for celebration – 20 years is only meaningful if you actually did something with all the time, resources and people that have to exist for an organization to hit such a milestone. On the other hand, we really like celebrating. And on the third hand, there are some amazing people and resources that have contributed to those 20 years and all of the things we’ve been able to accomplish during them. So this anniversary seems like a good opportunity to reflect a bit on all that Springboard has accomplished over the last two decades and all of the important conditions and people who have made that possible.

Springboard is one of the oldest professional development organizations for artists in the country and is considered a national leader in the field of artist economic development. And I think that’s because this community has such a long history of valuing and supporting its artists. A non-Minnesotan said to me once that people in their community don’t understand that “art comes from artists.” It made me realize that, for the most part, we do understand that in Minnesota and in the Upper Midwest. We understand that you need healthy vibrant artists to have a culture of creativity and a quality of life that make people want to live in a place where it’s possible to get two feet of snow in 12 hours.

In addition to the general community and the way we value art, there are some specific individuals and organizations that can take a lot of credit for our last 20 years. There have been over 100 volunteers who have served Springboard as board members since 1991, contributing thousands of hours of time and other resources to make sure that this organization was serving artists and the community in the best way possible. There have been amazing individual and institutional supporters, especially the Jerome Foundation and the McKnight Foundation who have been with Springboard almost from the beginning and have contributed much more than financial support to our success. There have been hundreds of important partners who have helped us create and find the resources that artists need. There is ArtSpace who has provided a sustainable, affordable home for us in a neighborhood that feeds our mission every day. There have been incredible staff members, including Barbara Davis, Joan Wells, and our beloved Chris Osgood, whose leadership and commitment to artists helped develop the unique way that we serve our community. And there have been nearly 100,000 artists who have used our services, trusted us with their healthcare, legal and other challenges, contributed their ideas and experiences to our teaching and served as a constant reminder of the reason we do this work. Thank you.

I’m thrilled and daunted (in the best possible way) to look ahead to the next 20 years and eager for each of you to be a part of that journey.

# posted by laura @ 9:08 PM 0 Comments