Oklahoma Arts Council warns of federal funding risk, seeks rent and move funds and outlines Route 66 public‑art investments

Amber Sharples, executive director of the Oklahoma Arts Council, told the A & B Subcommittee on Education that the agency remains dependent in part on federal National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) dollars and has contingency plans if those funds shrink. “On January 8, the US House of Representatives has passed a bill, allocating $207,000,000 to the federal agency for the arts, the National Endowment for the Arts,” Sharples said, describing the federal update and noting the Senate and presidential actions still must follow.

Sharples reviewed the council’s recent ARPA program: a $10,000,000 state ARPA allocation that supports arts nonprofits statewide, of which the council had paid out $7,955,000 (81%) to date across 178 nonprofit recipients. She described program reach (serving 76 of 77 counties across a 15‑year grantmaking analysis) and said the council prioritized arts education, rural reach and vulnerable populations when planning for potential federal cuts.

The council sought recurring and one‑time state funds connected to its offices in the Jim Thorpe Building. Sharples said recurring rent costs to return to the 3rd‑floor Jim Thorpe space would be $172,575 per year and requested $97,425 in one‑time funds for move and furnishing costs, including museum‑quality storage for artworks. She explained some items are not included in the OMES base furnishing package and that the Arts Council has staffing vacancies that limit capacity for tours and education programming.

Sharples also outlined cultural economic initiatives, including Route 66 public art in partnership with the Department of Transportation and the Lieutenant Governor’s office; she said the Arts Council planned roughly $7,000,000 in monumental public art (first fast‑track project slated for Wellston) to draw visitors and support local economies. She said the council is discussing Olympic‑related arts activity planning with local partners and highlighted ongoing efforts to prepare for increased visitor demand.

Committee members asked whether NEA cuts would force program suspensions. Sharples said the council had modeled a range of options; immediate steps would include keeping certain vacancies open and prioritizing cuts in larger urban organizations while preserving rural and education programs where possible. She listed programs that would be at risk under deep federal cuts, including the Capital Field Trip Art Grants, classroom supply grants, after‑school arts programs and the arts‑in‑the‑military initiative.

Sharples said the council is tracking opportunities to staff up docent and education positions in anticipation of larger events, but noted capacity constraints and that a full curator‑of‑education position is included in the FY 2027 request to restore educational outreach capacity. The hearing proceeded to a break and then a reconvening time was announced; no formal legislative action or vote was taken during this session.