Thursday, May 28, 2009

AMPERS receives $2,650,000 from MN Legacy Amendment



by Maggie Montgomery

The 12 Independent Public Radio/AMPERS stations of Minnesota received news on May 19, 2008 that they were allocated $2,650,000 for the first two years of Minnesota’s Clean Water, Land and Legacy funding. The funding comes from a constitutional amendment, approved by voters last fall, that implements an added sales tax to pay for arts and cultural heritage activities (in addition to improving Minnesota’s natural environment).
The funds have to be used to “create, produce, acquire, or distribute programs that educate, enhance, or promote local, regional, or statewide items of artistic, cultural, or historic significance.” The money is specifically for creation of noncommercial radio programs that are broadcast. Stations must also archive the programs produced with these funds and make them available to other broadcasters and public educational institutions.
How AMPERS will handle and distribute the funds will be a big topic at the association’s annual meeting in June. Obviously, the available money opens many options for all the stations, including KAXE, because it will add to their capacity to produce arts and cultural programming for their listeners and communities of service. Do you have ideas for arts and cultural programming you’d like to hear on KAXE? If so, let us know. We’re just beginning to consider the possibilities!

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