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As 200 high school students expand their artistic abilities at the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, academy directors worry that next year’s program will not be as extensive as this year's, due to state budget cuts. KSMU’s Kristian Kriner reports.

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Missouri State Fine Arts Academy

Julie Bloodworth, Director of Missouri Fine Arts Academy. Photo Credit: Alex Crowder

Missouri State Fine Arts Academy

KSMU's Kristian Kriner interviews Julie Bloodworth, Director of Missouri Fine Arts Academy. Photo Credit: Alex Crowder

Missouri State Fine Arts Academy

Ellis Hall Photo Credit: Alex Crowder

Missouri State Fine Arts Academy

Students of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy participate in an Interdisciplinary Arts Class. Photo Credit: Alex Crowder

Missouri State Fine Arts Academy

Students of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy participate in an Interdisciplinary Arts Class. Photo Credit: Alex Crowder

Missouri State Fine Arts Academy

Students of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy participate in an Interdisciplinary Arts Class. Photo Credit: Alex Crowder

Missouri State Fine Arts Academy

Students of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy participate in an Interdisciplinary Arts Class. Photo Credit: Alex Crowder

Stomping and clapping echoed throughout the auditorium as 30 students began their first day at the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, also known as MFAA.

MFAA selects fine arts students from high schools across the state to take classes and perform together at the end of three weeks.

Missouri legislators voted to cut the academy’s budget from 300,000 dollars down to around 95,000 dollars for fiscal year 2010.

Julie Bloodworth is the director for the Missouri Fine Arts Academy.

She says their new budget is not adequate to run a three week academy with hundreds of students.

“We are not ready to give up the fight with the legislature. We are looking to try for supplemental funds and we’re also looking toward the future just to see how can Missouri Fine Arts Academy continue with its state-wide mission through private funding, through tuition, through additional university support. We’re not closing any doors,” Bloodworth said.

She says this program is important because it makes the artistic students take risks that they may not have an opportunity to take at their high schools.

Bloodworth says the state pays for everything right now, but if the academy doesn’t get more funding, the students might have to pay.

“The kids don’t pay anything right now and haven’t for 14 years and the reason that is so valuable is number one it sends a really important message from the state that we value your gifts and artistic students don’t always get that message,” Bloodworth said.

She says she’s not surprised that the budget was cut, but she says she is disappointed.

For KSMU News, I’m Kristian Kriner.

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