By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Eliot Spitzer came into office promising everything would change on day one. But many are hoping new governor David Paterson will take a more circumspect approach. That includes Spitzer appointees who were just getting their feet wet.
Heather Hitchens, who was appointed by Spitzer, has been Executive Director for the state Council on the Arts only since last August. And the former president for the prestigious Meet the Composer program was excited about the opportunity to advocate even more widely on behalf of the arts. Hitchens said the scandal stalled that momentum temporarily. But she said not for long, because there is too much work to do.
Hitchens was in Buffalo last week to meet with the local arts council. The state council supports local artists and arts organizations with millions of dollars of state funding each year. Hitchens said she is not overly concerned about the future of arts funding under the Paterson administration - even with a $4.6 billion deficit looming. She said Paterson is known as an arts supporter. And Hitchens said there is a good economic argument for arts funding.
She said Buffalo is a great example of a city with tremendous potential to benefit from a vibrant arts community. Hitchens said she is excited about working more with local arts leaders in her role under the Paterson administration.
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