What does it really take to keep the arts alive in Kansas — and why does it matter more than you might think?

Sarah VanLanduyt wears a lot of hats. As Executive Director of the Arts Council of Johnson County, a Kansas Arts Commissioner, and Board Chair of the Kansas Arts Network, she's one of the people quietly fighting to make sure the creative industries across the state have the funding, infrastructure, and advocacy they need to thrive. In this conversation, we unpack how arts funding actually works at the state level, why artists need advocates in their corner, and how the Kansas Arts Network has built something remarkable in just a few years.

HIGHLIGHTS

Sarah's winding path from history and museum management into the arts world — and why the two have more in common than you'd think
How the Arts Council of Johnson County operates between the nonprofit and government worlds with just a team of two
The Kansas Arts Commission's grant funding model and why it's a dollar-for-dollar match with local communities
How Sarah helped grow the Kansas Arts Commission budget from roughly $100,000 to significantly more through grassroots advocacy
The Kansas Arts Network annual conference and the culture of openness and collaboration it's built across the state
Why the arts are more than aesthetic — they support mental health, workforce development, veteran transition, and community identity
The importance of artists and policy thinkers working together to communicate a compelling story
Kansas outlaws: the Dalton Gang, John Wesley Hardin, Henry Newton Brown, William Quantrill, the Bloody Benders, and Mysterious Dave Mather — plus two truths and a lie for each

CHAPTERS

0:00 – Intro: The Pale Blue Dot Pin & Carl Sagan

1:50 – Welcome & Guest Tease

3:30 – Meet Sarah VanLanduyt

4:07 – Sarah's Kansas Roots & Journey

5:20 – Why the Arts? Her Unexpected Path

7:57 – The Arts Council of Johnson County: Mission & Work

10:12 – The Kansas Arts Commission: Funding & Sarah's Role

15:03 – The Kansas Arts Network & Statewide Collaboration

23:36 – Avoiding Burnout & Refueling the Tank

25:52 – Hope for the Future of Arts in Kansas

27:01 – Making the Case for Arts to Legislators

29:26 – How Art Sparks Community Connection

34:08 – Where in the Rectangle: Outlaws of the Old West

34:48 – The Dalton Gang & Coffeyville

37:21 – John Wesley Hardin in Abilene

39:18 – Henry Newton Brown: Marshall Turned Outlaw

41:37 – William Quantrill & the Lawrence Raid

44:25 – The Bloody Benders: Kansas' Frontier Horror Story

46:23 – Mysterious Dave Mather of Dodge City

50:39 – Outro & How to Bring Ask a Kansan to Your Organization

RESOURCES

Arts Council of Johnson County: https://www.artsjoco.org
Kansas Arts Commission: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/kansas-creative-arts-and-industries-commission-kcaic/
Kansas Arts Network: https://kansasartsnetwork.org
Salina Arts & Humanities: https://www.salinaarts.com

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net