Veto keeps public art dollars open to out-of-state talent

It's about the artists, not the money.

So decided Gov. Chris Gregoire today as she vetoed a provision in the capital budget to bar artists living outside Washington from getting any of this state's public arts funding.

She said she was concerned it would incite retaliation against Washington artists by other states.

Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, authored the two-year prohibition.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "I was just trying to help more artists in the state of Washington."

At stake is about $2 million a year raised though a half-percent allocation from funding of new construction projects by state agencies, community colleges, universities, and public schools.

Washingtonians receive the majority of work now.

Of currently funded projects, the Art in Public Places program has 48 artists under contract of which 35 live in Washington and 13 live in other states.