Bloomington arts council to appeal suspension

By Andy Graham, Herald-Times

agraham@heraldt.com

The Bloomington Area Arts Council is formally suspended as an Indiana Arts Commission regional partner for at least the fiscal year that began July 1, IAC Executive Director Lewis Ricci confirmed today.

Ricci said the commission's ruling resulted from an IAC audit evaluating three areas - governance/management, programs/services and finances. He said the BAAC was found wanting in all three, in at least some respects, by the IAC commissioners. He did not specify why.

BAAC interim director Rob Hanrahan released a prepared statement today noting the IAC had found no impropriety of the BAAC's handling of grant money and that the BAAC is appealing the suspension.