Artist Alleges Cronyism in Michigan Arts and Culture Council Grant Distribution
LANSING — Tedda Hughes, an artist, has filed a complaint with the State Board of Ethics, alleging cronyism in the way the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) distributes grants. Hughes claims that Deborah Mikula, a member of the council board, violated conflict of interest rules by voting to approve grants to the Michigan Library Association, where Mikula serves as the executive director, and to another entity where she previously served as president.
Mikula, however, denies any unethical behavior and has the support of the state Attorney General’s Office. Both Mikula and the Attorney General’s Office argue that grant approvals are delegated to the council’s director, Alison Watson, and are simply “rubber stamped” by the council board, whose members are appointed by the governor to support arts and culture in Michigan and award grants.
Hughes, who identifies as a person of color, argues that the council’s procedures, particularly its “invitation only” grant applications offered to entities lacking diversity in their hiring practices, benefit Mikula and her associated groups while disadvantaging artists of color and other marginalized individuals.
The State Board of Ethics, responsible for enforcing the Michigan Ethics Act, will consider the complaint at a meeting in Lansing on Thursday.
In response to the complaint, Mikula and Assistant Attorney General Ryan Wier stated that Mikula disclosed her relationships with both the Michigan Library Association and the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, where she previously served as president and a trustee, in the council’s annual disclosures. They argue that Mikula’s votes to approve grants to these organizations, along with others, did not personally benefit her and therefore did not constitute a violation.
However, Hughes cites a 1978 Board of Ethics opinion that suggests a personal interest encompasses the interest of the member’s employer, even if the member does not receive monetary remuneration. Hughes also highlights the MACC handbook, which states that members should recuse themselves from voting on any organization with which they are affiliated.
The complaint focuses on approximately $600,000 in “service to the field grants” awarded by the MACC, which require an invitation and do not necessitate recipient organizations to provide matching funds. Among these grants, Mikula voted to approve a $40,000 grant to the library association in 2020 and $70,000 grants to the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan in both 2020 and 2021.
Mikula, from Howell, has made presentations to the MACC on behalf of both the library association and the advocacy network, according to the complaint.
Hughes clarifies that she is not requesting the MACC to revise its contracting procedures, but rather enforce existing ones related to anti-discrimination. The complaint includes photos from the library association website, which allegedly depict an all-white staff, and argues that the MACC has failed to uphold the “assurances” within the grant process that the recipient organization will strive for a diverse workforce.
Mikula, who was appointed to the arts council by former Gov. Rick Snyder in 2018 and re-appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2021, has not responded to inquiries regarding staff diversity at the Michigan Library Association.
The MACC awarded 516 grants totaling $11.7 million in the 2022 fiscal year, as stated in its annual report. The complaint primarily focuses on the grants that Mikula voted to approve, which amount to nearly $600,000.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4.
Original Story at www.freep.com – 2023-09-07 10:09:18
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