Fine Arts director outlines partnerships, funding and staffing needs during board report

Dr. Kurt Schmidt, the district’s executive director of fine arts, told the Rio Rancho Public Schools board April 27 that fine arts programming reaches a majority of students and rests on a mix of state fine‑arts funding and other operational monies, while partnerships extend instructional opportunities.

Schmidt described the intrinsic value of the arts and said the department oversees hiring, professional development and budgets that support visual and performing arts across preK–12. He highlighted long‑standing partnerships with the Kennedy Center and the Santa Fe Opera for arts‑integration workshops and student opera programs, as well as recent collaborations that provide instrument leasing and arts integration supports.

On funding, Schmidt said the Fine Arts Education Act is a major source for elementary fine‑arts staffing and related costs, while other operational monies cover secondary programs, equipment replacement and additional needs. He told the board those operational shares have historically fallen in a roughly 21–25 percent range, with the Fine Arts Education Act covering the larger share of elementary funding. Schmidt also said extra‑duty stipends for arts staff averaged about "$2.80 an hour," a comment board members cited in thanking staff for out‑of‑hours work.

Board members praised the department’s reach and discussed possible expansion of elementary choral opportunities. Schmidt recommended additional, sustainable supports to rebuild some programs that shrank during the pandemic.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life," Schmidt told the board, repeating a quote he used to close the presentation.