JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Southern has made it’s stand for the fine arts.

Members of the Missouri Citizens for the Arts met for Citizens’ Day at the Legislature Feb. 13 in the Capitol Rotunda.

The MCA funds programs for the arts in 105 Missouri communities, including more than $9,000 for Joplin’s George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in 2007.

“I feel like I’ve got this target on my back now, everyone knows I’ve got money for fine arts,” said Kyna Iman, lobbyist for the group, as well as Missouri Southern.

MCA members, registered Citizens Day attendees and guests were urged to put a face to the fine arts in their communities.

Patrons visited their local representatives distributing money on fine arts education and the funding required to provide it.

“We introduced mandatory financial planning education in high schools, the problem with that is those hours had to come from somewhere,” Iman said.

Attendees also watched a performance by 2006 Missouri Southern Inter-national Piano Competition winner, Tatiana Tessman.

“I have been to a lot of competitions and the one at Missouri Southern is top level,” Tessman said.

Pieces of artwork from Face.Africa, done by 30 young women from the Missouri Fine Arts Academy were also displayed.

The 30 artists were paired with another young woman from Kenya, these portraits will eventually be sent back to their subjects.

“I found that a majority of the portraits contained a sincerity that some art seems to lack,” said Bailey Tinsley, freshman undecided major. “After all, we’re not asked to face America, we’re asked to face.africa.”

Face.africa was done in collaboration with soulfari Kenya, a ‘creative hand-on service opportunity designed to connect, educate and empower,’ created by Josi Mai, assistant professor of art and soulfari Kenya’s executive director.