City Council Candidate Responses
Candidate Responses
Arts, Policy, and the Future of Wichita
The Arts Council brings arts and civic leadership together to strengthen our community. As part of our advocacy work, we create opportunities for meaningful dialogue between candidates and the arts community.
On Thursday, July 17, 2025 the Arts Council hosted a Pints & Policy Social at Wichita Brewing Co. & Pizzeria in Delano, inviting candidates running for Wichita City Council to meet constituents and discuss the issues that matter most to artists, arts organizations, and creative businesses.
All ten City Council candidates were invited to participate and respond to three arts-focused questions. Five candidates attended the event and submitted written responses, which are shared below in their own words.
These responses are provided to help voters better understand how candidates view the role of the arts in Wichita and to encourage informed civic participation.
Local Leadership
Candidates Running for City Council 2025
District I
Aujanae Bennett Darryl Carrington LaWanda DeShazer Chris Pumpelly Joseph Shepard
District III
Mike Hoheisel Genevieve Howerton
District VI
Maggie Ballard Margaret (Wheeler) Shabazz Brett Anderson
Question 1
Public Art Policy
There has been much discussion about public art and the City’s percent for art program in recent years, what is your opinion of this program and what role do you think the City should play in creative placemaking and public art?
Public art is a critical way for the city to support local artists. The program that allocates a percentage to public art is essential to encourage artists to invest their talents in our community. When we invest public dollars, it’s important that we integrate art into those investments to share our values as a community with the world.
I believe art is integral to the beauty of our City and I think we should be intentional in our planning process to include art.
I support public arts, I think it’s vital to creating a community that stirs discussion and promoted critical thinking. It also shows that community is willing to invest in areas that all people can enjoy.
Public art is critical infrastructure. High quality of life is impossible without high quality access to art. In a Greater City, every neighbor, regardless of ZIP code or paycheck, expects their city to lay the groundwork so creativity and the entire arts-and-entertainment economy can flourish. Wichita’s Percent-for-Art ordinance is one of the smartest investments we make. For pennies on the construction dollar we buy opportunities for civic pride and economic activity that keeps money and homegrown talent here. If anything, we need to protect the program, expand it, and cut red tape so more local artists can get access to funding.
I believe in the power of the arts not only as a driver of economic development, but also as a source of social, emotional, and mental healing. When we talk about building a city and district where everyone benefits from a strong quality of life, regardless of their zip code, we must recognize that the arts help people feel seen, valued, and that they belong. Investing in the City’s arts program presents a unique opportunity to strengthen community, fuel economic growth, and bring people from all walks of life together. In doing so, we uplift Wichita’s entrepreneurial spirit, boost tourism, increase revenue, and embrace the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Question 2
Arts Facilities
The City of Wichita’s Cultural Arts Strategic Plan addresses the need for an adequate performing arts facility or multiple facilities that would address the need for both performance and rehearsal spaces. What role do you believe the City should play in the development of new performing arts facilities?
The City is in a unique position to act as the entity that brings all the right people together to create a new performing arts space that fits our needs. It’s important that we get ongoing feedback from not only the people who work and perform in the venue, but also the people who will attend events in the venue. Wichita has a vibrant performing arts community and the City should work alongside them to ensure we have a performing arts center that appropriately showcases our local talent.
In order to attract quality events — we need to have facilities that will accommodate those needs. The arts have a role in enhancing our economy and we should lead the charge in providing those facilities that attract not only residents, but those from surrounding cities/states as well.
I believe the city should have a hand in a new performance arts center, and a public private partnership would be the most effective way of accomplishing this.
The Cultural Arts Strategic Plan is right: Wichita needs a modern performing-arts complex including a proper rehearsal space. The City’s role should be that of chief convener and anchor investor. I’ve been speaking with developers, realtors, investors, architects, and residents for nearly a decade about my vision for a world-class riverfront plan. I envision creating a state-of-the art parks, arts, conventions, and entertainment district including Century II that becomes a regional engine for jobs, economic development, and community pride.
Wichita shouldn’t have to choose between “good enough” or “world-class.” We can and will build a beautiful venue that lets Music Theatre Wichita, the Symphony, and the next generation of artists shine.
As a firm believer and champion for the arts, I support the development of an adequate performing arts facility. Given the ongoing conversation around Century II and the significant financial investment already made through taxpayer dollars, I support building a new performing arts facility near Century II that also connects to the river. This approach would create an opportunity to engage our business community, including both small and emerging businesses by driving economic investment along the riverfront.
Such a facility would not only provide Wichita with a state-of-the-art venue where artists and performers are respected and supported, but also create a dynamic experience that encourages visitors to return. The City should lead this conversation in partnership with the arts community to gather expert input on the infrastructure needed not just for today’s performances, but to ensure we’re prepared for the future of the arts.
Additionally, we must work collaboratively with both public and private partners to help raise funds that offset the costs. Simultaneously, the City’s planning department should explore potential aligned and ethical incentives that will help move this vision into reality.
Question 3
Future of Century II
What do you believe the future is for the Century II Performing Arts and Convention Center, and if elected, how would you move that plan forward?
I’m disappointed that we haven’t done anything to move forward on a plan for our riverfront. After I was elected to council, we took all the feedback from the original master plan we received from the public and gave it to the consultants to revise that plan. I think the plan that came back is something we can get behind as a community. Instead of leveling everything, the revised plan modernizes our current spaces like Century II to attract conventions to Wichita. If we revamp Century II as a convention center, we can create the new performing arts center we need. We need to start real conversations about how to fund this plan and take it to a vote of the public.
I am in favor of saving Century II, it can still be a viable space for the arts. But I also believe we need an additional facility to handle the larger shows (we need to be able to get equipment, staging, etc. into the buildings). I am a thespian at heart and love the arts!
C2 is the peoples’ building, and the people should be the drivers for its future. Many great ideas have come forward, but financing these projects are a challenge. Repurposing it for another use would be the most appropriate way forward.
To most of the folks I’ve spoken with in District 1, Century II is more than blue concrete and a swooping roof; it’s the visual shorthand for Wichita. I believe we can honor that community sentiment and give our creative community the best tools:
- Stabilize & modernize: Replace aging mechanical systems, improve ADA access, and restore original design elements with historic-preservation grants.
- Re-program and re-imagine the inside: let Century II become the civic assets we lack in the 21st Century — An indoor year-round farmers market? A performing arts incubator? A civic gathering space for town halls? A public indoor commons? Indoor recreation venue? A proper rehearsal space? — all while we remove the acoustical constraints that frustrate performing-arts groups.
- Build a purpose-built PAC and convention center next door: In my vision, our new riverfront centers on a ~2,200-seat main hall, flanked by rehearsal studios, and a large convention center to feed visitor dollars into Delano and the new riverfront while freeing Century II to focus on cultural and arts programming.
- Move fast, but *keep faith* with voters: I’d direct staff to present a series of schematic designs and alternates to show the public with cost estimates and financing options within 12 months, followed by robust town halls, tweaks, improvements, followed by an ongoing series of up-or-down votes—so the public, not a handful of insiders, makes the final call, every time.
I believe the public should have a voice in deciding the future of our historic infrastructure once a new performing arts facility has been funded and built. There is still potential for the facility to be repurposed for conventions and events that generate revenue. However, like all infrastructure, it has a shelf life and we must proactively address its needs to ensure it remains a structure that reflects our community’s pride, value, and worth.
If elected, I will not shy away from tough conversations. It’s essential that these discussions happen in a respectful and meaningful way. I will also convene stakeholders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to share ideas, explore investments, and build consensus on how to move forward with Century II.