JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A spokesman for the Kansas Department of Commerce says it is working on initiatives for keeping the state from losing all of its federal arts funds.

Agency spokesman Dan Lara said Tuesday that the agency is looking at partnering with other state agencies on arts-related projections.

He said doing so would allow the department and its Creative Arts Industries Commission to count the spending on those projects — or even a contribution of employee time on them — as part of the state arts funding needed to qualify Kansas for federal funds.

A National Endowment for the Arts official told state officials in a September letter that Kansas must boost its state arts funding by nearly $225,000 by Jan. 15 or forfeit its $591,000 in federal arts dollars.