Major Changes in the Bossier Arts Ahead

Bossier City is making a major change in how arts programming will be handled, and the city says it wants the transition to happen fast.

Bossier City Councilman Chris Smith told KEEL News on Wednesday that the city has already moved to create a new city position that would oversee arts-related operations in the East Bank District. That follows the city’s decision to cut ties with the Bossier Arts Council and ask the organization to vacate the building tied to the East Bank Theatre.

Why Bossier Made the Change

Smith said the city wanted to keep arts programming alive, but officials had to decide what structure made the most sense going forward.

“Councilwoman Ross came to me with the idea", Smith said, adding that she was “real passionate about making sure that arts programming stayed.” He also said the full council and city administration shared that goal. Instead of turning to another outside group, the city decided “to hire a city employee.”

That new employee would help manage theater bookings, art displays, and the plaza across the street while serving as a link between the city and the East Bank District.

What the New Job Looks Like

According to Smith, the position will pay $55,000 plus city benefits. The employee will report to the Civic Center director rather than directly to the mayor.

Smith said that setup actually reflects the city’s past. He noted that when the Bossier Arts Council was first founded, it operated as a city department before later becoming its own nonprofit.

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The ordinance creating the position was passed this week. Smith said it takes about 17 days to become legal, and then the job posting will go live on the city’s website.

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For now, the Bossier Arts Council is still in the building. Smith said the group asked for an extra week because it is packing up “45 years worth of history,” and he said the mayor granted that request.

Bossier Leaders Want to Limit Disruptions in Arts Services

“There is already a disruption in service,” Smith said, and the city wants that interruption “to be as little as possible.”

He also made it clear Bossier wants someone with real arts experience, not just someone looking for city benefits. “We want somebody who’s passionate about that,” Smith said.

That may be the biggest takeaway here. Bossier is not signaling a retreat from the arts. It is signaling that it wants more direct control over how arts and culture grow in one of the city’s most visible districts.