82-313.

Nebraska Arts Council; powers.

(1) The Nebraska Arts Council may:

(a) Hold public and private hearings;

(b) Enter into contracts, within the limit of funds available therefor, with individuals, organizations, and institutions for services furthering the educational objectives of the council's programs;

(c) Enter into contracts, within the limit of funds available therefor, with local and regional associations for cooperative endeavors furthering the educational objectives of the council's programs;

(d) Accept gifts, contributions, and bequests of unrestricted funds from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other organizations or institutions for the purpose of furthering the educational objectives of the council's programs;

(e) Distribute funds appropriated by the Legislature to any organization which has been designated as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities for the period covered by the appropriation;

(f) Make and sign any agreements and do and perform any acts that may be necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 82-309 to 82-316;

(g) Enter into contracts, make and sign any agreements, and perform any acts that may be necessary to stabilize funding for the arts and humanities and to carry out the intent of sections 82-330 to 82-333;

(h) Prepare a plan that would permit, to the extent that funds are available, the establishment of a competitive grant program to award a grant to any creative district that is certified pursuant to the plan adopted by the Legislature under subdivision (5) of section 82-312 and that meets the criteria for the competitive grant, including eligibility criteria, application and appeal processes, conditions on receipt of a grant, and consequences of failure to meet the conditions; and

(i) Adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out its powers and duties.

(2) The council may request from any department, division, board, bureau, commission, or agency of the state such assistance and data as will enable it properly to carry out its powers and duties.