So far, it doesn't look like the National Endowment for the Arts will be getting a $50 million infusion from the stimulus package brokered Wednesday by Senate and House conferees.

"The language circulating now indicates it is not included in the final version," the press secretary for U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., told MinnPost today.

But the official version of the compromise hadn't been posted, the press secretary noted.

When the stimulus package was in the Senate, Nelson helped broker the compromise between Democrats and three Republicans, leading to passage of the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment bill.

Arts advocates were hoping for the money to assist state arts boards and nonprofits across the country during the economic downturn. Though the House version of the bill included the money, the Senate version eliminated it, leading some to assume the provision would have a tough time surviving a conference committee.

Previous MinnPost coverage here.