A state Senate committee will hold a hearing Wednesday to examine budget cuts to the state Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

Ten employees of the foundation, or about one-third of its staff, have received layoff notices from Gov. Linda Lingle's office. The cuts are one result of the $884 million budget shortfall the state is facing over the next two years.

The foundation layoffs would save the state about $500,000.

Critics of the plan contend the layoffs would threaten more than $1 million the state receives from the National Endowment for the Arts and other federal funds.

The hearing will be held at 5 p.m. at the State Capitol by the Senate Ad Hoc Committee.