The National Endowment for the Arts - The Importance of Federal Funding of the Arts
"The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities for arts participation." NEA Website
Earlier this year, "the Trump administration announced as part of its first federal budget proposal. The National Endowment for the Humanities, Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, a chief revenue source for PBS and National Public Radio, would also get the ax." LA Times
Letter from Senator
This morning I received a letter from a California Senator regarding a matter that should concern us all.
The email reads:
"October 14, 2017
Dear Mr. Baker,
Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns about funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
The NEA funds, promotes, and strengthens the creative capacity of our communities by providing all Americans with diverse opportunities to participate in the arts. From painting to literature, theater to dance, and one of my favorites – music – the NEA supports projects in every state. The arts give people a way to view the world differently, and the NEA allows everyone to appreciate the arts.
While Congress has rejected President Trump’s original proposal to cut the NEA, we need to continue pushing for greater arts and humanities funding. I will use my position on the Senate Budget Committee to fight for federal budget policy that supports the arts and humanities which help make America the greatest nation in the world.
Thank you for reaching out to me and supporting the arts. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3553.
Sincerely,
Kamala D. Harris
United States Senator"
Why do the Arts Matter?
I will write a separate post just about this eventually... but here's the gist of it.
Henry Rollins once said that "Jazz is America's gift to the world." This couldn't be more than true, and of the many gifts to the world that America might offer, Jazz is one of the most effective and important genres. More than any other genre of Art, Jazz has sculpted American culture and given the country a sense of place in the world.
“The arts matter because I learn something about people and places I would have never known otherwise. The arts make my brain and my heart stretch to make room for newness. Sometimes, parts of me are displaced and replaced by wiser stuff. And that’s a fine thing.” – Victoria Hutter
“The arts matter because they give us a mutual space where we can talk to one another about the most important things to us. It can turn strangers into old friends with lots in common.” – Maryrose Flanigan
In essence, the arts bring us together. The dialogue that the arts allow is more non-violent than written or spoken dialogue in politics, riots, and really any other area of communication. Arts allow a mutual connection and help push for mutual understanding.
A Visual of How Much Money Would be Saved
"If these dots represent federal spending, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . then the combined budgets of the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would be the size of the period in this sentence." NY TImes
The two endowment agencies each received $148 million a year now, public broadcasting receives $445 million. Together they equate to $741 million USD per year. To be understood, the cut would get rid of the mere 1/10 of 1% of annual federal spending. Something reasonably insignificant compared to the $598 billion USD of spending on USA Military in 2016 alone. The arts are a special form of education that are built on the premise of preserving and connecting human life.
The NEA gets 0.004% of the $4 trillion U.S. budget, or 0.014% of the $1.1 trillion in discretionary spending. Let me tell you in plain words how this could change the federal defecit....
.004% of the budget.
“It is the mark of a great democracy to support the arts, which are an expression of what makes us human,” the Association of Art Museum Directors said in a statement on Jan. 19.
Courage to Have a Voice
It takes great courage to have a voice throughout history. Particularly controversial art is what shapes society. A San Francisco theater company received a $10,000 grant to produce “Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays.” These were controversial but a critical response to the ongoing battle of marriage equality in the United States.
Do Americans Want the Funding for NEA?
"In a 1936 Madison Square Garden speech, deep into the Great Depression and just a week before elections, Roosevelt railed against what he called the “hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing” government that let the 1920s roar and the 1930s collapse."
A survey commissioned by Americans for the Arts showed that a 2-1 ratio of people in the USA support doubling the NEA budget... Not penciling it out. 'Hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing' indifference to the arts is sure to become Trump-era doctrine.
It's difficult for an administration who doesn't do the research, doesn't present the facts, and doesn't look at the greater good of America wants to destroy a funding that won't have a real effect on the annual federal spending.
Steemians, I get the feeling there will be many more of these posts to come. There's just too much information to display in a single post. Let me know your thoughts.
Note: Though this may seem political, it is factual. I have my own opinions that I will just reflect in fact.
