Arts advocates are thrilled by the Yo-Yo Ma-Itzhak Perlman-Anthony McGill performance at the Jan. 20 inauguration, the New York Times reports.
This, along with Obama’s campaign proposals for affordable artist health care and the creation of an “artist corps” focused on low-income communities, have spurred hopes that the arts sector will get a boost from the economic stimulus plan.
Robert L. Lynch of Americans for the Arts says this would not be a “bailout” so much as an “investment” in a national nonprofit arts sector that employs “some six million people and contribute $167 billion to the economy annually,” the newspaper reports.
All great news, especially for us arts nonprofits!
Now we have to spur the dialogue beyond the dollars, and deepen understanding of the arts as a driver of discourse in a democracy — as something that strengthens communities and individual well-being in ways that economics alone cannot adequately measure.
Arts Leaders Urge Role for Culture in Economic Recovery
By ROBIN POGREBIN, New York Times, January 25, 2009As the Obama administration tackles the challenge of shoring up the economy through infusions of capital and job creation, cultural leaders are urging the president not to forget arts institutions, which are also reeling from the market downturn.
“We wanted to make sure arts were not left out of the recovery,” said Robert L. Lynch, president of Americans for the Arts, a national lobbying group. “The artist’s paycheck is every bit as important as the steelworker’s paycheck or the autoworker’s paycheck.”
For the moment eyes are largely turned to the National Endowment for the Arts. Dana Gioia, the outgoing chairman, officially stepped down on Inauguration Day and President Obama has not yet named his successor.
In Congress the American Recovery and Reinvestment bill, approved last week by the House Appropriations Committee, includes a $50 million supplement for the N.E.A. to distribute directly to nonprofit arts organizations and also through state and local arts agencies. [READ MORE]
Tags: Arts & Culture, Democracy, Reading List
Health is one important sector which is still not affected by slow economy. But the people who use this health services are affected which means federal govt should do need to have a fund for these artists. This is going to be tough participate in drafting a monetary policy for you and people in our current economic crisis.