House Panel Approves Spending Cuts for Arts and Humanities Endowments

Not entirely unexpected. Part of the impetus of the GOP/Tea Party/Obama to be in cutting back somewhat recklessly. Although it is interesting that their proposed 4 trillion of cuts is about the same amount they handed out in the initial Wall Street handouts a few years ago.
Granted at times NEA does pay for art which is so obtuse, or so avant garde pretentious that is has little or no communication with the public viewer, But those are rare compared to what NEA provides in support for art which does reach the public.
And its interesting that the House Committee is unaware or unwilling to admit that art can be a factor in pulling communities together during tough times, and can help them understand what has happened or what noble elements they can draw from within themselves to lift back up again. Different program but the old WPA post office murals, and other public art of the 30′s did serve that function.
But perhaps the House Appropriation committee’s intention was to make sure that those forms of unifying or questioning art does not make a resurgence. Wouldn’t want the American people to find a means to redefine themselves and hence understand that their government is now little more than a proxy for corporate & Wall Street interests,

Perhaps the house committee has more understanding of the power of art than what seems immediately obvious. Perhaps the lingering power of the old WPA murals, or even the faint voices from “Remember My Forgotten Man” has instilled in them a fear that these should not happen again.

Art may involve sacrifice and the inner soul. But it also involves being a profession and like many other professionals the economic debacle caused by the Wall Streeters and their shills in government has made it very problematic for artists to make a living. Being true to art, doesn’t imply being stupid or damning oneself to poverty for artwork which no one may ever see. That concept is at best dated existentialism and at worst trivial romanticism.

As such if NEA or other grants allow regional/community artists the ability to continue to work in their profession all to the better.  We are close to having a economic lost generation and that does include the artists.

  As far as Serrano’s et al nonsense that was almost a generation ago, and as such is about as relevent as a Commodore 64.

Concerning murals honoring marriage and other community values these are done, and often via NEA and other grants for community improvement. Go to any larger community and much of the public art does reflect the aspirations of that community and has little to do with a minority of gay men who might “rage against religion”. Some of it such as community sponsored barrio murals may not be in a style recognizable to suburban norms, but nonetheless community values are often portrayed.

Many of the concepts about what needs to be cut is more a manifestation of the toxic form of economic elitism then genuine concern for our debt problem. Is it really worth losing public art so 11 million more dollars can go to people like Rupert Murdock and Newscorp who effectively paid no taxes last year? Its not like he’d even notice 11 million. Or more to various Wall Street speculators, in more subsidies, who crashed the economy but some yet believed they were doing God’s work? Or the continued subsidies to oil corporations and speculator who have made it difficult for families to even get to a art museum?

The WPA artists of the 30′s made a more lasting contribution to the culture than will all the Madoffs, Murdocks, Blankfeins et al which were ever bred. And perhaps if our nation can revive some of that spirit we may too leave a legacy more than a footnote in the history of greed.

No because the cuts to NEA and other public programs are the cost being levied on the public for the extravagences of the rich.

And we are closer to the norm of the 30′s than many are willing to admit, as such discussing old programs such as the WPA arts program, and how and why the NEA might consider taking a similar direction is a valid concern.

And especially so since the economic collapse and attendent cuts has been disasterous for the arts. Colleges are cutting the programs to train artists, public bodies cannot afford public art, many of the former professional class and middle class can no longer afford to be patrons and so cuts in what support does remain is that much more problematic.

We are a recylcled version of the last depression…the main difference is culturally they acknowledged in their art, and lit what had happened to them. We are a culture of denial…much of that is aided and abetted by the same people who caused the collapse.

If artists have a genuine function in this situation, it is to be the voice of those who have been subjected to loss of income, foreclosure, and general decline. And you can bet the corporate cronies who caused our very own ‘great recession’ won’t be supporting that art.

Of course the House will cut appropriations for the arts and humanities. What good are they? They don’t create green energy, manufacturing jobs or anything else “useful.” Why should our Congressional representatives care about those things that are truly at the base of a civil society. Humans have had art, music, theater, literature (although not always written) for thousands of years. How silly. Such fruitless, frivolous activities should be stopped.
       Elsa Nadler
Toledo, Ohio (home of one of the great municipal museums in the country)