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News & ArtsThursday, January 22, 2009
Arts Secretary of the Arts
Posted by Paul Constant on Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 5:41 PM
Good Magazine's blog is reporting that Quincy Jones is going to "beg" President Obama to create a cabinet-level position for the arts. I know there are those who will say the post wouldn't matter, but I do think that creating a new Secretary of the Arts would give greater attention to arts and culture than the N.E.A. provides.
Of course, the NEA does about as fine a job with getting attention to the arts as FEMA did with getting help to New Orleans. But maybe this new, competent government could maybe actually improve government's standing with the arts. I know that there are more popular uses for government money, but directing people's attention in a specific direction doesn't cost much. Especially now that the government has a website that works.
There's a petition to create a Secretary of the Arts here.
1
Ick. Do not involve the federal government in the arts. Can you imagine this department under Bush? Reagan? A president as cool as Obama won't always be in power.
2
I don't have anything to say about creating a Secretary of the Arts-- Quincy Jones certainly knows more about the arts than I do-- but I really like the movie with which you've illustrated this post.
4
I suppose it would be asking too much to have you arrange for her to be delivered to my front door.
5
How about a fucking Secretary of the Environment first? We're the only G8 country that doesn't have a cabinet-level environment official.
6
The government a) can do a lot as long as it limits itself to providing places where art can be made and ideas can be exchanged and stays away from selective patronage, and b) should be involved at a national level because art belongs everywhere and it's another inequity that needs to be undone.
One thing that makes Guadalajara interesting is it's vibrant art community, and one thing that makes that possible is governemnt participation in providing places for artists to develop. In the US a space like the Hospice de Cabanas would simply be a dry museum with some old frescoes in it. In Mexico it's a vibrant workshop with all sorts of young artists working there, many of whom have gone on to become imporant artists.
One thing that makes Guadalajara interesting is it's vibrant art community, and one thing that makes that possible is governemnt participation in providing places for artists to develop. In the US a space like the Hospice de Cabanas would simply be a dry museum with some old frescoes in it. In Mexico it's a vibrant workshop with all sorts of young artists working there, many of whom have gone on to become imporant artists.
7
Creating a "Cabinet level position" sounds all high and mighty...but when it comes down to it, do you really want to go to meetings everyday in the White House and have to wait through a lot of boring stuff that you don't care about just to open your mouth and say "Mr. President, we need another 5 million for an Opera center" and then go back to sleeping while awake in your leather chair?
8
@6: Yes. Otherwise, let's keep government out of art. "What is art?" is a question too subjective to trust to a funding/oversight agency.
9
matt, I'm someone who hopes to make a career in dance, and I hate to tell you this but most dance is already funded by the government. Some revenue to keep professional companies afloat comes from private grants and donations, and a very little of it comes from performances and/or merchandise (though most of that gets eaten up by rental fees, etc), but most of it comes from NEA grants. I don't know what it's like in other fields, but that's how it is in mine. This cabinet position would just bring more publicity to the arts and put an advocate in the White House, which I have to support.
11
The Europeans all have "Ministries of Culture." But that's because they need government assistance in preventing the complete and utter Americanization of their apparently irresilient cultures... I'm not sure that a nation of 300 million people such as the United States needs a department of art or culture, etc.
12
I think you're aiming too low. The country needs an "Art Tzar". Who else will assure the continuation of arts during a national crisis? In the event of a hurricane, for example, the Art Tzar could mobilize the government resources necessary to totally pimp out those FEMA trailers.
17
the reason so much art in America is so crappy is because govt has its fingers in too much.
free art from govt.
free art from govt.
18
As an artist, I think a cabinet level position is a horrible idea. As soon as you create one you politicize the arts. The only value of having an organization like the NEA is that it can maintain its autonomy. (in addition to the limited funding it provides)
If you want a more vibrant arts community, massively expand the NEA's role by creating regional satellites with services and funding for artists.
If you want a more vibrant arts community, massively expand the NEA's role by creating regional satellites with services and funding for artists.
20
That would be fantastic as long as its a real artist as the secretary and not someone from popular music.
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