The state of the arts

The world witnessed a historic moment with the election and inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as America’s forty-fourth President. Much has been reported about his administration’s policy goals and the challenges he faces with the recession. Arts professionals, too, are worried about the impact of the current economy on artists and arts organisations. Yet for the first time in a very long time, people are optimistic – even enthusiastic – about the expanded role the arts and humanities might have on the American political agenda during the Obama administration. In his platform [manifesto], President Obama stated goals that included boosting support for arts education; improving cultural exchange and the US visa process for foreign guest artists; mobilising an Artist Corps [to work in educational and social settings]; increasing funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA); providing healthcare for artists; and advancing fair tax policies for the arts. Already, despite a difficult fight, we have seen the first of these goals come to fruition, as the recent Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $50m in increased funding for the NEA.

New dialogues
Shortly after the election a large group of organisations representing the breadth of the American arts scene worked together to prepare a set of recommendations to the Office of Presidential Transition. They said, “For many years… federal policy towards the arts has been fragmented and unco-ordinated, lacking coherence and occasionally at cross-purposes with itself.” They went on to make a series of recommendations as to how the arts sector could contribute to helping “our nation meet its goals of increased prosperity, international diplomacy, and community vitality.” In that context, we can examine the potential effects of the Obama presidency on the arts from two perspectives: what he has said about the arts that may translate into policy, and what policies he has advocated in other areas that have ramifications for the arts. During the campaign, the Obama team presented a nuanced and responsible policy statement that encompassed arts in education and international cultural exchange. This was the first policy statement adopted by a presidential campaign in years, and while many in the arts community believe the platform might have been broader and better defined, the fact that it existed at all was very positive. Everything the President says about the arts suggests that he is inclined toward an agenda that recognises the contributions of artists to our society, that he will invite artists to the White House more than any President since Kennedy, and that he is likely to integrate the arts into other policy arenas, including education, economic development, and international relations. When President Obama says, “We need to turn off the TV and read a book,” he is signalling a renewed emphasis on knowledge, learning, and personal development, as well as recognition of the role creativity and learning must play in a civilised society. This is good news for artists and the organisations that support their work.
Pressing concerns
Clearly, chief among the Obama administration’s priorities are revitalising the American economy, improving public education, expanding access to healthcare, and re-establishing strong international diplomacy. In just over one month, we have already seen evidence of these, from the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton’s diplomatic efforts abroad. Despite initial objections in the US Senate, the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act included both an increase in NEA funding and the opportunity for states and cities to include arts projects in initiatives they fund with stimulus dollars. What exactly will be funded remains to be seen, but there has been talk about an Artist Corps, among other possibilities. His approach to taxation favours artists, many of whom live on the economic edge. There is concern about maintaining charitable tax deductions for the wealthiest 2% of Americans, the elimination of which could have a seriously negative impact. There are also fears about potential competition between the NEA – for which Obama has said he wants to attract private funds – and arts organisations seeking charitable contributions. If his administration can fix the healthcare system, artists will benefit even further, since many of them are among the millions of Americans without health insurance. Obama’s strong emphasis on education and, in particular, arts in education, suggests an expanded role for artists, not only as performers, but also as teachers, mentors, and policy makers. As the new president and his administration seek to re-invigorate our country’s diplomatic relations, most people think that he will embrace cultural diplomacy as a critical tactic. The State Department has long included cultural diplomacy as part of its toolkit, and the Obama administration recognises the value of sending our artists abroad and of opening our doors to artists from other countries. The result could be improved visa policies and procedures, reduced bureaucracy, and increased artistic exchange.
A good start
Finally, Obama’s support of equitable broadband access and of a more balanced approach to copyright and fair use laws should have a huge positive impact on artists and on those who would have better access to their work. His appointment of Bill Ivey to head the search for the new director of the NEA indicates that he is looking for someone with broad policy background who is capable of seeing strategic links between policy and practice. This, too, is a good sign, as it suggests elevated aspirations for our national arts agency. These are very difficult times in the US and around the world, and the new president has much on his agenda. The American arts community understands and respects the complexity of our myriad problems, and it seems its role not to position the arts ahead of other issues, but rather to demonstrate the integral role the arts play in the solutions. We all hope that as the administration moves forward, President Obama will take an active position on the arts. Having a president who likes music, poetry, and good writing is clearly a step in the right direction.