From today's New York Times:
If all the professional dancers in the United States stood shoulder to shoulder to form a single chorus line, it would stretch from 42nd Street for nearly the entire length of Manhattan. If every artist in America’s work force banded together, their ranks would be double the size of the United States Army. More Americans identify their primary occupation as artist than as lawyer, doctor, police officer or farm worker.
It’s easy to talk about artists in lofty and spiritual terms,” said Dana Gioia, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Without denying the higher purposes of the artistic vocation, it’s also important to remember that artists play an important role in America’s cultural vitality and economic prosperity. Artists have immense financial and social impact as well as cultural impact.”
Well, there you have it!
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Wouldn't it be great--for the nation, as well as the artists--if our culture placed as great a value on the arts as on, say, the military? Just imagine the transformation of our country and our daily lives if even a tiny fraction of a percent of the military budget could be spent instead on supporting and nurturing the arts.
ReplyDeleteOne can only dream...