Read It and Weep

The field is littered with the husks of old reports about the vital importance of the arts in education and public life. They always seem to end with something about "how this conversation must continue" and "plans for possible next steps."

I have no idea what happens after that, but I do know that nobody ever asks me to do much except contact my elected officials--which I do, with abandon and shamelessly, like Callas.

Arts, Artists and Teaching (PDF) is an excellent report that was prepared by a gathering of leaders at Bennington College, in collaboration with the J. Paul Getty Trust, in the year 2002.

It says cool things like this:

Ironically, the business community clamors for creative people, seen as the competitive key to innovating in a globalized economy; but the educational system continues to put greater importance on mathematics, science, and other "hardcore" disciplines, which are seen as more "useful." The arts help to promote both the creative abilities and cultural literacy that are critical to developing fully engaged citizens in the global society.

I'm sure the report was used to bolster proposals and appeals to legislators, but I doubt it changed closed minds and I'm rather certain that no one who disagreed with the conclusions was invited to participate in the initial conversations. The people who make the actual decisions are not in the choir and it is clear that not enough of them have been convinced by this report or any of its relatives, ancestors or descendants.

I have read it though and I am grateful to have access to mounting evidence of what I already know: We are vitally important and the full measure of our usefulness has not been made. I guess I could call one or two of the members of the Imperial Senate who are jonesing to cut the measly $50 million allocated to the NEA out of the stimulus package and tell them just how I feel.

Or, I could just sit here and cry about it.

Meta-musica: Chavela V.