"The arts embody the American spirit of self-definition. Our nation's
creativity has filled the world's libraries, museums, recital halls,
movie houses and marketplaces with works of genius. To remain
competitive in the global economy, America needs to reinvigorate the
kind of creativity and innovation that has made this country great."
These
words introduce Barack Obama and Joe Biden's official platform in
support of the arts and, though eclipsed during the campaign by other
issues such as the war, the economy and health care, their stance on
this topic will affect artists, art administrators and art lovers
around the country for years to come.
The absence of meaningful
discussion of the arts or arts education in both candidates' stump
speeches did have me concerned, however. I consider the empirical
nurturing and presence of creative achievement to be core evidence of a
healthy society, right up there with crucial social services, a strong
financial infrastructure, high-caliber education, accessible health
care and, contrary to Sarah Palin's sensibilities, a robust national
network of committed community organizers.
Arts organizations
strive to stay the course regardless of who's occupying the White House
and, here in Vermont, one group has navigated the winds of political
change with clear vision and a steady hand throughout the tenure of
nine presidents.
The Vermont Arts Council was established 44
years ago in response to a federal law intended to funnel arts funding
to every state and it was an opportunity that a handful of astute local
movers and shakers wanted to harness as efficaciously as possible.
Alex
Aldrich, who has been the executive director of the council since 1996,
recently reflected on the evolution of this remarkable organization
which serves as a comprehensive resource for artists, arts
organizations and art advocates throughout the state.
"We
started in anticipation of the federal law that created National
Endowment for the Arts," he explains. "Judge Bill Billings of
Woodstock, his wife Polly and a few other very sharp, forward-thinking
people said 'If they're going to create this law that will give us
state funds, let's not wait until it happens and have the governor
decide who gets funded', which is what happened in all other states
with the possible exception of New York."
"In Vermont," Aldrich
continues, "the VCA was created in the fall of 1964 and the following
spring Judge Billings, who at the time was speaker of the House,
introduced legislation in the very late hours of the last day (of the
session) designating this new entity known as the Vermont Arts Council
to be the official recipient of state and federal funds. As a result of
that brilliant piece of legislative maneuvering, we've always enjoyed
complete independence from political influence."
The VAC has
since served as the only nonprofit state arts agency in the country,
integrating private and public arts resources and objectives into one
cohesive effort. Through its mission — "to advance and preserve the
arts at the center of Vermont communities" — the VAC offers everything
from professional development and technical guidance for artists and
grant opportunities for individuals, schools and nonprofits to key
partnerships with municipal and community entities that foster arts
education, exhibitions, appreciation and awareness throughout the state.
With
its 2009 fiscal budget slated at $2.04 million, comprised of federal,
state and private funding, the VAC has always served a distinguished
constituency by upholding consistent criteria in all of its programs
and services.
When I asked about the VAC's giving guidelines,
Aldrich described the review process. "Over the years, we haven't given
the public or the government reason to scrutinize our work because we
have a standard process of grant review by peer panelists which our
board then reviews. Everything's done by the book."
He went on
to reflect on the evolution of the VAC in relation to the changing
political landscape over the years, echoing the organization's own
expansive perspective and enduring aim to maintain its original ideals
and intentions.
"What's interesting is that we went along like
this for about 25 or 30 years and then into that horrible period of
time, at the end of the Reagan era and the beginning of Bush and then
going into Clinton era, when the culture wars heated up.
"Our
country lost the culture wars," continues Aldrich, "and what was sad
about that is that we lost an unfair amount of trust on part of the
general public. We realized we needed to get his back on track, so we
asked 'Why are the arts important?' 'Who benefits from an investment of
tax dollars into the arts?' And we began to come up with a whole new
language around the public value of and participation in the arts, far
more than simply funding things that are entertaining."
When one
considers that just a few years ago in the midst of G.W.'s two terms as
president, Pat Buchanan declared that it's "time for Congress, in this
culture war, to lead, follow or get out of the way," it's reassuring to
know that people like Aldrich are asking these vital questions.
With
regard to how support for the arts shifts from administration to
administration, Aldrich offered a genuinely fair and balanced view. "I
do find it's more about who's in Congress. It really does take both
Congress and the administration to step up to the plate to improve
what's going on in the art world. And that's how it should be, how our
republic is supposed to function."
"Politics and art are
completely connected," he avows. "Every now and then we have to pick a
new Vermont poet laureate and when we were investing Grace Paley — one
of the most visible poets with an arrest record for being anti-war — in
February of 2003, a month before we attacked Iraq, I was very grateful
that Gov. Douglas allowed her to be nominated. He said artists disagree
with the artistic opinions of politicians about as often as politicians
disagree with the political opinions of artists."
"For both artists and politicians, their livelihood is all about communicating. We're basically in the same business."
Aldrich
recalled a well-known anecdote from the annals of World War II about
Winston Churchill's finance minister suggesting that, in order to
better support the war effort, they should cut funding for the arts and
Churchill is said to have responded with something along the lines of
"Good god, what are we fighting for if not that?"
"Art is
important because it builds community," Aldrich attests. "Our art
community is a huge part of what draws people to move to Vermont, to
settle down and raise their children here. It's a certain indefinable
quality of life issue that the arts bring to the table and that can be
found nowhere else. If you don't have the arts going on you're going to
have a hard time making people stop and think "I'd really love to live
here'."
With a robust laugh he concludes, "I've been on that rant for at least 25 years."
As
far as new presidential administrations go and whether promises made
during campaigning come to fruition, opinions vary widely.
Avant-garde
writer and social critic William Burroughs once said, "Artists, to my
mind, are the real architects of change, and not the political
legislators who implement change after the fact."
To this I
would add that, in between the artist as instigator and the politician
as implementer is the arts administrator as propeller, facilitator,
defender and all around champion of the creative spirit in all of us.
When
it comes to Obama and Biden's intentions to improve the state of the
arts in this country, the audacity of my hope is that they're able to
be true to their words despite the immense pressures of other issues
that typically receive far more ink, sound bytes and discussion.
Fortunately,
there are people like Aldrich and his staff who, with diligence and
determination, manage to stay the course regardless of who's at the
national helm.
Online: vermontartscouncil.org
Annie: annieguyoncommunications.com