“… Frankly, if it comes down to another piece of art or another cop on the street, that’s not a close call.”
So said Greg Ballard in a post-election interview with IBJ.
With Ballard now officially on the job as mayor of Indianapolis, it’s no secret that arts groups—still basking in the love of the Peterson years—are a bit worried. Former Mayor Bart Peterson was a champion of arts and culture in the city and questions hover about how much value Ballard places on cultural tourism, individual artist funding, etc.
For some, such scrutiny is a good thing. In tough economic times, shouldn’t all budget lines should be seriously reviewed?
On the other hand, if every item is valued in comparison to public safety, can any “non-essentials” survive?
So what do you expect of the new mayor?
Are there convincing cases to be made for Indy arts and culture being essential? Is it time for culture to do more fending for itself? Or have local organizations been doing enough in that area?
What changes if the city arts budget shrinks?
Your thoughts?
So said Greg Ballard in a post-election interview with IBJ.
With Ballard now officially on the job as mayor of Indianapolis, it’s no secret that arts groups—still basking in the love of the Peterson years—are a bit worried. Former Mayor Bart Peterson was a champion of arts and culture in the city and questions hover about how much value Ballard places on cultural tourism, individual artist funding, etc.
For some, such scrutiny is a good thing. In tough economic times, shouldn’t all budget lines should be seriously reviewed?
On the other hand, if every item is valued in comparison to public safety, can any “non-essentials” survive?
So what do you expect of the new mayor?
Are there convincing cases to be made for Indy arts and culture being essential? Is it time for culture to do more fending for itself? Or have local organizations been doing enough in that area?
What changes if the city arts budget shrinks?
Your thoughts?
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By in large in Indianapolis, the arts are paid for by the users of those events. What little isn't paid for by these users is often funded by private donations, foundations, and corporate support. The public funding typically allows to get the arts to either artists or members of the public who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity.
The arts will go on, that's not the issue. Just expect the middle and lower class won't have the chance to participate.
And Jack, the NEA did not direclty fund Piss Christ (please get the name right) - it was over 18 years ago when the NEA gave funds to a competition that artist Andres Serrano's Piss Christ won. 18 years ago! Get over it!!!
Also, what evidence can you present that those who don't enjoy very high incomes will miss out if public arts funding is removed? What about the question of whether the arts have intrinsic value which should be provided to those people?
I happen to be more on your side of this matter, Middle Class. Just playing Devil's advocate in hopes that you have some support that will strengthen the case in favor of arts investment.
For my part, I'll present some evidence: the 2007 Economic Impact Study commissioned by the Arts Council of Indy:
http://www.artscouncilofindianapolis.org/research/economic_impact_study_2007_111.html
It's not perfect, but it presents a strong case for the ROI of arts spending.
Just imagine if that guy from the ghetto was given a paint brush instead of a gun!
Maybe it's a matter of redirecting existing revenue sources--for example, many cities designate a portion of existing hotel/motel/restaurant taxes towards funding the arts and the cultural events that draw people to the city in the first place--or maybe it is, as Travis states, a matter of using some of the time of existing city-paid personnel to champion the arts or at least speak up for considering them in the city's plans and policies. This is true leadership: finding ways to maintain public commitment to the arts to enrich the quality of life for all.
We must also keep in mind that the great progress that has been made on the art and culture front in Indy over the last few years is due, in most part, to creative individuals within our community. Certainly, Mayor Peterson was instrumental in bringing the community together and providing support, but the credit belongs to the creative people making it happen.
I want to make it an urbane, safe city that welcomes businesses.
Urbane = suave, sophisticated, debonair, worldly, cultivated, cultured, civilized, cosmopolitan (Oxford American Dictionary)
The city that lacks a thriving art scene cannot claim any of these adjectives.
I would love to see Ballard, or any future Mayor of Indianapolis, show the same level of enthusiasm and commitment to the arts as what has already been given to building Indy into a burgeoning sports town.
Peterson got the arts ball rolling. There is apprehension because Ballard may not put any obstacles in that ball's way, but he doesn't sound like he wants to push it either. It took 30+ years of government led commitment to shape the sports scene here. 8 may not have been enough for the arts.
True art will survive whether or not the government supplies funding. Take a look at the timeline in your art history book. Some of the finest bursts of creativity happened during lean times.
Because I want to know if these comments reflect: a. ignorance, b. ideology, or c. politics? And I guess I hope it’s “c” – politics – because I hope our new mayor is not (a) really in the dark about these things & I really hope he is not (b) ideologically driven (pragmatic with a passion to make this city great is what I hope for), and (c) politics is just hyperbole for pragmatic purposes. Hyperbole is the lesser of the evils, but it is still worrisome.
My process of deduction:
a. ignorance = if people see support of arts programs as superfluous to good governance of a large American city, and they just don’t know, maybe they don’t understand that THIS IS NOT AN EITHER- OR ISSUE. They are missing so much – about costs of the enforcement only mentality, about youth crime prevention, about how much crime there really is, about the economic impact of arts organizations
First, there are the lessons of federal prison sentencing over the last 20 years. Talking tough sounds good, but we have simply filled up all the new prisons we could afford to build. We have done the same thing in Indy & Marion County. Juveniles already on probation are not typically violated for smoking marijuana, skipping school, stealing bikes. Why? Because there is no room for them at the inn. For adults, we’ve been through years of court injunctions for overcrowding our Marion County jails. With our current levels of crime, what will it really cost to patrol the streets, operate the courts, build the jail facilities, re-employ ex-offenders with records? It’s staggering. (I guess that will provide lots of jobs for the local economy. More taxes, more revenue, more funding for the arts.)
I’m not for being soft on crime/public safety, but the evidence is in – you don’t stop crime with enforcement alone. There must also be prevention and something engaging that connects us to a larger community. Arts organizations do this in so many ways. For example, how do you feel about being introduced to a neighbor at a crime watch meeting? How is it different meeting a neighbor at an arts event? What if we only met our neighbors at crime watch meetings? What if the nightly news had even more stories about crime and fewer stories about the positive expression of the human experience?
The arts play a role in prevention. Is there evidence that involvement in arts, culture, religion, community service reduce the incidence of youth involvement in drug use, violence, school problems, early sexual involvement/teen pregnancy? Yes, there is strong evidence linking positive, creative activities to prevention of these problems that lead to a myriad of social problems and crime.
Shall we also mention that culture is big business? Arts organizations spend $182 million annually in Indy and their patrons pour an additional $287 million into the economy. This generates 15,000 full-time jobs and $52 million in local & state government revenues.
There is so much data (I’ve just gotten started) that it’s doubtful that one could actually be ignorant of all of it. (Is it too late to run for mayor?)
b. ideology = my way of thinking leads to all the right answers to our problems, regardless of evidence to the contrary. We all have blind spots, but ideologies create more blind spots. If the new mayor thinks that supporting the arts (both dollars & raising its profile) is always a distraction from the real business of a large city, then that’s probably ideology. And the proverbial “ideological blinders” will prevent him from seeing the evidence I’ve cited above. I hope this is not the case, since we’ve had enough poor decisions driven by the “privatizing is always better” ideology.
c. politics - If it is just politics – playing to one’s base – then it leaves room for
making practical investment in arts activities, which is the whole point anyway. When arts organizations need a nudge to do what needs to be done, the city should be open to helping make that happen – with word and incentive. But why bash the arts? It remains to be seen if Mayor Ballard is a masterful politician or just in the right place at the right time, but I hope that the mayor never uses this cops vs. art comment again. This election was won by a few percentage points and as a protest vote. On election day in 4 years, some of the current supporters will have turned again into protest voters and the mayor may be looking for some new friends. I suspect that on that day (and every day from now til then), the arts community will serve better as a community-building ally than a cause to rally against.
Of course, feel free to keep the conversation going here.
Travis hit this best in the first post. This is not really a discussion about financial support of the arts (Jack). This is a perception thing. Will we see Ballard at the Fringe opening? First Fridays? Art Fairs? Concerts? Gallery Openings? How passionate will he be at Start With Art? or will be just do the minimum to satiate the artsy types? We can't help but compare him to his predecessor who was a great supporter, no doubt.
I am interested to see this topic in a year from now... or less.
Let's give this chap a shot... I mean what is the alternative.
Whine?
Philanthropic individuals and companies like to donate their money to good causes. Many donate to various art museums and such things. Public arts should be no different.