In response to the
Alliance's Candidate's Survey on National Arts Policy in February 2008,
President-elect Barack Obama's campaign indicated that he would support
increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of
Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities, promote
cultural diplomacy and reinvest in arts education. Below are excerpts from his
campaign's statement to the Alliance's survey.
Obama on
NEA Funding:
"Barack Obama would look at a variety of funding
mechanisms to support increased funding for the NEA, the support of which
enriches schools and neighborhoods all across the nation and helps to promote
the economic development of countless
communities."
Obama on Cultural
Exchange:
"American artists, performers and thinkers -
representing our values and ideals - can inspire people both at home and all
over the world. Through efforts like that of the United States Information
Agency, America's cultural leaders were deployed around the world during the
Cold War as artistic ambassadors and helped win the war of ideas by
demonstrating to the world the promise of America. Artists can be utilized again
to help us win the war of ideas against Islamic extremism. Unfortunately, our
resources for cultural diplomacy are at their lowest level in a decade. Barack
Obama will work to reverse this trend and improve and expand public-private
partnerships to expand cultural and arts exchanges throughout the
world.
Obama on Arts
Education:
"To remain competitive in the global
economy, America needs to reinvigorate the kind of creativity and innovation
that has made this country great. To do so, we must nourish our children's
creative skills. In addition to giving our children the science and math skills
they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the
ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts
education."
"To support greater arts
education, Barack Obama will expand Public/Private Partnerships Between Schools
and Arts Organizations and increase resources for the U.S. Department of
Education's Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants, which
develop public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizations.
Obama will also engage the foundation and corporate community to increase
support for public/private partnerships. Barack Obama supports the creation of
an "Artists Corps" of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and
their communities... As president, Barack Obama will use the bully pulpit and
the example he will set in the White House to promote the importance of arts and
arts education in America."
Obama on Foreign
Arts:
"Opening America's doors to students and professional
artists provides the kind of two-way cultural understanding that can break down
the barriers that feed hatred and fear. As America tightened visa restrictions
after 9/11, the world's most talented students and artists, who used to come
here, went elsewhere. Barack Obama will streamline the visa process to return
America to its rightful place as the world's top destination for artists and art
students."
To read the president-elect's official platform on
arts policy, click
here.
ArtsVote,
a national initiative run by Americans
for the Arts was developed to secure bold, new policy proposals in support
of the arts and arts education in America from candidates during the 2008
presidential campaign. Click
here to read additional policy position statements from the
president-elect's campaign on the ArtsVote Web site.
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