[Larkenfield]

The arts have become derailed in more ways than one.
Trains are a mode of transportation; support of the arts is about enjoying the ride.

 

[KenOC]

Here’s a puzzler. On the big island in Hawaii, lava flows have now destroyed “hundreds” of homes of people incautious enough to settle on the flanks of an active volcano, one that has been erupting off and on for years. The mayor has vowed to “rebuild” using federal money, the common purse of all Americans.

Question: Should this expenditure have precedence over subsidies, from the same purse, for classical music?

 

[EddieRUKiddingVarese]

Here's a puzzler. On the big island in Hawaii, lava flows have now destroyed "hundreds" of homes of people incautious enough to settle on the flanks of an active volcano, one that has been erupting off and on for years. The mayor has vowed to "rebuild" using federal money, the common purse of all Americans.

Question: Should this expenditure have precedence over subsidies, from the same purse, for classical music?

Counter Question, would this involving subsiding Renee Fleming?

 

[Guest]

Here's a puzzler. On the big island in Hawaii, lava flows have now destroyed "hundreds" of homes of people incautious enough to settle on the flanks of an active volcano, one that has been erupting off and on for years. The mayor has vowed to "rebuild" using federal money, the common purse of all Americans.

Question: Should this expenditure have precedence over subsidies, from the same purse, for classical music?

I don't know but where I used to live a company built a housing estate on a flood plain. For some reason the houses kept flooding, so our government, friends of the building company, kindly spent hundreds of millions on diverting this water to somewhere else.

 

[Martin D]

Here's a puzzler. On the big island in Hawaii, lava flows have now destroyed "hundreds" of homes of people incautious enough to settle on the flanks of an active volcano, one that has been erupting off and on for years. The mayor has vowed to "rebuild" using federal money, the common purse of all Americans.

Question: Should this expenditure have precedence over subsidies, from the same purse, for classical music?

You have a somewhat weird federal budgetary system if subsidies for classical music have to compete with disaster relief.

 

[fluteman]

Here's a puzzler. On the big island in Hawaii, lava flows have now destroyed "hundreds" of homes of people incautious enough to settle on the flanks of an active volcano, one that has been erupting off and on for years. The mayor has vowed to "rebuild" using federal money, the common purse of all Americans.

Question: Should this expenditure have precedence over subsidies, from the same purse, for classical music?

That's not a puzzler, but a classic difficult economic question that requires careful factual research and cost/benefit analysis. Habitable real estate in Hawaii is hugely valuable, and each acre protected from destruction can be worth millions. However, sometimes it's no use trying to do battle with nature's most powerful forces. On the east coast of the US, much of the beachfront property is nearly as valuable as that in Hawaii, and expensive efforts are made to at least slow the natural process of erosion. Maybe it's worth it to get another 150-200 years of beneficial use, but maybe not if it all gets washed away in 20-30 years.

We really need to do a similar kind of analysis for public support of the arts. Where is that spending most effective?

 

[Larkenfield]

“Question: Should this expenditure have precedence over subsidies, from the same purse, for classical music?”

Let’s put it this way: There will always be poverty, there will always be disasters, there will always be military expenditures and war, there will always be people who don’t think the arts are worth supporting, even by those who enjoy it every day and write about it.

But some cities manage to find some funds by planning it out in advance, having a program when there are no particular disasters happening, and it’s not always about government support; it’s about enlightened leadership related to culture values and the arts being supported as a part of national pride and the beautification of our cities, and the fact that it generates tax revenues, tourism, and an overall more inspiring environment to live in.

There’s an enlightening PBS program called “Artconomy” that explains the benefits of a city being friendly to the arts and artists. But to wait or expect the world to be in nice peaceful place with no disasters in order to do something constructive and positive is like living in a dream world. Nothing ever gets done and society becomes just about patching up the holes of disaster and dysfunction when things go wrong.

Incidentally, “Artconomy” is a perfect example of the enlightened information that’s available to people on a station that’s partly government funded. So I think the lack of at least some minimal support for the arts and more arts education in the public schools is that it really comes down to the idea that the arts not truly viewed as a part of daily life or the atmosphere of a town, city, or a country—and I couldn’t agree less with what I consider to be a very uninformed point of view. It’s the cultural values that attract one to a certain countries and places to see, and that’s capable of generating millions of dollars in revenue from certain city beautification projects and cultural exchanges with other countries. Some people are willing to stand up for these ideas and at least support public television, as limited or as imperfect as it may seem.

 

[bz3]

You have a somewhat weird federal budgetary system if subsidies for classical music have to compete with disaster relief.

Agreed, everone should have the (federally subsidized) right to live on a volcano.

 

[Bulldog]

You have a somewhat weird federal budgetary system if subsidies for classical music have to compete with disaster relief.

Nothing weird at all. Assuming it's all public monies, each category competes with all the other categories.

 

[KenOC]

This thread is about national subsidies for the arts. Some here seem to think that the same as national funding for classical music. It isn’t.

In fact, if you were to subsidize the arts based on the number of people benefitting, it might be a while before you came to classical music. I’d bet that ecdysiasm would score higher.

 

[Blancrocher]

This thread is about national subsidies for the arts. Some here seem to think that the same as national funding for classical music. It isn't.

In fact, if you were to subsidize the arts based on the number of people benefitting, it might be a while before you came to classical music. I'd bet that ecdysiasm would score higher.

Depends what you mean by "benefitting," perhaps.

 

[KenOC]

Depends what you mean by "benefitting," perhaps.

When it comes to the arts, I'm happy to let others determine what benefits them. And I hope that others will extend me the same courtesy.

 

[Blancrocher]

When it comes to the arts, I'm happy to let others determine what benefits them. And I hope that others will extend me the same courtesy.

Of course ... so long as you're still into Beethoven.

 

[Room2201974]

The true solution to arts funding is for symphony orchestras and concert halls to buy lobbyists who will pay off politicians like corporations do.

 

[Nawdry]

Pres. Trump's 2019 budget proposal put forth today includes eliminating federal funding for 22 agencies, grant programs, and institutes. There's a full list in the referenced article. Of likely interest around here:

- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds public television and radio stations including PBS and NPR.

- The National Endowment for the Arts, which funds American artists and projects with grants.

Thoughts?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...rams-trumps-budget-would-eliminate/ar-BBJ2Odf

This may not be a problem until 2025. In any case, I perceive the classical music sector to be in crisis financially and in need of a massive increase, certainly not a decrease, in public funding. This policy needs support across the political spectrum.

 

[Bulldog]

This may not be a problem until 2025. In any case, I perceive the classical music sector to be in crisis financially and in need of a massive increase, certainly not a decrease, in public funding. This policy needs support across the political spectrum.

Dream on. That support is dead.

 

[eljr]

This may not be a problem until 2025. In any case, I perceive the classical music sector to be in crisis financially and in need of a massive increase, certainly not a decrease, in public funding. This policy needs support across the political spectrum.

The stage is not set for such an outcome. This is apparent to all.

 

[starthrower]

The philistines in congress would be glad to stamp out all funding for the arts and public broadcasting. And I'm afraid that much of the corporate support is dwindling as well. The lion's share of the profits go to the stockholders.

 

[SixFootScowl]

The stage is not set for such an outcome. This is apparent to all.

Which outcome is not set? 2025? or support across the political spectrum? Or both?

 

[eljr]

Which outcome is not set? 2025? or support across the political spectrum? Or both?

the counties political power has shifted dramatically toward regressive policies since the 80's, I anticipate this accelerating after 22 and 24.

I would look for anything associated with education, academia, the arts or culture to be undermined, left unfunded or cut.
If they could, they would literally blow up anything associated with art, progress or education as al-Qaida did to the ancient unreplaceable monuments in Iraq.

Dark days are upon us my friend, dark dark days.