Making Headway
Scott sent along an interesting article for artists and supporters of the arts from the New York Times, “Problems Persist, but Arts Advocates See Progress Under Obama.”
The title makes the crux of the article clear enough, but there are two key points I wanted to highlight here:
Given the battle in Congress to include money for the arts in the stimulus package, cultural groups say Washington officials still fail to recognize artists as workers. “The third violinist in a chamber orchestra goes out and buys groceries just like everybody else,” said Bill Ivey, a former chairman of the Endowment.
The key words in this statement being recognize artists as workers. This ties into mindset, the mindset of the public AND THE ARTISTS — THE WORKERS THEMSELVES!!! As an artist, it’s taken me years to see myself as working for myself… I’m still learning that, and I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs.
Artists, START SEEING YOURSELVES AS SELF EMPLOYED! Give yourself designated hours, and a paycheck. Once we legitimize it for ourselves, others will see the legitimacy too.
The other point I want to highlight is key to this blog because it was through our efforts, and the combined efforts across the country that we were able to raise awareness.
Teresa Eyring, the executive director of the Theater Communications Group, which represents the country’s nonprofit theaters, said: “Local and regional elected officials and community leaders are seeing and talking about the connection between the arts and the overall health of their communities. The same sensibility hasn’t quite landed at the national level.”
Local and regional officials are finally getting how valuable the arts are to our communities, and though many in Washington haven’t, we now have more advocates now, on the inside, and it will only be a matter of time before we get more national officials on board.
It’s great to know we finally have an administration that “gets it,” after so many years in the dark.
–Sue
Add comment March 25th, 2009
