Hot Topic: Americans for the Arts Responds to President Bush's Proposed NEA Increase
Posted by: Staffon 2007/2/9 18:16:57 2277 reads
Americans for the Arts Responds to the Administration's FY 2008 Arts and Culture Funding RecommendationsFebruary 2007
Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch gave the following statement on the release of the president’s budget for FY 2008:
“For the first time in three years, President Bush initiated a proposed increase in funds for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). If approved, the president’s $4 million funding increase would grow the NEA budget from $124.4 million to $128.4 million, which is a step in the right direction. However, Americans for the Arts calls on Congress to restore full funding to the NEA at its FY 1992 level of $176 million...
which spurred significant economic growth, artistic achievement, and accessibility to the nation’s cultural organizations across the nation. The nonprofit arts industry generates $134 billion in economic activity annually for the U.S. economy, supports 4.85 million full-time jobs, and returns $10.5 billion in income tax revenue back to the federal government.
We applaud the president for recommending another significant increase to the Institute of Museum and Library Services and a modest increase to the National Endowment for the Humanities. However, it is disappointing to see the administration propose zeroing out funding for the seventh consecutive year to the Department of Education’s arts education programs. One of the best ways to nurture creativity, a necessity to prepare for a 21st-century workforce, is to have children learn and actively participate in the arts. The administration needs to understand the role of arts education in developing an innovative and creative society. Studies show that students who participate in the arts are not only more likely to participate in a math and science fair, but also outperform their peers on the SATs by 103 points.â€
About Amerians for the Arts:
Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of more than 45 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts.
Click Here to Visit Americans for the Arts' Site!
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