The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the federal government specifically designed to support and enhances the art community for minority groups. The NEA was founded in 1965 and has controlled the art community ever since. This has aided in censoring works of supposedly obscene and controversial art. The elimination of the NEA, or making it a private organization, would free much needed public tax dollars to go to more important parts of the nations budgets, as well as open the art communities up for the freedom to exhibit the controversial pieces of art work the NEA deems inappropriate.
Congress created The National Endowment for the Arts in response to the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965. The NEH Act was signed by President Lyndon Johnson and set into law the creation of two separate, independent agencies, the NEA and the NEH. The idea for the bill began in 1963 when National Commission on the Humanities published that the arts and humanities in schools were in a decline due to an emphasis on science. In March of 1965 the bill was proposed by Congressman Moorhead to the legislation to implement the suggestions of the commission’s findings. In September the NEH Act of 1965 was signed and made law, thus creating the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities (“How the NEH Got its Start”).
The National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 was set into law to promote progress, scholarship in the humanities and the arts in the United States. This bill was set in place to “encourage…and support [the] national progress…in the humanities and the arts.” The bill states that it is primarily up to the local government to initiate the...
... middle of paper ...
...h Association. 2010 Web. 11 April 2011.
Rice, William Craig. "The Arts Will Thrive Without the National Endowment for the Arts." Free Speech. Ed. John Boaz. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
Schlinkert, Sam. “Art Censorship Controversies: A Brief History. Flavorwire:1-8. 2 Dec. 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. < http://flavorwire.com/133635/art-censorship-controversies-a-brief-history-nsfw >.
Van Harken, Joseph. “Budgets cut student experience.” CNN Politics. Turner Broadcasting System Inc. 20 Aug. 2003:1-3. Web. 4 Apr. 2011 .
“Varies Landing Page.” The Metropolitan Opera. The Metropolitan Opera. 2011. Web 7 Apr. 2011. .
Censorship is one of the most heatedly debated topics in America today. Censorship exists in several forms, ranging anywhere from censorship in the media to the banning of books. The question on whether censorship is ethical or not, has been asked all throughout history, stemming from the times of ancient Rome. Now in the 21st century, America faces new, and old, problems pertaining to censorship such as its violation of human rights, this is because censorship impairs an individual's freedom of speech and press. Also censorship has negative effects on art and human expression, as it creates boundaries on an artist's’ creativity, thus effecting the multimedia industry. On a societal scale, censorship prevents students from learning about the harsh realities that exist outside of a controlled school environment, leading to ignorant and naive adults. Censorship should not exist in America, as it is unconstitutional, takes away the true meaning of an artist's’ intentions, and works to make future generations ignorant.
Upon years and years, the government has tried to cut back spending on unnecessary programs and reduce the deficit of the Untied States. Recently, this has caused numerous shut downs of the government offices over agreeing on budget between congress and president. Therefore, president Trump has suggested to cut all funding to certain programs like National Endowment of the Arts this will be catastrophic for the education systems, and art programs across the country it funds. The Untied States government should not cut funding for NEA (National Endowment of the Arts) because lose state programs, and make local artist go bankrupt.
A recent development in public education has been the decline in arts programs nationwide. Budget cuts to arts programs are responsive to decreases in state funding, especially in states with conservative economic policies. Many states have also enacted legislation disabling local school districts’ abilities to justify employing art and music teachers. Consequently, several problems have manifested themselves, including the loss of arts programs proving detrimental to the overall quality of education for today’s children. First and foremost, arts programs improve overall performance in core school subjects; this is demonstrated clearly through higher test scores amongst students with exposure to arts and positive correlations between arts and core class engagement. Other reasons supporting retaining arts programs include to help foster community development, produce creative minds, develop problem-solving skills, aid in child development and visual-spatial skills, and encourage underprivileged students to remain in school (Metla, 2015). By removing arts programs from some public schools, an alarming issue of public concern arises. Public education, given that it is considered to be a non-rivalrous and non-excludable, is deemed a public good (Clark, 2016). Cutting arts programs in public schools, especially when cuts transpire in schools saturated with heavy minority populations, creates inequitable education and creates a serious issue of public concern.
Weaver, Cat, 2011, Law vs. Art Criticism: Judging Appropriation Art, Hyperallergic, http://hyperallergic.com/23589/judging-appropriation-art/ (Accessed 25th April 2014)
2. Censorship: Opposing Viewpoints, Ed. Lisa Orr. San Diego, CA Steffens, Bradley. Censorship. Ed. Lucent Books
Owen, Ursula. "Problem or Solution?" Index on Censorship. 3 (2006): 1. EBSCOhost. Accessed March 22, 2010.
Since 2001, budget cuts in art education have increased dramatically. In New York from 2006-2011 funding for art education in public schools were cut 68% (Phifer 2).This epidemic is spreading all across America due to the push for better standardized test scores. Reading and math have become the governments highest priority, leaving the arts in the shadows. But what if the arts could also improve test scores? Despite what many government leaders believe, budget cuts in art education are depriving Americas children emotionally, academically and socially.
Though out history artist have rejected any forms of censorship. Governments have had to enforce censorship laws for the sake of public safety. As well, as to maintain control of society and to uphold the moral and ethical values that the populous demands. Whether you are for or against censorship in art, it serves a useful purpose in moderation, but it can be taken to extremes. Whether it’s a fascist government or a extremist religious organization it is easy for a controversial law to be twisted in order to grab and maintain absolute power over the masses. We as a people need structure and laws but we need our freedom to express ourselves. Lean one way or the other too far and society can potentially fall apart.
There are people who argue that there is no reason for art to have public funding. They have many reasons like there are many “more” important things the government should be concerning themselves with. Issues like unemployment or the amounts of people need government assistance and things of that nature. The there is the issue of who the grants the give the National Endowment for the Arts are going to and what the messages their pieces are conveying. Artist like the four performance artist John Fleck, Tim Miller, Karen Finley, and Holly Hughes, often referred to as the NEA Four. These artist had works that were deemed quite controversial and the many conservative parties that said this argued that they did need the money they received to do their pieces. There will always be people saying that the government should not fund the art and the reason on why public funding should not be given for art are endless. Yet I believe that it is very much a great thing to have.
One thing that I have learned this semester about the human service world is that nonprofits provide the largest contribution towards addressing social issues and advocating for change in the United States. To help achieve their goal, nonprofits receive contributions that are tax-deductible. Consequently, the trade-off for having such benefits also creates limitations on certain activities. In this case, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is a government agency that oversees nonprofits and their tax-exempt status, restricts the act of legislative lobbying. As a result, nonprofits are prohibited to directly interact and influence decision makers.
Betts, Julian. Getting choice right: ensuring equity and efficiency in education policy. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2005.
Sawhill, Isabel V., and Stephanie Owen. "Why We Still Think College Isn't for Everyone." http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/05/13-college-for-everyone-criticism-response-owen-sawhill. Web blog post. Brookings. The Brooking Institution, 13 May 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2013.
“The clash between the desire for free speech and the concern for the effect it had on society” (Friedman) has always worried those afraid of what c...
Freedom Of Expression in the Arts and Entertainment." American Civil Liberties Union. American Civil Liberties Union, 27 Feb. 2002. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.
“Censorship is when a work of art expressing an idea which does not fall under current convention is seized, cut up, withdrawn, impounded, ignored, maligned, or otherwise made inaccessible to its audience.”