Fine arts education in public schools is really abysmal. The same emphasis should be put on music, theater, dance - anything creative - that's put on math and science.
I'm conflicted with theater in the city because you want to reach a diverse audience, and that audience doesn't typically go to the theater.
I'm hoping someday that we'll be able to start a consortium with places like Carnegie Hall to work on early childhood education. I really feel that's the most important place to put the arts.
I kind of want to get the music back on a road it hasn't been on for a while. I want to promote the arts as part of the American diet.
I'm on Governor Gray Davis' California Alliance Towards Education to bring the arts back to high schools.
The function of arts centers goes far beyond being places for performance. They might not be explicitly religious, but they are civic and social spaces.
That's the reason support for the National Endowment of the Arts is so important. It enables those ventures that aren't viable commercially to be done.
I think the problem with the arts in America is how unimportant it seems to be in our educational system.
Mr. Chairman, obviously a $60 million cut in the National Endowment for the Arts would be a disaster.
The arts are suffering amongst public schools, but also, minority theater companies are struggling, and I firmly believe in freedom of expression through the arts.
In these difficult financial times for so many of our districts, as our local leaders strive to balance their budgets by cutting services, we would be irresponsible not to invest in the arts.
Less money for public media means less access to the arts.
You can't punish the middle classes for going to drama school - you need to punish the education system and the associative governments for devaluing the arts.
The arts need funding.
I'm one of the strongest advocates for the arts you'll ever find!
I've benefited enormously from an arts education and a music education in New York. When they cut the programs for funding, I was devastated.
It is not true that I oppose government funding of the arts.
It breaks my heart to hear of our theatres struggling to survive. As well as playing a vital role in community life, they're guardians of our heritage and should be cherished.
The Barenboim Foundation has nothing to do with politics.
It's nearly impossible to make a living in the arts.
Throughout her life, my grandmother was a champion for the arts and giving back.
Cleveland is really good about recognizing its artists because of the Arts Council.
I'd clean house at the National Endowment for the Arts ... the place would be shut down, padlocked and fumigated.
As an artist I have an even more abiding interest in the compact between the Arts and Government.
Making a living in the arts, though, creates so many jobs for other people.
