Photo: Nigel Parry / CPi
On Monday, January 21st, President Barack Obama was sworn in for his second term as United States President. His speech brought hope to many, and it was clear from his words that his next term will focus in large part on issues of equality. But one thing that didn’t make it into President Obama’s speech was the arts; though his support has been unwavering, it’s also been subtle.
Since his initial election in 2008, President Obama has proven that he understands the importance of the arts. He helped secure economic recovery funds for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), a move which saved many artists jobs. His proposed budget for 2013 also included a 5.5% increase to NEA, particularly for arts education in underserved neighborhoods.
“The arts and the humanities do not just reflect America,” he said. “They shape America. And as long as I am President, I look forward to making sure they are a priority for this country.”
Americans for the Arts is another national non-profit organization that helps support and
Image from richmondballet.com
advance the arts and arts education. After President Obama’s successful re-election campaign, the President and CEO of Americans for the Arts, Robert L. Lynch, congratulated him heartily.
Americans for the Arts believes that “the arts are fundamental to humanity and have the power to transform lives, and that tarts education develops well-rounded children and citizens.” It would seem that both presidents—Obama and Lynch—are on the same page when it comes to keeping the arts around. And that’s a good thing in times when math and science are steadily gaining precedence.