The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities are absolutely crucial for the areas of the state outside the capital city. For small communities, these small grants of matching funds make it possible to bring cultural activities to our areas that could not occur otherwise - local symphony orchestras, art shows, literary forums, local theaters, for example.
Determined enemies of the NEA and NEH sift through the hundreds and thousands of grants given in all of the states until they find something objectionable. So far, nothing of that kind has ever been found in Utah. But they entirely miss the point.Those who oppose the NEA and NEH dogmatically, because they feel that the government should not be involved in the arts and humanities, are reactionary without being aware of it. They are in effect saying that the arts and humanities should be reserved for urban centers and for arts groups that can raise major sums of philanthropy. They don't want the St. Georges and Heber Cities and Panguitches to have art shows, only metropolitan areas. Even more, they don't want artists to teach in classrooms, only in privately funded galleries. Without realizing it, they will cause the culture of America to be the preserve of the wealthy.
If the endowments have to be cut to fit the cuts of all other agencies, that is one thing, but to eliminate them entirely is a dogmatic act to support determined enemies of the arts and humanities. Do these people propose eliminating the National Science Foundation? The arts are not frills. They are as crucial as mathematics and sciences. Breadth is absolutely essential. There is nothing better for our non-urban areas than the arts and humanities programming enabled by the Utah Arts Council and Utah Humanities Council that superintend the NEA and NEH funds.
Douglas D. Alder
St. George