The Arts and Creating Social Change

As an arts advocate and theatre person, I frequently find myself in conversations where I am asked to explain why the arts are important to fund, to attend, to practice, etc. Saturday at the Arts and the Economic Crisis symposium hosted by Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts, I had one of those “aha” moments that will forever change the way I answer that question.

The final discussion panel of the evening was moderated by the brilliant Homi K. Bhabha and included renowned theatre, opera and festival coordinator Peter Sellars, Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, and poetry editor for The New Yorker and Princeton professor Paul Muldoon (Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison was unfortunately unable to attend, though her book Burn This Book was read from and her work discussed). What really struck me was that all four men riffed on the idea that the arts are about empathy. It is through theatre, cinema, prose, music, dance and art that we are given a window into the lives of others in any real way. It is only when people are placed in a situation in which, as Paul Muldoon explained, they see what is like to be in another person’s skin and think nothing of themselves, that great art is made—a necessity for civil society.

Philip Seymour Hoffman discredited the idea that the arts (particularly theatre) are escapist. He explained that when he watches a show he must empathize with characters in devastating situations—so much so that he is relieved when the show ends (a feeling I completely understand. I cannot count how many times I have had to sit in my seat for a good 5-10 minutes after a play ended to compose myself.) But this experience is a necessary one and a fulfilling one. These empathetic experiences are the only ways for people to begin to try to understand what is like to live someone else’s life. As all four men agreed, watching tv and reading the news is important, but does not promote understanding between cultures, ethnicities, generations, etc. It only deepens the “us’/‘them’ divide. Philip Seymour Hoffman said it best: “If we’re in a world where the media is just reminding us why to be angry, then we never get to the weeping.”

Part of me has long felt jealous of my parents’ generation—of living in a time of such strong political and social activism. My co-worker and I were discussing voter turn out among people my age and were positing theories as to why it is so low. Even with the recent groundbreaking presidential election, one that received staggering support from young people, the number of young voters was not what it could have been. I think though, that it is not because my generation is apathetic or lazy or self-involved. From what I have seen of my peers it is that many of them choose instead to get in the trenches and enact change themselves (I am not suggesting this should come in place of voting, but there is certainly something to be said for being the change you wish to see in the world.) After college many of my friends chose to do things like apply for Teach for America, work with autistic children, and create arts programs for children with exactly that intention in mind. Perhaps more of us should turn to the arts, like many of our parents did, as a voice for these changes we wish to see.

At the symposium, one panelist concluded that more members of my generation were pursuing careers they felt passionately about because of the downturn in the economy. If you aren’t going to be able to get that job in corporate finance anyway, you may as well do what you love, right? I came out of this conference with a new sense of hope and a reinvigorated passion for the arts. With all the struggle that is going on at this moment, perhaps we should all take a page from Peter Sellars: “It’s a great time to be an artist right now—there’s a lot of subject matter.”

New Governor Christie on Arts, History & Tourism

Just in case you missed it from our numerous pre Election Day postings and alerts, here is candidate Christie's position paper on the arts. If you go to the Art Pride web site, you can also find the podcast from WBGO-FM's guberatorial debate and listen in!

Chris Christie Supports the Arts

Chris Christie believes in the important contribution that the arts make to the uniqueness of our state. He believes in the value of the arts to connect, engage and inspire our citizens. He understands the arts also provide our children with opportunities to create, explore and unleash their own creative abilities… skills that will serve them well in many aspects of their lives. Chris Christie also understands that the arts are one of the places where personal politics should be left behind and the beauty, joy and inspiration of the arts be shared by all of our citizens. The arts in New Jersey not only help unite us, they help define us. This benefit, alone, is reason enough to support the arts in our great state.

But there is much more to the arts. The arts and history are a vibrant economic engine generating more than $2 billion in economic activity and employing more than 80,000 people across the state - making the cultural community one of our largest employers. Cultural events draw millions of patrons not only to our museums and theaters… but to our restaurants, parking lots, and hotels. Beyond the cultural benefit, providing the proper support and infrastructure for a thriving cultural community just makes good business sense.

The arts make good educational sense as well. Arts education helps our children develop the skills needed to be successful in a rapidly changing world. The needs of the 21st century workforce require our students to process creativity and develop an innovative mind. We are educating our children today for industries and businesses that have yet to be invented. In this new environment, creativity and innovation will be as important as the ability to read, write and multiply. Arts education is one of the key ways to unleash the creative capacities in our young people.

Chris Christie believes that Jon Corzine has circumvented the laws requiring the arts to be funded at certain levels. He believes statutory mandates for the funding of the arts should be followed.

Chris Christie, speaking at the WBGO debate in Newark on October 22nd -“The legislature passed a law saying this is to be a dedicated funding stream to the arts, and I think it's a very simple matter - the law should be followed. It should not be circumvented in that regard. We need to comply with the law that the Legislature passed in 2003. And if you've dedicated a portion, as we did, of the hotel motel tax to funding the arts, the arts deserve to be funded in that way. And I will tell you this: you're right about the arts being an economic engine in this state. They absolutely are. We are in the shadow of the NJPAC right here. And we know if you come down here, as my wife and I often do, to see performances, you know what a night at the NJPAC does to this area of the city of Newark, to its economic vitality, to the restaurants, to the bars, to all of the people who vend in this area. It really brings it alive. And the fact is that is what we need to be doing more of, not less of. But all we need to do is follow the law. And the law has been pretty simple and pretty straight forward. That's why Governor Kean spoke out, the chairman of my campaign, spoke out forcefully against the diverting of those funds because it is bad for New Jersey. But also because it isn't in accordance with the law. So I think we just need to say if the state's done it this way and promised to the people of the state that it would be used that way, we should use the money that way and should not divert it. And in a Christie Administration we would not divert it.”

I Support the Arts & I Vote! Candidates on NJ Arts, History & Tourism‏

Don't forget to vote tomorrow, November 3! Every vote counts and the future of New Jersey is in YOUR hands!

To find out what the NJ gubernatorial and NJ Assembly candidates think about state arts, history and tourism funding visit the ArtPride NJ web site. You will find links to responses to ArtPride's survey (scroll down) and there's even a link to WBGO-FM's podcast of the recent gubernatorial debate. (If you can only listen for a few minutes, move the bar to 35 minutes in for the arts questions).

And don't forget our Keep It Green and Historic Preservation partners and vote YES on Public Question #1 to preserve open space and historic sites. There is more information at the Preservation NJ website.

Questions? Can't access the info? Email us at artpride@artpridenj.com or call 609.479.3377, ext. 307 or ext. 305.

Masterpiece of the Day- October 30, 2009

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the final installment of...
Maddie's Digital Office Wall

Sunset in The Grand Canyon on the Road to Supai
By: Gary Marx
Photograph

Masterpiece of the Day- October 29, 2009

Maddie's Digital Office Wall

Statue of Bethesda

By: Eliana Meira Rantz

Photograph

Masterpiece of the Day- October 28, 2009

Maddie's Digital Office Wall

Pieta

By: Karin Jervert

Charcoal drawing

Masterpiece of the Day- October 27, 2009

Maddie's Digital Office Wall

Dot's "Do" Shop
By: Karmaya Lewis
Pastels
karmaya11@hotmail.com