Author: New York City Commission for Cultural Affairs

Publication Year: 1976

Media Type: Report

Summary:

This report documents the cultural activity of New York City institutions outside of New York City. The report includes the activity of 48 institutions. The period covered is from July 1974 to July 1976.

Abstract:

This report documents the cultural activity of New York City institutions outside of New York City. The report includes the activity of 48 institutions. The period covered is from July 1974 to July 1976.

The arts in America may not be adequately financed, but they are flourishing. Nancy Hanks, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, is in a position to observe this phenomenon and has made comments about it on a number of occasions. Despite continuing obstacles, she told a Congressional appropriations subcomittee in 1974, the arts are being more broadly shared by more Americans every year. Individual creativity is high on our national scale of values, and the arts are being seen not as a frill but as an essential element in the truly good life.

This report explains some of the ways in which New York City is aiding this surging, if underfinanced, American involvement in the arts. It describes how, by serving as cultural resources for Americans everywhere, the city's institutions of art and culture are indeed reaching out with very specific programs to broaden exposure to their great treasures and talents.

The report has been produced because the well-being of New York's cultural institutions - and even of the city itself - depends on the support these institutions receive from outside the city: from the federal and New York State governments and from major individual, foundation and corporate givers. It is important that outside sources of funds understand fully why their support must continue and even increase in view of the ways in which New York City's cultural institutions do in fact serve the country at large. These groups perform services not only for those who come to New York and make direct use of them, but also through loans of works of art, through travelling exhibitions, tours of performing arts groups, consultations by experts, the training and supplying of talent and technical aid of many kinds, and even representation of our country abroad.

The brief survey described in this report was carried out by New York City's Commission for Cultural Affairs to document these and other aspects of the city's national cultural role. In publishing the results, the Commission does not suggest that New York is the only American city that is graced with cultural institutions of distinction, nor does it claim that its institutions are the only ones that reach out to national audiences. New York itself is, of course, the beneficiary of loans, tours, and talent migrations from other institutions and other parts of the country.

But the Commission's findings, even when limited to the 48 institutions which provided data for this report (see Appendix I) do show the extraordinary degree to which New York City is a cultural center serving national and international audiences. In the two-year period from July 1974 to July 1976: Eighteen New York City museums lent works of art to 322 cities in 46 states (plus the District of Columbia); Twenty-eight New York City performing arts organizations toured 501 cities in 46 states (plus the District of Columbia); Fourteen New York City museums lent works of art to 149 cities in 41 foreign countries (plus Puerto Rico); Eleven New York City performing arts organizations toured 110 cities in 41 countries abroad (plus Puerto Rico and Hong Kong).

These impressive numbers and the story that lies behind them describe for friends of the arts everywhere how vital it is that New York based cultural organizations survive in vigorous good health. Without them our nation, its creative thought, its civility, and even its world standing would be seriously diminished. The report that follows shows, more than any general statements possibly can, how lively New York City's cultural life is and how energetically its institutions of art and culture reach out to serve cities elsewhere in America and throughout the world. The Commission is most grateful to the institutions covered in its brief survey for giving us the details showing the nature and extent of this service. It is a marvelous story and a credit both to the city and the nation.

CONTENTS
Introduction.

Serving Americans everywhere - New York City as a national cultural resource:
     New York's development as a cultural center.
     Building connections to the nation and the world.
     Sharing New York's technical expertise.
     Cultural interdependence and its significance.

Appendix:
     1. New York City cultural institutions whose lending and touring programs are
         covered in this report. 
     2. Lending and touring programs of New York City cultural institutions, 
         July 1, 1974 to June 30, 1976: 
             States and cities served, and the institutions that served them. 
             A sampling of international cities served (geographically listed), and the
             institutions that served them.
     3. Map of the showing states which have been recipients of loans
         from New York City museums and which have been visited by New York City
         performing arts institutions.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Funding