Author: Harris, Janet I.

Publication Year: 1979

Media Type: Book

Summary:

Abstract:

The arts can form a symbiotic relationship with a wide range of community programs and resources, ranging from education to community facilities. Today, for example, fairs and festivals, art exhibits, and performances are activating downtown areas. The arts can help build broader community programs, and community programs can help support the arts and make them available to a wider audience. In planning for the arts, a broad range of activities and programs may be considered. The purpose of this chapter is to describe arts activities and programs in a planning context. While many of these activities are private in the sense that they are not conducted by government, local government involvement in the funding and planning of arts activities is increasing.

This chapter first gives the broad background to government involvement in the arts in this country, including history, funding, responsibilities and policy questions. The chapter then describes the wide variety of arts facilities, historic resources, and programs; it concludes with a section on planning. The management of local government services can include diverse arts elements, and line government agencies are finding, increasingly, that the arts are useful in serving the public. Local government agencies are creating arts programs within their own governmental programs and are establishing cooperative programs for specific constituencies with various arts and funding organizations. (p. 330)

CONTENTS
1. The development of government support for the arts: 
         The Works Progress Administration.
         The National Endowment for the Arts.
         State arts agencies.
         Community arts agencies.

2. The arts as a public good:
         Arts agency structure. 
         Partnership support of the arts.

3. Public policy for the arts:
         Funding for the arts.
         Government leadership - or government control?

4. Government facilities: 
         Public use of public facilities. 
         Quality design of public architecture. 
         Creative spaces for the arts.

5. Public art.

6. Historical resources: 
         Historic sites and districts. 
         Community libraries and archives. 
         Parks. 
         Urban development projects.

7. The many roles of community arts: 
         Arts in the community. 
         Arts in colleges and universities. 
         Arts in recreation. 
         Arts in social development. 
         Creative arts therapies. 
         Counseling programs. 
         Programs for institutionalized citizens.

8. Planning and studies in the arts: 
         Responsibility for planning. 
         Research, surveys and analysis. 
         Economics and the arts. 
         Economic impact studies. 
         Economic development planning. 
         Local tax incentives. 
         The arts plan and program. 

Conclusion. [Includes bibliography].

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Participation, Cultural Planning, Community Development