Author: Meader, Granville

Publication Year: 1970

Media Type: Book

Summary:

Twenty years after the end of World War II this nation discovered that the proliferating arts, especially the performing arts, were in trouble. A number of studies were made under prestigious auspices, and a half dozen books were published, all to call attention to the difficulties. National organizations were established to determine ways of helping the arts resolve their problems. National, state and community arts councils were formed to aid the cause, many of them supported at least in part by government.

Abstract:

Twenty years after the end of World War II this nation discovered that the proliferating arts, especially the performing arts, were in trouble. A number of studies were made under prestigious auspices, and a half dozen books were published, all to call attention to the difficulties. National organizations were established to determine ways of helping the arts resolve their problems. National, state and community arts councils were formed to aid the cause, many of them supported at least in part by government.

The general conclusion was that the the problem was basically financial. Since it was a cliche that the arts never could pay for themselves, the question of increasing earned income was seldom raised. The preferred solution was the infusion of large sums of philanthropic money. Contributions had to be increased to wipe out the nagging net deficits of the arts, assure the continuance of America's culture and give the artists themselves time to pursue their activities without having to worry about raising funds.

Accurate statistics to prove this theory were difficult to come by. Studies of the arts, to assess their true financial needs, produced conflicting figures due at least in part to the reluctance of arts organizations to reveal their statuses. There has been no study of the amounts of philanthropic money available for the arts or the sum that would be so if the need were satisfactorily demonstrated. Happily, one of the few studies with any basis in fact shows corporate support of the arts to have been larger than had been guessed.

Research in the field of the arts has thus far been largely financial, a parading of numbers of dollars to prove that the only problems the arts have are monetary. There comes a time to question this monolithic answer, to ask if there might not be a number of partial answers and to put all into some sort of perspective. Examination in depth might find that the solution is not a simple choice of Either more philanthropic money is given to the arts or the arts will fail.

The Business Committee for the Arts decided to undertake an in depth study of the condition of the arts, using a carefully selected sample of specific organizations and including the visual arts as represented by museums and the electronic media as represented by educational television. Specialists in their fields were asked to look carefully at approximately 20 arts institutions, most notably repertory theatres, orchestras and museums. Frequent detailed consultation with experts in other art fields helped form the basis for this work. Up-to-date statistical research for the National Endowment for the Arts both supported the premises and permitted enlargement of the scope.

The following is a selective sampling, an in-depth study of a few arts groups. It is not intended to cover all the arts. Rather it is to examine some organizations and make cautious suggestions of the condition of the arts. Basically it is an attempt to determine whether or not there are some factors in addition to a lack of monetary donations contributing to the crisis of the arts.

CONTENTS
Goals.
Audience.
Performing arts audience now.
Accreditation.
Personnel.
Leadership.
Staffs and salaries.
Income.
Endowment.
Contributions.
National Endowment for the Arts.
State Arts Councils.
Foundations.
The Ford Foundation Grant to symphony orchestras.
United Arts Funds.
Corporate contributions.
Conclusion.

Tables:
       1. Profile of males attending North American theatres.
       2. Performing arts attendance estimates.
       3. Ballet and modern dance minimum salaries.
       4. Distribution of Ford Foundation Endowment funds.
       5. Ford grants to symphony orchestras.
       6. Appropriations for state arts councils and NEA.
       7. NEA grants to arts groups through October, 1969.
       8. Foundation contributions to the arts, 1965-1970.
       9. Ford Foundation grant to orchestras.
     10. Status of orchestra match of Ford Endowment, 1970.
     11. Comparisons of successful and unsuccessful matches.
     12. Typical orchestra budget, 1969 and 1972 seasons.
     13. United Way and United Arts Fund drives compared.
     14. Sums raised by 10 UAFs over 5 years.

Charts:
       1. Top Five symphony orchestras: annual salaries, minimum and average, 1968
           through 1973 seasons.
       2. 18 professional resident theatres: annual income and expense. 
           Average, 1965 through 1972 seasons.
       3. Non-profit art museums and Metropolitan opera.
           Expenditures, by category, 1967 season.
       4. 63 non-profit art museums. 
           Income: sources, 1967 season.
       5. 4 professional resident theatres.
           Contribution: sources, 1967 through 1970 seasons.
       6. National Endowment for the Arts: budgets.
           Annual, 1966 through 1971 fiscal years. 
       7. State governments.
           Appropriations for state arts councils, per capita, 1970 fiscal year.
       8. United Arts Funds. 
           Contributions to arts groups by frequency, 1969 season.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Private Sector