I was sad to read that the Milwaukee Symphony are canceling 4 out of their 5 free concerts. It’s probable that many more orchestras might be forced to cancel free concerts as budget choices are made. In Springfield we usually do 2 free concerts each summer. They are not for certain since they’re connected with city festivals that are at this point are on hold. The NEA might be getting $50 million extra this year, so I’ve got a suggestion…..
The free and outdoor concerts for many bring in the biggest audiences of the season. They are a tangible connection to the community at large, to families and to those who cannot afford to attend regular concerts. They are often patriotic, bring large groups of people to parks, rivers and downtown areas and have been a part of the cultural landscape for years. They serve the community at large.
How about using some of this money to protect these investments in our community? With new money coming in, there has to be a commitment that the dollars will be used to serve the most people possible and so providing for free concerts/festivals makes sense. Perhaps it could be matching money to encourage donors/sponsors/foundations to also invest.
This might not be what some believe is “high art”, but it is engaging art for the higher purpose of allowing it to reach everyone, to make a difference and to provide quality of life choices. We don’t need naval gazing projects, no multi million dollar musicological studies of the complete works of Schütz! The New York Times in this article summarizes where things stand:
Much of the clamor arises from anticipation stirred by Mr. Obama’s campaign remarks about the importance of the arts. One of the few candidates with an arts platform, he called for a young “artist corps” to work in low-income schools and neighborhoods; affordable health care and tax benefits for artists; and efforts at cultural diplomacy, like dispatching artist-ambassadors to other countries.
It sounds like his philosophy is to make the arts an active part of people’s lives, rather than something that is only received passively, and only for those who can afford it. Rather than welfare though, it’s now about wellness. I feel that free concerts and festivals fit in with this mission. Bottom line, when using taxpayers money, showing that it serves and benefits many will go along way to convince lawmakers to continue funding the arts at a higher level. Public money, should go for public use, otherwise they, the lawmakers and the public, wont give a Schütz about us!
This is a tough one – the $50 million is supposed to go for job creation and other activities that stimulate the economy. Free concerts are wonderful, and perhaps arguably increase paying attendance, but they are also a luxury.