What Role Does Art Play in America's Present and Future?

With today's passing of a stimulus package already well under scrutiny for frivolous expenses contained therein, the rebuilding of our nation's infrastructure is one of its most prominent intentions.

But, where will art exist within the course of this? How much will be devoted to sheer construction and energy efficiency? In our public consciousness, are the arts to be considered a frivolous expense?

Here, we discuss the average attitude toward the arts in the United States. Beyond the average, are there classes of art and do they belong strictly to classes of people? Where is our common ground and what must we do to realize that we are already there?

Featuring jill-of-all-trades and Executive Director of La Reunion Sarah Jane Semrad, and social entrepreneur and Executive Director of Dallas Social Venture Partners Stacy Caldwell.

Recorded by Rick Vanderslice and R.J. Jackson in Dallas on February 10th, 2009.

Sarah Jane Semrad:

 

http://lareuniontx.org/People.aspx

 

Stacy Caldwell's organization:

 

http://www.dsvp.org/

 

Art Conspiracy:

 

http://www.artconspiracy.org/

The article about the need to stop making art so special:

http://lareuniontx.blogspot.com/2008/07/where-life-and-art-unite.html

 

Dave Hickey's book about art, Air Guitar:

http://www.amazon.com/Air-Guitar-Essays-Art-Democracy/dp/0963726455/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234363594&sr=8-1

 

Resolana:

 

http://www.resolana.info/