University of Rhode Island DigitalCommons@URI National Endowment for the Arts: News Articles Education: National Endowment for the Arts and (1980) Humanities, Subject Files II (1962-1996)
1979 National Endowment for the Arts: News Articles (1980): Article 05 Michael Straight
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Recommended Citation Straight, Michael, "National Endowment for the Arts: News Articles (1980): Article 05" (1979). National Endowment for the Arts: News Articles (1980). Paper 19. http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/pell_neh_II_49/19http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/pell_neh_II_49/19
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This r~:ett"!f 'i c comrnercial enterprise in iupµ:.1 of to;, ans. \'cu lllSeptember 17, 19 79 - Number 225 fact foncerning the Straight memory of four paragraphs of the chapter to the the early years, but it would be only Top Story struggles of Presidents Truman and historically interesting. For instance, he Kennedy to begin the legislative process implies that Roger Stevens spent a lot Book Review which would lead tp federal support for of money starting new and unneeded the arts. He fails to mention the massive institutions. He says five theatres were Twigs for an Eagles Nest: Reflections resistance in the Congress from the expensively established and none of them on the National Endowment for the Arts conservatives, which included at that time survive today. The facts are that three or a Senator Nixon and a Cong. Gerald theatres were funded with Office of Edu Twigs for an Eagle's Nest: Government Ford. cation money primarily, only two of and the Arts In the fifth paragraph Michael de which were new institutions. Already 1965-1978 scribes how President Johnson managed established was the Trinity Square Com by Michael Straight to succeed where others faileNew York: 1979 dent Johnson sent the bill creating the given the impetus to succeed until this $5.95 181 pages (National) Council (On the Arts) back very moment. Another was the Inner The last line of the book long prom to the Congress. There it g:ithereWhite House at the time and Liv generously of their efforts and lives to mate memory of the period. I'm also Diddle was the "arts" aide ·to Sen. Pell sec those bills through to success, and the probably prejudic~J about L~ose times, on the Hill. None of us recall Straight's agencies begun on a high level of effec as :Michael is abo<1t his own yc3rs of ser version. The facts are that Roger Stevens tiveness. He owes an apology to Presi vice. However, I can't remember Michael found a wedge to pry the bill out from dent Johnson, Larry O'Brien, RQger being involved in the form:ition of the under Chairman Smith, hold lhc vote Stevens, Liv Biddle, Sen. Claibourne NEA in person, or in :my other way. I until the last minute before the Demo ~ Rep. Frank Thompson, and many checked with Roger Stevens, who was cratic Convention of 1964 with Co11g. members of the early National Council, involved as far back as 1961 with the Frank Thompson's help, and then push to name a few. He is entitled to an opin Kennedy Administration, and he has no it through. The Eastern liberal Republi· ion, but not to a distortion of the facts. recollection. As for the Biddle months, can members were the key votes. Abe Perhaps I should stop here and quote a I happen to know Michael has had no .Fortas helped with sound advice. favorable review to balance my rather contact. Further, none of the definit~. Furtlrer, it wasn't $100,000 that was negative reaction. The only other opinion broad statements about either the Stevens mislaid in the shuffle, it was the phrase available to me is one provided by the or Biddle regimes are documented in any "per annum" in the bill signed by Presi publisher. It's John Blaine's quote as way; no footnotes, no references to dent Johnson. We were given SS0,000 used by Devon Press: "It's wonderful! official documents, noH1ing but inac forever instead of one year; when it was The stories are so funny and masterfully curate, sweeping statements that diminish gone the Council was without future told ... Your book will be a delight to the defenseless and do not do credit to monies. It was therefore imperative that many -your honesty, wit, and thought· the author. an Endowment be created at (ince. fulncss will be an inspiration." Yzt, he calls his first ch:ipter "Present It would be a simple matter to go on AnJ in many ways filaine is right, in at the Creation." He devores the first and point out any number 0f errors of my opinion. Michael is a marvelous ·~ writer~d a superb and subtle story of 'partnership' was frequently employed, the author and the Chairman of the teller. But he is no scholar, and in this by myself among others, the reality of NEA come through clearly in favor of book at least seems to have no view shared power was usually withheld." pragmatism; and a worthwhile project point. For example, he writes a long essay However, he sees the states as represent was killed when devotion to literature about how he and Nancy Hanks avoided ing mediocrity and the NEA as the cham would have merely demanded some re political pressure from all sides and pion of artistic quality. As the states form of approach. how important it is for the arts to remain grew more resentful over programs con The truly good chapters are "Can free of all political interference. How ceived by the NEA and thrust on them There Be a Democratic Culture?", a ever, earlier in the book he has written to administer, but without control, the really brilliant piece of scholarship; a skillfully subtle essay about a piece of lines hardened. And then, along came the "Twigs for an Eagle·s Nest": is a docu sculpture President Nixon disliked. The community arts agencies. mented essay that comes to a hasty con work of art was called "Adam" and it "Dy that time, city and community , clusion which sounds contrived. ''The was located within sight of the White arts agencies were also demanding greater Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet" is House on the grounds of the Corcoran participation in the formulation of En about the arts and education and has Gallery of Art. Nixon wanted it removed. d()wment policies. The larger arts organ some interesting literary and experi Michael and Nancy Hanks conspired with izations, in tum, were becoming fearful ential anecdotes. "A City in the Form of the National Park Service to deceive the that the Endowment might surrender a Palace" is a well done plea for urban artist and the Corcoran, and the tax too much authority to state and local esthetics. "Live From Lincoln Center" payers for that matter, and have the agencies. The Endowment itself had is a bit simple but full of facts that { piece moved to .a location out of Mr. spent a great deal of time and money in stimulate thinking. Nixon's line of vision. Titls was surrender reassessing its administrative relation The book as a whole? Certainly worth ing to political pressure of the most di ships. It seemed plain that while decen reading for the writing and the insights rect kind. tralization remained a sound concept in it pro•ides, both positive and negative. At one point the book sums up principle, in practice it might become If I sound overly critical, which I prob Roger Stevens'_regirne as creating "new a by-product of many conflicting pres ably am, it's because I don't like to see organizations and institutions which sures." (p. 94-95) history re-written with flat dogmatic would 'look to government for guidance This was the attitude. Dollars granted statements that have no basis in fact or and for predominant support.'" He con to the states and communities didn't even informed opinion. I especially don't trasts this attitude with Nancy Hanks end up in the treasuries of the large mu like it when it's by someone who writes who "believed that the central purpose seums and orchestras. It was a perfectly with the subtlety and elan of Michael ! of government funding for the arts was to defensible cultural policy which could be Straight. You must read it, but read it generate more support from private administered openly. I just never under with the mind's eyebrow raised. sources." The summation of the Stevens stood why it wasn't openly stated. In attitude is totally mistaken. Stevens private, everyone's lips were about as never had an appropriation which allowed sealed as a fourteen year old after her What I Did On My for the creation of expensive organiza first date, but no one ever said "we be Summer Vacation tions or institutions. New institutions lieve in helping major institutions first, were established because they were states second, and communities not at First stop, Chicago. I visited the needed to funnel money to some areas all." Chicago Art Institute, the Field Museum of the arts, or to gather infonnation And certainly Straight shouldn't make of Natural History and the Chicago Insti about the art form. None of them were such statements as he does on page ·67: tute of Contemporary Art. All but one large, or costly, except the American "The need to carry out the cultural were impressive. The Art Inst. continues Film Institute. premise of the American Revolution; to grow and show better than ever. The On the other hand, it is certainly true to see to it that the majority is capable Field Museum is one of the most taste that Nancy Hanks believed in support of shouldering the responsibilities that in fully presented museums in the world through private mo!!ey with an assist the past centuries were en trusted to with art and artifact exhibited with ex from government. That's why she op- elites." Apparently, this "shouldering" quisite taste. So catholic is the collection . posed the increase in state funding from is not to begin with grassroots com that it could be a synthesis of all the best the NEA by her silence, and why the munity agencies, or even bodies appoint at the Smithsonian. NEA never offered a program to the cities ed within the sovereign states. The Chicago ICA is in a new building which had commissions for the arts. The The vehemence with which I've off Michigan Boulevard. I was there a Hanks-Straight term resisted decentrali pointed out the sins of omission and few days after President Carter ordered zation of the arts and believed in aid to commission might possibly give one the thermostats set at 78 degrees and nearly the large institutions. They ignored the impression the book isn't worth reading. froze to death, but that is not the reason cities when they said they could raise Not true. Several essays are beautifully for disappointment. The permanent col· more private money if given an incentive thought through and skillfully written. lection is small and inconsequential and from the NEA, but embraced progran1s Some chapters are merely anecdotes the temporary exhibition somewhat which stimulated more money for the which are amusing, or cham1ing, or in monotonous, but that's not the reason, larger institutions. This set up a power sightful. They are not always insightful either. It was that I suddenly found my struggle between the Chairman and the as Michael wants them to be, but inter self questioning the need for the insti states and communities which is still esting none the less. tution itself. Should we have a museum not resolved. "When Four-Letter Words are Dirty" devoted to only the latest in art styles Michael Straight admits some sin in is an essay in defense of censorship and in a society where such trends tum and this matter. He writes: "The rhetoric involving Congress. The ethical values of twist each year or two? Shouldn't the 2
