« Quick take on the budget | Main | The evolving music industry »
February 8, 2006
Budget and investment in creativity
There are a number of areas that are not included the OMB analysis of Federal investments (see earlier posting) which need to be addressed if we are to have a complete picture of our investments in intangible assets. One of those is funding for the arts and humanities (others include standard setting activities, organizational capacity building & technical assistance such as USDA extension service and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, export promotion activities and government information creation, such as the statistical agencies, the weather service, etc.).
For arts and humanities, the funding picture is mixed. According to the Washington Post, Small Gains for Cultural Programs in Bush Budget Plan:
The small increases for cultural institutions and federal agencies presented yesterday in President Bush's 2007 budget request to Congress will curtail any expansion in new programs.The modest boost will most likely offset inflation but not give enough cushion to try new things. On the other hand, none of the agencies received sizable cuts.
In a tight budget, this is understandable. But, placed against the need face up to our new competitiveness challenges, the funding level takes on a different light. Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch got it exactly right in his comments:
Rather than zeroing out the Department of Education's arts education programs, President Bush should ask for an increase. His State of the Union address recognized that we need to prepare a 21st-century workforce by fostering talent and creativity. While his American Competitiveness Initiative would substantially increase investments in math and science education, we also believe that one of the best ways to nurture creativity is to have children learn and actively participate in the arts. Studies show that students who participate in the arts are not only more likely to participate in a math and science fair but also out-perform their peers on the SATs by 87 points.
Amen!
As I have long argued, we need to expand our vision of competitiveness to embrace creativity and a broader view of innovation. That is the next wave of competition -- and our policy makers still don't see it coming.
Posted by Ken Jarboe at February 8, 2006 9:17 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.athenaalliance.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/536