“The federal government — which means you and I — should pump $62 billion into the nation’s nonprofit cultural infrastructure. Yes, that’s billion-with-a-b, not million-with-an-m. Forget about the silly dickering over an anemic $50-million boost for the National Endowment for the Arts. About 100,000 nonprofit arts groups operate in the 50 states. Collectively they employ almost 6 million people. Crisis is a time for boldness, not timidity, and few recall an economic crisis quite like this one. So art museums, symphonies, theaters, dance companies and other cultural centers should get a huge infusion of funds.”
– The Los Angeles Times‘ Christopher Knight calls for Obama to spend available funds on ballet and not bombs, quoting a stat from Americans for the Arts that says the country’s 5.7-million workers in the nonprofit culture industry contribute $166 billion to the annual economy. What are you thoughts?