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Категория: Английский язык
The growth of arts over the years has been marked by the conflict between two-strong forces of inspiration — domestic, sometimes primitive, creativity, and European sophistication. Generally, the very best American artists have been those who managed to combine both forces to create their own original forms.
Just as there is, however, no single American ethnic or cultural group, there is also no peculiar or recognizably "American" style in the arts. There is, rather, a mixture of many styles, reflecting the reality of American society. Still, some generalizations which attempt to define that which is "American" in American art are revealing. American art traditionally has been produced and enjoyed with a minimum of direct government support or control. In fact, one of the qualities that has lent distinction to American culture has been its inability to rely on government financial support. In order to survive and expand, museums, art galleries, symphony orchestras, chamber music societies and theaters have ail had to depend on private benefactors, university endowments and ticket sales as the primary means of raising money. Without the security of government subsidies that art in other countries traditionally enjoys, American arts have always been tied to American commerce. It is this very union, however, which contributed to America's cultural experimentation and ingenuity.
The arts in America have grown rapidly, especially over the past 20 years. One major trend has been the expansion of the universities' role as centers in which the arts were created and performed. To meet students' increased demand for arts training, they have added to their staffs active composers, musicians, painters and other artists. In turn, universities have spread cultural activity outward from its traditional centers — such as New York and Chicago — to other cities and regions throughout the country.
Greater arts training has increased the numbers of serious amateur artists. Some 53 million Americans play musical instruments. Another 50 million paint or draw in their spare time. And the ranks of amateur writers, poets, photographers and dancers are similarly large.
Another major development, occurring in contrast to earlier practice, has been a cautious but increasing federal and state government role in supporting the arts, especially in providing grants to cultural institutions. Spending by the National Endowment for the Arts, a government agency created in 1965, topped $174 million in 1990. That figure was exceeded by state government arts agencies, which spent $274 million. Still, all government arts spending remains small compared to more than $7.9 billion in private arts contributions recorded in 1990.
The government also supports the arts in other ways — through military bangs, programs to support Native American arts and crafts, through commissions of sculpture for government buildings, and in many other ways.
Government financial support of the arts, especially on the federal level, has sometimes aroused controversy. In a few cases the National Endowment for the Arts has funded a project which some people consider obscene and offensive. Congress, which appropriates money for the arts agency, insisted that, in the future, the panels that review applications for funds apply "general standards of decency" in making their decisions. Still, artistic excellence remains the main consideration in funding the arts.
Public support for the arts has never been higher. A recent public opinion poll reported that over 90 per cent of Americans believe that the arts make a community a better place, improve the quality of life and are an important asset to the communities.
