Support your local arts…

With all the uncertainty surrounding the futures of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), I have been thinking quite a bit about support for the arts. (It should be noted that the NEA and NEH combined are only about 0.003 percent of the federal budget; each received $148 million last year which is not very much.) In fact, according to news sources I consulted, it’s kind of like this: if you make $50, 000 a year, spending the equivalent of what our government spends on the NEA, the NEH, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting combined, it would be like spending less than $10. Holy cow, you say, our federal government spends that little on the arts? Yep.

So, that aside, let’s think locally. I have been thinking locally because I am involved with both the Dayton Visual Arts Center and the Dayton Society of Artists (as well as a few others …). I want both these organizations to be not only useful to artists and art lovers, but vibrant and growing. They serve different and very necessary purposes for the arts in our community.

Currently I have been working on growing sponsorships and memberships for Dayton Society of Artists. This art organization is entering its 79^th year and the last few years have seen new growth with an infusion of younger artists and consequently new ideas. However, it is a non-profit and non-profits can be a little financially tenuous. Thus, we are always seeking additional support.  

New members bring in new members and new ideas and new art and new life. So, those of you – including me of course – who are already DSA members need to seek out other artists who could benefit from our great programs and opportunities to exhibit, in addition to the creative comradery.

For those of you who love the arts and understand how a vibrant bevy of creatives contributes to lively communities, think about becoming a Friend of the Gallery or sponsoring an exhibition award. I am including in this post the information you need if you wish to befriend our gallery at 48 High Street in the St. Anne Historic district. Isn’t it beautiful?

SERVING THE WORK

While reading the editorial page of the Friday, April 29 issue of The Dayton Daily News, the headline of David Brooks’ column caught my eye. It referenced Ernest Hemingway. I started reading.

The Hemingway references accurately captured the man as I understand him but what really struck me was Mr. Brooks’ reference to a comment he credited to Dorothy Sayers. She once wrote that while it might be politically correct to state that one does one’s work to serve the community (I am paraphrasing), that is actually a falsehood. Her argument is that if you do any type of work to serve the community, that work becomes untrue, because in essence you are doing it to seek approval. Sayers notes that if you concentrate on serving the work rather than the community, you end up serving the community even more.

The self-consciousness disappears when you do this. Concentrate on the work fully and completely and to the best of your ability, and by doing so, you are serving the larger community. It becomes truly, honest work. Don’t make work simply to accumulate accolades.

Thank you Mr. Brooks for bringing this to my attention, and thank you Ms. Sayers for your perceptive observation.

I plan to keep this in mind as I go to the studio. I will dispense with “how am I doing” and simply get on, serving the work.