JFK
November 18, 2013
I was a baby when JFK died — only 1 year old — but growing up as a small child in the 60s, the impact of his death was never lost on me. Yesterday, I watched CBS Sunday Morning’s tribute to JFK and it recalled a time when the world operated in black and white, literally and figuratively. Black and white TVs, black and white society and a black and white ethic about where America stood within its own world view.
Today the world is clearly more colorful in every possible way. It is shocking to reflect on the changes we have gone through in 50 years. You can look at this through so many different lenses: culture, civil rights, economy, technology, healthcare and the arts. Ah, the arts…lets take a look.
Founded in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was established to support and provide funding to the arts. This year the entire budget for the NEA was $154 Million. Last week, one painting sold privately at Christies for $142 million! How is it that our entire national arts budget now equals the cost of one painting sold privately? Now you know why we exist! One River is committed to Lifelong Creative Learning and hoping to stimulate a greater interest in art and culture.It is so hard to communicate in objective terms the benefits of art education and the value of arts culture to society. But, to me at least, it’s black and white.Monday, November 18, 2013
