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             CLINTON/GORE ON THE ARTS



Bill Clinton and Al Gore believe that the arts
should play an essential role in educating and
enriching all Americans.  The White House should
help the arts become an integral part of education
in every community, helping broaden the horizons of
our children and preserve our valuable cultural
heritage.  A Clinton/Gore Administration will
ensure that all of our citizens have access to the
arts for all of our citizens.

As President and Vice President, Bill Clinton and
Al Gore will defend freedom of speech and artistic
expression by opposing censorship or "content
restrictions" on grants made by the National
Endowment for the Arts.  They will continue federal
funding for the arts and promote the full diversity
of American culture recognizing the importance of
providing all Americans with access to the arts.


The Record

*    Governor Bill Clinton initiated sweeping
     educational reforms in the 1980s.  The new
     standards which the state adopted in 1983
     include art and music in the curriculum for
     all K-12 students and require one-half unit of
     fine arts instruction for high school
     graduation.  As a result:

     !    Arkansas is among only a few states that
          have included the arts in the basic,
          required high school curriculum.

     !    Student participation in arts programs
          has increased 30 percent and funding for
          positions for music and art teachers has
          increased 35 percent since 1983.

     !    A "Survey of Fine Arts" course at the
          high school level, with curriculum
          guidelines for art and instrumental and
          vocal music classes in elementary and
          secondary schools.

*    Governor Clinton has enthusiastically
     supported the state's commitment to programs
     for the general public.  In 1991-92, in the
     face of shifting priorities and declining
     grant awards from the National Endowment for
     the Arts, Governor Clinton strongly sustained
     the state's support for touring programs and
     local arts agencies.

     !    While many states' arts agency budgets
          dropped as much as 40 percent, Governor
          Clinton's budget for the Arkansas Arts
          Council increased funding for arts
          programs.  In 1992, grants from  the
          Arkansas state Arts Council supported 393
          performances, exhibitions and arts
          classes in 138 cities and communities in
          Arkansas.

     !    Arkansas has a strong folk arts tradition
          and is home to a regional repertory
          theater, the nationally recognized
          Children's Theater, the Arkansas Symphony
          Orchestra, Ballet Arkansas,  and numerous
          local theater and performing arts
          programs.

*    Senator Gore has supported funding to bring
     operas, symphony orchestras, playhouses, and
     educational arts programs to all of America.

*    Opposed measures which would cut funding for
     the National Endowment for the Arts and place
     content restrictions on federally funded
     artists.

*    Led the fight to preserve funding for public
     television programs like Sesame Street that
     enrich the lives of million of American
     families.
