textfiles-politics/politicalTextFiles/arts.txt
2023-02-20 12:59:23 -05:00

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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.