Transcript of Frank Rich's lecture from the 14th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

In 1998, the Maine Cultural Affairs Council (MCAC), a collaborative made up of the Maine Arts Commission, Maine Historic Preservation Commission, Maine State Library, Maine State Museum, Maine Historical Society, Maine State Archives, and the Maine Humanities Council, worked to develop the New Century Community Program (NCCP). The Program’s grantmaking, direct service, and technical assistance activities focused on three areas: (1) advancing the economic and social development of Maine’s communities by strengthening their arts and cultural resources; (2) expanding access to

This Monograph explores an alternative view of stabilization, one that comes from a community perspective and focuses on the delivery of cultural services to a community rather than on individual cultural institutions. In the process, some emerging trends surrounding cultural participation, regionalism, and a new form of philanthropy will be identified.

First annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy was presented by the Friends of Nancy Hanks and the American Council for the Arts, at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, April 13, 1998. The lecturer, Dr. Billy Taylor, reviews the case for non-support of the arts through public funding.

Studies and experience show that individuals are willing to give to the arts. The key question: How do we reach them? Door-to-door solicitations tend to be inefficient, direct mail is costly and telemarketing often offends potential benefactors. With increasing success, United Arts Funds (UAFs), organizations and local arts agencies (LAAs) are turning to workplace giving campaigns to expand individual support for the arts.

This issue of the Monograph explores the importance of community cultural planning, which can be an effective tool to strengthen the cultural community and apply cultural solutions to community problems. The process often results in increased funding for the arts, more programming for the public, and new partnerships.

On March 10, 1997, Alan K. Simpson served as the lecturer for the annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy presented at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. The Honorable Alan K. Simpson recently retired from the United States Senate, where he was a longtime leader in support of the arts. His outstanding commitment to our nation's cultural agencies extends beyond his role as a Senator to his civic contributions as a dedicated board member, devoted patron and valued advisor to the arts.

Over the past decade, we have been honored to hear from artists and academics, business leaders and policy makers on the subject of how our great nation can maintain and preserve a cultural identity through political, social and economic change. Individually, these distinguished speakers provide personal and professional perspectives which, collectively, inform, inspire and enrich us all. It is my hope that the lecture series compiled here serves as a resource and a reminder of the important role of culture in the lives of individuals, families, communities and in the life of our nation as

This issue of Monographs provides profiles of how local arts agencies, arts organizations, and educators are incorporating new technologies into their already-existing programming and curriculum.

This issue of Monographs will provide an overview of cultural diversity as it relates to the local arts agency field, as well as raise difficult questions, offer suggestions for the future and profile local arts agencies addressing cultural equity and cultural diversity. Given accelerating changes in demographics in many cities across America, it is no wonder that local arts agency administrators have been increasingly challenged to more accurately reflect the composition of their communities in their programming.