Americans for the Arts

The sixth annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy was presented by the American Council for the Arts, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Eisenhower Theater, Washington, DC, March 16, 1993. The lecturer, Barbara Jordan said, "the primary thesis of my remarks today is that the arts, instead of quaking along the periphery of our policy concerns, must push boldly into the core of policy. The arts are a response to our individuality and our nature and help to shape our identity. The arts are not a frill and should not be treated as such. They have the

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer</SPAN> Doris Kearns Goodwin gave the 17th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy on March 29, 2004 at the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

As definitions of public art broaden to include social and civic practice, cultural agencies and funders are responding by supporting more place- and issue-specific work as well as cross-sector collaborations. The Scan offers snapshots of 28 programs supporting and building capacity for artists to work in the public realm and highlights overarching themes. Detailed summaries from interviews with seven selected programs provide additional insights.   The report is offered in the spirit of advancing field dialogue about supporting artists working in the public realm.