This is a time of change in Alaska, a direct result of the incontrovertible fact that we are facing the gravest budget crisis in the history of the Last Frontier since we joined the U.S. in 1959.
When I was born in Anchorage in 1967, the discovery of oil on the Kenai Peninsula had injected only relatively small sums of petro-dollars into the state’s treasury, and the days of massive wealth were still on the horizon. The sale at auction of oil leases on the North Slope happened soon thereafter, heralding an era of prosperity which has alternated with a few painful periods when Alaska’s economy has declined precipitously and Alaskans have felt the pain of recession acutely and personally. Right now we have entered another challenging period, but I am completely convinced that we will survive and emerge strong and resilient.
Also about the same time I was born, two entities came into existence that I value and respect, which serve Alaskans and Americans in meaningful and unique ways. Congress founded the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) a few years before I joined the human race, and the Alaska Legislature created the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA) soon thereafter. Both agencies have done great work serving the good people of our state and nation ever since, but that doesn’t mean either should be exempt from scrutiny. It is almost always possible to do things better when one takes the time to evaluate the status quo. When we have the courage to take a few steps back and consider things from a wider perspective, perhaps a different vantage than we’re accustomed to, we can sometimes see potential for change that otherwise might elude us.
ASCA is a small and highly effective agency of the state of Alaska, run by an all-volunteer council on which I have the privilege to serve as chairman. We’ve taken many steps to streamline and improve our operations over the years, but as the storm-clouds of low oil prices gathered in the past few years, we couldn’t help but acknowledge that business as usual was unlikely to be the best strategy to see us through to sunnier days in the future. This prompted ASCA to undertake a thorough evaluation of how we do our important work, and what might be changed in our enabling statutes to remove unnecessary obstacles to help ASCA meet our mission to bring artistic and cultural activity to as many Alaskans every day, with the most effective use of scarce public money. Because our budget is now funded with more private money than the combined state and federal dollars, it makes good sense to ensure that we are not bound by red tape and that we are able to operate nimbly and efficiently in providing services to Alaskans.
Similar evaluations of governmental programs are happening in our nation’s capital with a new administration in place, and one can reasonably expect scrutiny of the NEA’s operations just as ASCA has undergone. There is no indication that the NEA will not continue to exist to help state arts agencies like ASCA continue to do valuable important work in the coming years. Because of a provision in the law that has governed the NEA’s funding since the 1990s, 40 percent of whatever amount Congress appropriates for grant-making is mandated to go to the states, a direct manifestation of the doctrine of federalism and the inviolable right of the states which comprise our union to run their own affairs and serve as laboratories of innovation and creativity. Arts and culture are ultimately local, and the best way for Congress and our national government to ensure that money is spent wisely is to continue strong participation by state arts agencies who in turn work with and rely on local partners to meet the needs of each individual state.
Each dollar of federal NEA money that is passed through to state arts agencies leverages, on average, $7. This is a return on investment that most federal agencies could only dream of, and it is one reason members of Congress of all parties support the NEA and its continuing mission to help make Americans’ lives better by making targeted, effective investments in organizations and communities where the beneficial effects of these dollars are felt in the best way by the greatest number of people.
Many Americans from across the political and ideological spectrum feel like the nation has been through a heated and intense campaign season, and they’re exactly right. We have, but we’re in a place where the process of supporting one candidate over the other is not the current order of business. I have the greatest possible respect for all Americans, and I will not pretend to be able to tell them they’re right or wrong about all issues that comprise the political debates in which we engaged in 2016. As chairman of the ASCA, it is my duty to state that ASCA has a vital role to play for Alaskans, just as the NEA has a vital role to play for all Americans. I am confident that the good work each agency does speaks for itself, but I won’t leave it at that. I am committed to conveying to our elected officials at the state and national level that both ASCA and the NEA are high-functioning, vital and meaningful contributors to the daily quality of life for all Americans. I hope my fellow Alaskans will join me in this effort, because it is worthwhile and will have a direct and tangible benefits in the future as it has done demonstrably in the past.
One particularly compelling and timely programmatic example of the great work that the NEA and ASCA are working on in partnership to serve the good people of our great nation is Creative Forces. Creative Forces seeks to help deploy artistic methods and activities to help servicemen and servicewomen who have been injured in the service of our country. The arts have a tremendous amount to offer in treating traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions that afflict those returning from war. More can be learned about this program at the NEA’s website: https://www.arts.gov/partnerships/creative-forces.
Creative Forces is but one example of how the arts make America and Alaska a better place. We should all focus on this and other programs and activities that show why public investment in the arts makes good sense for a host of reasons.
Ben Brown is a lifelong Alaskan and Juneau resident, and serves as chairman for the Alaska State Council on the Arts.
