On Monday night, I attended a lecture given by actor Kevin Spacey at the Kennedy Center in Washington. The lecture was the 24th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on on Arts and Public Policy, presented by the American for the Arts in partnership with "ovation" (a cable station dedicated to arts). Spacey's talk was an impassioned speech about the benefits of public (government) funding for culture and the arts. The actor gave a personal story, how he benefited from attending a workshop funded through public means. The workshop led to his meeting and performing in front of legendary Jack Lemon. This experience gave Spacey the confidence he needed to pursue his dream. (Lemon and Spacey went on to do three films together and 'Long Days Journey into Night' on Broadway) Spacey outlined how all great nations have valued public funding of the arts and how leaders of all political parties have championed that effort. Winston Churchill, according to Spacey, responded to the suggestion to cut funding for the arts during the Second World War by asking "what are we fighting for"? Spacey talked about the transforming power of art and how art permeates through all aspect of life. "Does it matter?" was the question Spacey used to frame the lecture. Does it matter for a society, even in times of financial hardship, to promulgate its true values by using public funds to finance artists in their chosen medium? It does.
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