The State and the Politics of Culture : A Critical Analysis of the National Endowment for the Arts

The State and the Politics of Culture presents a rare opportunity to view the arts in relationship to politics and government. The results of a research effort that was both descriptive and theoretical, the study offers findings from a critical examination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), including the NEA's evolution. Author Jerry Henderson collected and analyzed data on the framework for governmental involvement and sponsorship of the arts, including the NEA's stated objectives, values, programs, grant allocations, and staffing procedures. Henderson's research specifically focuses on certain institutions and organizations, both cultural and educational, which receive substantial support from the NEA. This research effort was based in the theoretical postulation that the federal government, by way of the NEA, plays a vital role in maintaining cultural hegemony of a particular race and class. Two hypotheses were advanced: 1) the interwoven bureaucracy of the NEA is structured in a way that prevents maximum participation in its programs by the broader arts community, and 2) black and small cultural education institutions and organizations receive minimum support from the Endowment.