Online Petition Asks Obama to Create Secretary of the Arts Position

November 26, 2008

Online Petition Asks Obama to Create Secretary of the Arts Position

Quincy Jones, the musician and record producer, recently told a radio interviewer he plans to ask President-elect Barack Obama to create the position of Secretary of the Arts. That prompted arts lovers to start an online petition asking Mr. Obama to take up that suggestion.

Almost 1,200 people have so far signed the petition, which refers to a November 15 interview with Mr. Jones on “Soundcheck,” a program produced by WNYC, a public-radio station in New York.

“My passion in life now, and one of the first conversations I’ll have with President Obama, is to beg for a Secretary of the Arts,” said Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones initially endorsed Mr. Obama’s rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, but he released a video in support of Mr. Obama shortly before the November 4 general election.

— Suzanne Perry

Comments

Thank you for posting this item.
Peter Weitzner, a member of the all-volunteer and informal group EL SISTEMA-NEW YORK CITY, gave me the “heads up” on the WNYC interview. Without his alert, I won’t be writing this comment :-)

ThanQs again for posting.
Sincerely,
Jaime Austria

— Jaime Austria Nov 26, 02:42 PM #
There are already two federally funded organizations – the the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, whose directors are appointed by the President. Would it not make more sense to call for a Secretary of Culture with a broader portfolio and who would oversee the 2 endowments?

— Leni Nov 26, 04:19 PM #
I believe that Quincy Jones was calling for a “cabinet position”, and not just an endowment administrator.

— Peter Weitzner Nov 26, 05:36 PM #
Secretary of the Arts would get us included in the league of other industrialized nations who offer stipends to artists. Let’s class it up and get with the pack.
Joanna Manqueros
World Music Programmer, KPFA Radio, Berkeley, CA
Chair of Diversity Committee, Department of Psychiatry, Kaiser Richmond Permanente

— Joanna Manqueros Nov 27, 01:36 AM #
The UK has a Department of Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS). On November 20th 2008 this news item was posted in their website:
“World experts meet to boost creative industries”
“International creative business leaders come together in Liverpool for first c&binet ambassador meeting”
http://www.dcms.gov.uk/reference_library/media_releases/5611.aspx

c&binet stands for Creativity and Business International Network.

Is it time for an Arts & Music Industrial Complex, United States (AMICUS)?

And on a GLOBAL scale, the Arts & Music Industrial Complex, Internatiional (AMICI)?

— Jaime Austria Nov 27, 07:48 AM #
France has a ministry of culture which covers visual arts. music, dance, theater, books, cinema, photography, medias and architecture as wll as France patrimonie.
I believe a ministry of culture would be wonderful .

— Adeline Goldminc-Tronzo Nov 28, 09:17 AM #
The arts has been neglected for a very long time. Please consider a minister of culture. Thanks for your time.

— Meredith d'Ambrosio Dec 5, 01:00 AM #
How wonderful it would be in the USA could lead the world in arts, culture and peace instead of leading it in greed and war.

— fran robinson Dec 6, 09:56 AM #
A Ministry of Coulture!! Thank God!! I asked Spike Lee to speak to Obama about that very subject!! Thanks for presenting it Mr. Jones!! It will send a message to the world about who we are as a country.

— sarah hoch Dec 9, 12:42 PM #

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