Shakespeare got to get paid, son

Lincoln, FDR, and Kennedy "understood that the life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of the nation, is very close to the center of a nation's purpose- and is a test of the quality of a nation's civilization."
~Arthur Schlesinger

Today I saw a viral video of a homeless woman singing an aria. She sounded beautiful, but I was appalled. Why was this talented woman homeless? It was supposed to be a "feel good" story about finding beauty anywhere, but in my heart it was a story about how we fail our artists. This year, I've seen our National Philharmonic and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra struggling to make ends meet. To me, the government should be supporting artistry as befits a great nation. As President Lyndon Johnson said, "Art is a nation’s most precious heritage. For it is in our works of art that we reveal to ourselves and to others the inner vision which guides us as a nation. And where there is no vision, the people perish.” Ann P. Kahn correctly said, "The arts say something about us to future generations." What will our arts say about us?

I know that the aria-singing homeless woman was helped, but what about the ones who weren't caught on video? What about supporting artists BEFORE they end up on the streets? Some ideas:

* 15 Ways to Support Artists for Free from Heroine Training
* 10 ways to support artists when you’re broke from DIY Musician
* Kickstarter
* CERF+ the artists' safety net
* ArtLifting
* 15 places to buy art online
* Why Art Matters
* The Performing Arts Alliance

people need the opportunity
and time to become good
(and to be rewarded when they do)