[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 88 (Friday, June 14, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6278-S6279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, at this time when the fiscal year 1997 
appropriations level for the National Endowment for the Arts is being 
determined, I would like to illustrate the importance of the arts to 
the education of our children and to the growth of the local economy 
through two examples from my home State of Rhode Island.
  The May 23 issue of Nature describes the Starting With the Arts 
[SWAP] Program for 96 first-graders in four Pawtucket, RI, classrroms. 
The program is based on the internationally recognized Kodaly 
curriculum that emphasizes musical and visual arts skills. After 7 
months, the SWAP children scored better in math than their counterparts 
who had standard classes--and equally well in reading--even though 
their kindergarten scores indicated that they were behind. At the end 
of second grade, math comprehension and

[[Page S6279]]

problem-solving skills were highest in students who received 2 years of 
the special program, next best in those who had 1 year, and worst in 
those who received the standard curriculum.
  The findings of a nationwide survey on the attitudes of Americans 
toward the arts, conducted by Louis Harris and released this month, 
found that 9 in 10 Americans believed that when children get involved 
in the arts in school, they ``become more creative and imaginative,'' 
``develop skills that make them feel more accomplished,'' and ``learn 
to communicate well.'' Over 8 in 10 Americans also feel that exposure 
to the arts ``helps young people develop discipline and perseverance'' 
and helps them ``to learn skills that can be useful in a job.'' The 
Pawtucket youngsters confirm these beliefs.
  My second example stems from a 2-hour public forum organized as part 
of the 16th International Sculpture Conference in Providence last week. 
At this meeting, numerous civic, cultural, and business leaders came 
forward to show how the arts have served to stimulate the economic 
revival of downtown Providence. What is happening in Rhode Island is 
happening nationally. Nonprofit arts organizations create nearly $37 
billion in economic activity in the United States every year, and 
support 1.3 million American jobs.
  The arts are one of the best and the cheapest ways of improving the 
economy. The arts stimulate business development, spur urban renewal, 
attract new businesses, and improve the overall quality of life in our 
cities and towns. Roger Mandle at the Rhode Island School of Design has 
repeatedly demonstrated the importance of design to both the economy 
and greater ease in every day life. Existing and available cultural 
resources are frequently cited as one of the prime reasons businesses 
select to move to a community. The arts can literally turn a community 
or neighborhood around.
  One of the best illustrations of the impact of the arts on the 
economy is tourism, and tourism is the fastest growing economic market 
in the United States today. In Providence, the Providence Performing 
Arts Center and Trinity Square Repertory Company have brought countless 
audiences to their theaters, with many people spending money on 
restaurants, shops, parking, and the like that would not do so 
otherwise without the presence of the arts. Recent discussions among 
the museums in the downtown area have led to the exciting concept of a 
Museum Mile connecting these cultural institutions through a collective 
effort in marketing, fundraising, parking, transportation. The result 
will attract visitors from all over the country to Providence. When the 
arts is good, more people are employed, and more taxable income 
generates more revenue for our State and local municipalities.
  There are more artists per square mile living in Providence than in 
any other city in the  United States, and this number is likely to 
increase with the passage of proposed State legislation that would 
provide State income and sales breaks to artists living or working in 
the central business district. One bill would exempt these artists from 
paying sales tax on plays, books, musical compositions, paintings and 
sculpture. A second bill would provide these artists with a personal 
tax exempt. The Rhode Island House Finance Committee has voted its 
approval. In praising the effort, Mayor Vincent A. Cianci, Jr. states: 
``These bills, while supporting our artists and arts, promote economic 
development and tourism and will create a more dynamic synergy among 
the Arts and Entertainment District, Capital Center and the Province 
Place mall.''

  Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to consider these examples from 
Rhode Island, to understand the far-reaching positive impact of the 
arts on both education and economy, and to join together in a 
bipartisan effort to appropriate $136 million for the National 
Endowment for the Arts as requested by administration. It is important 
that this agency is funded sufficiently to be able to continue its 
worthwhile and extremely effective endeavors to improve the quality of 
life for all Americans.
  The recent Harris Poll referenced above shows that Federal support 
for the arts remains solid and strong. Surprisingly, Harris also found 
that a 61 percent majority of Americans--to 37 percent saying ``no''--
would be willing to be taxed $5 more in order to pay for Federal 
financial support for the arts. Fully 86 percent of all American adults 
are exposed to the arts in the course of a year. These people believe 
the arts to be important and would sorely missed them if they were not 
there.

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