    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [June 12, 1996]
    [Page 906]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress Transmitting the Report of the
    National Endowment for the Arts
    June 12, 1996

    To the Congress of the United States:
        It is my pleasure to transmit herewith the Annual Report of the
    National Endowment for the Arts for the fiscal year 1995.
        On September 29, 1995, at the close of the fiscal year, the Arts
    Endowment celebrated its 30th anniversary. A young man or woman born at
    the same time as this Federal agency's establishment has enjoyed access
    to the arts and culture unparalleled in the history of the country. The
    National Endowment for the Arts has helped bring tens of thousands of
    artists into schools, teaching tens of millions of students about the
    power of the creative imagination. This small Federal agency has helped
    launch a national cultural network that has grown in size and quality
    these past 30 years.
        This Annual Report is another chapter in a great success story. In
    these pages, you will find projects that bring the arts to people in
    every State and in thousands of communities from Putney, Vermont, to
    Mammoth Lakes, California. The difference art makes in our lives is
    profound; we see more clearly, listen more intently, and respond to our
    fellow man with deeper understanding and empathy.
        In these challenging times, when some question the value of public
    support for the arts, we should reflect upon our obligation to the
    common good. The arts are not a luxury, but a vital part of our national
    character and our individual human spirit. The poet Langston Hughes
    said, ``Bring me all of your dreams, you dreamers. Bring me all of your
    heart melodies. . .'' For 30 years, the Arts Endowment has helped keep
    those dreams alive for our artists and our audiences. May it long
    continue to do so.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    June 12, 1996.