In Which Pan Cogito Breaks Down And Reads One Of The Arts Funding Advocacy Letters That Regularly Reach His Desk

Dear Pan,

Last night, the U.S. House gave preliminary approval to an "Omnibus" appropriations bill for FY 2008 providing funding for about $474 billion in domestic spending programs. The Senate began considering this legislation today. With the President's expected signature later this week, the bill will provide about $145 million for the National Endowment for the Arts - a $20 million increase over last year's funding. The Humanities Endowment, arts education and public broadcasting [an additional $24 million!] programs are slated to receive modest increases over last year's levels and the federal museum office will see a slight decrease in funding....

Through this legislation, the National Endowment for the Arts is expected to receive a 16% increase - the largest given to the agency in the past 24 years! ...

Happy Holiday!



















Above, President Richard Nixon, with American designer Charles Eames and Nancy Hanks, Chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Arts, at the White House [1973].

Below, Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush [1984].

Photo credits: Library of Congress and Reagan Presidential Library Archives. With thanks.