From the November 1 issue of the Globe and Mail, Jeremy Gerard writes from New York:

Barack Obama…is the first White House contender to include a far-reaching arts plank in his platform.

Barack Obama…looking good. Image: dcpox.com

The proposals range from increased support for arts education and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to changing the U.S. federal tax code for artists. “It is unprecedented”, said Robert L. Lynch, president and chief executive officer of Americans for the Arts, a Washington-based arts advocacy group, explaining that no U.S. presidential candidate in recent times has addressed cultural issues in such detail.

Republican candidate John McCain, who has consistently voted for cuts in the NEA budget, says arts funding is a local issue.

Obama began forming his culture plank in the spring of 2007, long before winning the Democratic nomination. He brought together a committee of artists and arts professionals, headed by Hollywood writer, director and producer George Stevens Jr. and Broadway producer Margo Lion.

The committee developed a program that advocates: the creation of an “Artists Corp” of young artists trained to work in low-income schools and communities; the expansion of public-private partnerships to increase cultural-education programs; increased funding for the NEA; a commitment to “cultural diplomacy”; attracting foreign talent in the arts; and providing health care to artists.