Arts, cultural groups deserve support

“Art succeeds as art to the extent to which it enhances the sense of brotherhood among people.”  - Leo Tolstoy, Russian philosopher and novelist, paraphrased

Many holiday concerts, museum exhibits, plays and musicals, and ballet performances remind us of how culturally rich our area is. The area's artistic and cultural institutions deserve our support so they can continue to enhance our lives for decades to come.

In these whipsawing political times, with government budgets under pressure and the national debt climbing higher into the trillions of dollars, there is invariably talk of cutting government allocations for arts and cultural programs.

Some call these programs frills. But when the economic development impact of arts and cultural initiatives is examined carefully, the positive contributions they make, especially to the allure of our resort destination, can't be easily dismissed.

Added to the arts and culture budget cut concerns is the double whammy potential of the proposed federal tax restructuring. Among the items under discussion is elimination of tax deductions for contributions to nonprofit organizations. Such deductions have long been used by nonprofits such as arts and cultural institutions as incentives to motivate people to make donations.

There is concern that without such incentives, donations might decline significantly. Out of that concern, many organizations have suggested that folks up their giving this year while the deduction is still in place. It's a legitimate suggestion.

The most legitimate suggestion, however, is for people to recognize how much positive energy arts and cultural institutions inject into our community, by giving generously as a way of countering the negativity of our times.

Fortunately we live in an area not only rich with arts and cultural groups, but also with businesses and individuals who give generously. If the federal tax restructuring effort actually does result in decreased taxes, those who benefit will have even more to contribute to the arts and cultural organizations they support.

Such support is essential for a vibrant and thriving civic culture that unifies rather than divides.