I am often asked for my opinion of the best arts president in recent history. I can't name one person, because there were in fact several presidents--both Republican and Democrat--who put us on a path to making the arts what they are today. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was envisioned by John F. Kennedy, a Democrat. It was created and put in place by Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat. The biggest percentage growth of the NEA's budget was under Richard Nixon, a Republican. And the largest budget that it ever had was under Ronald Reagan, a Republican.
Whether Republican or Democrat or Independent, everyone can contribute to the growth of the arts in America. And for this reason, Americans for the Arts will be attending both the Republican National Convention--which kicked off today in Cleveland--and the Democratic National Convention next week in Philadelphia.
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