Government Funding for the Arts?

What is my opinion on government funding for the arts? I believe it is a great thing. The government supports and funds many things in this country. According to whitehouse.gov, each year the Federal Government spends $100 billion in some kind of educational purpose. Whether it is grants, scholarships or charters, the government gives this amount each year to education.

Over the past few semesters, I have learned what art has grown into. Without the arts this world would be so dull, boring, it would not be what it is today. Art has gone through a lot, it has been praised and criticized, and art has been burned and sold for thousands. It began as sketches on cave walls and has grown into advertising, architecture, design, etc. Everywhere we look we see art.

The government also funds many other things, such as welfare. Imagine if the government spent the money they do on welfare, on education; what would the world be like? According to the same website, the government also spends over $250 billion on welfare. Our country will do what it needs, to keep its citizens on their feet.

When it comes down to it, I believe that funding the arts or even education holds a great purpose. Although, with the situation our economy is in now, I do not believe that we need to spend anymore money or fund the arts. However, if times get hard I believe we need to preserve our past, our artwork that has showed how we have developed as a country and/or world. It is important to keep art alive.