Publishers Note
With so much uncertainty these days, it feels as if we are living in a wind tunnel. Like many things going on in the world right now, both the arts and education are under attack. We are alarmed by the sudden and drastic erosion of federal support.
The Arts Are Not a Luxury
The arts are an essential part of the health and cohesion of our society. Arts foster healing, empathy, and connection for all people. They hold space for truth-telling, preserve our shared histories, help communities navigate difficult times, and inspire imagination that advances humanity.
National Endowment for the Arts funding cuts dismantle a framework that has long supported creative expression, education, and community well-being. This is not just a policy decision, it is a cultural loss. Artists remain resilient, visible, and vital. Art and artists are not optional. They are essential. And so are you. How you think, connect, and explore the world matters. Culture matters!
Cutting Culture
Universities are dismantling their legacies. Slashing arts and humanities programs may balance budgets today, but will it bankrupt the soul of higher education tomorrow? Once considered the heart of a well-rounded education, these disciplines are more often labeled expendable—leading to shocking program eliminations, faculty layoffs, and the not-so-quiet erosion of departments that once defined an institution’s very identity. This trend signals far more than a budgetary adjustment; it marks a profound cultural shift with lasting—and likely unintended—consequences for higher education.
I went to a liberal arts college, Flagler College, and if it dismantled its arts and humanities programs, it would lose its soul and suffer a slow death as if by a thousand cuts from a butter knife. Its legacy would be lost (read more on page 32).
French Moderns
The Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida is presenting “French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850 – 1950.” The exhibition showcases 56 works, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures, from the Brooklyn Museum’s esteemed collection of European art (page 24).
More art. More culture.
Cinda Sherman, Publisher
