Tonight, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) was having coffee with Pat Pariseau, our state Senator, discussing public funding for the arts—given that Minnesota has had a deficit since forever plus another year or two, they have to go through some budget cuts again. Thus, there were about a dozen locals sitting in a circle, introducing themselves to a person who could destroy their lives with a single finger, pushing a “NO” button during a Senate meeting. Ain’t power a beautiful thing?
Some of the people were members of an orchestra or choir, some worked for the city of Lakeville directly within the arts programs, some just did stuff like quilt-making on the weekends for a little added income. Then there was me. I introduced myself as “somewhat of an enigma” within that little group of people. After all, I haven’t had any direct contact with the arts since I was back at Kenyon, singing in the community choir and with Company, a musical theater group there.
Still, I told her about how I’ve been involved in a multitude of programs in the past—I’ve acted, I played piano and saxophone, I sang in the choir and performed musical theater, I’ve dabbled in writing on the side (yeah, dabbled… you can see how I’ve only been dabbling in here). I didn’t mention that my not currently being involved in the arts meant I eventually dumped all of the programs I was in, but I told her I went to law school, so I wasn’t going to graduate school for art or sewing quilts—nothing like that.
Why was I there? Because I know how important the arts are, both for people’s livelihoods and how they develop a person’s character. I’m probably a bad example when it comes to art benefiting someone’s character, but I imagine it works for other people…
But Pat had one question: even though I said I wasn’t involved in any of those programs, do I still sing in the shower? “Well, yeah, but it’s not publicly funded.” I suppose she could destroy that practice by pushing a “NO” button for budget cuts if they involve cutting off the utilities to my house, but if that happens, well, there were plenty of others at the meeting who support the arts and who probably have showers in their own bathrooms…
