Our government supports the arts, including writers, by giving grants to numerous institutions. However, the amount that the government contributes is extremely small when compared to the amounts given to the arts by most European governments. Consider the following questions.
Should taxpayers’ dollars be used to support the arts? Why, or why not?
What possible public benefit can come from supporting the arts? Can one argue that we should support the arts for the same reasons that we support public schools, that is, to have a civilized society? Explain your response.
If dollars are given to the arts, should the political content of the works be taken into account, or only the aesthetic merit? Can we separate content from aesthetic merit? (The best way to approach this issue probably is to begin by thinking of a strongly political work.)
Is it censorship not to award public funds to writers whose work is not approved of, or is it simply a matter of refusing to reward them with taxpayers’ dollars?
Should decisions about grants to writers be made chiefly by government officials or chiefly by experts in the field? Why?