When Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center, he thought of only one thing, making himself look cultured. What he failed to understand, however, is what the Kennedy Center stands for and what it represents. This president has no business being involved with the Kennedy Center. It is not real estate, it’s an evolving ideal.
The original Kennedy Center charter, known then as the National Cultural Center Act, was signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on Sept. 2, 1958. Following the death of President John F. Kennedy, Congress passed Public Law 88-260 on Jan. 23, 1964, which renamed the National Cultural Center to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and designated it as a “living memorial” to him. This legislation also authorized federal funds to help complete the construction.
The center’s artistic mandate required it to present a wide variety of music, drama and dance, and to maintain an educational mission. Nowhere in the charter is it mentioned that it was to be a money-making endeavor. In his remarks at the dedication of the Robert Frost Library at Amherst College in October of 1963, Kennedy said, “I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty.” He believed the arts “incarnate the creativity of a free society” and serve as a “great democrat, disregarding race, religion or wealth.” Kennedy’s philosophy is why his presidency was called “Camelot.”
The current administration’s “cost cutting” measures have put the arts in America in jeopardy. Programs have been cancelled and artists from other countries and cultures have been denied visas, leading to cancelled concerts. and to what end? We have seen this administration remove historic facts from federal museums because they are unhappy that it could portray our country in a poor light. Our history, who we are — warts and all — needs to be seen by all. We are not China or Russia where free speech is suppressed. Most certainly we have made mistakes, but we have learned from our past. We have worked on righting previous wrongs, and, hopefully, we will continue to do so.
However, if we erase our previous mistakes from history, we are doomed to repeat them. The arts reflect a country’s culture and what we project as a nation, often referred to as its “soft power.” The artist creates from their experience, either through music, the visual arts or performance art. We get a peak at what they hold dear and what they fear.
So, with this in mind, as I enter my last few months as board president of Hill and Hollow Music, I want to remind the North Country of an artistic showcase brought to us over 30 years ago by Angela Brown and her late husband, Kellum Smith. Their goal then, and continues to be, to bring great world class chamber music to the North Country and expose the residents of our most sacred ground to the music and culture of other sacred grounds from around the world. In doing so, we discover that we are more alike than different. Hill and Hollow Music art is not always going to please everyone, but we hope it will be thought-provoking, stimulating and help us expand our understanding of the world in which we live. Hill and Hollow is in the business of presenting a smorgasbord for the ear and mind; making money is not a primary goal, but the current administration’s actions are not only making our mission more difficult, but making the artist’s life in this country more difficult.
To be sure, if Hill and Hollow wanted to be a money-making business, we would fill our calendar with Tribute Bands and musicians playing Beethoven’s greatest hits. Yet, staying true to her mission of expanding our sound universe, Angela has added traditional music from around the world to our programming, as well as “new” classical and that great American artform, jazz. By extension, this means we are also supporting the artists who are actively expanding that sound universe, as well as keeping musical traditions alive. We have brought musicians from around the world to Weatherwatch Farm to work on new pieces, refine old ones, perform in local schools and assisted living centers.
Recently, due to the administration’s visa moratorium, Hill and Hollow, like many other art organizations, have had to cancel shows. Yet, with our community’s support, we will continue to hold concerts at the Strand Theatre and the Methodist Church in Saranac, charging a fraction of what you would pay at a metropolitan venue for this high level of musicianship. Some productions breakeven but most do not, so we rely heavily on our benefactors, who contribute to our endowment and allow us to continue this work. Our supporters understand that a world connected through art is a world where we see each other as people, making for a safer, more peaceful world.
Please remember to support the arts, in whatever way you can. The entire arts community now more than ever needs your support.