The arts see encouraging news in NEA survey

The dwindling of the American arts audience was the headline-making crux of a report that the National Endowment for the Arts issued last week. But because the focus was on what's happening in theaters, concert halls and museums, a silver lining -- of sorts -- was overlooked: As poorly as the arts are faring during this era of unprecedented, technology-driven possibilities for home entertainment, movies and sports are losing their box-office grip on grown-ups even more rapidly.

By Mike Boehm

December 19, 2009