Money’s in the Mainstream : Minorities aren’t getting fair share of arts funding, study indicates

A recently completed study of grants approved by the National Endowment for the Arts makes it clear that the NEA must do a better job of making sure that minorities get a fair share of arts funding. The NEA is aware of the problem and has been steadily improving its record on this score. But, still, a study by UC Irvine sociology professor Samuel Gilmore showed that only six states have minority funding proportional to their minority populations--and California isn’t one of them. Obviously, more needs to be done.

The NEA might take its cue on this from its own expansion arts program, which is designed to help minority and emerging artists and underserved organizations that present non-traditional arts. Candidates for these grants--which top out at $50,000--are found through a variety of methods, including community networking. But these grants are minor compared to regular NEA grants, which range as high as $1 million for a challenge grant.

Prof. Gilmore, with the cooperation of the NEA, conducted the research in an effort to establish a benchmark from which to judge future grants. His thought was that, given the attack on the NEA from the political right in recent years, there might be a push to limit grants to large, mainstream, Euro-centric arts organizations. His data should provide some ammunition to discourage such a trend.

Gilmore discovered one telling thing: NEA peer panels that are balanced ethnically and racially do a much better job of distributing grants proportionally to the minority population in their areas. To its credit, the NEA increased diversity on its peer panels in the 12-year period ending in 1991. But there’s ample room for improvement.

Only recently, the NEA wisely voted to establish a committee to further explore issues of multiculturalism in its grants process.

Quotas aren’t necessary; the NEA always should fund the best arts projects that come before it. But more must be done to make sure that all types of artists have the opportunity to compete for the grants.