Art for Art’s Sake, Not for City Hall’s

* With regards to Tracy Wilson’s article “A Taste of Cello,” in the Ventura County section of your newspaper. In spite of the opinion of the city of Ventura’s cultural affairs director, Sonia Tower, there are many artists in the area who believe art, the making of art, the “passing on” of art and the existence of the “art spirit (which used to be the driving force associated with the phenomenon of arts itself),” does not need to be “organized.” Art has no “economic realities.”

Anyone reading this article would agree, we are sure, that the “music festival,” a signature event, is a fine thing for the city of Ventura. But, a young reader--the children we are all supposed to be considering when we as adults speak, make decisions and act the decisions out--a young artist, might make the mistake that art must be an “economic engine” instead of a thing of beauty.

This well-written article by Ms. Wilson proves once again to the artists’ community, or at least some part of it, that “art” and City Hall don’t mix.

LAWRENCE and LORI ANDERSON

Ventura