A Better Use of Art and U.S. Artists in Education

A Plan to Enrich American Cultural Life and Improve the Lives of American Artists
I.  Art Education
A.  The education portion of this plan is contingent upon abandonment of No Child Left Behind-an action that will free up federal money for certified art teachers and many school hours.  Although NCLB is not a federally funded program- federal grants have been established to bolster this program that should have- and did- fail. A public schools very existence has depended upon how well students do on standardized tests. Adoption of this plan will shift the focus from test taking to a more well rounded development of the child-a shift that is necessary if the arts are to enter into the picture at all.
B.  A Structure for Art Education in the Public Schools
1. All public schools must supply each student with the equivalent of at least one class of 45 minutes weekly of each of the various arts (visual, dance/drama, creative writing, music).  
a. Equivalent:  This class could be incorporated into a regular class if the teacher is certified in one of the above areas and devotes the required time to only this art discipline
2. Each certified art teacher will be required to collaborate once a semester with a visiting artist chosen from the city register (see 2d) of artists who teach.  Each collaborating artist will be chosen according to the way in which his/her art form, style or experience benefits the curriculum of the art teacher.  In other words- the artists visits should enhance and enrich the existing class rather than compete with it.
a. These collaborations will be in the form of social service in repayment of support for artists- as outlined in Part II B.
b. Amount of time, per semester, per artist:  There will be a set amount of visiting artist time per certified teacher, to be clearly defined in advance for the protection of the program and of the artists.
(Explanation: Defining total amount per teacher allows for flexibility of the visits, according to their content and the teachers needs. Some projects will take longer than others. Artists who do not spend total social service time in one placement will use the remainder in another.)
c. This visiting artist arrangement is suggested for individual artists only.  
Collaborations with art non-profits cannot replace the individual artist collaborations.
Non-profit art educational organizations would be funded and arranged for separately, perhaps through the NEA.
(Explanation:  Non-profits usually have a defining mission which may or may not be in conflict with the certified teachers curriculum or the individual artists philosophy. This is a plan to make sure that all artists have an equal opportunity to be involved in the education of children. Such involvement affects the quality and diversity of art education- in addition to utilizing the services of the artistic community in a fair manner.)
d. Artists who wish to teach as their social service will provide documentation of their work and proposed services.  They will undergo the necessary background checks and fingerprinting in order to be allowed to provide services to the schools.  Their names and work will then become part of a registry to service the area from which visiting artists in the schools will be chosen by the certified art teachers, as described above. (Perhaps maintaining these registries could become the responsibility of the Department of Cultural Affairs of each area.)
II. National Provisions for All Artists
A.    Artists of all disciplines (visual, literary, performance) will receive a modest yearly income with health benefits, including dental, and a pension at retirement age- all provided by the federal government.  This income will be sufficient for a comfortable but modest existence in the area in which the artist lives, without needing to be employed in other sectors.  
This provision will not be available to artists who make over a certain amount from the sale of their art as they do not need it.  Those who currently make over a certain amount by being employed in other sectors should have the right to return to work as full-time artists, and receive assistance, should they wish, by meeting the required criteria (see II A 1.)  
This is not to be seen as a federal support system, but as payment for culturally enriching services rendered.
1. Artists will show proof of their devotion to and labor in the arts through documentation of work- resumes (of exhibitions, performances, etc.) and letters of reference, to be submitted to a panel of artists.  Proof will need to be substantiated on a regular basis (such as every 5 years).  
2. The sale of artwork (published works or paid-for performances) will NOT be criteria.
(Explanation: This program focuses on the enrichment of our countrys cultural heritage and the development of future artists and artistically informed citizens.  Such goals necessarily include the well being of artists now and in the future, to ensure they are being treated equally as citizens, and in order to encourage future generations to be involved in the arts.
Today, most artists support their work- not the other way around.  Perhaps if artists were supported to work new opportunities would be developed in which that work could be shown for the benefit of the community.  This should not be solely the responsibility of artists.
Further research could be done into the way in which The Netherlands and other countries have financed artists.  (The Netherlands program has reportedly recently required proof of art sales.  This is to be avoided, as sales are not the purpose of the arts, and do not determine quality.)
B.  Pay Back:   
Artists who receive funding will be required to perform social service every year that funding is received until reaching national retirement age (at which time they will start receiving pension money and will not be required to provide services- but simply keep creating and/or living).  
1.This community service is not meant to be full-time. The artist is already contributing to the community through the production of his/her work.  It would be temporary; part-time and ongoing, (depending upon the type of activity). Or a visiting service, for a pre-determined length of time based upon a set project- such as with the schools.  
a. The parameters of this service should be pre-determined by category in ways that meet the needs of the recipient as well as leave the artist time to be an artist.
2. Service may be in the form of visiting artist to the schools if the artist has an interest and ability to teach.  Other existing ways in which the artist can contribute his/her services will be determined by creative inquiry into the needs of various industries.
(Explanation:  To diversify services rendered assures that talents are used to the best advantage of the community and according to the natural inclinations of the artist.  Not all artists can, want to, should or should have to teach.)
    3.If that artist is away or unable to be present in any particular year, owed     time could be adjusted for the following year.  
(Explanation:  An arrangement such as the above is necessary is to allow artists to travel for their work- attend artist residencies, etc.)  
This arrangement will actually save the schools money for the enrichment of the arts and give some needed relief to art and elementary classroom teachers.  It may actually save the federal government some money because since we are in a recession and artists are among the first hit, many will be on welfare and food stamps, and there will be no social "pay-back"- if we continue as we are now.