Congress and the Arts

Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Christopher Shays (R-Conn.) are avid music listeners. This is no surprise to those who know them — they co-chair the Congressional Arts Caucus, which now boasts over 150 members.

These co-chairmen of the Arts Caucus might be seen all over town getting their “arts” entertainment, from symphony concerts to the latest theater productions.

“I have always loved museums and the performing arts,” says Slaughter. “The Garth Fagan Dance Company up in Rochester is simply magnificent. The Wolf Trap Foundation has brought great performances to my district and to numerous cities and towns, including Vienna.”

Slaughter is particularly proud of representing a district with such a strong tradition of music and arts. “I represent a city, Buffalo, that has 13 working theaters in it,” she boasts. “Of course, the City of Rochester has a proud artistic tradition too, seeing as it’s the home of the Eastman School of Music — one of the reasons why Rochester is so unique.” For those less familiar, Eastman is on par with Julliard.

Recently, however, Slaughter has been so busy with her work in Congress that the last show she made it to was “Spider-Man 3,” the recently opened summer blockbuster. “It was with my grandchildren on Mother’s Day,” she explains.

Shays’s interest in art also ranges from attending classical music concerts and plays to frequenting museums. “I even like to listen to opera while I’m doing work, even though I don’t understand the words,” says Shays.

Most recently, Shays visited Philip Johnson’s “Glass House” in his home state of Connecticut. “It’s a beautiful piece of architecture,” he says.

The Glass House, which was opened to the public for the first time in its 50-year history this past January, exhibits the architectural work from Philip Johnson’s lifetime. It also features art and landscaping from the second half of the 20th century.

For Shays, attending performances or visiting museums is simply a fact of life. “I grew up in an arts family,” he says. “My mom and dad, both performing actors, met in the theater and I remember falling asleep at night to the sound of my father playing the piano.”

Slaughter also grew up with the arts. She performed as part of a jazz band in college, and one of her earliest ambitions was to be a jazz singer.

These arts connoisseurs have some recommendations for other members and staff.

“I’d go to Ford’s Theatre here in Washington,” says Slaughter. “It has great productions. So do the Kennedy Center and the Wolf Trap Foundation.” According to both Shays and Slaughter, the options in Washington are limitless.

Their love of arts also extends to their congressional work. The Congressional Arts Caucus has been very active recently in procuring more funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

On March 13, the House Interior Appropriations subcommittee held the first hearing in 12 years on the importance of investing in the NEA. Wynton Marsalis, the famed jazz trumpeter, testified at the hearing. The subcommittee proposed an increase of $35 million in funding to the NEA.

“I know the arts make a significant contribution to our lives,” says Shays. “Federal funding helps symphonies, theaters, musical productions, ballet and educational programs, and enables talented individuals to pursue careers in the arts.”

Slaughter herself testified at a hearing on April 19, and has spoken on behalf of American artists many times before.
“Funding for the arts has never been as important,” she says. “Programs supported by the NEA, like the Big Read, are bringing Americans together and encouraging community discussion about who we are and what we believe.

“What’s more,” she adds, “NEA grants to local organizations fuel community economies, generating $166 billion in economic activity every year. Simply put, when we invest in the NEA, we are investing in ourselves, in our communities, and in our economy. It’s an investment we should be proud to make.”

SPECIAL SECTION: Arts and Entertainment
Washington National Cathedral Summer Festival
A night at the symphony
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: Millennium Stage
Smithsonian Folklife Festival