WASHINGTON, DC — In remarks this past Friday afternoon before a luncheon meeting of The Ripon Society and the Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange, actor and advocate Tim Daly discussed the importance of arts in America and why he believes that investing in the arts pays dividends for the American people — and the American economy — down the road.
Daly serves as President of the Creative Coalition, the nation’s leading nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment industry. He was joined by Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk, as well as fellow actors and Coalition members Iain Armitage, Rachel Bloom, Alex Borstein, Amy Brenneman, Mehcad Brooks, Pauline Chalamet, Michael Chiklis, Courtney Eaton, Sean Giambrone, Asher Goodman, Rachel Harris, Marg Helgenberger, Jason Isaacs, Sonequa Martin-Green, Tig Notaro, Alan Ruck, Lorraine Toussaint, and Rebecca Wisocky.
“The Creative Coalition is an organization that was founded by prominent members of the arts and entertainment community who felt, because we have this unique platform, that we had a responsibility to educate and motivate our constituents, our audiences, and ourselves around issues of public importance, particularly arts education and public funding for arts,” Daly stated. “We believe that every person and especially every child in the United States should be exposed to and participate in the arts — not so that they can necessarily become a professional artist, but because we know that a full curriculum in the arts will make them better human beings.
“Who would like their kids to be more likely to graduate from high school? Who would want their kids to be more likely to go to college? Who wants their kids to be better in math? Who wants their kids to be better in science? Who wants their kids to participate in student government? Who wants their kids to learn teamwork? Who wants their kids to learn to be responsible and on time? Who wants their kids to make more money? Who wants their kids to be more empathetic? Who wants their kids to be kinder? Who wants their kids to be more compassionate and more imaginative? Who wants their kids to be more creative? Who wants their kids to be better at communicating their thoughts and feelings?
“The answer, I hope, is everybody. And here's the deal — that’s what arts education teaches. It is the one thing that I know of that teaches empathy. It literally forces the people that participate in it to walk in someone else's shoes, to see the world from someone else's perspective. And I think that that is a profoundly healing and important thing for people to experience. That's not to say that they shouldn't experience music and poetry and drama and dance and literature and all the other wonderful artistic pursuits. But certainly at this moment in time, it occurs to me that we could use some empathy and compassion for each other.”
Daly and the other members of the Creative Coalition were in Washington to participate in the group’s annual "Right To Bear Arts" day, making the case that investing in the arts fuels economic growth, job creation, and thriving local communities. Daly noted that the arts sector generated over $1.1 trillion in 2022, accounting for 4.3 percent of the U.S. GDP. He also noted that more than three million Americans rely on arts-related jobs, and that every $1 invested in the arts generates nearly $9 in economic activity.
To view Daly’s remarks before the luncheon this past Friday, please click on the link below:
