Culture Minister

Musician, bandleader, producer and American music icon Quincy Jones has recently started a petition to ask President Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts. Many other countries have appointed arts and culture ministers, including Brazilian musician and political activist Gilberto Gil, who served his country in that capacity from 2003 until 2008.

Many Americans believe that such a position would be beneficial in our country, and as a result started an online petition calling for the creation of a Secretary of the Arts. It can be argued that creating yet another appendage of government might not be the best way to ensure that arts education and appreciation reach the communities and neighborhoods where they are needed most, but on the other hand almost every other Western country has a culture minister who works to protect and promote their national cultural assets—an idea that has seemingly escaped most Americans in light of the built-in-obsolescence of much of the music and art of the last 25 years or so. Please visit the petition site and weigh in if you are so inclined.