DISCUSSION POST MUST BE 10+ SENTENCES AND PEER REVIEWS MUST BE 7+ SENTENCES STAY ON TOPIC BE POSITIVE AND DO NO NOT COMMENT ON GRAMMAR ERRORS ( WHEN DOING PEER REVIEWS YOU MUST TALK DIRECTLY TO THE CLASSMATE)

1) DISCUSSION POST

SHOULD GOVERNMENT SUPPORT THE ARTS? ART & MUSIC GO ABSTRACT

Watch Media

video–Doing this Discussion

TOPIC: Please respond to one of the following topics, using the class text and sources under the Explore heading as the basis of your response:

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• TOPIC CHOICE ONE: Examine the U.S. Government's support during the Great Depression for programs, such as the Federal Arts Project, the Federal Writers' Project, and other such efforts. Determine whether or not such projects were good government investments during those hard times, and provide one specific example from the book that supports your viewpoint. And identify one way the government supports the arts today. Do your best to use examples classmates have yet to use.
• TOPIC CHOICE TWO: Explain whether you agree or disagree with the perception of Abstract Expressionism as exemplifying individualism and freedom. Compare one example of Abstract Expressionist visual art from the book to John Cage’s musical compositions. After reviewing the pages and Websites below, explain how an abstract expressionist artist might respond to the assertion "my kid could paint that"; and explain your position on that assertion.

Explore:

Government and the Arts

• Chapter 37 (pp. 1228-1232), Federal support for the arts
• Government helping the arts in hard times:
  • http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/1934-the-art-of-the-new-deal-132242698/
  • http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/powerprose/wpa/

Abstract Expressionism and Music

• Chapter 38 (pp. 1255-1263, and 1268-9), Abstract Expressionism
• Chapter 38 (pp. 1266-1269), Music of Chance; review the Week 9 “Music Folder”
• John Cage, listen and see – "Dream" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hVFCmK6GgM
• John Cage, listen and see — “4’33’" at (performed by William Marx):
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTEFKFiXSx4&list=PL223147EC2385356B&index=5
  • Audience reactions to 4’33”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8lXRusTpY4&index=4&list=PL223147EC2385356B (see also http://www.npr.org/2000/05/08/1073885/4-33)
• "My Kid Could Draw That" views: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/my-kid-could-draw-that/; and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/28/study-examines-difference_n_841268.html

2) PEER REVIEW

Hello Everyone,

Topic: 1

Franklin Roosevelt implemented the New Deal to recover from the Great Depression, which two years later became the WPA. The WPA helped about 8.5 million people get back to work. But it’s most important contributions to American culture were the Federal Art Project, the Federal Writers’ Project, the Federal Theater Project, and the Federal Music Project. Through the WPA, artists produced nearly 10,000 drawings, paintings, and sculptures, and decorated many public buildings (especially post offices) with murals. Theater performances under the project averaged 4,000 a month. Writers were employed to create a series of state and regional guidebooks, and musicians found work in newly created orchestras (p.1229).

In 2015 Congress increase the art funding from $146 million to $148 million, because the arts create jobs and produce tax revenue.

Janice

3) PEER REVIEW

Hello classmates and professor,

I chose Topic option 1

I think that such projects were good government investments because it provided jobs for the unemployed. The WPA helped over 8.5 million people get back to work so they could feed their families. Artists were able to produce nearly 10,000 paintings, drawings and sculptures and theater performances averaged 4,000 a month. Writers were able to create a series of regional and state guidebooks and musicians were able to join newly created orchestras (p. 1229).