QUICK TAKES - May 9, 2009

The National Endowment for the Arts would get a 4% raise under President Obama’s federal budget proposal for the coming 2010 fiscal year, continuing the modest growth implemented under President George W. Bush after the 1990s “culture wars” brought drastic reductions from which the agency still has not nearly recovered.

The NEA budget, most of which is funneled to state and regional arts agencies and to nonprofit arts organizations, would total $161.3 million under Obama’s plan, up from the current year’s $155 million.

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Mike Boehm