The NEA/Kickstarter cage-match narrative compels because it gets at a central debate in American society: the value of shaping markets through planning and policy versus letting them run free.

Knowledge is power, and power is not something that composers have historically enjoyed. If you want to be in control of your circumstances instead of letting your circumstances control you, it might well be time for a different kind of education.

I’ve felt for a while that the greatest beneficiaries of the arts are not necessarily the audience members, but the participants. That’s one of the reasons why it’s so hard to make the case for supporting the arts to people who are not themselves artists.

A quick summary of impressions from a composer who was in attendance and links to panel highlights…

A step-by-step guide to planning and executing your campaign.

When the chips are down, can you guess based on sonic content alone whether music comes from someone identified with the Western art-music tradition or not?