Arts Advocacy through a politician’s lens

Posted by Mr. John R. Killacky, Oct 29, 2019


Mr. John R. Killacky

My entire career has been as an artist and arts administrator. Forty-five years ago, I was dancing in Chicago, New York, and Winnipeg. My subsequent work in film and writing has focused on personal narratives around AIDS, disability, and queer identity. I managed dance companies (Laura Dean and Trisha Brown), presented contemporary performing artists (PepsiCo Summerfare and Walker Art Center), ran multidisciplinary presenting organizations (Yerba Buena Center and Flynn Center), and worked in philanthropy (Pew Charitable Trusts and The San Francisco Foundation). In all these positions, I championed artists, community engagement, diversification, inclusion, and access.

Since being elected to the Vermont House of Representatives last fall, my perspective has dramatically changed as to how best advocate for the arts and, in fact, how siloed arts organizations and their funders are. My legislative work focuses on economic development, tourism, heath, education, affordable housing, environment, and agriculture, as well as vulnerable populations: veterans, prisoners, the homeless, those suffering from substance use disorders, and survivors of physical and sexual abuse. Art is barely present in these conversations, but is so needed.

Those of us with lived experience understand the profound transformative power of the arts; yet this does not resonate in a broader community context, especially for those disenfranchised. Art is still perceived as a luxury for the privileged, not a necessity for all. Cultural organizations need to recalibrate efforts and partner with local, regional, and national agencies of health and human services, education, agriculture, housing authorities, prisons, national parks, veterans affairs, and the environment in order to develop strategies for how the arts can be more fully integrated into their efforts.

There are many exemplar organizations that model this kind of service as central to their missions: Rhodessa Jones’ Medea prison project, Jazz House Kids, Appalshop, Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Alternate Roots, First People’s Fund, Project Row Houses, Urban Bush Women, Axis Dance Company, and others. For these groups, authentic community engagement is a core commitment to nurture vibrant communities.

National arts funders, too, must continue to evolve funding criteria. While many have rightfully focused on racial equity and social justice to redress systemic racism, arts philanthropy also needs to address poverty as a central barrier. There is so much lost potential when arts funders don’t collaborate with other program area portfolios even within their own foundations. Integrating the arts into ongoing anti-poverty work is crucial.

Living now in a rural state, I witness the devastating realities of income inequality. People living through generational destitution, addiction, and trauma need the arts to help with healing. More money is not needed to diversify audiences for major institutions; investments need to be made to enable all community members to be enriched by art and culture in order to live more resilient lives.


John R. Killacky is serving his first term as an elected legislator in the Vermont House of Representatives.