Brown solos on NEA panel.

WASHINGTON--Amid the political chaos, business as usual concerning grant-making continues at the National Endowment for the Arts, with the National Council on the Arts (NCA) convening this month. The final step in a multi-tiered process, the decisions that the NCA undertook for the NEA in the past were harshly scrutinized by Congress, in some cases, some say, forcing the council to bend to political pressure and compromise artistic excellence. Has the experience improved with the new grant-making guidelines? Trisha Brown, currently the only one of the 26-member NCA with a specific dance discipline, described the changes as "harrowing but creative."

"During my tenure on the National Council for the Arts," said Brown, "the Endowment has undergone a series of harrowing, but ever-creative transformations including restructuring grant categories, tightening procedures, and coming up with new initiatives. The NEA has emerged with a heightened dedication to serve the American arts community--those who make art, and those who receive it. But consistent attacks on the NEA by vocal, yet small, groups of politicians who have no working knowledge of the art disciplines they disparage, have challenged the NCA in its purpose of helping the NEA use its limited resources efficiently, and with maximum impact."

In the last round of NEA grants, Brown's company received a $62,500 Planning and Stabilization grant, larger than any other individual company in that funding category. However, Brown's executive director, LaRue Allen, pointed out, "There are many other dance companies that received more than Trisha Brown did in other categories. So we are not drawing down the big bucks. Historically, the company's funding has been at the $200,000 level, so we're getting considerably less than we have at our high point. Being on the council is not protection against funding cuts, nor does Trisha expect it to be."

The NCA makes recommendations to the chairwoman on applications for grants, but it also advises on budget decisions, policies, and procedures. Chairwoman Jane Alexander, who also chairs the Council, theoretically has the final say about the grant-making decisions. Under the current statute, the chairwoman can reject any application that the council has approved; however, in reality, that scenario is rare, and, moreover, she cannot approve any application rejected by the Council. As funds decrease, the decision as to where the money goes becomes increasingly important and difficult to decide, thus increasing the pressure on the NCA to fund worthy projects with limited moneys.

Nominated by the President, and confirmed by the Senate for six-year terms, council members are chosen for expertise or distinguished commitment to the arts. Selection criteria mandate equitable distribution among the art disciplines and equal representation of women, minority, and other groups, as well as equitable geographical representation.

Professionals in the dance field are naturally concerned with the White House selection to replace Brown, whose term technically expired in 1996. Bonnie Brooks, executive director of Dance/USA, stressed, "It is important that there is at least one person on the council (with a dance discipline). We have made appeals directly to the White House and to Congress." Brooks explained that since the NCA is a presidentially appointed body, and the White House has the final say, there are limitations; but she emphasized that the White House has been advised of who the dance community would like to see appointed.

Asked if she was troubled that only one council member is a dance artist, Brooks said that "in [the council's] history it's rare to have any particular discipline prevailing. It's always been important to have at least one seasoned voice representing dance, and certainly more than one would be welcome, but I think it's important to look at the make-up of the council on balance. If there were six visual-arts people and one dance person it would look unbalanced, but it's never going to be perfectly balanced."

NEA spokesperson Cherie Simon said NEA officials are "well aware that Trisha is the only dance person [on the NCA]." Simon said that the NEA can and does make recommendations, but stressed that the final decision was up to the White House. Brown said she will serve until a replacement is named.

In addition to artists, a number of prominent business leaders and arts patrons serve on the council. This mix includes Richard Stern, partowner of the Chicago Bulls; Miami arts patron and real estate developer Jorge Perez; New York City community leader Judith Rubin; Georgetown University president and Disney board member Rev. Leo O'Donovan, S.J.; New York art collector and developer Ronnie Heyman; and SoHo gallery owner Ronald Feldman. They are joined on the council by Speight Jenkins, general director of the Seattle Opera, and Nathan Leventhal, president of Lincoln Center, among others, as well as artists such as cowboy-poet Wallace McRae, prairie photographer Terry Evans, and actress Marsha Mason. The visual arts are represented by, among others, Townsend D. Wolfe, III, director of the Arkansas Arts Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, hometown of President Clinton.

Repeated calls to the White House to determine the status of the replacement search for Brown were not returned.