National arts chief to visit Shakespeare festival

Dana Gioia, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, will visit the Utah Shakespearean Festival Thursday-Saturday, marking the first time that a sitting NEA chairman has attended the festival.

"I believe that artistic excellence and public access are not incompatible goals," Gioia said, "and we're trying to bring the best art possible to the broadest audience possible."

Speaking by phone from northern California, where Gioia (pronounced JOY-uh) was vacationing prior to his Utah visit, he was referring to the NEA's recently announced "Shakespeare for a New Generation" project, which includes the Utah festival as one of more than 20 U.S. companies involved.

"The obvious and greatest need in the United States is to introduce the next generation of Americans to great art," he said. "The average 18-year-old in the country has never been to a live-theater performance, the symphony, dance or opera. Maybe they've been to a museum once or twice on a bus.

"The big national initiative to me — my No. 1 priority — is to introduce the next generation to the experience of great art."

Gioia acknowledged that Shakespeare may be a different case, however. "Because virtually every high school student has Shakespeare as part of their mandated curriculum.

"It seemed to me that this was the best place to start — working productively with schools to reach millions of kids."

The Shakespeare program actually cuts both ways — helping theater companies as well as schools. "It allows the theater companies to provide a greater outreach and have a partner to reach the schools in their own communities and provides the actors a chance to do great roles."

Gioia pointed out that Utah already "does a good job in comparison to the rest of the U.S.," adding that Utah "is a model state for the arts and arts education. It was the first state to have an arts council — this whole process began in Utah more than 100 years ago.

"I'm pleased to have the Utah Shakespearean Festival as one of our companies. They are exemplary in reaching new audiences and in operating an education program."