The arts can only flourish if they become a fundamental and universally valued part of American culture, said the current and former chairs of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), who gathered last night at the ARCO Forum for a panel discussion.

"The arts are essential to our civilization and our country," said panelist Livingston L. Biddle, a former NEA chair. "I can't think of anything of greater importance than creative expression through the arts."

The panelists, who included current NEA Chair William Ivey and four former chairs, went back and forth on their organization's role in spreading support for art in America.

Ivey linked support for arts in America to currently prevailing political winds.

"In a Cold-War wrestling match art and art-making really mattered," he said." The notion of the arts as unique to democracy faded with the collapse of the Soviet Union."

Comparing the diverse American culture to a border conflict, Ivey said the arts should help Americans communicate despite their different backgrounds.

"We must move from an era of entitlement, when art laid a moral claim on wallets, to an era of community service, where that claim is truly deserved," he said.

Other panel members agreed that the NEA should try to increase public interest in the arts.