Public Funding, Not Celebrity Defense, Is Needed to Save Opera and Ballet
Source: Jarek Paul Ervin. "Celebrities Can’t Save Opera. Public Funding Can.." March 20, 2026. jacobin.com
The Gist
The author argues that opera and ballet are dying in America because they lack government funding, not because people don't care about them. European countries keep these art forms alive by funding them publicly, making tickets affordable for everyone, while America relies on celebrities and private money, which isn't working.
Conclusion
Opera and ballet require robust public funding and democratic ownership to survive as vibrant public art forms, rather than relying on celebrity defenders or market forces
Premises
- Opera and ballet are in genuine financial and cultural crisis, with declining box office receipts, donations, and attendance since 1982
- European opera and ballet companies thrive because they receive substantial government funding and public ownership, unlike their American counterparts
- Public funding makes these art forms accessible to ordinary people through affordable ticket prices and institutional support
- The decline of limited public arts funding in the US, particularly NEA defunding under Trump, has put arts organizations in jeopardy
- Celebrity defenders and market-based solutions have proven inadequate to expand audiences or solve the financial crisis
- Historical examples like Paris Opera workers' successful strike in 2019 demonstrate that collective action and public support can preserve cultural institutions
Assumptions
- Art forms should be preserved as public goods rather than left to market forces
- Government has a legitimate role in funding and supporting cultural institutions
- European models of arts funding are applicable and desirable for the United States
- Public accessibility is essential for the survival of high culture art forms
- The decline in attendance and funding represents a genuine crisis rather than natural cultural evolution