The Failure At Ground Zero

“The original proposal to bring the arts to ground zero wasn’t merely to give four lucky arts institutions new homes at the center of the city’s attention. It was also to make sure that the redevelopment site wouldn’t be monopolized by grief or commerce. The plan created a temporary sense of good will — but when that collapsed, it showed Gov. George Pataki exactly which way the political winds were blowing and how to take cover. It was an apt reminder of how weak the national appetite for government support of the arts really is.”