In Europe, the performing arts are generally funded by public subsidies and most people believe that support of the arts is a government obligation. It is the opposite in the United States. American cultural institutions are primarily funded by individual donors, foundations, and private enterprise.
The New York Times reported this week on differing perceptions of arts funding in Germany and the United States. In particular, the report describes the unusual approach of the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, which has shunned public handouts in favor of more American-style fundraising methods.
‘Courting Donors, Finding Freedom‘ The New York Times, June 4, 2008
