By — Jeffrey Brown Jeffrey Brown Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/forum-rocco-landesman-will-answer-your-comments-and-questions Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Forum: Rocco Landesman Will Answer Your Comments and Questions Arts Jan 15, 2010 3:53 PM EDT I recently had the chance to talk with new NEA chairman Rocco Landesman for an interview we aired earlier this month. Landesman was an interesting choice for the position, coming from the commercial world of Broadway, and he immediately got attention for some blunt statements. In our interview, among many other topics, he talked of using his position as a “great bully pulpit” and, while saying he didn’t want to “sound terribly partisan,” criticized the No Child Left Behind initiative for its impact on arts in the schools. Landesman is currently traveling around the country, looking into the artistic and cultural life that’s out there, and developing his own initiatives. With so much interest in the NEA — both positive and critical — and now in Landesman himself, I asked him to participate in an online viewer forum and he’s agreed. We’d love for you to join in the conversation now. Send us your questions and comments. We’ll compile and put them to Mr. Landesman next week. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Jeffrey Brown Jeffrey Brown In his more than 30-year career with the News Hour, Brown has served as co-anchor, studio moderator, and field reporter on a wide range of national and international issues, with work taking him around the country and to many parts of the globe. As arts correspondent he has profiled many of the world's leading writers, musicians, actors and other artists. Among his signature works at the News Hour: a multi-year series, “Culture at Risk,” about threatened cultural heritage in the United States and abroad; the creation of the NewsHour’s online “Art Beat”; and hosting the monthly book club, “Now Read This,” a collaboration with The New York Times.
I recently had the chance to talk with new NEA chairman Rocco Landesman for an interview we aired earlier this month. Landesman was an interesting choice for the position, coming from the commercial world of Broadway, and he immediately got attention for some blunt statements. In our interview, among many other topics, he talked of using his position as a “great bully pulpit” and, while saying he didn’t want to “sound terribly partisan,” criticized the No Child Left Behind initiative for its impact on arts in the schools. Landesman is currently traveling around the country, looking into the artistic and cultural life that’s out there, and developing his own initiatives. With so much interest in the NEA — both positive and critical — and now in Landesman himself, I asked him to participate in an online viewer forum and he’s agreed. We’d love for you to join in the conversation now. Send us your questions and comments. We’ll compile and put them to Mr. Landesman next week. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now