This year s battle over federal funding for the arts began today. Arts advocates from more than 80 organizations gathered in Washington to lobby for preserving federal support for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Advocates say the endowment is crucial for their work through the country.
After a background report, Elizabeth Farnsworth leads a discussion of federal art funding with actor Alec Baldwin, New Orlean's mayor Marc Morial, art historian Alice Goldfarb Marquis and writer William Craig Rice. A RealAudio version of of this segment is available. A NewsHour report on the Johannes Vermeer show at the National Gallery last year. Browse the Online NewsHour's Arts and Entertainment coverage. The web page of The National Endowment for the Arts .