"Arts groups need to make themselves irreplaceable, a necessity," said Dana Gioia, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who will be in Hawai'i this week. He plans visits with arts organizations, museums and schools, and will squeeze in a public appearance Tuesday at the Hawai'i Theatre, where he will read his poetry and share his vision of arts and culture.

"The arts, unfortunately, are treated mostly as a luxury, rather than a core subject," he said in a telephone interview while driving from one engagement in Santa Monica to another in Long Beach last week. "I don't think the American educational system fully recognizes the importance of the arts, both in intellectual and personal development."

As a prelude to his visit, he answered questions from The Advertiser:

A. "I think things are both bad and good; the good is that there's an enormous number of arts organizations and artists doing terrific work. Americans can be proud of the number of symphonies, opera, theater, jazz festivals and museums in the U.S. today. The bad news, mostly in the area of arts education, is that a whole generation is being raised without the benefit of instruction in the arts. It will be dismal if this continues. We're a society that depends on creativity and innovation; Americans do not compete with the rest of the world in cheap labor or cheap ingredients. We cut various programs that (encourage) ingenuity and creativity, and that's bad."

Q. With enormous demands on the federal budget — to fund the war in Iraq, the ongoing homeland security measures since 9/11, and more currently, the tsunami relief efforts — what impact does this have on funding the arts?

A. "All budgets are tight in Washington right now. But I'm happy to say that in the last three years, or maybe four, the NEA budget and funding have grown; we've created a number of inter-government partnerships; we're trying to reach all communities, though that's not easy since ours is a big country. Arts endowment went through a period of great controversy in the 1990s, resulting in serious budget cuts a half-decade ago. But we've been able to rebuild the agency, both in terms of the budget and the ambitions. We give 2,200 grants every year totaling over $100 million in grants. Our budget depends on the year. Last year, it was $122 million. That makes us the largest fund-giver in the United States."

Q. Hawai'i's congressional delegation has long advocated arts funding; Hawai'i was second in the nation for arts funding last year, according to the Americans for the Arts organization. Will the crunch on money mean slimmer budgets in years ahead?

A. "Your delegation has been remarkable in its commitment to the arts. ... I imagine the support will continue."

Q. What does the NEA do, and what is its role in local culture and funding?

A. "Our role is not to dictate a national arts policy. Our role is to give catalytic grants that allow local organizations to get a project off the ground. Most people don't understand how the (grant) process works. We solicit applications and have panels that rank them, and make grants to the most worthy. However, with 1 to 2 per cent of the grants, we make some adjustments; I'm concerned with quality, but also concerned with equity, so some funds are distributed to a lower-ranked program, just to make certain that there's no neglect in certain places. For instance, some communities like Indian reservations may be neglected. The biggest innovation in the two years I've been with NEA has been programs that have helped 4 million Americans in the military."

A. "Absolutely. Cultural tourism is a major force and goal; what would Paris or Florence be without cultural tourism? It's appropriate for state, local and federal governments to help promote public/private partnerships for cultural tourism."

Q. One of the concerns of our arts organizations is that they have to reinvent themselves and be self-sufficient, particularly since handouts are fewer and unreliable. Is this a sane position?

A. "I would like to think it's a good thing rather than bad. Organizations can't subsist on subsidies. Arts groups have to work harder than others to survive. We give people and groups that first grant that requires matching funds, to enable them to get their projects off the ground."

Q. How would you describe a healthy arts community?

A: "An arts community presents a range of arts, traditional and contemporary, to serve the needs of its community. It's a reflection of the community. One of the beauties about the U.S. is that what happens in one corner often is different in another. It's huge and diverse."

Q. Being a poet and an educator, have you personally benefitted from NEA funding in the past? And why did you seek this job?

A. "I never applied for a grant, so I never personally benefitted. My motivation was patriotism. I felt that the NEA was a great institution and needed help. The reason I accepted this job is that I felt I had been asked to serve my country. It was important for artists to help create a better understanding about the role the arts play in our lives. And while Washington is a political city, decisions are made not for political reasons. I don't run NEA as a partisan agency, a red or blue thing; I try to bring the best of the arts to the broadest cross-section of the country as possible."