Mentor: Youngaah Koh, Ph.D.

The difference in arts and cultural policy between the United States and Central Europe has influenced the public appreciation of art in both regions, artistic excellence of work produced, and ease of entering the cultural sector. Previous research on European cultural policy concentrates on the west of the continent and thus has largely ignored the center and east; because of historical differences in governmental structure and freedom of expression, the eastern half of the continent has more restrictive, hands-on governmental involvement. In conjunction with policy reports, articles from arts policy scholars, and anecdotal evidence from my own experiences, I implemented five first-hand accounts from individuals who have lived in and worked for arts organizations in the United States, Czechia, and Serbia. The interviews helped construct a fuller understanding of how their organizations receive their funding, what sorts of projects are permitted, and how citizens engage with the cultural sector. This study finds though the United States implements a decentralized cultural funding model compared to the interventionist model in Central Europe, neither model allows for full freedom of expression over the artistic works created, and both models create high-quality end products. The study indicates a potential for a more blended cultural policy model between the decentralized United States and the state-driven Central Europe for increased economic impact and/or public engagement in the arts.

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