San Diego's mayor has announced he's recommending the city pull the plug on art funding for the time being, triggering a debate over the role of public art in society.
One reader of the Voice of San Diego writes, "Art is the soul of society, not a frill," while another says, "Art is not the reason we have government."
Other comments were stirred up on Twitter by reporter Kelly Bennett, with many arts advocates responding that the city is doing a poor job of selecting and funding public art. Bennett says that many of them "lament the ones that got away, including several works from major contemporary artists whose projects got canned due to public outcry."
Another reader expresses that he understands if it is a choice between keeping water flowing to homes and funding public art, he understands, but "there is value in creating an aesthetically pleasing community."
Many more comments in the original article.
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