Rosenbaum, who was consulted in the development of the new strategy, says the arts are far more valued in Rhode Island today than a decade ago, but the community is going to have to make "compelling arguments" and really prove itself amid the economic crisis, locally and nationally.
And somehow, it has to keep its identity. In good times, he notes, it's easier to take risks; right now, many groups are cutting back on their seasons and pondering how edgy they can be and still attract audiences.
"What will that do for those organizations? Will they give up on the provocative, thought-provoking work that is the fundamental essence of the arts?" he says. "That is, frankly, the thing I'm most concerned about."
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