Dancing with the Cars: The National Endowment for the Arts Spends Tens of Thousands in Taxpayer Funds to Support Choreographed Dances with Vehicles and Machinery
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Serial Number
Levin Center Identifier
OR.115.52
Document Date
2017-12-07
Report Length
1 page
Policy Agendas Project Major Code
Policy Agendas Project Minor Code
Additional, Minority, Dissenting Views
Report Type
Found Using Methodology
Commission(s)
Idependent Author(s)
Brief Executive Summary
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky produced literature employing "The Waste Report" to inform the American people of the spending of tens of thousands in taxpayer funds instigated by the National Endowment for the Arts to support choreographed dances with vehicles and machinery. A prominent group that leads projects of the aforementioned description and is referenced frequently in the article is Forklift Danceworks. Many ventures produced by the group such as Power UP, which showcases 50+ linemen, electrical technicians and Austin Energy employees in a choreographed full-length dance with cranes, bucket and field trucks, as well as Served, which shows skilled movements of a group of campus employees, such as dishwashers, cooks, custodial staff, physical plant employees, or grounds and maintenance crews, have both received federal funding. Senator Rand Paul argues that, of course, there is no shame in praising and featuring these workers, but taking their hard-earned tax money to help fund these projects seem a little unfair. Forklift has received more than $100,000 from the federal government but is not short of donors. In addition to individual private contributions, their website features several \342\200\234Funding Agencies\342\200\235 and corporate \342\200\234Season Sponsors,\342\200\235 such as Juniper Systems, IBC Bank, and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Not exactly the profile of starving artists in need of federal assistance.