Amateur Hour

There is an interesting possible confirmation of Henry Jankins' argument that the Internet fosters participatory cultures in which avid amateurs are active cultural creators. A new report from the National Endowment in the Arts, the 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, depicts a depressing picture of graying audiences and dwindling attendance at galleries and concert halls. Yet, as NPR points out in "NEA: Art Creation Up, Attendance Down," a high tech folk culture of DIY community production means that people continue to take an active role. When the organizations that they monetize don't have revenue, government subsidies for professional artists are at risk and virtuoso content-creation could be compromised.