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Good analysis.

When I began to question from within the Left, back in the 70s, I was told that "artists can't be conservatives". When we began hanging out with a couple whose company we enjoyed, we were told "But, they are Christians! You are artists!"

We still considered ourselves moderates, but the venom we received for trying to have a logical political discussion was instrumental in pushing us further right. Any point we made was dismissed as "conservative rhetoric", with the suggestion that we read this or that piece of leftwing propaganda.

The majority of arts grants go to large corporate museums and performance companies. I have served on my state's Peer Review Committee for the National Endowment grants. In a 4-year term, I was the only working artist there. When I questioned the large majority of the money going to the symphony, the municipal art museum and the like, I was told "It's legal". I suspect these artists form their groups, supported by the coalition of leftwing activists described, as a way to raid yet another honey pot of Federal grant funding. I have also served on a governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Tourism and the Arts and, again: the interest is in the affluent urban areas and organized ethnic festivals; white rural organizations get second class status.

I support defunding the Left. I have often advised artists searching for grants to get a 2nd, part-time job and save that money for their project. It takes less time and produces more funding with no strings attached. Grant money is not free and a portion of the grant will always go to the facilitator. Some grants are purely administrative and fund the grants facilitator to recruit individuals (who get nothing but a promise of future grants) do a study on the feasiblity of the future funding.

The Tribeca group is probably just defending their funding.
It is about leftwing politics, not art.

My daughter just graduated with a degree in painting. She is very talented, but rather than have to work to some arbitrary guideline with grants, she took a full time job so she will have enough money to pay for studio space.

We have had many discussions of market demands and artistic merit. I think she understands better than most graduates because she worked in a retail business while getting her degree.

One thing I learned through her years in school is how heavily left art schools are, and how they tend to ostracize anyone who doesn't tow the PC line. I am very proud of her because she managed to graduate with her faith and beliefs intact, and is probably the only one in her school who voted for George Bush.