2004 Programs & Events
Remarks, World Monuments Fund Lecture
November 16, 2004
Members of the World Monuments Fund, Ddistinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Hotel de Talleyrand, one of the most historically and aesthetically rich buildings of Embassy Paris.
Tonight we begin the second year of our series of lectures coordinated with the World Monuments Fund. To open this evenings program I will make a few comments about this historic building and describe the American tradition to funding arts and culture, which is based largely on private donations rather than government support.
Following my comments we will hear from our guest speaker Monsieur Bertrand du Vignaud de Villefort, President of World Monuments Fund Europe. He will discuss the support Americans have provided to a number of European projects to preserve and restore historical monuments and cultural treasures. We are honored and pleased to have Bertrand as our speaker. After his remarks we will enjoy refreshments in the rooms of the George C. Marshall Center. The Center is currently in the process of restoration and you will have the opportunity to view these rooms.
The Hotel de Talleyrand is an important historical and cultural landmark for both French and Americans. It is one of only 12 U.S. Government properties in the world listed in the U.S. State Department’s Register of Culturally Significant Properties.
The United States government purchased this building in 1950, and used it for the offices of the American administration of the Marshall Plan. The building now houses the Embassy's Consular and Cultural Sections, as well as other government offices. The on-going project to restore the beauty of the Talleyrand building includes the creation of the George C. Marshall Center, to memorialize the Marshall Plan and this building's role in the Plan’s implementation.
The Talleyrand’s restoration project began in the 1980s and has been accelerated in recent years, when contributions from American and European donors increased. The Embassy has been active in promoting private sector donations for the restoration project, and we are most appreciative of the generous response. These contributions have brought us to about 2/3 of our ultimate needs with 1/3 yet to go.
Contributions from generous supporters such as the World Monuments Fund, the Getty Grant program, the Florence Gould Foundation, and the Rothschild family, has allowed us to preserve the beautiful 18th century panels and architectural treasures present in the building. Participation by the Kress Foundation, which has a long history of supporting preservation projects, has permitted us to make a significant architectural change to our Grand Reception Room. The change will return the room to its original 18th century configuration. You will be able to view this work during the reception. We still have a much to do to complete the restoration and are still seeking support to bring the project to a successful completion. The vital role of private funding in the Talleyrand's restoration project is an example of the approach to financing culture and the arts that we practice in the United States.
The Management and funding of the arts and culture in the United States is very local and in the hands of the private sector. Most operas, symphonies, ballets and museums are independent private not-for profit corporations with their own board of trustees. There are some exceptions to this like our prestigious National Gallery of Art and Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Approximately 50% of the funding for these individual organizations comes from ticket sales to the public. Most also have annual subscribers who purchase tickets for all performances during the performing season. Another 40% of the funds needed come from charitable contributions given by individuals, foundations and corporations. Some corporations are major donors to the arts to demonstrate their commitment to our arts and culture.
The remaining 10% of funding comes from government support at the national, state and local levels. Of this, the federal share is about 2% and the remaining 8% is from state and local. The support by the state and local governments is determined by each of their governing bodies. Some do not participate by choice or because of budget restrictions, but the great majority has some type of program.
At the federal level, Congress created the National Endowment for the Arts in 1965 and has funded it since that time with about one hundred million dollars a year. These funds are distributed to a wide range of recipients all over the United States.
The total funding in 2004 by state governments was 274 million dollars and in 2003 local governments provided about 770 million dollars. This brings the total of government sector to a total of about one billion one hundred forty-four million dollars a year, and that represents only 10% of the total arts funding. That makes the amount from private contributions about four billion six hundred million per year. An impressive figure in support of the arts and culture of the United States. It is estimated that private contributions in the United States in 2003 for the category “Arts, Culture and the Humanities” total 12.2 billion dollars.
In addition to the financial contributions, a further significant contribution is made by volunteer workers who donate their time and help with the various cultural programs and performances, as well as the operations of the non-profit organizations. This volunteer time is estimated to be equivalent to 390,000 full-time employees. If these workers were paid the prevailing wage it would amount to 20 to 25 billion dollars a year.
There is a strong tradition in the United States to “give back” by supporting local charities to assist those in need of help, to provide scholarships to students, to assist other worthy causes – such as the World Monuments Fund – and to fund the arts and culture. The participation in this philanthropy is very broad, even to include school children who contribute their small change to efforts such as the Red Cross.
Charitable giving has been encouraged in the United States by provisions of our tax code. The code provides a deduction from taxable income which has the effect of reducing the taxes to be paid. However, a change in tax policy a few years ago created a new feature called the Alternative Minimum Tax. This feature essentially eliminated any tax benefit for most donors. Even though the tax benefit was lost, charitable contributions have continued to increase. The continued growth is because of the strong individual commitment by people of the United States to support charities and the arts.
It is interesting to note that in 2003 France adopted a law that provides tax benefits for some private charitable contributions and enhances the status of private foundations.
Our guest speaker, Monsieur du Vignaud de Villefort, is well versed in how philanthropy works on both sides of the Atlantic. The World Monuments Fund, of which he is European President, is an American non-profit corporation with projects in every corner of the world. Bertrand has been an active part of their leadership for many years. He knows well how Americans and Europeans cooperate in preserving our common cultural heritage.
It is a pleasure to welcome Monsieur du Vignaud de Villefort to the podium.