From Celluloid to Cyberspace: The Media Arts and the Changing Arts World

Abstract

Abstract : This is the second in a series of reports that examines the state of the arts in America at the beginning of the 21st century. As in our earlier report on the performing arts, Performing Arts in a New Era (MR-1367-PCT, 2001), this study uses a systemwide approach to examine the media arts in the context of the broader arts environment and to identify the major challenges they face. This approach focuses on the organizational features of the media arts by describing the characteristics of their audiences, artists, arts organizations, and funders. In contrast to the performing and visual arts, the media arts--defined as art that is produced using or combining film, video, and computers-only emerged during the past century and have placed a special premium on experimentation and the use of technology. This report briefly summarizes the development of the media arts, how the different art forms within the genre compare, and the challenges the media arts face. The report should be of interest both to the media arts community (artists, organizations, and funders) and to individuals interested in arts policy and the future of the arts in America. We hope it not only provides useful information about broad developments in the media arts but also promotes analysis of the media arts more generally.