Obviously, the arts are not the first issue that leaps to mind when one thinks of this year’s U.S. presidential race. But is it really necessary for both candidates to completely ignore such issues as arts education, federal support for artists and performers, and the future of the NEA? “I suppose you could try to dismiss arts issues as a tangential topic in a campaign where war, terrorism and the economy are the driving issues. But the arts touch our lives and those of our children daily. Can you honestly say the same about gay marriage?”