Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The Playgoer: The Iraq National Theatre:

Culture Minister Maher Ibrahim al-Hadithi admitted in June that his $85 million (£53.9 milion) budget was "miserable" and that the ministry's infrastructure and resources had all been looted or destroyed in recent years.

I know, right? Only $85 mil. I mean, how can they keep up with our NEA with its mighty...$155 million budget. (Which was only $99 mil back in '96.)

Yes, even Iraq--the barely viable state of freakin' Iraq--puts our arts budget to shame. Probably more per capita, if you factor in how much smaller a country is. Congressmen wail about how our economy won't allow more--but Iraq doesn't even have an economy!

11:22 PM