Core Principles

Several core principles underlie our work:

The Curb Center seeks to identify and strengthen the public interest related to creative enterprise and expressive life.

We consider whether Americans have access to diverse creative content; whether new and emerging artists or art forms have opportunities to connect to audiences; whether citizen creative expression is supported; and whether existing laws and regulation impede or facilitate the ability of citizens to discover, use and share our nation’s storehouse of cultural heritage–from films to sound recordings and published writing. We believe creativity is a source of enhanced quality of life and the engine of an emerging post-information age economy.

The Curb Center takes a broad definition of the system of creative enterprise and expressive life.

We believe that existing approaches to cultural policy are too narrow–focusing primarily on traditional cultural sectors and agencies.  Improving the vibrancy of our expressive life requires considering the entire system of creative enterprise and expressive life in the U.S.–government policy and corporate practice; nonprofit and for profit industries; personal creative practice and professional artistry.  In doing so, we recognize the importance of decisions and activities that impact our cultural system in settings as diverse as music studios, hushed museums, art foundation board rooms or the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.  We believe that effective public leadership requires a capacity to be creative and entrepreneurial, and effective leaders in creative occupations need to be accountable to the public interest.

The Curb Center recognizes the importance of bringing different voices and perspectives together.

Creative insight and critical assessments are not solely the purview of the lone genius—instead they emerge through bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise.  The Center sponsors meetings and conferences, and publishes articles and books that foster dialogue and debate around the challenges and opportunities facing a healthy and vital system of creative enterprise and expression.

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Definitions for the Words We Use