one part of the stimulus package that I hope they do not change

H.R.1

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Introduced in House)

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National Endowment for the Arts

grants and administration

For an additional amount for 'Grants and Administration', $50,000,000, to be distributed in direct grants to fund arts projects and activities which preserve jobs in the non-profit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn: Provided, That 40 percent of such funds shall be distributed to State arts agencies and regional arts organizations in a manner similar to the agency's current practice and 60 percent of such funds shall be for competitively selected arts projects and activities according to sections 2 and 5(c) of the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 951, 954(c)): Provided further, That matching requirements under section 5(e) of such Act shall be waived: Provided further, That the amount set aside from this appropriation pursuant to section 1106 of this Act shall be not more than 5 percent instead of the percentage specified in such section.

Let's look at that again, shall we? The purpose of the funding is "to fund arts projects and activities which preserve jobs in the non-profit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn." Support for the people employed in the arts is not a pork barrel spending project. Someone needs to tell the senators who are against the stimulus package because of "extraneous" programs like this that museums are not staffed by a team of elves and fairies who disappear into the ether at closing time. They employ actual human beings who deserve to get paid for all the work they do. I should know. I used to work in one.

Source:
The Library of Congress

Further Reading:
Economic Recovery and the Arts (PDF)