To: President Donald Trump
Copyright Trust Fund for Arts Education
We propose that for-profit entities be required to pay a fee in order to use Public Domain and "orphaned" works. The money would go into a trust fund to be used to subsidize arts programs in public schools.
Why is this important?
If we want to continue to have a creative class in this country, we need to support artists. (PUBLIC DOMAIN is owned by the public, is it not?) Why not require profitable businesses to pay for the privilege of making money from artists' hard work? The latest research demonstrates that education in the arts helps students' brains mature and develop, yet the arts are the first thing that get cut from schools when money is tight. If we want to remain competitive in the global economy, it behooves us to make sure that all students in the public schools have access to high quality arts education.