THE WHAT, WITHOUT THE WHY.

This essay must begin with a shoutout to our comrade in arts Josh Kline. His recent article "New York Real Estate and the Ruin of American Art" was a huge kick to the saggy pants of our fine arts machine. Click Here.

Kline, a sculptor, took a look at the whole of the arts industry, from an artist's perspective, and covered all the bases, highlighting the big systemic issues we'd rather not talk about, for it reminds us how powerless and inconsequential we artists are. Kline's solutions hit the wall and crashed, for the same reason. We are too powerless, poor and inconsequential to build a new utopia.

Our series of essays hope to expand upon Kline's work. This series seeks real world, hands-on solutions. I put my faith into the ingenuity of the American artist. Our shoulders are wide.

I was basking in the warmth and glow of our social progress. I gave myself a hug and patted my shoulders with bonhomie. We, as a civilization, have done it. Our fine arts and cultural institutions are now held in a very high regard by the American populace. Generations of Americans appreciate the fine arts and the artist.

Over the last 75 years, from kindergarten to university, the old media, formerly known as the Fourth Estate, and the federal educational complex have worked very hard to teach us folks that the arts and its institutions are a very good and wonderful thing in our culture. And it has succeeded beautifully.

Today, we heart-emoji museums and like all artists. Today, the art world, and all those within it, are held in valuable, great esteem.

Then why is there such chaos in the arts today? If one sneaks a peek through the opaque and reinforced mirrors of the fine arts, you will see nothing less than an orphanage fire. Most dispiriting, the firefighters are falling out of a clown car. As an arts news editor and journalist, I'm in the thick of it. I see and hear it all. Something is rotten in the state of the Arts.

When one is waxing on about the beauty and benefits of the fine arts, I started to ask, "Why? Why are the arts so valuable?" I quickly discovered the thinking ended when the rote platitudes ran out. No one had an answer.

Simply, we have failed to teach them why.

This public service messaging never made the arts personal or relatable. Souls were not touched. This is the great disconnect. And it's our own fault.

I recently met with an august hospitality group. They are all educated, smart and worldly people. I was quite blown away by the experience. They all loved and appreciated the arts, as a decoration. A little something to see and maybe do. That's all they wanted. The art world, as they understood it, could offer no more.

Internationally, the arts and culture demographic is the bee's knees for hospitality and tourism. Smart. Stylish. Generally monied. Trendsetters. Tastemakers. Las Vegas has never been able to attract and entertain this key and valuable target audience.

Much like the 'Johnny Can't Read' scandals that are currently plaguing the nation, no one knows why an artist has chosen the life they actively lead. Why do they do it? What does the artist get out of it?

The art world establishment, and the artist, have failed to communicate on the most basic human level.

In defense, nuance is hard to teach and joy is hard to describe.

Our next essay in this series shall define our Great Disconnect.

Art Report Today .com