Ftp's Impact On American Art

Beginning in the early 1930s, citizens of the United States were under an immense amount of stress due to The Great Depression. With millions of Americans unemployed and hungry, President Franklin D. Roosevelt began his first New Deal program in 1933 to help solve economic problems created by the Depression. In 1935, he launched a much more selective Second New Deal which included the Works Progress Administration, which was made to help Americans get back to work. The WPA included The Federal Theater Project, which was used to fund theater and other artistic programs during The Great Depression. President Roosevelt felt that by creating this program, the theater and arts would help viewers implement a sense of confidence and pride for our country during this difficult time. The FTP, despite its controversy, was successful because it provided entertainment and employment for countless Americans and enriched their lives with culture during the Depression. …show more content…
This is incorrect, because one of the main reasons the FTP was successful during its short run was because of the employment opportunities it provided to Americans. In text 3, it is stated that the FTP employed 12,700 theater workers at its peak. Likewise, by creating this program, American artists benefited as well. In text 5, it is expressed that due to the lack of American art, people had to buy art from foreign markets, which made it very difficult for American artists to make a living in their professions. It is mentioned in text 5 that “When the United States government became the patron, both artists and the public benefited.” By our government assisting the arts programs, it helped many artists earn respectable livings. This proves that during the Depression, the FTP provided many jobs to Americans in fields they were excited to work