Don't Panic! by Andy Moore

Take a second to read this HuffPost article about a new poster contest in support of President Obama’s jobs bill proposal:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/12/obama-poster-contest-angers-designers_n_1007868.html

Prizes. Three (3) winners will receive the following prize: A framed copy of the Poster (defined below) signed by Barack Obama and all or part of the winner’s Poster will be used and displayed on Sponsor’s website and/or in other Sponsor advertising or promotional material (to be determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion) associated with Sponsor’s political advertising efforts (approximate retail value: $195).

Not really using too much of that hypothetical $447 Billion to foster the poster artists of America, huh?

The thing that makes me mad about that is to consider all the at least obliquely government-sponsored artistic projects in the past hundred years: WWI Liberty Bond and War Stamp material, The ‘new deal’ artist projects, WWII home front and War Bond/support posters, to the fact that many of the ‘hall of fame’ names in American Expressionism and modern art were Splinter Cell CIA-funded (Thank you International Organizations Division!) to out-crazy and show up the commies.

Now fast-forward a few decades and the most visible art project from the President’s efforts probably amounted to some staffer posting a crowd-sourced spec art web 2.0 social media art contest, with plenty of legalese to cover over any intellectual property disputes with a blanket, all-encompassing rights transferal.

It’s a frustrating thing to see happen during an economic time that is so difficult on so many people.

And you better believe I’m gonna enter the contest!