FROM THE EDITORS

The 20th century has been one in which artists in the United States have broken free from Old World antecedents, taking the various cultural disciplines in new directions with impressive, innovative results. Music, film, theater, dance, architecture and other artistic expressions have been enhanced and transformed by the creative drive of American men and women, particularly in the years following World War II.

A rejuvenation in music, new directions in modern dance, drama drawn from the U.S. heartland, independent filmmaking across the landscape, the globalization of the visual arts -- all of these are part of the contemporary scene in the United States.

With the approach of the new century and the new millennium, the arts in the United States are often on the cutting edge. They are in ferment, with no dominant interpretations. The articles in this journal reflect that diversity of artistry and thought, in the assessments of each discipline, the style of the respective critiques, and even in the sense of what art and culture are within our society.

While the arts and culture in the United States continue to engage substantial attention, energy and resources of this society, this happens largely outside the direction of government. The United States has no "ministry of culture," thus reflecting the conviction that there are important areas of national life where government should have little or no role.

This series of articles, sidebars on exemplary trends, and lists of sources is offered as a gateway through which readers may begin their own journey of exploration. Like the field itself, it is impossible to predict where that journey will end.