Julie Andrews, the Oscar-winning star of "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music" says President Donald Trump's proposal to eliminate four federally-funded arts and humanities endowments is "mind-boggling" and will particularly devastate "poor, inner-city and rural communities."
In an opinion piece written with her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton and published by CNN, Andrews says:
"Decades worth of research attests to the fact that the arts are among the most profoundly important and valuable ways to improve learning and promote success, from early childhood through adulthood …
"And yet, the arts are the first to go when the budget ax falls. Now, with the shifting priorities of our new presidential administration, artists and arts organizations are at serious risk of losing the support they need to do their invaluable work ...
"Poor, inner-city and rural communities, whose access to such resources are scarce to begin with, will shoulder a disproportionate share of those losses. This is mind-boggling to us, considering how much the arts benefit our lives and our world."
This week, Trump submitted his first federal budget which calls for eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and cutting to zero funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Andrews, who was married to famed director Blake Edwards, added:
"The arts are fundamental to our common humanity. Every time we attend the theater, a museum or a concert, we are literally feeding our souls, and investing in and preserving our collective future.
"We feel it has never been more critical to advocate for and support the arts -- not just in our schools, but in our communities and our lives."
The 81-year-old, British-born Andrews is one of the world's most beloved actresses and in 2000, was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth for dedication to the performing arts.
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