National Governors Association

CHICAGO — The National Governors Association has just issued a report titled “New Engines for Growth: Five Roles for Arts, Culture and Design.” I decided to read the whole thing, a task that I approached with some dread, given the prospect of wading through 45 pages of corporate art-speak. In fact, it turns out that the report is written in a refreshingly clear style, and it lays out a set of concrete proposals that make sense to anyone who has thought about this subject.