Editor s note: This is part of a series of 10 stories on a variety of topics that take a look back at 2020 and forward to 2021. Many policies and practices were changed or adjusted because of the pandemic or other disruptions and we look at how those changes will shape the future.
As the impossibility of gathering in 2020 devastated so much of the arts and entertainment industry this year, from movies to concerts and theater performances, there was debate over who deserved financial help from the government. The debate left some skeptics to ponder a big question:
Are the arts really essential?