President-elect Barack Obama has called for a more prominent role in the White House for the arts and culture. But the economic climate makes it unlikely that governmental funding of the arts will increase anytime soon. And mixing art and government can spell political trouble, especially at the federal level.

Long Island has a thriving arts and cultural scene, with dozens of concert venues and museums, semiprofessional theaters, a professional orchestra, many community performance organizations, and some of the best school-based music and arts education departments in the country. Arts and cultural leadership in the Obama White House can take many valuable lessons by following private, local and state initiatives working well here.