Alan Lomax-like folk & traditional arts programs (and actually sometimes Lomax himself IIRC) don't exactly scream coastal urban culuture. And I've never seen mo

Alan Lomax-like folk & traditional arts programs (and actually sometimes Lomax himself IIRC) don't exactly scream coastal urban culuture. And I've never seen more arts grants looking for projects (nationally sourced, locally administered) than when I was living along the Wasatch Front, which is only coastal if big inland lakes count. I'm sure the NEA does end up funding coastal urban culture because... a lot of people live in urban centers, maybe even an above average population of artists, so there's lots of art that happens in that context. And those of us who live in that context will probably see even more of it. But even living in an urban center now, I see a lot of art that looks towards other places and times in the United States, and the people I know creating/practicing art do too. Where I've encountered elitism it's almost always adjacent to the private art market and/or certain historic treasures, and even in that context you will find people who fit the general rule that most of the arts-involved are some of the most open people I've met, as curious about shape note singing as conceptual art. In fact, I suspect most of them would find your conception of art as culture war odd. It's possible that you're the one who needs to get outside any MOMA bubble and look around more.