Other than the claim that perhaps radical or unpopular art might inspire further art creation or bring joy to a small group who desire this kind of art, which I

Other than the claim that perhaps radical or unpopular art might inspire further art creation or bring joy to a small group who desire this kind of art, which I suppose has some value, what value does NEA funded art have to society as a whole? I certainly don't know anyone who benefits from it, which makes it nothing at all like research.