Sneak Peek: NEA Arts

We're just days away from the next issue of NEA Arts hitting the proverbial newsstand. In this issue we explore the very fertile territory where the arts meet the sciences--from telling the story of space exploration through elements such as a grain of sand to dance performances that use dancers' brain waves as well as their bodies to looking at why we like music, and so much more. Visit arts.gov on Friday to see the whole issue, and stay tuned to Art Works for excerpts from the issue's feature stories. Here's an exclusive excerpt--available only on Art Works--from our interview with physicist-novelist Alan Lightman on why it's important for artists and scientists to be in conversation with each other:

"It opens up a different world. It's just like the value of learning another language. You know, you learn Spanish, and suddenly the whole Hispanic culture opens up to you and enriches you. [Cross-discipline conversation] also gives you more tools for approaching problems. If you can think in several different ways about a problem, it's like having a screwdriver and a hammer and a pair of pliers, instead of just a screwdriver." --Alan Lightman