As the first century of America's history is largely the story of the struggle to wrest from nature the necessities of life, and as America's second century witnessed the country's growth into the world's greatest industrial power, so, many have come to feel, America's third century will be a period or rapid expansion in the arts and humanities. Recent years have witnessed an increase in state governmental activity directed toward the encouragement of the growth and development of the arts and humanities. In Virginia, this increase in activity has most notably manifested itself, through the creation in 1968 of the Virginia Commission of the Arts and Humanities. The Commission is charged with the duty to "stimulate and encourage throughout the State public interest and participation in the arts and humanities ... " It has been through the Commission that State governmental encouragement of cultural growth in the Commonwealth has largely been channelled.

The approaches to fostering the arts taken by states other than Virginia have been varied. While a great many states have arts and humanities commissions similar to Virginia's, some have engaged in more ambitious programs which include direct and indirect subsidies to performing groups and teaching institutions, creation of performing groups as state institutions, and the designation of already existing performing groups as "official," "state" entities. With the exception of the creation of the Virginia Museum, the occasional passage of a resolution of commendation for an artist or artistic group, and the occasional designation of a "poet laureate," Virginia has channelled its governmental support of the arts through the Virginia Commission of the Arts and Humanities.

The Virginia Opera Association, a non-governmental opera company headquartered in Norfolk, opened its first season in the Commonwealth in 1974-1975. Beginning with its first efforts and continuing through the present, Virginia Opera Association has met with considerable success and critical acclaim. It was in reaction to these successes, and in an effort to encourage the continued prosperity of VOA and its service to the Commonwealth that Senate Joint Resolution No. 69 was introduced during the 1976 Session of the Virginia General Assembly.

The Committee on Rules of the Virginia Senate carried SJR69 over from the 1976 Session to the 1977 Session for further study. In 1977 an amendment in the nature of a substitute for the original resolution was adopted by the Senate Committee on Rules and subsequently agreed to by both houses of the Assembly.

Delegate J. Warren White, Jr., of Norfolk, a member of the VALC, was chosen to chair a VALC Committee chosen to conduct the study. The following were approved by the VALC as members of the study Committee: Mrs. Mary Albergotti and Mrs. Lilley Babalas of Norfolk; Mr. John Batte or Richmond; Mrs. Lee S. Cochran of Staunton; Mr. Warren B. Crocker of Hampton; Mrs. Elizabeth L. Dudley of Lynchburg; Senator James T. Edmunds of Kenbridge; Mrs. Sibyl Fishburne or Roanoke; Delegate Robert R. Gwathmey, m, of Mechanicsville; Mrs. Edythe Harrison of Norfolk; Delegate Joseph A. Johnson of Abingdon; Mrs. Nora O. Lamborne of Alexandria; Mrs. Heloise B. Levit of Richmond; Delegate Thomas W. Moss, Jr.; Ms. Carter Grandy Scott, and Senator Stanley C. Walker of Norfolk; and Senator Edward E. Willey and Mr. Edward J. Slipek, Jr., of Richmond.

The Committee held three public meetings, taking testimony from Mr. Jerry Haynie, Executive Director of the Virginia Commission of the Arts and Humanities; Messrs. Donald Miller and Allen E. Turner of the Cultural Laureate Foundation, Inc.; and Mrs. Jane G. Hench of the Northern Virginia Chamber Orchestra. Not inconsiderable information was provided by the Committee members themselves. The Committee obtained additional materials through research conducted by staff.