wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

That may be true, but what if you're not extraordinary, and only very good?
I received my MFA from a prestigious US art school, but it's not like galleries are lining up to pay legal fees to sponsor new artists. Anyone familiar with the art world is acutely aware of how the industry works. It is up to the artist to bring the buyers to the gallery.
I've ended up in the commercial art/design field, which, though creative, is a very different career than I would have chosen. I am also currently teaching at CUNY, so I can teach what I would like to do, but not do what I would like to do. Isn't that ironic?

A visual artist qualifies for an O-1 visa, artist of extraordinary ability, where the standard for extra ordinary ability is,prominence in the field.

i don't think you mean 'ironic', you mean 'sarcastic'.

great topic! of course, there's a big difference in the government not wanting to let someone like amy winehouse -- who has a dubious drug record -- in the U.S.... versus someone like hypernova, a band whose main offense is coming from iran.

i'm sure raam will say... artists like him have enough trouble organizing shows, playing music, or doing anything artistic above ground there. it's nice when countries like ours can embrace rock 'n rollers like them with open arms.

if you can ask me, rock 'n roll remaining a vibrant art form has everything to do with this kind of global exchange.

this is about money, plain and simple. no one is actually afraid of people 'staying here' or terrorism. they know they can get money from the people, and they want to make sure these folks pay taxes. it's also an issue of control, but mostly of money. i mean, the only way to make sense of the american government is to see their motivations as money first. this is always true.

I'm an artist from Canada who came to NY to practice my craft. Because there is no work visa for "visual artist" I have had to change my career path which has taken me far away from my intended goal.

Do presenters just get more cautious or emboldened?

My friend who knew a Christian artist from abroad once told me that this artist tried to apply for some sort of an artist visa to enter the US but was suggested to get a missionary one instead. Once he's at the airport immigration, he's asked whether he'd be receiving any money performing; he said yes, was denied an entry and had to return to Southeast Asia.

Since 9/11, our American artists have garnered many U.S. engagements, when the scheduled foreign artists could not secure visas in time for their engagements.

The $1,000 fee was a joke, as it did not guarantee a decision - yes or no - before the artists' deadlines.

These problems faced by foreign artists are further evidence of the US's truly imbecilic and counterproductive immigration policies.

awesome, never mind

am i wrong to assume that you're going to focus on larger music groups? by that i mean, ones that will actually be making money while they're here, as opposed to say, punk bands who play for less than gas money but are still expected to get 'work' visas as if they are taking any money out of the country.