"Barack Obama was sworn in on 20 January with a historic mandate for change. Extraordinary times call for bold actions and visionary ideas. Big government is back. Hopes are for an administration that is not only more progressive, but also smarter.

"This could be good news for the arts—as long as they can build a convincing case that they serve the public interest."

That's the view of The Art Newspaper in its look at the future of cultural policy under the new regime.