There is a connection, hard to explain logically but easy to feel, between achievement in public life and progress in the arts. The age of Pericles was also the age of Phidias. The age of Lorenzo de Medici was also the age of Leonardo da Vinci. The age of Elizabeth was also the age of Shakespeare. And the New Frontier for which I campaign in public life, can also be a New Frontier for American art.

Summary

This quote suggests that there is a unique and unexplainable bond between success in public life and advancements in the arts. It references historical periods where significant achievements in both fields occurred simultaneously, such as the age of Pericles and Phidias, Lorenzo de Medici and Leonardo da Vinci, and Elizabeth and Shakespeare. The quote also implies that embracing a new era of progress and change in public life, specifically the New Frontier, can also foster innovation and growth in American art.