Increased arts funding is a must for the future
THE fact that Northern Ireland's artistic fraternity has to plead, cajole and beg for adequate funding is a damning indictment on today's society.
But the Province's cultural well-being has fallen so far down the list of priorities that the amount of money the arts receives here is tokenistic at best.
Compare the 2006-07 rate of 6.13 per person in Northern Ireland with 12.61 per person in the Republic, 11.93 in Scotland, 8.80 in Wales and 8.39 in England – we are the poor relation of our neighbours in the UK and Ireland.
This paltry figure was increased to 7.89 in the recent draft budget – still below the UK average – with the result that artistic organisations are facing the very real prospect of closure, with job losses and the other economic effects.
Of course it is difficult to make the case for culture in the face of a beleaguered health system and flawed education infrastructure.
And the knee-jerk reaction to anything artistic – labelling it a waste of money – doesn't help matters.
The popular perception that funding will go to, say, some obscure visual artist who needs a grand total of 100,000 for a project which will involve them nailing their underwear to a plank, means art isn't an easy sell.
Making the link between obscure pieces of work and people's everyday lives isn't an easy sell. Not helped by the fact that the media will invariably leap on the most obscure creations and ask the question 'is this art?'
But anyone who feels that art isn't an important part of their lives should pawn their TV and donate the money to the local school/hospital/charity.
Those who believe art is a waste of public money would, no doubt, support a campaign to abolish the monarchy – a similarly frivolous waste of taxpayer's cash – and demand some repayment of the civil list.
And those who feel that art should be a commercially viable venture, run on basic economic principles, would argue that government should be run along the same lines.
And perhaps we could get a fast food company to sponsor a school while we're at it.
But such arguments are lost in modern Northern Ireland – where the new government operates an oddly utilitarian, workman-like attitude to public money.
While other European countries embrace their artistic sector and see it as part of their national identity, we take a different attitude.
So many years of sectarian conflict have eroded our collective sense of self-worth, and our national self-esteem.
It was the case 20 years ago that anyone who wanted to effect change should pick up a gun rather than a paintbrush – it's hard to argue that things have radically altered over the last two decades.
So little attention is given to the activities which inspire, which give spiritual nourishment and which result in a creative end, that the topic has dropped off the modern-day agenda.
Unless, of course, they're sports-related.
Given that the arts fraternity can't be too critical of the hand that feeds it, there is going to be little rage directed at government for the lack of cash.
And this means that the minister responsible – Edwin Poots – has had a fairly easy ride so far.
A consultation period in relation to the new budget ended earlier this month and, while the arts community here did campaign for more cash, it's hard to see any change.
Ironically, while they had support from MLAs, those in power – who control the purse strings – seemed to be oddly unmoved.
Having to make the case for enriching our culture in the face of people dying on hospital wards or children not getting an education, is a step too far for our leaders.
Yet, for the sake of a balanced life here, it needs to be made.
Jump on a flight to mainland Europe, or read a history book, and you will see that it's nothing to be frightened off.
Art has always been front and centre of any civilised, forward-looking society.
While it could easily be argued that present-day Northern Ireland is neither, if it wants to be considered a modern European country it needs to at least have aspirations in that direction.
Culture is a very important part of our lives – it's just that we're not willing to realise it as such.
Picturing a world without sculpture, theatre and architecture might be easy, though imagine if your favourite music, films and TV shows didn't exist.
As we move from the violent tribal past to a more integrated future, the cultural symbols associated with the Troubles will have to be replaced.
But we might have to wait a political generation before we get elected representatives who are willing to make that happen.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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