In the July issue of The Atlantic, Kyle Thetford writes, “An unexpected upshot in the wake of Britain’s latest spending review was the fate of the culture budget—it avoided a pummeling. What might be considered an easy target in a time of austerity emerged relatively unscathed, with only a 5 percent decrease in funding from £472 million to £451 million. The [British] arts world had already been hit by a 30 percent cut meted out in the 2010 budget … supporters of the arts were able to stave off the axe by presenting their case to Britain’s chancellor, George Osborne, in economic terms. The current Culture Secretary, Maria Miller, led the charge in this marketing of the arts … She suggested that state funding of the arts be viewed as a form of ‘venture capital,’ encouraging investment in the British brand: The value of the artistic sector could be ‘leveraged’ to deliver economic growth. … Miller’s rationale for funding was stridently challenged by the outgoing head of Arts Council England—the body that oversees cultural spending—Dame Liz Forgan. Forgan … had previously spoken out for the intrinsic value of the arts … ‘the arts, the expression of our culture, are as deep a need in us as food, shelter, sex, and security. We must have them.’ ”
Posted July 23, 2013
