There is a fundamental disconnect between politics and culture, which sometimes seems like a form of enmity, according to British think-tank guru John Holden, who will give a public lecture this afternoon at the Ontario College of Art & Design.
Holden's proposed solution: those working in the cultural field who need to secure more funding should try to make their case directly to citizens, rather than politicians, and thereby raise awareness in the community.
Holden, who works for London-based think-tank Demos, is on a speaking tour across Canada.
"Politicians want to distance themselves from the arts," he said in a phone interview the other day. The reason: artists take risks, but politicians are in the business of minimizing risk.
His views arise from a study he did for Demos, called Cultural Value and the Crisis of Legitimacy.
In the U.K., cultural organizations were forced to justify their existence by the Thatcher government circa 1980. As a result, studies were commissioned.
The outcome: a heightened general awareness that most people, not just the elite, make culture part of their lives and consider it very important.
Holden argues that increased economic prosperity has not increased the level of happiness. That's where the arts come in.
During the Tony Blair era in Britain, there was a great emphasis on culture, and an awareness that in the long term it has to be part of the social and economic agenda.
Holden claims culture can be an ambassador for Canada just as it is for Britain. "It has become central and can no longer be considered peripheral, as it was in the 20th century," he says.
No comments:
Post a Comment