Art gets it in the head…a fatal wound.
The Arts are seen as a good indicator as to the health of any society .If that is true ,Norneverland is in the critical ward at present, as financial cuts have reduced the place to a level of barbarism. To offset the cuts in the arts , in excess of some £28 million has already been spent on policing flag protests and the ongoing caravan demo at a roundabout in Belfast. Farce doesn’t begin to describe the situation. Those figures tell you everything about the dearth of support from our political representatives, their values and their understanding of how the arts filter into the life- blood of any society.Without the arts we are no more than grazing cows ,putting our days in…
Meanwhile , the biggest and most popular show on the local radio is helmed by a very astute broadcaster, Stephen Nolan, who seems to have the common touch in many respects, in that he can engage his audience.He also acts as a sort of agony uncle, solving problems for folk. Popular does not always translate into knowledgeable , of course .There appears to be a huge black hole in his knowledge of the arts . Unfortunately ,he revealed offhandedly, today, that he never reads books save for lightweight showbiz reveals.He admitted that he only reads newspapers to keep abreast of the current local politics.He had never heard of popular writers such as Kurt Vonnegut, so I can imagine he’s not about to lift up any Kafka or Proust texts anytime soon. . His knowledge of even popular music seems scant at best so I’d also imagine he has little interest in anything more esoteric like avante -garde jazz or opera.He is not alone, of course. I’m not suggesting he should do any of these things. Many people never read any books after their schooling ends, but you wouldn’t put one of them in charge of a library either….
Our Minister of the Arts and Culture, Caral Ni Chuilin , as recently as 2014 was attacked for “having absolutely no notion of what is …or what has been going on in the arts in Northern Ireland”
Well let’s call a spade a spade .No matter whether or not you are a supporter of this Sinn Fein Minister’s party or not , is there a point here? Look at it fairly and squarely and make up your mind.Is this minister really suitable for this particular post if she hasn’t a clue?I’m just asking.
All this followed on from a response on the Culture NI website in which it was highlighted how Government cuts were starting to hit the arts sector. Some 37 organisations and events including the Grand Opera House, the Ulster Orchestra and Belfast Festival at Queen’s are affected. This was a topic of conversation last year but it is now coming to a head like some glorious, engorged pimple..Last week we heard that the Queen’s Festival, which ran through the worst years of civil disturbance here and near war-time restrictions, is finally floundering and foundering ,after some fifty years.
It looks like we need a few politicians with enough vision to protect our schooling and our artistic bloodbanks as a priority for the future good health of the nation.We could start with the waste that is some of our policing choices.
It depends on your perspective Harry. For me the orchestra, opera, ect. does not represent my idea of culture. I prefer traditional music, earthy Irish and Gaelic literature, community arts projects. What you mentioned is high culture which has a limited audience. Not that they is anything wrong with a limited audience after all people like different things. Anyways, the economy is for the people not the other way around. Culture is who we are and what we do, our laws and customs, food, religion, music, art and our reaction to nature. Our culture will continue dispite the lack of funding because it relies on people not money. AS for our polititions I can’t see them lasting too long if they continue to redistribute the wealth of the nation in favour of a tiny elite.
Believe me Colman…when I talk of arts and culture , I don’t make distinctions . High art or low art …I love it all . Because you might like folk music or rock music doesn’t mean you can’t listen to a bit of Bach or a Tex-mex band or some really good rock artists.The thing is , I know we’ll all continue to make and play music of all kinds, traditional or whatever , paint all kinds of paintings, sculpt all kinds of artworks , write all kinds of works. Creative people will do it without payment, anyway. They’ll draw with a stick dipped in blood if needs be . it’s whether or not anyone else will get looking or listening to any of it.
There nothing “fancy” about any art.Just ask any artist. It’s not just for rich people either. The less-well off should be able to have a listen to a bit of opera too …most operas are simple love stories anyway. Shakespeare was performed for the masses too. They should be enjoyed the way people enjoy reading comics or books.
The culture doesn’t have to be all “local” culture either …just the same as you can eat Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Greek, French or any kind of grub your heart desires , but still like a nice bowl of Irish stew now and again. You don’t have to be Spanish to appreciate Picasso either. I love all kinds of art and music but what’s at stake here is the person on the street’s acess to it because the money required to keep it all flowing in from all over the planet is being wasted on nonsense.Policing is only one of those.
Hear, hear! well said, Paddy!
I agree Paddy. I was trying to address Harry’s idea of art being jazz, Proust and opera. Essentially all things exotic. Just because Stephen Nolan or Carál Ní Chuilín or whoever else don’t dig this type of art it doesn’t make them uncultured or incapable of understanding another culture. Does Harry understand this?
Colman ….If you look very closely, you might just be able to see the join in the writing style of both Harry and paddykool….just saying!!!
Ha so you are Harry! Sorry I didn’t realise. So am I both agreeing and disagreeing with you at the same time? How confusing!
You betcha !!