Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Public Yarts
Meet The Public - or rather, THEpUBLIC, the jewel in the navel of West Bromwich, which is finally opening to an eager public a mere two years behind schedule. Without having seen it, I make no comment on the architecture (though I fancy Will Alsop was having a laugh) - it's the condescending cynicism of the whole notion that gets me.. Plonk down an 'arts centre' with a meaningless name in a rundown area and not only will it benefit the population culturally - because, as we all know, having 'access' to the arts, sorry the yarts, does you good - but you will also get 'regeneration'. Look at The Sage... Well, wouldn't regeneration be better served by a few more basic facilities - swimming pool, leisure centre, cinema, even theatre, none of which West Bromwich has - rather than this resuscitated white elephant? And as for whether the arts do you good, I suspect it is only good art that might make that claim - and I very much doubt if the public will be seeing much of that in THEpUBLIC.
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I have some experience in this area -- regeneration, arts centres in run down areas, town planning -- and I can assure you that these people can waste money faster than it's printed. I spent three hours in Manchester's art gallery the other week and didn't meet more than half-a-dozen people. There's nothing I hate more than seeing people forced to appreciate art. It's why we're getting so much bad art in the country.
ReplyDeleteThe perfect rectangle, or not (in theory approx. 1/1.63), modelled on a box of matches. The only Geordie who really benefited from the Sage was a butcher friend of mine, his abattoir came down as part of the redevelopment.
ReplyDeleteThe new one was light years ahead of the original, thank you Sage. I agree with your comments about the waste of money on "arts" centers, just another way to create more civil service jobs. this was well worth the investment (go to home/museums link).
Although little Norm Foster was involved, its one of his better efforts, 45mins from Dusseldorf airport. Sage software started in business about the same time as me, 5 minutues away from my plant. Two ex Kalamazoo salesmen, did they pick the right place, right time. A few years ago one of them bought a place 2 miles from me, then built a golf course on it.
We have been watching the Jays all week, hunting down young chaffinches, the red squirrels are back again, the badger dug out a wasps nest in the ground last night, more repair work.
If all the money that was ploughed into these new initiatives went into supporting existing situations then we'd all probably be better off. It's all about new....it's just like government really.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's time to think about rescuing art from the "artists."
ReplyDeleteAnd the yarts administrators, Frank...
ReplyDeletei hear that arts funding in this country is now wholly political. i know i've been three times rejected for PhD funding while i've seen people i'd regard as mediocrities effortlessly secure 4 years of funding...it does seem more to do with if your 'art' is about promoting multiculturalism and destroying the native culture, than about whether it's actually any good or not.
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