Millionaire Minister hangs art
The announcement of the closure of the UK Film Council earlier this week came as a shock to those working in the industry. Seems like a politically expedient decision rather than a well thought out strategic choice, particularly when it came to light that for every £1 spent on film here by Northern Ireland Screen (which is part funded by the Film Council) over £5 comes back in return
Jeremy Hunt the Secretary of State for Culture,Olympics, Media and Sport(and one of the 10 millionaires in the cabinet) used his blog to tell us that after submitting his treasury spending review, which will come into full effect in April 2012, he sought “consolation from the pain” by choosing the artwork for his office
Poor ole Jeremy.
Cracking idea and gets my full support, bunch of la-de-da’s with cardigans over their shoulders might have to take the bus oh dear!
It’s a start in the right direction, now lets get the Councils and the community groups
Let me see…. do I want a subsidy to an arts group putting on avant garde plays or a new hip for my granny?
PS Gordon Brown ate all the pies. There are none left. If you want to complain this is the contact address
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/person/644/gordon-brown
a. What does this have to do with him being a millionaire? Just because he is personally wealthy doesn’t mean he should be profligate with other people’s money.
b. The ‘return on investment’ is laughable. It assumes that if there was no public money, there would be zero private sector investment. In any case the £22 million isn’t just given to us, people have to do something in return, there is only a marginal benefit.
I mentioned this sort of thing earlier this week, in my belief that it is not government’s responsibility to fund arts and culture, that ‘cheese making’ is an art, and part of our world-wide culture, but that cheesemakers are not going to be bankrolled by the government to subsidise their existence. They stand or fall as businesses. So why not theatres? Orchestras? Opera companies?
They’re viable or they aren’t. Why should government fund any of it?
Wow. The depth of thinking here never ceases to amaze me.
Wow the lack of depth of thinking by local government officers never ceases to amaze me…..
Look at the Magnolia opera house…. fucking millions wasted on a shite facade only to be painted Magnolia
The public knew it wasshit the moment it went up but it took years for the Council/Government wasters to respond
This makes me want to scream into my Edvard Munch
1. I’m at a loss as to your connection between – what I take it you’re talking about – the Grand Opera House, and the Film Council. Maybe you could enlighten us?
2. You want to take money off community groups – I’m at a loss to see the connection to the Film Council there too. Are you confusing NI Screen with the Arts Council? But I take it that it’s just a general swipe, as opposed to any real knowledge about what it is many community groups do.
3. What’s the view like from the high horse? Pretty good I’d say. Do we all think that we’d have got the film work we actually have managed to date, without the input of some sort of third-person organisation? Just interested on your take. Also interested in turning it back to the subject of the Film Council/NI Screen. As opposed to community groups, the Opera House, local Councils, Uncle Tom Cobbley and all…