Planet of the Arts vol. 3 no. 6 April 1988 The Cost of Government Funding for the Arts If you consider yourself an artist you might as well stop reading this right now because as soon as | mention my major premise you will reject what follows out of hand. Still here? Well, | warned you. Here it is: | think all government support for the arts should stop. For the one or two readers still susceptible to rational argument after reading that, here is my case. As far as | can see, there have been only two verifiable results from massive government spending on the arts. First, we have had an incredible growth in art institutions , such as art galleries, theatres, art schools, etc. Second, there has been a pronounced shift away from the category of “amateur” (now a derogatory term) , to the so-called “professional”. The professional designation (“I am an Ahtist “) means people (many of whom usually spend very little time actually working on art) get to consider themselves terribly, terribly important to society. Both these results are unsatisfactory. Why are all these gleaming new buildings and all the art-brokers, agents, insurers, teachers, lawyers, consultants, critics, curators and even a few artists staffing them so important? Similarly, what good does it do to turn more or less content amateurs into professional malcontents? Putting aside the verbal fog usually accompany- ing questions of art, the results of state intervention are usually justified in two general ways: quantitatively and qualitatively. The only quantitative, i.e. measurable, good one could possibly derive from government support of the arts is by likening the arts to an “industry” - producing goods and services, thereby creating jobs, attracting tourist dollars, etc. But this “industry” would, even after thirty years of heavy support, virtually collapse if that support disappeared. Why then is it as deserving of money as other industries which are much more likely to produce economic benefits after support expires? Sometimes the arts are described as the kind of industry providing “hidden” benefits greater than its obvious costs. These hidden benefits are qualitative. A politically influential argument likens the arts to something very much like a contraceptive, protecting our “Canadian identity” from “foreign bodies”. Of course, wink-wink, nudge-nudge, we all know exactly who the big boy we have to be “protected” from is: our elephantine neighbour to the south. What is less clear is precisely why the U.S. poses such a threat. We managed to retain our identity quite nicely up to the ‘fifties without huge bills for “culture”. Surely this indicates, along with the survivability of ethnic cultures in Canada, even in the face of outright hostility, how if we do. indeed have an identity it can survive the relatively benign forces of American culture. Con- versely, if we don’t have such an identity now, how do we know government assistance will help? “Aha!” the terribly, terribly important artist cries. “But American culture is not benign!”. Art, in the fevered imagination of the artist, is a beacon for not only Canadian identity, but for humanity itself, providing the bulwark of the greatest thoughts, words and feelings against the encroaching darkness of the invasion of the MasterCard snatchers.. Art offers “expanded horizons”, “autonomy”, “reflection” as opposed to the “mindlessness”, “homogeneity” and “inhumanity” of commercial output. Hence, art is inherently meritorious . : What proponents of this argument never recog- nize is this opposition has been noted in Western civilization since the Enlightenment in almost precisely the same terms. On the one hand is high art (“enrich- ing, expanding, energizing, irradiating”), on the other is popular or mass culture (deadening, immobilizing, levelling”). Now, as always, this mumbo-jumbo is pure mystification, and like all mystification it has its purpose: to obscure how money is being taken from everybody to support the enjoyments of the few. And let’s face it. Only a small minority really cares whether the arts are supported or not. Relatively speaking, very, very few people go to art galleries, or concert halls, or to watch performance artists chuck chicken feathers around. (Very, very, very few in the last case. | wonder why?) Yet these things are enormously expensive, especially in “world class “ (to use the jargon) form. No wonder no one wants to speak clearly about this. Now don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying we should “democratize” the arts, or overthrow the class system, or any of the other cant phrases of half- digested avant-garde Marxism so carelessly bandied about in the art world.: On the contrary, | think art is a tool of consider- able value to the dominant groups of our society and vice-versa. Each should try to further strengthen the other, for | don’t believe ultimately either have any other use. Unfortunately, at present the opposite is occur- ring. The “evil twin” of the litany of the “inherent merit” of art is the high value placed on the belief art should be for everyone. So, skill (which is not avalable to everyone, even to appreciate) is dropped as a 12 criterion of art making or critical evaluation. The resultant child-like scrawls or hour after hour of video drooling is glorified by an impenetrable wall of theory telling us how important all this stupid stuff is. The simple, painful truth that good art only results from mastery acquired from years of grappling with its fundaments slips from view. In sum, the damaging corollary of government support for the arts is the abandonment of clearly stated, transmissable criteria for evaluating them, and that results in artists getting paid $30,000 to take a photo of their kid wearing a backpack, i.e. in bad art » “The supreme misfortune,” said Leonardo “is when theory outstrips performance.” This might be an epithet for art in our time. ‘+: Personally, | favour shooting anyone who has ever used the phrase “cultural worker”. +; This $30,000 snapshot requires Vancouver Art Galleries and its curators to buy it, Vanguard maga- zines to tell us how terribly, terribly great it is, insurers to protect it, and on and on. My father put snapshots of me in an album costing two bucks. Derek Simons Derek Simons is a Vancouver painter and writer, virtually unknown. He has a useless degree in Communication from S.F.U. which he bitterly contemplates for hours at a time in his obscure and isolated garret. Burning Wet Symbiosis She’s one cold cunt and He’s one hot prick (if you can see what I’m getting at). If the lady’s a tramp, I think he enjoys/the blood letting of her spiked march k.o. 6 The surface is just a place Strictly believing in everything In ways, it falls on my skin This can’t be right! This can’t be right! My heart grows heavy While my hand are burning wet Locking everything into place Put a deaf ear to my lips We screamed, then we kissed and then we kissed Frank Gaudet How they pair off, how the female builds a nest while the male drives off intruders, how the male touches his mate with his snout, moves his body against hers and for one or two seconds quivers sharply, an act often repeated. E.L. Jorden Ph.D Hammonds Nature Atlas, 1952 They criticized her work here, but he just moved closer. Things kept happening this way, in their colony — city (back drop of mountain). Once by the two doors, they pushed them open, and water came up to the step. Whales could be seen under the liquid, she kept wanting them to surface. But the movements, rolling jumping nudging, were viewed through a veil of seagreen and plankton. Theirs was excitement, but guarded, legs pressed inwards, towards, his back firm against her chest, occasionally they were aware of this, while the black skin of the mam- mals cut the water. But it was affirmation, yes this is physical, what we are seeing -we feel in our bodies. Kika Thorne 10. Exercise regularly. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to get into a swamp and do more wild-turkey hunting, now you have it. Brien Clement Planetofthe Arts vol.3 no.6 April 1968 The Cost of Government Funding for the Arts Ityou consider yourself an artist you might as Wall stop reading this right now because as soon as | onaarr Sige per Gresser eee eer renee ateanayarees een ee oo oer jue Se Heya es Sy ae ee? oe sete tenant eae ‘people (many of whom usually spend ve Seb etic one itn oases sen aes ce Bes eee inetaty Mae near tov tiara Santee Simson Sn vial gen caer in sete Pi tt va oy ery coat he nrmaros ee Rey ats ers oper iy og apt ar Hotes Sieh enon etapa an i ae eee SOS Sa ns eee pacer bo ay pene who the big boy we have to be “protected” from is: our ere elit eee i ett SEL PS Mace eto! roa leon ee eae eae Se awe ies een ete tot eee pe eae a Say NOL ieswinoty ee Sea ealar mamta “Aha!” the terribly, terribly important artist cries. sa komt ket es er a se Semeieaicens hence iat ‘oeemiirning Reine sr ceeebata acres san wre Srlesept ara canes Se er Sc oucherae sees ay srt see Tatars ina sat Til hn dey peices Bettie siciagns Se penrarer Pe i er plore (el eine, levelling”). na ato su cere cali et anes ae Pec ae retlies fe s se pepe hing epee Sore Barents bas ae Srila eae peso Cand is Serpe apes eet et gta rer Is Ss fy ey avn (ine Yon am oy crea Uriel are fete elds mona a spo So AEN snot arg eae aie Shae eer Pere eee Snes Sane nate alt crt vacs Gah cls ihe cule "adnate Sey Satay ue binant be oi os iris epee ao lactate pret eppach eaebed sn 12 ritarion of art making or critical evaluation. Tho resultant child-ike scrawis or hour ater hour of video drooling is glorified by an impenetrable wall of theory telling us how important allthis stupid stuft is. The simple, painful truth that good art only results from mastery acquired from years of grappling with its fundaments sips from view. In sum, the damaging corollary of government ‘support forthe ars is the abandonment of clearly Stated, transmissable criteria for evaluating them, ‘and that results in artists geting paid $30,000 to take a photo of their kid wearing a backpack, bad art» “The supreme misfortune,” said Leonardo “is when theory outstrips performance.” This might be an ‘epithet for art in our timo, in Personally, | favour shooting anyone who has ever Used the phrase “cultural worker”. +: This $90,000 snapshot requires Vancouver Art Galleries and its curators to buy it, Vanguard maga- ines to tellus how torribly,teribly great itis, insurers to protect it, and on and on. My father put snapshots ‘of me in an album costing two bucks. Derek Simons Derek Simons Is a Vancouver painter and writer, virtually unknown. He has a useless degree in ‘Communication from S.F.U. which he bitterly contemplates for hours at a time in his obscure and Isolated garret. Burning Wet ‘Symbiosis ‘She's one cold cunt and He's one hot prick (if you can see what I'm getting at). Ifthe lady’s a tramp, I think he enjoys/the blood letting of her spiked march ko. The surface is just a place Strictly believing in everything In ways, it falls on my skin < My heart grows heavy 5 an While my hand are burning wet i SN, Locking everything into place i = 5) This can’t be right! iu 3 This can’t be right! Ne V4 Put a deaf ear to my lips We screamed, then we kissed and then we kissed Frank Gaudet How they pair off, how the female builds a nest while the male drives offintruders, how the male touches his mate ‘one or two seconds q phey erit this way, in their colony — city (back dro they pushed them open, and water came up to the step. Wh th his snout, moves his body against hers and for ‘ers sharply, an act often repeated. . Jorden Ph.D Hammonds Nature Atlas, 1952 ized her work here, but he just moved closer. Things kept happening ‘of mountain). Once by the two d les could be seen under the liquid, she kept wanting them (o surface. But the movements, rolling ju was excitemen her chest, occasio the water. But it was affirm we feel in our bod ping nudging, were viewed through a veil of seagreen and plankton. Theirs but guarded, legs pressed inwards, towards ally they were aware of this, while the black skin of the mam- back firm ag: Kika Thorne 10, Exercise regularly. you've been looking for an excuse to get into a swamp and do more wild-urkey hunting, now you have it.