The Atwood Speaks; People with real jobs just yawn and go back to work
Margaret Atwood recently published a forceful, passionate and eloquent essay denouncing the Harper government’s plan to trim three arts programs worth $45-million from the $3-billion-plus annual budget of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
A good part of this piece was devoted to the creative urge in individual human beings, in many of its manifestations and to the value of culture in the life of a nation. Who can argue with someone of such queen-sized talent and extraordinary accomplishments?
The Conservative government increased funding for the arts during its time in office, and now it wants to cut them by 2%. Those that don’t have enough talent to sell their work on their own are shrieking about it. In this difficult economy, to have artistes howling for handouts is insulting not only to the government and its punditry, but to average working Canadians. The Atwood is a gazillionaire - why can’t she cough up a dime or two to those she deems worthy of patronage, and leave the government to provide social safety nets only to those who really need them: the disabled and the old?
[…] that or she has slipped into her dotage; The Atwood Speaks; People with real jobs just yawn and go back to work; Jonathan Kay has some fun. What Mz. Atwood said …. […]
Pingback by Steynian 266 « Free Mark Steyn! — October 8, 2008 @ 3:52 pm
The problem is that the lack of talent interfering with selling artwork isn’t necessarily artistic talent, but sales talent. At least here in the US. It can’t be that much different in Canada. Very often you see people with amazing artistic talent who don’t manage to get far at all, but those who are good at BS get major gallery shows, regardless of the merit of their artwork. Part of the blame goes to art schools, as they tend not to teach the business side of it. This is changing, but too slowly.
Comment by Kat — October 9, 2008 @ 11:22 am