As arts lovers reading this blog you may have heard of the budget cuts that threaten the British arts sector since the annoucement of a 25% - £61 Billion / 74,4 Billion euros- spending cut spanning a 4 year period until 2015. It is 15 billion more than previously announced and right now a lot of state subisdised arts organisations in the UK are waiting for the cuts to come into effect this October.
Whatever is everyone's opinion on subsidised art, whether it is crucial for art to blossom or whether it hinders raw creativity, I think the campaign "I Value the Arts", launched by the National Campaign for the Arts and which has gone viral in the past days will appeal to the sensitivity of each and every person whose life are made better by a museum, a gallery; a concert hall, a theater and many other institutions. It is about showing that you are not only attached to the arts but to the real richness they bring to your life as opposed to being a mere occasional diversion from the stresses of everyday life.
I could not exhaust the subject of how art and arts organisations matter in people's lives even more in times of crisis in one very short blog post. But I will also add that art is not only about personal richness but about a country's wealth and prestige. Quote from the Arts Council England website
" the art budget is tiny, it costs 17p a week per person- less than half the price of a pint of milk. In return we have world-class artists; a sector that gives Britain an international edge as a dynamic place to live, work and do business; a sector which fuels the creative industries and generate future jobs in one of the fastest growing parts of the economy; and a sector with a proven track record of regenerating towns and cities and contributing to a cohesive and engaged society."
You have many ways to show your support ; by adding the I Value the Arts visual identity on your website, email and social media accounts. This is a swift yet efficient way of showing you do care and that arts are part of your life. We send regard and support from France.
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