I love them – museums, art galleries, heritage centres, theatres. There’s something magical about these temples to the arts. They are unique in the immense power they have to transport the visitor to entirely different realities, worlds even.
So you can imagine my horror when I read, this week, that the UK government is planning to cut the funding for arts subjects at university by a further 50%.
This idea is actually abhorrent to me.
Can no one else imagine the devastating effect this will have on future generations?
As always, it is poorer students who will be affected most. These cuts have the potential to increase the likelihood that these subjects remain the reserve of the wealthy. Some universities will not be able to offer additional support to study these subjects, some may not even run certain courses in light of this news.
And that isn’t the point of the arts. Art thrives on diversity, on the mixing of ideas, of backgrounds, and of cultures. Art should never be exclusive. In fact institutions strive to become more inclusive, to open their arms wider. This is a huge step backwards. Where individuals already feel cut out of art and culture, more will be cast out as this sector becomes less and less accessible to the majority.
The attitude seems to be that the arts are not essential. Does a world without them even bear thinking about?
Clearly it doesn’t even matter that the arts contribute so much to the economy each year. And it is yet to cross certain minds that a drop in funding will lead to a drop in yield.
Many an art student has lamented that the majority of their fees are spent on subjects out of their faculty. A further 50% drop is little more than a slap in the face. Students will still pay astronomical fees, the same as their scientific counterparts, while their own subjects receive even less support than they already do. The arts frequently lack fancy equipment and have minimal teaching time compared with other faculties.
Devastating the arts is not the answer.
FernwehBlonde 