Putting aside the
millions of memes, which are a quite understandable and normal
feature of the internet in mourning and turning a deaf ear to those cut
and paste national broadcasters like expert Jeremy Vine - who
buttock-clenchingly shoehorn their personal connections in to every
word – the message here is quite simple....and it's not
just the outstanding music.
Of course we expect an
instant sound-bite from a Prime Minister but he, his 'Culture'
Minister and his friends need to go back and take a long hard look at
how a musician/actor/artist/writer affected and changed millions of
lives, for the better. They were enhanced, many were given a voice,
many went on to better things, many had their eyes opened and their
prejudices challenged. People danced and sang and dressed up. People
imitated, innovated and improved. People experienced Joy and Pleasure and
discovered that the fringe can be quite an interesting and rewarding
place. All ages and backgrounds, creeds and colours were affected. Access for All.
All of this is Good.
None of it is Bad. There is a lot of love. Nobody went to war. Nobody gets hurt. This is what having a society that values its Arts
and Culture means.
But...for years now, that crucial idea has been under
threat and battling for air.
The axe has fallen
non-stop on arts funding, theatre grants, music venues and arts
tuition, to name a few, as local authorities across the country have
struggled with up to 40% cuts in their funding and loss of staff.
Some authorities have cut nearly the whole of their arts funding
whilst desperately searching for an answer. Many theatres have seen
their grants evaporate, music venues close in the face of property
developers, school arts classes and visits chopped.
Nearly a year ago The
Warwick Commission published its phenomenal 'Report on The Future of
Cultural Value in Britain'. If you believe in the power of arts and culture it made truly disturbing reading.
Bowie apparently did
'imaginative music and movement' in his junior school, played a mean recorder, and then did art and design at
his technical college. This Government may not even remember those technical colleges but they should know that investment in
education in arts and culture has been in total freefall for years. A snapshot tells us that after
school drama and dance classes have halved, art classes dropped by
33% and higher education craft courses by 46%. Anyone remember school music tuition? The Culture Minister
should go back and re-read this dire warning by the Commission...
Of course, they will say..'There is no political traction in the 'arts and culture'. It makes more political sense to have the BBC in your cross-hair sights'. Meanwhile, the Warwick Commission report has disappeared without trace.
Bowie was a hugely talented and important maverick. A brilliant star who shone brightly for many decades. Yes, not everyone can do that but his mere presence personified the power and relevance of a cultured society that appreciated and allowed him to emerge and for the rest of us to reach for those rewarding stars as well. The short-sighted threat to that fundamental access to culture is not only mistaken but also demonstrates a philistine ignorance and total misunderstanding of the huge rewards it can bring..
You've left us a lot of good stuff Mr Jones, Thank You and sleep easy.
Pip Pip!
The Blues Man in The Hat
The Blues Man in The Hat