´óÏó´«Ã½

"There has undoubtedly been a golden age in the arts in the last 10 years."
No. Stagnation is stagnation.
"The diversity and calibre of arts and culture offered in the capital and beyond is second to none."
You wish.
"Why isn't more being made of what we already have..."
Because it is a pointless waste of money.
"Instead, with only three years to go, we have what still feels like woolly, vague ideas..."
Precisely what constitutes the contemporary post modern conceptual arts "movement" of establishment stiffs.
"...precisely the things which give culture a bad reputation and put people off altogether."
Yep that just about sums up the the crap being dished out to the new rich bimbos.

"Cultural Olympiad" We will see the same old same old names and partners in nepotism trotting out the same old same old banal tosh.

Art is not a sport. Except to a retarded arts establishment in decline.

No, art is not a sport. But it's about time it was given at least the same respect and investment that sport is. A cultural olympiad should be a good step towards that but it'll most likely be a token gesture that turns out to be a white elephant all round. Do it properly with actual respect, commitment and investment or don't bother.

I engaged with a number of people who were working for organisations funded by ACE and just didn't think they had common sense, in fact those who had spent decades being funded by ACE seemed almost institutionalized and to have a slightly bonkers out look. At the time I thought them harmless and probably more appropriate to the community they were in than not. However when they found a way to obtain millions via EU funding, the slightly bonkers went very bonkers. And there did not seem to be any independent regulation over seeing or stepping in when clear and present stupidity presented itself. As far as I'm aware those involved in these monumental mess ups will not be accountable and that includes the local ACE's who dished out some of the millions.

Nos 2

Art has been made a sport via exploitation of wannabees - look how many
art competitions are are. I see that the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is getting involved with one ;

"Saatchi’s Best of British"

But when I looked at the rules it excludes bankrupts, or those who have a driving ban.

How PC ´óÏó´«Ã½

Isn't there a difference between art and culture? Like cats and pigeons I suggest.
The trick with not defining these concepts too soon is that there is less time to criticize the potential wasting of money. And, of course, so soon after Beijing, any planned spectacular would just look feeble.
That bloke Poliakoff always has a few good ideas about creating visual culture. Have a word with him about a putting a few candles in some fancy places...

@2

If art lost respect it is because it was not worth looking at.


Let art pay for itself instead of it being a pawn in a funding power game. These "competitions" which are largely a done deal just cause division amongst artists. Precisely the opposite of what the artists intentions are in nigh on every case. It is vote buying and propaganda from a shabby establishment in decline. AND the entire sector called the "Arts" gets bribed to cooperate for a mere 5million? ha ha what an insult. They are getting desperate these bureaucrats. Bureaucratic office developed creativity is sterile. It is the kiss of death to art.

Doctuer_eiffel - art and culture, just like sport and business, can pay for themselves, but they need support and nurture, especially at grass roots level. Sure, great art is unlikely to be borne of a government sponsored initiative, but just as the olympics produce great athletes - encouraged to excel by the olympic spirit and, on a more down-to-earth level, financial investment - great artists could be.

Events like this could be a great opportunity for that, but instead naive cynical views such as your own pervade; nuturing nothing but the exclusive, insular art world which you describe and the similarly insular attitude of those outside. If art simply "pays for itself" where is the inclusion and benefit for those outside its bought-and-paid-for walls?

We agree on one thing at least : that £5m as an investment is a joke, and reflects this government's attitude to the arts; all the more insulting positioned as it is alongside its attitude to fatally flawed business monoliths and frivolous sporting events.

Well there you go at the first fence in your defence of the indefensible.

Culture is human. Customs and traditions may differ from region to region neighbourhood to neighbourhood. Cultures plural is a misapplied and bastardised word. It's present meaning is generated by the divisiveness of the operating system called Civilization. Cultures plural when applied to humans is a misnomer. The old operating system called Culture, an inclusive operating system, relied upon picture making, storytelling and music for communication. The three primary forms of presentation. Incidentally the synthesis of all three being manifest currently in the presentation form called film making.

The Olympics has little to do with sport. It has much more to do with war, money, and nationalism and those running it have a tremendous opportunity for backhanders. If you think money and nationalism and war is not the core of the Olympics then I say look in the mirror. Naive yourself. Do your homework.

The arts is our natural non divisive communication. They don't need money. They existed long before the invention of money or the divisive process called civilization. Before the grotesque snake oil salesman sold our specie civilization art was something ALL our specie did. Now it is reduced to a profession by competition when, the grass roots as you call it, would grow naturally not impeded by bureaucrats of the denaturing excessive difference engine.

Great artists can make a masterpiece from boot polish and cardboard. The 5 million I laugh at could be any figure it would still be 40 pieces of silver. Poisonous vote buying and a pathetic attempt to reduce the divisive effects of the Olympics. Our specie nature which is inextricably linked to the arts will survive long after the Olympics is forgotten or in the least changed to re-enactment groups staging events for their comedic value. Cynical? No. I am a human therefore I am an artist too.

I'm not going to argue semantics with you (or anyone else for that matter) All I've said is that art (however you define it) needs encouragement the same as sport does. It's clear you have fundamental issues with political involvement in the arts and the olympics, which is understandable, but all that's irrelevant to my point. I'm not here to discuss politics - I'd be over on one of the other ´óÏó´«Ã½ blogs were that my area of interest.

You could well be an artist (I'd be fascinated to see your work). I am one too. There are many others that could also be artists, given some encouragement, education and maybe some cardboard and boot polish; all of which requires investment to start with. The idea that the whole thing is self perpetuating is ridiculous. This 'cultural olympiad' isn't for my benefit, and it's clear you don't need it either; it's for the next generation of artists. Without them, the art world will never change or evolve into something you may find a little more rewarding, and it will continue its inward spiral until we are robbed of its riches forever. At least that would prove you right.

neil_mcc

You appear to be lost in a hierarchical concept.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm! No postings for a month now. Are you on holiday?