The value of public funded art

[Margaret Pilkington]

Sorry I posted this before I saw the post Less has put on.

[Acrylic-bob]

To attempt to add a little more to the discussion, I found this on the organisers website...

HYNDBURN ACTIVITY | Creativity Works
-----------------------------------------
"Flash Mobbing Accy

In Phase 3 there will be a Flash Mob Dance, co-ordinated by Cassandra Webster from ReAct Academy. The flash mob will be held at various locations around Accrington town centre on 20th November. Anyone can join in on the day by dancing on the street!

Victorian Swimming Gala on the streets of Accrington

The final event for Accrington is a Victorian Swimming Gala on Broadway on the 27th November. Accrington and Rossendale College are working in partnership with MarkMark Productions to produce a piece of street theatre which will amuse and surprise passers by as they see people 'swimming' up the main street in Victorian costume."


"Inspired by the TO LET signs outside empty shops, Creativity Works wants to provide local Creative industries opportunities locally to develop, explore and celebrate their creativity and innovation

The project will be delivered under three strands across Pennine Lancashire authorities:

* Branding – A joint promotional campaign
* Business Development – using empty shops to promote creative industries
* Engagement – town centre, events activities and installations.

Collectively this project will raise the region’s cultural ambition, a key objective of the Creativity Works executive."

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I have to say, that I fail utterly to see how any of this expensive, vacuous drivel will raise anyone's 'cultural ambitions'. It reeks of that good old Imperial Roman standby; bread and circuses

We all know that the only way Accrington is going to drag itself out of the post industrial wasteland is by work and work focussed education. We need a council that is less dazzled by feasibility studies, consultancies and diversity outreach and more focussed on fostering and attracting manufacturing businesses, you know, companies that actually produce a product that we can sell at home and more importantly abroad.

Until that happens, all this 'community arts' malarky is merely rearanging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

I also think that it is high time that the vast majority of these 'Arts' chancers were denied the public teat to which they have become so firmly attached and forced to go out and find a proper job.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Acrylic Bob you have taken the words right out of my mouth......especially your observations as to how the area needs to progress to improve the community.
That is, making something that is saleable, not making ourselves a laughing stock around the world.

[Gordon Booth]

So all this is to 'amuse', 'amaze' and 'surprise' the people of Accrington! Isn't that patronizing? Isn't there any better way of spending money, wherever it comes from, than treating the people who pay taxes and buy lottery tickets as fifteen century yokels- would't dancing bears or a public hanging suit them better?
People in Victorian costumes swimming up the main street? 'Inspired by To Let signs'?
This politically correct 'ART' is surely making fools out of everyone involved in it, except those who seem to be being paid for their contributions- they must be laughing all the way to the bank.Better than working!

[Acrylic-bob]

And another thing, If Gayle is intent on being the cheerleader for the Arts in Hyndburn wouldn't her time be more profitably spent in having a word with the Nations's treasure houses and persuading them to open the warehouses they maintain, crammed full of art from all over the world, paid for at our expense, and circulating it a bit more so that we could all get a glimpse of what we own from time to time. That, surely, is what the Haworth is for, rather than the grand day nursery it has become.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

To attempt to add a little more to the discussion, I found this on the organisers website...

HYNDBURN ACTIVITY | Creativity Works
-----------------------------------------
"Flash Mobbing Accy

In Phase 3 there will be a Flash Mob Dance, co-ordinated by Cassandra Webster from ReAct Academy. The flash mob will be held at various locations around Accrington town centre on 20th November. Anyone can join in on the day by dancing on the street!

Victorian Swimming Gala on the streets of Accrington

The final event for Accrington is a Victorian Swimming Gala on Broadway on the 27th November. Accrington and Rossendale College are working in partnership with MarkMark Productions to produce a piece of street theatre which will amuse and surprise passers by as they see people 'swimming' up the main street in Victorian costume."


"Inspired by the TO LET signs outside empty shops, Creativity Works wants to provide local Creative industries opportunities locally to develop, explore and celebrate their creativity and innovation

The project will be delivered under three strands across Pennine Lancashire authorities:

* Branding – A joint promotional campaign
* Business Development – using empty shops to promote creative industries
* Engagement – town centre, events activities and installations.

Collectively this project will raise the region’s cultural ambition, a key objective of the Creativity Works executive."

------------------------------

I have to say, that I fail utterly to see how any of this expensive, vacuous drivel will raise anyone's 'cultural ambitions'. It reeks of that good old Imperial Roman standby; bread and circuses

We all know that the only way Accrington is going to drag itself out of the post industrial wasteland is by work and work focussed education. We need a council that is less dazzled by feasibility studies, consultancies and diversity outreach and more focussed on fostering and attracting manufacturing businesses, you know, companies that actually produce a product that we can sell at home and more importantly abroad.

Until that happens, all this 'community arts' malarky is merely rearanging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

I also think that it is high time that the vast majority of these 'Arts' chancers were denied the public teat to which they have become so firmly attached and forced to go out and find a proper job.

I don't think it's classified information, as Gayle messaged me with the answer, when I asked in the thread how much funding the dance teacher will receive.

Cassandra Webster is being paid £1,000.00

As the world's most sucessful flash mobs cost absolutely nothing, and certainly weren't funded by folks' hard earned taxes, it does seem a questionable use of money.

Perhaps the people of Hyndburn will do a jolly little jig themselves, when their next council tax bill lands on their mat, as they contemplate the cuts in services we are about to endure.

It's reported in this weekend's Observer, though not confirmed, that H.B.C. will need to make £3.5 million pound cuts.

At least we'll be able to take some artful solace, by watching Accrington's community arts events on YouTube.

[Acrylic-bob]

As an example of what I mean, I copied this from the Japanese Embassy website...

"The Japanese collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum are extensive and varied numbering in excess of 42,000 objects. The collections are predominantly from the Edo period but with good representative earlier objects and a well-documented collection of objects acquired from the great exhibitions of the late nineteenth century. The collections also include contemporary works in different media.
The collections range in period from the Heian to the contemporary and include metalwork (arms and armour, mirrors, cloisonne enamels, decorative inlay, figurative works, religious items and over 5000 sword-fittings); graphic works (including over 28,000 prints and printed books) as well as some paintings and screens; textiles (including court wear, country textiles, costume for performance, religious items and textile samples); ceramics (of all types); wooden objects, furniture and lacquerware (including inro and some world-famous examples of export lacquer) and sculptural pieces (including masks for performance) as well as carvings such as okimono and netsuke."

IN EXCESS OF 42,000 OBJECTS -- and that is just for japanese art!

[garinda]

Animating Accy, currently 1,973 views on YouTube, and seven comments.

Announcing the wrong winner on Australia's Next Top Model, 1,226,729 views, 3,147 comments.

It was never going to go viral, being neither very funny, innovative, or noteworthy, other than an oddity.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

As an example of what I mean, I copied this from the Japanese Embassy website...

"The Japanese collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum are extensive and varied numbering in excess of 42,000 objects. The collections are predominantly from the Edo period but with good representative earlier objects and a well-documented collection of objects acquired from the great exhibitions of the late nineteenth century. The collections also include contemporary works in different media.
The collections range in period from the Heian to the contemporary and include metalwork (arms and armour, mirrors, cloisonne enamels, decorative inlay, figurative works, religious items and over 5000 sword-fittings); graphic works (including over 28,000 prints and printed books) as well as some paintings and screens; textiles (including court wear, country textiles, costume for performance, religious items and textile samples); ceramics (of all types); wooden objects, furniture and lacquerware (including inro and some world-famous examples of export lacquer) and sculptural pieces (including masks for performance) as well as carvings such as okimono and netsuke."

IN EXCESS OF 42,000 OBJECTS -- and that is just for japanese art!

How many people know that the Haworth has a collection of paintings and drawings, worth nearly five million pounds, besides the famed Tiffany glass, many not on display?

[Acrylic-bob]

I knew that there was an extensive collection of prints and watercolours, including a set of steel engravings of Burne Jones's Briar Rose series. Wasn't there also rumoured to be a Constable watercolour and a Turner awaiting attribution? Atarah and I speculated on the amount of the collection adorning the walls of Scaitcliffe Towers.

[garinda]

I've just noticed on Cassandra Webster's website, that she charges £3.00 per person, to teach a 30 minute dance class.

She'd need to teach 333 people, at her going rate, to earn a thosand quid.

I bet she had a little dance herself, when she realised she was the chosen one, and the recipient of a thousand pounds for teaching Accy's flash mob a few dainty steps.

Fees - ReAct Academy of Theatre Arts

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Atarah and I speculated on the amount of the collection adorning the walls of Scaitcliffe Towers.

Why?

They're worth it.

We've been informed as much.

Every monarch needs majestic surroundings.

Council boss?s allowances - Accrington Observer

[garinda]

The actors, employed for the Victorian Swimming Gala, were apparently trained by one Jacques Lecoq.

Markmark Productions - Festival & Street Theatre Company :: Home

Which seems more than a little apt.

[Acrylic-bob]

Maybe, but even our Dear Queen allows us plebs in to view the paintings. Try getting beyond reception at Scaitcliffe Towers.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Maybe, but even our Dear Queen allows us plebs in to view the paintings.

Sorry, got confused for a moment.

You are referring to that German woman who wears headscarves.