The value of public funded art - Page 32

garinda · 02-11-2010, 17:40

Anyway, why should the hurt feelings, because of costs, of those taught by the £1,000.00 choreographer, be an issue?

It was posted that everyone is welcome to take part, i.e. the public who've funded the event.

'If' a flash mob was a good way to promote the town, here's an alternative costing.

Approach local dance schol. Find out who is good, and perhaps wants to dance as a career. Ask if they'd help video an easy to learn sequence, which would be filmed, after promissing them you'll write a reference, if/when they apply to study dance at college, and perhaps throw in a new pair of leg-warmers.

Make sure details of event, and video showing what people should do at allotted time of flash mob, are sent to every school, youth club, community centre, whoever else might be interested, in the area.

Sit back, and watch it happen.

Cost?

Virtually nowt, but with exactly the same resulting publicity etc.

Still I don't suppose that answers the question of how we strip the Singing, Ringing 'magical money' Tree of all this loot, which just HAS to be spent.

garinda · 02-11-2010, 18:30

This issue's is turning into burlesque. Nevermind a Victorian Gala.

Czarina Von Teese, artfully let's the audience have a saucy little peep at the object of fascination, the costings.

First the funding of the first three events, were slowly exposed to the publics' hungry gaze.

Then it got a bit more interesting.

Whoo-hoo!

Which in this case was revealing the cost of the flash mob event. Wantonly uncovering it, before it had even happened.

Since the information's now been requested under the Freedom of Information Act, apparently, and thus busying some already overworked litle beaver at H.B.C., why can the public not be informed of the funding, and costs involved, of the Victorian Swimming Gala?

Why is this information, unlike the other events, only to be revealed after the final curtain falls?

This information is vital in helping people evaluate the worth to them, of publicly funded art.

At least that's transparent.

garinda · 02-11-2010, 19:07

Incidentally, whilst stood on a rain lashed Broadway this afternoon, it crossed my mind that the hated blue 'n' white building looks a little like lanes in a swimming pool.

If, by magical use of smoke and mirrors, the participants appear to swim along the side of the building, horizontally abseling, so to speak, I shall be there cheering them on. As the event coincides with my usual shopping trip to the town.

Even better, if the swimmers' speed in the race could be determined by the audiences' participation, via teams of Joe public lobbing balls up a board with scored holes in it. A little like they do at funfairs in Victorian seaside resorts. (Donkey Derby, are they called?)

I'll be there, shouting Bravo!

If it is a maze of a couple of rolls of blue chiffon at ground level, and some bunting, and Mrs Bridges, Rose, and Ruby, pretening to battle it out in the ladies 100 yards breast stroke, I'll probably be in the Market Hall, getting my veg.

Margaret Pilkington · 02-11-2010, 19:19

It is all so contrived and stinks of desperation...and when you look at the town centre you can see why.

I have lived in and around Accrington for all of my life......and I was once proud of the place, but it is down at heel and scruffy now.
These tactics are just those of an ageing lady, putting on lipstick in the hope of snaring a young buck, and hoping he doesn't notice the wrinkles.

DaveinGermany · 02-11-2010, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

These tactics are just those of an ageing lady, putting on lipstick in the hope of snaring a young buck, and hoping he doesn't notice the wrinkles.

And she will succeed for the moment, a brief surge of joy & pleasure only to be cruelly dropped & abandoned in the cold gray of dawn leaving only the hurt & humiliation & the disdain of all around her as they nod & smirk, pity poor maid.

garinda · 02-11-2010, 19:58

It was reported in last weekend's Sunday Times (sorry no link provided, now you have to pay, but it's on page 2, and by Isabel Oakeshott) that local authorities now face having to make an extra £3 billion pounds cuts, that have only recently come to light, and on the top of the draconian savings they already need to make, which had already been announced earlier last month.

Apparently some services the council provide are discretionary, and they are under no legal obligation to either provide, or continue funding them.

These include maintaining the borough's parks and play areas, cutting grass, providing weekly rubbish/recycling collections...and providing swimming pools.

Perhaps we should all take this Victorian Swimming Gala to our hearts, regardless of anything so uncouth as money.

It might be the last time we can bomb the deep end in Hyndburn, and get told off for running on the sides, or thrown out for heavy petting in the shallows.

Some might dismiss the spending of public funds as only 'two bob', even though each event apparently requires thousand(s) of pounds to produce.

If each local authority in the country has a similar pot of gold, to finance such jamborees, it collectively adds up to much more than 'two bob', as Jaysay suggested.

Look after the pennies, and hopefully the pounds will mean people in genuine need in Hyndburn, don't suffer, quite so much as they are going to.

Anyone in the know, care to post the costings of the Victorian Swimming Gala...yet?

garinda · 02-11-2010, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

And she will succeed for the moment, a brief surge of joy & pleasure only to be cruelly dropped & abandoned in the cold gray of dawn leaving only the hurt & humiliation & the disdain of all around her as they nod & smirk, pity poor maid.

Has it happened to you?

Up and gone, with the first beeping of the radio alarm.

Write a play. Though be quick at securing funding.

Soon the bank will be empty, even for the raciest old 'ho's tales of woe.

DaveinGermany · 02-11-2010, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Has it happened to you?

Up and gone, with the first beeping of the radio alarm.

Write a play. Though be quick at securing funding.

Soon the bank will be empty, even for the raciest old 'ho's tales of woe.

Aye, but she was a right ol' growler, had I woken up first I probably would've chewed me arm off !

I felt so ... so ... chuffed me mates hadn't seen her

Neil · 02-11-2010, 21:02

Who was it that mentioned grumpy old men and women?

garinda · 02-11-2010, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Who was it that mentioned grumpy old men and women?

Is this an offically sanctioned thread wander, he mused, to his own jolly self?

No one's grumpy.

We were asked a question, and are now just pondering the 'value of publicly funded art'.

Though I'm sure the mood would be lighter still, if we had all the available information, so as to assess the true worth of art...funded by the public purse.

Neil · 02-11-2010, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Though I'm sure the mood would be lighter still, if we had all the available information, so as to assess the true worth of art...funded by the public purse.

I will tell you the costs involved after the event if you like

garinda · 02-11-2010, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

I will tell you the costs involved after the event if you like

I saw you were creating a post hours ago, in this thread.

I thought in your position on the committee of the Friends of Rhyddings Park, you might have commernted on the post that grass cutting, and maintaining childrens' play areas, were not a required area for a borough councils to fund, and might now be an area that receives less money, especially as they have to find an EXTRA £3 billon pounds in collective savings.

Though happily, our council did fund a quarter of the £2,500.00 costs (as reported in the press) of the wooly goings on in the Market Hall.

Some you gain, some you lose.

Disappointed your post was only about grumbling, perhaps. Though such a let down would never dampen my own, sunny disposition.

Is there a collective noun for pets of differing species?

As in the (blank) were sadly culled, after the terrible spending cuts?

odders · 02-11-2010, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

These tactics are just those of an ageing lady, putting on lipstick in the hope of snaring a young buck, and hoping he doesn't notice the wrinkles.

Looks like he(Tesco), got there while the eye liner was painted on, never mind the lippy

Margaret Pilkington · 02-11-2010, 21:35

Yeah but he's really sorry he fell for it all now......and so is she!

garinda · 02-11-2010, 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

I am not hiding the cost

The crochet sculptures did not cost £2,500.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

It's not really a secret

Crochet artist was paid £2,500

No one is suggesting the adorably cute wooly thingamajigs did cost two and a half grand.

That was the fee the lucky knitter got.

We know the costs, and are thus able to assess their worth to us, the tax payer.

We look forward to being told the funding costs awarded to produce the Victorian Swiimming Gala, and being able to decide for ourselves the same conundrum, as to cost versus value, as this thread asked us to do.