[ Post a Response | The MusicWeb Message Board ]
CELEBRATING 20,000 Classical CD reviews on-line; 21,000 visitors each day.
Return to MusicWeb International
Posted by Elizabeth Challenger on May 30, 2007, 10:04 am Perhaps the readers of MusicWeb may like to write to the Arts Council to complain about the decision not to support the music of Sir Edward Elgar during this 150th anniversary year. I have emailed them but received no response. Subscribers to these pages do not need to be told that Elgar is one of the nation’s treasures – both as a man and as a composer. Daily Telegraph Article The Elgar Society has organised a number of concerts to celebrate the anniversary. The Arts Council were asked for a grant of £174,000 to help with the funding of the event. However they have refused to contribute a single penny to this event. Travellers from Mars would perhaps be forgiven from drawing the conclusion that the Arts Council has a duty to promote British works of art – however it appears that they would be mistaken. Elgar, who is probably one of the nation’s (if not the world’s) greatest composers is ignored by this quango. Of course we have been given no reason why the intellectual giants at this august body have refused the grant. But perhaps it has to do with the perceived ‘imperialism and jingoism’ that sticks to Elgar’s name amongst the less well educated art and music ‘critics.’ And of course anyone who dared to compose an Imperial March was bound to be despised by anyone with a ‘progressive’ artistic sensibility. To add insult to injury that other organisation that is supposedly charged with supporting British culture, the British Council, has also refused to fund the Elgar event. One can only assume that political correctness is what truly motivates these so called ‘public’ servants. I note below a couple of events that the Arts Council have supported over the last few years so that readers can understand the kind of demanding and vital art that impresses these dispensers of the public purse to worthy causes! “In 2002, the Arts Council provided funding to Franko B, an exhibitionist who strips naked in public, paints his body white, and cuts his stomach open in the name of "art".
217.196.232.225
Elgar Celebration not worthy of Arts Council Funding
“In 2003, Arts Council England paid a lecturer in the East Midlands £12,000 to kick an empty curry carton down a street.”
Message Thread:
« Back to thread
Thank you for using the MusicWeb Message Board.
Len Mullenger - Founder of MusicWeb