TAITMAIL Hard Facts
Part of the problem in advancing the cause of culture in government and other circles is the argument, sometimes unspoken sometimes said out loud, that the arts “business” is somehow not “real”.
The idea that, compared to catching fish or making cars, cultural activity is somehow not “work” is one which is still rampant in all too many parts of our political structures. In spite of all the evidence of its contribution to GDP, despite all the statistics which show how important culture is to our tourism and export sectors, too many politicians, of all stripes, local and national, still see “industry” and “jobs” as located only in offices and factories, presided over by hard-headed business types, scanning the bottom line on their sales figures
So it's refreshing to see comments like this. “Culture could be a tonic - the shot in the arm to boost the economy, address inequality and promote social wellbeing. It is crucial to how we recover from the pandemic. Culture contributes to healthy and sustainable communities and helps give cities and towns a rich identity”…