The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #127433 Message #2842686
Posted By: VirginiaTam
18-Feb-10 - 02:42 AM
Thread Name: Arts Council UK requests public input
Subject: RE: Arts Council UK requests public input
I do recommend that the folk/trad community respond in strength as it keeps the genre visible.
Thank you Sean.
This is exactly what I hoped to accomplish from this thread. Local authorities, district and town councils may not sneer at folk music and dance, but they certainly (for the most part) do not regard it as "art."
I have the great good fortune to be sitting adjacent to the Arts Development and Cultural festival Offices for my local authority. I am constantly tweaking for traditional music and dance, whenever I hear this or that project.
Getting some results too as I have added local folk clubs and venues to this site.
http://www.exploreculture.org.uk/home.html
And the Cultural Festival office is producing a new brochure of events in the authority. On the front cover is picture of Morris Side and the manager is frantically trying to locate one or more sides to perform at the One World One Essex Gala on 3 May. I have explained it might be difficult as most Sides will be involved in May Day celebrations either locally or afield. But this inclusion of trad arts, I hope is to my constant niggling.
It is not their fault. it is just not on their radar. This Arts Council consultation is an opportunity to change this.