Olympics killing the arts?
Everyone is so delighted that this summer’s Olympic Games are to be held in London, aren’t they? All the people who live outside the capital are just thrilled that all their hard-earned taxes are going to be used to build fancy houses for the athletes and a huge white elephant of a stadium. And those of us who care more about the arts than a few people running and chucking stuff are really losing out this year.
Sure, the government and the Olympics organisers are making a token gesture with the “Cultural Olympiad”; a series of events (specially commissioned plays, operas and art exhibitions) but it is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of public money that is being poured into the sporting side of the event. Obviously the government can’t take funds away from the NHS, out schools or ensuring that rural areas get the diesel fuel they need, so where do you think they got most of the millions of pounds that have already been spent on the Games? That’s right; the arts budget.
Since 2005 when it was announced that London had won the right to host the 2012 Games, investment in sports has risen by nearly 30% - at the same time that investment in the UK arts scene has dropped by over 10%. And it is only likely to get worse for cultural institutions this summer. Unable to rely on government funds they need to get visitors through the door and bums on seats. Unfortunately, a study has suggested that those tourists in the city for the Olympics are not likely to have much spare time for a trip to the National or to take in a play, so galleries and theatres are going to lose out there too. It’s going to be a tough year for us culture vultures, and the sight of a few blokes running round and round in circles for hours is hardly likely to make up for it!
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