There’s more to culture than Bansky vs Benedict Cumberbatch

The Arts Council must address audience concerns, not run silly competitions

(Rex Features)

As part of its Culture Matters campaign, Arts Council England has tweeted the following: “Who makes your heart beat faster? RT for Banksy or Fav for Benedict and tell us why #culturematters to you!”

Well, they got told all right. @irving_claire tweeted: “No, no, no. What are you doing? Art is not either, or, better or worse, right or wrong. Stop falling into a trap of mediocrity.” Then there was @hstanley, who, spotting that the Arts Council are no experts when it comes to twitter, added: “but RT will always win as tweet is spread, faves don't show to anyone else...”

And I certainly liked the response from @johnsprackland who said simply: “We're not falling for that; we all KNOW that Banksy IS Benedict Cumberbatch.”

Me, I’m with @irving_claire. I don’t really look to the national arts funding body to run facile ‘who makes your heart beat faster?’ competitions to show the importance of culture. Yes, if we are to have an unelected quango funding the arts, then it should be an advocate for culture, especially at a time of cuts. But there are better ways of doing this than a Banksy vs Benedict match.

This was, after all, a week when a report showed that theatres across the country had increased prices by an average of five per cent last year (and sometimes introduced the dreaded booking fees) to make up for cuts. And don’t be fooled by the PR that it was wonderful that, despite the increased prices, more people were going to family musicals. A close study of the survey shows that some other genres, including straight plays, comedy, variety and dance, had far fewer people going since the price increases.

I’ve always had doubts about the Arts Council. The existence of the quango means that the government is too often let off the hook, and the arts minister can (and often does) avoid scrutiny in Parliament by saying “that is a matter for the Arts Council” when asked a searching question.

But if we are to have one, and if it is to be an advocate for the arts, then let it speak out (and tweet out) about seat prices, about booking fees, about the disgraceful lack of touring by some of the London-based national companies that it funds.

Culture does indeed matter. But you have to be able to afford to see it; it has to be available in your local area. And it has to have a national funding body that is monitoring this and is unafraid to act on it. That, Arts Council England, would really make my heart beat faster.

Colin Welland's most famous remark has always been misunderstood

It’s almost sad that the smashing actor and screenwriter, Colin Welland, who died this week, became best known for his remark “The British are coming” in his 1982 Oscars speech when he received the award for his screenplay for Chariots of Fire. He was rather mocked for it in later years because British success in Hollywood did not ‘come’ for quite a long time. It’s sad that this became a millstone round his neck, as it is quite clear when you watch his speech that the remark —and the waving of the statue that accompanied it — was a joke. And I was glad that Chariots of Fire star and friend of Welland, Nigel Havers, confirmed that this week. Generally, I lament the fact that award recipients don’t do jokes in award acceptance speeches. Here was someone who did – and found a global audience with a sense of humour by-pass.

Lloyd Webber is right to ridicule Simon Rattle’s £500m new concert hall

I’m delighted that Julian Lloyd Webber has been scathing about the plan to build a new £500m classical music concert hall in London, a “request” by Sir Simon Rattle, who is to become the music director of the London Symphony Orchestra. Julian Lloyd Webber, the former celebrated cellist and now professor and principal of Birmingham Conservatoire, points out that the money could be better spent on music education, and that London doesn’t actually need a new concert hall. Certainly, we have been told for decades how good the Barbican acoustics are. And, recent five star reviews of classical concerts there have made no mention of poor acoustics. Sir Simon needs to explain more fully why he sees the need for such massive cash outlay (and, by the way, what he plans for the Barbican concert hall if this goes ahead). Perhaps the best forum would be a public debate with Professor Lloyd Webber.

d.lister@independent.co.uk

twitter.com/@davidlister1