Letter: Fright at the opera

Sir: You state (leader, 17 January) that "the core principle, that there should be public subsidy [of the arts] is unassailable".

When I was asked a few weeks ago to give a talk to final year arts administration degree students, I found that not one of them could give me a reason as to why the state should subsidise the arts. When those who are responsible for the spending of public money on arts activities have no social or aesthetic rationale for what they do one wonders on what that "core principle" is based.

LUKE DIXON

London W1