The arts sector

A former press secretary to an Arts Minister tells some truths:

In fact, it’s a stretch to call the arts a “community”. In politics, a community tends to be defined, however broadly, in terms of its interests. Those interests could be based on geography, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, or economic imperatives. The arts are a community more in the sense of the Balkans after the fall of communism – an intractable, internecine turf war based on ancient and obscure grudges.

Ben is probably understating the reality.

This then is the political formula for funding the arts sector: the public hates it, and the arts community hates you for it.

There is no end to how much they believe the taxpayer should be forced to fund them.

This pattern repeated itself over and over again, each layer of the arts community fracturing into smaller and angrier cliques. Helping the NZSO infuriated the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra, helping the APO infuriated other regional orchestras.

The rivalry between the NZSO and APO makes the conflict between Shia and Sunni look like a minor dispute.