As the economic crisis deepens across Europe, the European
Commission plans to launch the world's largest ever cultural funding programme,
with €1.8bn allocated for visual and performing arts, film, music, literature
and architecture. The commission's Creative Europe project plans to release the
money between 2014 and 2020. If the scheme is approved late 2012, an estimated
300,000 artists are due to receive funding.
The proposal has received a mixed response from key cultural
commentators, with some saying that banking on culture and the arts to help
prop up EU member states and stimulate the economy is unlikely to work.
Dexter Dalwood, the UK artist nominated for the Turner Prize
in 2010, is sceptical. “If the goal is to create social cohesion isn't it going
to favour obvious visible targets like classical music, the performing arts and
public art?” he says. “On paper this looks fine. [But] in reality who gets the
money ? Is there a hefty application process where the outcome of the work has
to be clearly stated? Is there any chance it could trickle down to the most
needy creative people?” Dalwood suggests the most effective form of subsidy for
artists would be to make affordable studios.
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