Public funding & the Arts

So, in a blaze of publicity the Royal Opera House has had its final gala peformance prior to closing for two & a half years for its controversial
£ 240 million refit, amid cries of 'cultural elitism'.

What, exactly, is this 'cultural elitism' that the ROH, & opera in general, is so frequently accused of ?

Admittedly box tickets for performances can cost several hundred pounds, but it is a myth that only the rich upper class can afford to see, or even have an interest in seeing, opera & ballet.

One can see a concert at 'The House' for £ 15; admittedly a seat for that price is situated right at the back of the auditorium where you have an excellent view of the plaster, but when you buy a £ 25 ticket to see Oasis at Wembley Arena (or a similar amount to see a premier league football match), do you really get that much of a better view ?

"But pop music is for The People, whereas opera is just for snobs", I hear some people cry.

So ? If this were true, then wouldn't this complaint be an example of cultural elitism & snobbery that is just as bad as that which those who enjoy an opera are accused of ? Indeed, in my own work as a professional musician I have encountered far more orchestral musicians who listen to & enjoy pop music than I have pop musicians who listen to & enjoy classical music !

I've much doubt whether it is true, anyway; indeed, the John Moores Foundation does an excellent job of putting on opera productions all around the country at prices which are no greater than the cost of an evening in the pub, & are well attended by people from all 'social classes'. Add to this the myriad touring opera companies, & regional based companies such as Opera North, & we can see that opera, far from being a minority interest, is enjoyed by a great number of people.

There is no denying that there is much work to be done in making so-called 'high art' more accessible to everybody who wishes to see it, & not just the privileged few, but fostering the myth that it is only available to the rich is hardly going to help in this, is it ?

An increased level of public subsidy for all the arts, as is currently the case in most of the rest of the European Union, would certainly be a major contribution to this, especially given the little-repeated fact that the arts are one of the country's biggest success stories - & have been even since before the phrase 'Cool Brittania' entered the store of political & journalistic cliches - employing hundreds of thousands of people.

In fact, unlike our manufacturing economy, the arts is one of the few sectors of the economy which actually has consistently a strong trade surplus, unlike most of the rest of the economy which often tends to be in deficit.

Of course, another problem that needs to be addressed is that of high flying stars who command fees of several thousands of pounds for a single performance. But then there are just as many of those in the popular music world, not to mention the television, sports, & electricity distribution worlds as there are in the opera world.