Relying on cultural philanthropy 'would make arts expensive'
4th August 2010
Adopting US-style arts philanthropy could damage the UK's
cultural scene, novelist and journalist
Clemency Burton-Hill has argued.
Writing in the Independent, The
Other Side of the Stars author noted that culture
secretary Jeremy Hunt recently asked the arts world to seek more
funding from individual and corporate donors to make up for cuts to
the public budget.
Burton-Hill said that her own experiences of this system in New
York have been less than positive, explaining: 'Art here is
eye-wateringly, and often prohibitively, expensive.'
The writer illustrated her point by stating that tickets to the
National Theatre and an opera at Covent Garden can be obtained for
as little as GBP 10, while most of London's museums and galleries
are free.
However, in New York the average Broadway ticket costs USD 120
(GBP 75), the Metropolitan Opera is priced between USD 100 and USD
250 and even museums will charge an admission fee, she
continued.
In May, culture minister Ed Vaizey launched the Big Arts Give,
which aims to raise at least GBP 3 million by Christmas this year
through matched funding from the trustees and major donors of arts
charities.