Tickets are £7/£5 (concessions) are available via Eventbrite.

Arts institutions shape themselves and their policies around promoting social good, and have accepted a political agenda around climate change and identity politics. They want to be seen to be on the ‘right side’ of progress, but have they become overly instrumentalist and constraining in their approach? What harm are they doing to the development of the arts and artists?

Now it appears that the arts are responding not just to the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) agenda, but also to the government’s levelling up policy. Under pressure to take funding outside London, controversial recent Arts Council plans threaten English National Opera with closure unless it relocates to the north.

Yet it seems that progressive arts polices have largely failed. Recent research shows that while a few women and BAME people are now more likely to achieve higher status professional roles than in the past, there are fewer people from working class backgrounds involved in the arts than in the 1970s.

How can we argue for a renewed discussion about artistic merit? What remains of the idea of art as a source and expression of beauty? Contemporary arts now often seem to be judged primarily on the basis of who they represent and their political message, on what ‘good’ they might do in society. In theatre, music and visual arts, artists and artistic projects run the risk of crossing a line if they are not politically and socially ‘on message’. And is instrumentalism (political and social) now embedded in the way most people, perhaps particularly younger generations, think about the arts? What kind of arts institutions do we need?
Three speakers with varied experience of working in the arts will kick off the discussion. Do join us to share your ideas and experiences. All welcome!

SPEAKERS
Alexander Adams
artist, critic and author. His publications include Abolish the Arts Council (co-authored with David Lee) and Culture War (Alexander’s latest publications will be avilable to buy at the event)

Dr Mo Lovatt
national coordinator of Debating Matters; programme coordinator, Academy of Ideas

Vicky Richardson
architectural writer; curator of Light Lines: the architectural photographs of Hélène Binet; former director of architecture, design and fashion, British Council