| The Cultural Weapon [boodskap #39969] |
Wed, 07 March 2001 05:01 |
TJ
Boodskappe: 723
Geregistreer: January 2004
Karma: 0
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Dear Rob
Thank you for your response to my open letter to the Minister. It's a pity
though, that it doesn't address any of the issues I raised. And by trying
to deflect the issues with the tired "play the man" strategy, it simply
confirms the widespread perception of an insecure department, unable to
engage with any criticism constructively.
I am sorry to burst your bubble, Rob. But you and the Minister are not "in
the trenches". The trenches are where retrenched dancers and actors,
unemployed musicians and visual artists, writers and filmmakers struggle to
make art, with or without government support. And it might take guts to do
what you do, but I think it takes more guts to wake up everyday and try to
be an artist in this country at the moment. The Minister feels "stabbed in
the back" because of my public questioning of him? Now he knows how artists
and cultural administrators feel. Having entrusted your department with
their futures, their passions, their livelihoods, they feel let down, angry,
frustrated, disillusioned. For never Rob, - since 1994 - never has the arts
and culture sector been in such disarray as now. You've suffered insults,
had your hard work marginalised, been outvoted in the last six years, and
still you're doing what you're doing. Bully for you. Try 15 years or more
which is what some of us have spent trying to advance the cause of the arts
and of cultural practitioners in our country. And it's getting harder, Rob.
The distance keeps getting longer. This takes guts, Rob. It takes guts to
stand up to a defensive department, to question their lack of delivery, to
expose corruption, to go against the flow of brownnosers and opportunists.
That takes guts, Rob. .....
To get the full story, subscribe to ACEmail
at http://www.at.artslink.co.za/ace
- Mike van Graan
www.artslink.co.za/cw
--
"Arts world in one website"
http://www.artslink.co.za
Arts and Culture Trust of the President Award
Electronic Media of the Year in support of the arts
Winner 1998, Finalist 1999 and Nominated 2000
Support South African Arts and Culture:
Dial-Up with Artslink.co.za and save!
http://www.at.artslink.co.za/isp
Debate issues affecting the arts and culture industry
http://www.at.artslink.co.za/egroups.htm
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