Comments on: A billion lost opportunities? http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/ my life. on the internets. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:19:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: John Jacobs http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-532 John Jacobs Sat, 11 Apr 2009 12:50:55 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-532 WTF? indeed! A billion to one? That's bad odds for a bet on a single cultural investment. Obviously a better spend is a more distributed one. Imagine the outcome of putting a thousand dollars each in the hands of a thousand creative people? Mass innovation is the only way forward. :~john WTF? indeed!
A billion to one? That’s bad odds for a bet on a single cultural investment.
Obviously a better spend is a more distributed one.
Imagine the outcome of putting a thousand dollars each in the hands of a thousand creative people?
Mass innovation is the only way forward.
:~john

]]> By: Unpaid? Unremarkable. http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-507 Unpaid? Unremarkable. Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:42:10 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-507 [...] My comments here about the proposed billion dollar redevelopment of the Sydney Opera House have attracted more than the usual amount of attention as has Ben Eltham’s post about the same subject over at Larvatus Prodeo. [...] [...] My comments here about the proposed billion dollar redevelopment of the Sydney Opera House have attracted more than the usual amount of attention as has Ben Eltham’s post about the same subject over at Larvatus Prodeo. [...]

]]> By: Jeoffry Katz http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-506 Jeoffry Katz Sun, 29 Mar 2009 08:21:27 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-506 If we were in a fairy tale land called Denmark, then there would be no question about such an important building which purports to be the soul of a nation. A $1billion spend would be seen as the only good and right thing to do in order to properly finish the building. (Well, at least the opera theatre... the concert hall is another matter.) In this strange land, they would also fund artists well to engender a society of creative visions, where visual arts, theatre, music etc are all valued highly. Why is it so hard in this place? If we were in a fairy tale land called Denmark, then there would be no question about such an important building which purports to be the soul of a nation. A $1billion spend would be seen as the only good and right thing to do in order to properly finish the building. (Well, at least the opera theatre… the concert hall is another matter.) In this strange land, they would also fund artists well to engender a society of creative visions, where visual arts, theatre, music etc are all valued highly. Why is it so hard in this place?

]]> By: East http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-503 East Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:31:36 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-503 here's the thing - the Opera house is a big project. It is going to cost money as it is heritage listed. It does however cater for all art forms, and as it stands is unfinished. It is not functioning, it is an OH&S hazard to it;s employees, and is unsatisfying to all audience members. Utzon has fixed that is his renovation plans - so, bring it on. One of the icons of the 20th C is right here is Sydney - let's fix it and ensure it's survival as an international hub for the arts. Otherwise it will be relegated to endless Idols or high school musical night - which are a part of Sydney's musical life, but not the only part. Unless it is completed it may as well be a pretty looking town hall, and every high street has one of those - this is our House! here’s the thing – the Opera house is a big project. It is going to cost money as it is heritage listed.
It does however cater for all art forms, and as it stands is unfinished. It is not functioning, it is an OH&S hazard to it;s employees, and is unsatisfying to all audience members. Utzon has fixed that is his renovation plans – so, bring it on.
One of the icons of the 20th C is right here is Sydney – let’s fix it and ensure it’s survival as an international hub for the arts. Otherwise it will be relegated to endless Idols or high school musical night – which are a part of Sydney’s musical life, but not the only part. Unless it is completed it may as well be a pretty looking town hall, and every high street has one of those – this is our House!

]]> By: TimT http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-501 TimT Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:59:29 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-501 I wrote this yesterday afternoon, forgetting that I wasn't able to post it at work: *** "Oh, I'd much prefer that the arts were funded substantially through private and philanthropic means, but it's not going to happen anytime soon. Governments DO tax Australians, and they DO throw around large amounts of money at the strangest artistic projects. So why not be practical and look upon this funding as an opportunity, a public commitment by the government of the day to the arts? There's another point: if politicians aren't prepared to refurbish the opera house; if they are prepared to let one of Australia's only recognisable artistic icons, and one of its hugest tourist drawcards, remain unfinished - what hope is there for the rest of the arts industry? Is there going to be perpetual war between the 'large' and the 'small' art groups over the limited amount of public funds available? Is this really desirable? In the final call, there seems to be a place for both 'big' and 'small' artistic projects. Big projects will naturally require and attract more money, but this doesn't necessarily reflect a failure to commit to smaller projects. That being said, the timing in this recession is really, awesomely bad. But the costs are only going to go up and up in the future." *** Subsequent to that, I revisited the debate about this funding on LP and I have to say some of the arguments against are pretty strong. http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/03/22/cultural-policy-in-nsw-or-1-billion-to-renovate-the-sydney-opera-house/ I wrote this yesterday afternoon, forgetting that I wasn’t able to post it at work:
***
“Oh, I’d much prefer that the arts were funded substantially through private and philanthropic means, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon. Governments DO tax Australians, and they DO throw around large amounts of money at the strangest artistic projects. So why not be practical and look upon this funding as an opportunity, a public commitment by the government of the day to the arts?
There’s another point: if politicians aren’t prepared to refurbish the opera house; if they are prepared to let one of Australia’s only recognisable artistic icons, and one of its hugest tourist drawcards, remain unfinished – what hope is there for the rest of the arts industry? Is there going to be perpetual war between the ‘large’ and the ’small’ art groups over the limited amount of public funds available? Is this really desirable?
In the final call, there seems to be a place for both ‘big’ and ’small’ artistic projects. Big projects will naturally require and attract more money, but this doesn’t necessarily reflect a failure to commit to smaller projects.
That being said, the timing in this recession is really, awesomely bad. But the costs are only going to go up and up in the future.”
***
Subsequent to that, I revisited the debate about this funding on LP and I have to say some of the arguments against are pretty strong.
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/03/22/cultural-policy-in-nsw-or-1-billion-to-renovate-the-sydney-opera-house/

]]> By: marcus http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-498 marcus Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:12:55 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-498 @Tim. Love your work but that's about the most tortured logic i've ever heard! What is it with you free market conservative types who go ape shit every time the the government drops a dollar on some project to keep kids on the dole from stealing cars but start talking about the governments' "freedom to choose" when they blow a billion on imporving the view at the Opera. Andrew Bolt is the king of it. Former Opera critic, more than happy to drop a bomb on every 5 grand project, yet loves nothing more than lauding THE MOST SUBSIDISED ARTFORMS in the country at will. @Tim. Love your work but that’s about the most tortured logic i’ve ever heard!

What is it with you free market conservative types who go ape shit every time the the government drops a dollar on some project to keep kids on the dole from stealing cars but start talking about the governments’ “freedom to choose” when they blow a billion on imporving the view at the Opera.

Andrew Bolt is the king of it. Former Opera critic, more than happy to drop a bomb on every 5 grand project, yet loves nothing more than lauding THE MOST SUBSIDISED ARTFORMS in the country at will.

]]> By: Kinsley http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-497 Kinsley Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:39:11 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-497 "They struggle to get governments to make the kinds of basic, cost neutral policy reforms that would make their life easier." Amen to that. It's gotten so bad now that in Sydney it's almost impossible to organize any sort of live music performance. “They struggle to get governments to make the kinds of basic, cost neutral policy reforms that would make their life easier.”

Amen to that.

It’s gotten so bad now that in Sydney it’s almost impossible to organize any sort of live music performance.

]]> By: TimT http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-496 TimT Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:32:54 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-496 If a government is to be able to distribute taxes on public arts, then I don't see how we can really restrict their freedom to choose *where* that money should go. Insisting that money be spent on one artistic project, as opposed to another, could quickly become churlish - another way of saying, 'No, I'M more important than that other person! I DESERVE more money'. That's how it seems to me, at least - and so on those grounds I can't really object to this money going to the opera house. There are sound historical reasons for the opera house to receive this money. It is certainly one of Australia's few known and recognised architectural masterpieces, but it has suffered in the construction from day one due to the interference of politicians. The internal design of the building has, for years, suffered from a number of flaws that have been deleterious to the performance of operas and concerts. The opera house needs, and deserves, to be finished according to Utzern's original plan. A pity the billion dollar grant has been announced just as we're going to go into a recession. But that's life. If a government is to be able to distribute taxes on public arts, then I don’t see how we can really restrict their freedom to choose *where* that money should go. Insisting that money be spent on one artistic project, as opposed to another, could quickly become churlish – another way of saying, ‘No, I’M more important than that other person! I DESERVE more money’. That’s how it seems to me, at least – and so on those grounds I can’t really object to this money going to the opera house.

There are sound historical reasons for the opera house to receive this money. It is certainly one of Australia’s few known and recognised architectural masterpieces, but it has suffered in the construction from day one due to the interference of politicians. The internal design of the building has, for years, suffered from a number of flaws that have been deleterious to the performance of operas and concerts.

The opera house needs, and deserves, to be finished according to Utzern’s original plan. A pity the billion dollar grant has been announced just as we’re going to go into a recession. But that’s life.

]]> By: Ben Eltham http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-495 Ben Eltham Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:44:42 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-495 Marcus, I think there is every reason to believe this decision will not go ahead. More discussion on my blog at: http://culturalpolicyreform.wordpress.com/ Marcus, I think there is every reason to believe this decision will not go ahead. More discussion on my blog at:

http://culturalpolicyreform.wordpress.com/

]]> By: $1 billion to renovate the Opera House « A Cultural Policy Blog http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/03/21/a-billion-lost-opportunities/comment-page-1/#comment-494 $1 billion to renovate the Opera House « A Cultural Policy Blog Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:42:40 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/?p=365#comment-494 [...] 22, 2009 Both Marcus Westbury and Nick Pickard lead their blogs with strongly critical posts about recent reports that the NSW [...] [...] 22, 2009 Both Marcus Westbury and Nick Pickard lead their blogs with strongly critical posts about recent reports that the NSW [...]

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