The Arts - Just Entertainment, or a Testament to Our Civilisation?

The performing arts are traditionally ‘of the people’ in many countries, responding to the needs of a people at a particular moment in history. For example it is quite understandable that a writer such as Bertolt Brecht would emerge from post-war Germany, a period of great self-analysis, uncertainty and introspection. On the other hand, Australia, a country of light and open space, which has seen little conflict on its own soil, would be very unlikely to produce an author with these inclinations. In other words, art and its audience develop naturally from their environment.

The imposition of artificial political or intellectual agendas on this natural development does not do the arts a service. In fact it further increases their elitist reputation. Works become too far removed from audience needs, and a disappointed public is driven further towards the popular commercial entertainments which are predictable, unchallenging, and involve little or no risk.

So what can we in the performing arts industry do to remove this elitist stigma? How do we survive without becoming completely commercial?

First, as long as we have enough support from government and sponsors to permit our existence, I see only one way to go - expand our audience and so convince more people of the value of the performing arts. A performing arts sector with strong public support has a much greater chance of survival.

Second, bearing in mind that it is impossible to please everybody, it is nevertheless possible to offer programs with enough layers of meaning and intention to appeal to a large number of people and to offer variety.

Finally I believe that personal feeling and convictions do play a part. The experience of some of the extraordinary moments of human truth and beauty is what makes the arts so precious. People who are given this experience will be more likely to support the arts.

In a world driven by economic rationalism and technology, I want to believe that our emotions are more than a flux of proteins going to the brain - they are precious; they are our humanity and that is what music, dance and theatre are all about.

As artists we have to defend those values and we can only do so by offering a quality product that many others can share. I often hear that we have to educate our audiences. I think it is more about communicating our passion. The rest will follow.