The fact that last years Sultans Elephant display has already entered modern folklore should be a clear indicator that street arts have now come of age in the UK. In his article on this very subject (p5) Julian Rudd from the Independent Street Arts Network (ISAN) makes the point clearly enough but notes that, for all its brilliance, the Sultans Elephant was not a British project, but a French one. Its success on the streets of London, he observes, says as much about what is wrong with the world of street arts in the UK, as what is right. And yet there is as much street art talent in this country, as there is a will to succeed.
What is lacking, and this will be a ruefully familiar point to many, is the resource. David Micklem from Arts Council England (ACE) (p7) concurs that, whilst there is a growing community of talented outdoor arts practitioners in the UK, the infrastructure that exists to support them is fragile though ACEs forthcoming strategy, due to be published this summer, hopes to rectify this.
In a wider context the Touring Exhibitions Group has now delivered the results of its two-year national research survey (p1), and is calling for greater strategic investment in touring exhibitions to promote audience development. In the same week, we saw the launch of an inspiring manifesto aimed at bringing free classical music concerts to every schoolchild in Britain (p3). Street art, outdoor performance, touring exhibitions, free concerts we may use any number of terms, but at the heart of the matter what we are describing surely amounts to the same thing: taking art to the people. It is a noble aim, with enormous potential for extending access and building audiences, but it wont come cheap. There is no obvious funder waiting in the wings to develop the touring exhibitions agenda, and recent cuts in ACE funding are a particular worry to street arts performers, whose audiences arent even recognised when the DCMS counts how many people attend or participate in the arts.
The momentum for bringing art to the people is gathering and the optimism and talent is there. Will ACE be able to rise to the challenge? We shall see.
Nick Jordan
Editor
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