I was intrigued by your Platform and article, ‘Pixel Palaces in a Digital Kingdom’ (AP199). I’ve staunchly supported the growth of education activities, marketing, audience development and participation, and been closely involved with the rise of digital media. I’ve had my qualms about the possibility of the arts really being for everyone. After all, no incentive would make me enjoy either watching or playing football: and even as someone who works in the arts I have no desire to paint or sculpt or act – I just want to experience the results. Nevertheless, I do believe that art can profoundly affect all sorts of people, and that all sorts of people can be artists. But I feel as if the water of arts bureaucracy has finally gone over the top of my head. Where on earth have the artists gone? What do you do if you “abandon the whole notion of a programme”? “Enabling engagement and participation” with what exactly? Surely, artists (not “cultural producers”) are our raison d’être. They are the extraordinarily special people. They see the world in a totally different way. Their shamanic vision smashes all ideas of normality and shows us things we hadn’t even dreamt about. The world may be full of media that allow people to say what they want, and that's lovely, but it doesn’t make them artists. And I don't believe actually being part of the creative process is what most people want. What most people want (RIP Ken Campbell) is to “have the top of their heads blown off”. Surely, it’s our job to lay the explosive devices.
