Minister Yahya Abdal-Aziz

Holder of the Premier's Secret Women's Business Award

Art of... Policy Statement

This is the beginning of a draft for a possible Arts policy statement. There! Is that political enough?

No really, arts are necessary. I'm thinking rather of the minor arts, which usually go unfunded since we don't value them highly enough.

What about the fine arts, you say?

Painting? Let 'em paint if they want to! Hitler was a painter, and look where it got him.

Sculpture? Let them carve rocks, throw clay, mould fibreglass and cast bronzes if that's their bent! Some of us would rather carve a name for ourselves, throw muck, moulder quietly in the parliamentary dining-room and cast aspersions.

Classical music? Let them scrape a bow, blow a fine trumpet, fiddle to thrill, and make arty noises if they will! We really respect those who raise hearty voices to blow their own trumpet, scrape and bow, and fiddle a till.

No, the fine arts have had enough of our money and attention. It's time we supported the minor arts more.

Let's encourage the art of conversation ...

the art of bending a convivial elbow ...

the art of training crickets to compete in song ...

the art of sitting still ...

the art of being a part, but not apart ...

the art of caring and sharing ...

the art of having a friendly sports match between amateurs ...

the art of lying in the sun ...

the art of dreaming ...

the art of visiting people in hospital or hospice, in prison or shut- in ...

the art of saying hallo to a stranger ...

the art of listening ...

Sorry, these won't make us wealthy. But they could make us richer ...

Regards,

Yahya Abdal-Aziz,

Minister for the Arts

Everyone wants to understand painting. Why don't they try to understand the singing of birds? People love the night, a flower, everything that surrounds them without trying to understand them. But painting -- that they must understand.

--Pablo Picasso