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The Way It Has BeenDateline: 15th May, 2000 On 17th April, 1997, not long before the general election which swept him to power with a massive majority, Labour leader Tony Blair wrote an article for The Stage entitled "The Way It Would Be." It makes interesting reading. It is now three years and a couple of weeks since that famous victory - time to look at the way it has been. Waffle I doubt that many people would believe that a politician could make a speech or write an article without a fair amount of waffle, and Blair's article had its fair share, but he did make some firm promises. Let's look at them in turn: In education: after-school activities to vitalise the arts, nurturing future performers and the critical audience of the next generation. Some government money has been put into out-of-school activities, but it's all been done on a bidding basis - schools have had to make a bid to the DfEE or one of its agents (such as Education Extra), in competition with other schools, to get their hands on this money. Very little has been specifically targeted on the performing arts. Open Theatre Nights: on Monday nights - the quietest of the week - people will be able to go to their local theatre, paying a voluntary donation of as much as they can afford. This particular idea has not been heard of again, to my knowledge. In any case, he pledged no money to it, leaving it to individual theatres (already cash-starved) to fund it. The Arts Card for people between 16 and 19: to enable them to get special discounts at arts events, venues and activities. I've heard nothing further about this, either. But again no money was promised. The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA): a talent fund designed to help some of our most talented and creative young people turn their dreams into practical realities. Now NESTA has been set up. It even has a very modern - some might say, flashy - Website, which I have diligently searched but have found nothing particularly theatrical which it has funded since its inception in 1998. The strengthening of TV programme quality requirements: the BBC a flagship for public service broadcasting and Channel 4 remaining a public service broadcaster. Not really theatre anyway, but a little has been done on this. Unsurprisingly, however, the government has decided - in line with its predecessors - that the BBC is biased against it. It also refused the BBC an additional digital licence fee, leaving its new digital services to be funded out of the existing budget. To my eyes, that looks like a cut. Next page: Funding and the Arts Council Articles Indices:
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