Larger arts share

Press, 23 August 1977, Page 10

Larger arts share

The Minister for the Arts (Mr Highet) would like to see a greater proportion of local recreation and sport grants spent on cultural activities. Addressing the annual conference in Timaru yesterday of the Southern Regional Arts Council. Mr Highet said the proportion in 1976-77 was only 7.5 per cent, or $108,495. “But the fault does not all lie with the local authorities or their consultative committees. Your groups have not been applying, and no amount to cajoling from me will encourage more money to go to the arts at the local level if you don’t apply. So make sure your arts groups know how to apply, and do so.” he said. The Government had i given “solid” financial sup-i port to arts in the region, yet it was continually attacked for being “niggardly.” But. said Mr Highet, people in the iarts had to be realistic and share the burden with other sectors of the community in these difficult economic times.

He thought that the arts should look to others for patronage. “The Government must not be the only, nor

the major supporter. Not only is it a dangerous precedent, but it hinders the development of community involvement by the commercial sector and private individuals.” The smaller businessmen in the provincial towns and even the service clubs might prove to be generous supporters of the arts, rather than the conglomerates and large companies which were always being asked for a hand-out. It had begun in Westland, and even though that area had perhaps a greater sense of community than many others, Mr Highet said he was sure it could happen elsewhere. The Cultural Facilities Scheme had recently decided to make ten grants totalling $74,200 to the arts in the South Island, and 12 museums and arts galleries in the region would soon benefit from grants made under the Art Galleries and Museums Scheme. These latter ranged from $2OO for the Blacks Point Museum at Reefton to $14,000 for the Lakes District Centennial Museum.

Mr Highet said $50,000 had been made available through

the Lotterv Board of Control to establish a council for traditional Maori and Polv nesian arts. It would come under the Arts Council and be similar to the regional councils, though without the community structure. Mr Witi Ihimaera. the well known Maori author, would be the co-ordinator before the establishment of the council.

i He said it was “an extremely important development” because if steps were not taken soon, much of the traditions! orally-transmitted cultural material of Polynesia would be lost.