ARTS IN NEW ZEALAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26077, 14 February 1946, Page 7

ARTS IN NEW ZEALAND

CEASING PUBLICATION SERVICE TO DOMINION ART For the time being, the Wellington periodical known first as Art in New Zealand and latterly as the Arts in New Zealand, is ceasing publication \rith the current issue, for JanuaryLFebruary. This is announced in a statement from the publishers, Messrs Harry H. Tombs, Ltd., in which they say, in part: “It has never worried the publishers of this review unduly that it could not show a profit. For 17 years it has rewarded us with a slight loss every year, but against this we have set the fun of producing it and the service we hoped the paper was rendering to the artists of New Zealand. But now we pause. There may be other and more effective ways of encouraging our creative people. For example, whereas less than 400 people subscribe to this journal, an edition of 650 copies of the ‘Arts Year Book’ was sold out in 10 days, and a further 400 have been reprinted. “It disturbs us a little that in one of the chief arts schools of the Dominion. only one person buys Arts. The others borrow it and criticise. The University takes'little interest. “Perhaps Arts is not good enough. No doubt an editor who could bring much more time to the task and a sales' promotion campaign in all the centres would change the picture. But nobody has the time to give; there are so many things to be done.” The statement adds that if the publication is “missed very much,” or if anyone comes forward with a guaranteed plan for selling 1000 copies, the proprietors would consider re-publishing in the present or any other form. Arts in New Zealand, during a lifetime that can be considered long for a publication of its sort, which concentrated upon the culture activities that engage the attention of the New Zealand minority, gave a valuable service. Its files in public and private libraries provide a record of artistic enterprises during the productive period of the ’thirties and the early 'forties that will appreciate in value as time passes. Latterly, in an attempt to encourage attention from further readers, the publication changed both its name and charter, its scope being extended to introduce notes on the amateur theatre and other more or less cultural pursuits. The literary content, which under the editorship of Mr C. A. Marris, leaned towards the “ academic.” but introduced a number of worth-while poets to the New Zealand public, changed also. The new editorial policy was towards a more virile style of authorship, with emphasis upon the modern writers and a dash of surrealism in both the writing and painting reproduced. A year ago, after an article of a provocative type criticising a northern art school was published in the Arts in New Zealand, the Education Gazette contained an instruction to teachers to return copies of the journal to the Education Department. This high-handed action was attacked in the Daily Times, and the Director of Education subsequently revoked the instruction, which he declared had been due to a mistake. The Daily Times at that time, and later when an article was published which contained sneering references to Lord Bledisloe as a connoisseur of art. commented upon the undesirability of a publication receiving what amounted to a secret State subsidy, in that New Zealand public schools became subscribers to the magazine under an arrangements for its financial assistance approved by the Prime Minister.