“Despite the dreary, outdated prejudices of some of our burnt-out critics, tabloid hacks and politicians from all parties, it is clear that the arts, including museums and galleries, have never been more interesting or more popular and have never played such a significant role in national life as they do today. Recent MORI research for the Arts Council showed huge public support for the arts, with 78 per cent believing that the arts play a valuable role in the life of the nation, and 95 per cent believing that children should have more opportunities to experience the arts at school.” – New Statesman
- ON THE OTHER HAND: “The first task is to shift spending away from institutions and into individuals and art itself. What is the point of having some of the most well-appointed theatres and galleries in Europe if there is nothing to put on in them? Throughout the Thatcher years arts bureaucracy grew while the work withered. That has to change.” – The Guardian