So I decided to vent my frustration on a recent Artistic expedition. On Saturday we tried to go to the Ballet, Romeo and Juliet. We went to purchase tickets and came to find that it was $30 for relatively bad seating. To our dismay we could not offord this and had to leave. Now this bothered me for reasons that I know have nothing to do with the laws of Economics, so please dont label me an idiot. But it bothered me because I realized that due to the lack of finiances we were unable to go and see one of the great productions of the arts. I see this as a great injustice. We were art lovers going to partake in the appreciation of art and the feeding of our souls and we were turned away because of prices that we could not pay. What makes this even worse is that by the looks of the auditorium minutes before the start of the show it was obvious that it was not nearly close to being full.
How do we expect to have a renaissance of culture in our country if people like us cannot afford it? This is why I feel like Youtube should be allowed for purposes of education. Do you know how many incredible historical concerts are on there that we would have no access to? I am not saying that everything should be free, but there is a hindrance put onto people that are still trying to merely survive financially and the fine arts are once again given to the elite and the ones that can afford it. I just wish that we could make the fine arts the language of the people once again and part of that can come through making things affordable and accessible so that young professionals can enlighten themselves to the great classics of history. I am tired of having money stop people from that. I think it is an injustice.
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6 comments:
Applause on this post. I think of the early evolution of Jazz music being accessible for all people. The transcendence jazz music had on our culture did some great things to reconcile the differences between whites and blacks, as well as to push the boundaries of what music could possibly do. Today not only is jazz music a seemingly lost art form, but it is near impossible, either due to location or money, to see the great players play. I certainly would love to see a time when I could go see great jazz music without losing a limb to do so.
Then again, the shallower our art forms become, thank you American Idol, the less we are assured of our ability to see and remember the great artistic roads behind us. I am curious what will happen if we get to a place as an artistic culture, where we are no longer able to help in the progression of art due to our lack of where we have come from, and where the art should be going?
The crappy seats where $50 plus, actually.
If you look at art as a cross section, or profile, if you will, then that may give some answers to the questions posed by Colin.
To a large extent, I think art has been reduced to a commodity that is available to us. In economic terms, a consumer good that gets turned over as well as turned off (the TV remote is ever so close) very fast. What does that say about society’s demand of art and artistic expressions? I think there’s hardly anything artistic, more so entertaining about American Idol, which can be compared to “pane et circenses” in the Roman empire as a means of entertaining the masses that preferred food and fun over freedom. Freedom to choose one’s intake of art & entertainment. Especially in the ever-present decadence of this scene, which unfortunately is more referred to as an “industry” these days.
I think it’s a pathetic paradox that some of the cheapest forms of art (if you can call is that way) like a talent casting show generate billions of $ while some of the truest and most sophisticated expressions of art (you call it the renaissance) seem to be well protected by a monetary glass cage. The entry tickets to this cage are definitely blurring the windows – depriving us from enjoying art and locking true artists in, allowing them to partake in our poverty.
How can we shatter this cage? By being picky consumers or will that make us get the short end of the stick again?
Okay, I'll admit it: I like American Idol. Whew. Glad to have that off my chest.
I agree that it's sad that the enjoyment of certain forms of art is not accessible to those with meager finances. This is a sad reality that could be remedied by offering subsidies to those who cannot afford to pay. Until those with the means are willing to subsidize those without, we cannot really blame the ballet companies for charging an arm and a leg. Can we?
Hi David! Found your blog through a link from Becky's.
This is a great topic for conversation. I concur that there is a problem when people who would like to experience fine art are unable to do so because of finances. Believe me, I have been in this situation (much) more than once, myself!
However, although all fine art experiences might not be accessible at all times, I have found, in my personal experience, that there are ways to make something work, if I really prioritize gaining access to an art form. For instance, I get on mailing lists for places like the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, so that when they have a free day, I am aware of it. And there are annual free events such as Shakespeare in the Park. Also, Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music is always offering wonderful free concerts of high caliber performers. Not Yo-Yo Ma, necessarily, but good musicians, nonetheless. And I think other cities have their versions of these sort of community offerings.
When I was in college many moons ago (ha!) some friends and I made seeing a big stage show an annual event. Granted, it only happened once a year for us, because of our limited finances, but that's OK; it made it all the more special to do. If there is a concert or performance someone really wants to experience, I think that "where there's a will, there's a way." I can scrimp on other areas in order to save up for a show I know is coming, or maybe earn a little extra cash by doing odd jobs. (And I've also been incredibly fortunate to have friends hand me tickets every now and then to the symphony or a show at the Ryman. Colour me lucky!)
Is it *fair*, though, that I would need to work extra (while some people don't) in order to see a truly excellent, professional performance? And even then, that that would be a rare treat rather than a way of life? Well, no, that isn't fair. But, as long as I take advantage of all the other good and affordable opportunities to enjoy fine art when and however I can, I don't consider myself too deprived.
I recognize that my post does not cover the justice issue, necessarily. It is just my story of how I've learned to deal at various times with my own economic limitations in relation to the scope of my desire to partake in fine art experiences.
Oh, and Eric ~ I like American Idol, too! I don't think anyone has any illusions they are doing fine art. But as a shared cultural and communal entertainment experience, it's superb!
While the Idol show never makes any artistic claims, it still catches the most attention, biggest audiences, and greatest fundings.
If you look into art history, artists also had their obstacles to overcome (finding the right audience to attend to their art and by doing so subsidizing it). Many had a wealthy art conisseur (like some many European aristocrats) who loved true fine art and were willing to give money to the artist to allow artistic expression and evolution. I think the Martha Ingrams are few and far between. It seems that now, affluent and influential people who give money towards the arts do so in order to engage in the "production" of art with the expecation to have a return for their investment. Which begs the question how high they esteem art and why they engage in it.
Hey, Dave! Aunt Betsy here. Found you through Lena's blog. Glad to see you doing this.
Wanted to comment on your post,"Fine Arts for Poor People." I completely agree with you about wanting a cultural renaissance and wishing the arts were more accessible to the masses. Also, sorry you didn't get to see ROMEO AND JULIET. While I think it's very unfortunate that you didn't get to see it, and that your case is all too representative of our present situation, I'm struggling to understand why you feel it's an injustice. To me, it's no different than anything else I desire, but can't afford (which, for me, right now is about everything!). With few exceptions, prices are set by market forces in a free society. It's unlikely that someone is arbitrarily setting artificially high prices. If I can't afford theater tickets, or the new car I want and need, as I see it, I have two choices: make do without it, or find a way to increase my income so I can afford it. Is that unjust?
Years ago in DC, when I was a young hill rat making $18,000 a year (much more in 1984 than now, though!)a group of us learned that the Bolshoi Ballet was coming to the Kennedy Center, and tickets were $65 (a LOT back then). None of us had the money, but we saved for a month or two so we could go. We griped about the high prices, but I don't recall any of us thinking it was unjust. We were just thrilled to have the opportunity to see them.
It would be injustice if you were denied equal access to the event due to racial discrimination, etc. But not being able to afford it doesn't seem like an injustice to me.
Besides, you are a student now and haven't established yourself in a career yet. Not being able to afford theater tickets is a temporary situation that you will grow out of, not an unchangeable fact of life.
Next, as it is, artists (your Mom and company included) are already struggling to earn enough to live on. Your Mom was outraged recently--and rightfully so--that someone wanted her to produce a piece and perform it at an event for free. Art is the artist's intellectual property and he/she has the right to be paid for it. They can't give it away and live by it at the same time, especially with overhead costs being what they are.
I think the problem we have in the U.S. is that there is little demand for the fine arts as our culture has been dumbed down more and more through the years compared to the demand for popular culture events. If you're playing to half-empty theaters, you're going to have to charge more for each ticket.
On the other hand, I agree with you that it's pretty stupid, an hour before your performance and with plenty of seats available, not to sell discounted tickets at the last minute. Better to get half price or so than nothing, right?
Seems to me the best thing you can do to fix this situation is what you are doing--be a fine arts enthusiast and expose and encourage others to higher level artistic appreciation. Could say a lot about this, but I'm way too long winded already. We can talk about it when I come for your Mom's concert.
One last comment about American idol--all you guys who sneer at it sound like uppity art snobs! I love the show and don't apologize for it. No one would argue that it represents "fine art", but it's fun and I love watching people pursue their dreams, and sometimes achieve them. It's hard to do what those kids do and I admire them for going after it. Besides, there is a place for pop music in the world. They may be a bit raw as singers and performers now, but this is a starting place for them.
Love to you!
Betsy
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