The former culture secretary Chris Smith will tonight (Wednesday, 23 July) give his thoughts on the cuts to arts funding.
He is giving the inaugural speech in a series of six talks, organised by Jericho House theatre group, called What's the Point of Art Now? My colleague Vanessa Thorpe talked to Smith ahead of the speech. This is what he had to say:
"We are already seeing some public protest about the future of libraries and that shows that people are going to be prepared to make a fuss. I think it is going to take the public time to see that something local to them is being affected before they feel the real economic punch to the arts.
"Protest will be focused on individual institutions and it will happen when we see threats to the kind of galleries and museums that people enjoy going to and that they have got used to having.
"We have had what was, I like to think, a Golden Age of the arts in this country. It is not due in the main part to public subsidy but mostly due to the hard work of those people who work in the sector.
"In my talk I want to try and move on from the old "intrinsic versus instrumental" arguments about the worth of the arts.
"The arts are valuable of and for themselves because they enlighten our imaginations while I recognise at the same time the very important economic role they play. They also happen to be very important educationally. Art, music, drama and dance are hugely beneficial for children's development and for their academic achievements. They are socially important because they can provide a sense of purpose for a community in a way that nothing else can.
I want to say, 'Look, all of these things are important. It is absolutely vital for the well-being of our society.'"
"In the past there has been a tendency to focus on one or two aspects. When I was secretary of state, of course, and I was going to the Treasury I knew that talking about truth and beauty wasn't going to get me any more money. I think it is always going to be the case with the Treasury, no matter who is in government and I make no apology for not making that argument then.
"But I am very keen to persuade Jeremy Hunt and George Osborne to make sure the arts don't suffer unduly in the landscape of the cuts we are facing.
"There is quite a lot of merit, though, in the idea of stimulating greater philanthropy."
Lord Smith's discussion will take place at St Ethelburga's (Bishopsgate, London) at 6.30pm.
