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The Western Mail dumps Alun Pugh from the Arts section of the paper.... |
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Culture Minister Alun Pugh's controversial decision to sack Arts Council chair Geraint Talfan Davies - based on the spurious contention not enough is being done to attract poorer people to arts events in Wales - has provoked outrage. Here, this newspaper and other concerned industry leaders argue why the Minister is wrong Ed Thomas, artistic Director, Fiction Factory I distrust Alun Pugh's policies. What does a politician know about arts anyway?The lack of debate about certain decisions he's made, such as the amount of funding given to some companies like Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and Theatr Clwyd Cymru, worry me. He should step aside and let the whole arm's length principle be debated again. I'm glad he's not writing for the Western Mail any longer. I don't trust what he has to say. Chris Ryde, Chairman of the Wales Association for the Performing Arts (WAPA) We've written a letter to Mr Pugh telling him the association has lost confidence in the Assembly Government.There is absolutely no doubt in many minds that discriminatory decisions along with the proactive approach to the chairmanship of the council is a precursor to further interventions in the coming months which will leave the sector destabilised. On the assumption we don't get the assurance we're looking for, I think we would call for a vote of no confidence in Mr Pugh's position as Culture Minister. Greg Cullen, artistic director, National Youth Theatre of Wales One of the ironies is that we had an Arts Council which looked like it would tackle the malaise in Welsh arts, particularly in Welsh theatre. Now the community has been split as some companies have been touted as flagship companies by the Assembly. I think Alun Pugh has to ask himself if he can continue to operate effectively without the confidence of the artistic community. He's not the leader of the arts in Wales and has never been. Recent events have shown you can't have a politician who is in control of what goes on on our stages and how money is spent. Paul Davies, co-artistic director, Volcano Theatre Alun Pugh is the Ruth Kelly of Welsh politics. You can't force people to be free, which is what he's trying to do. Talking about greater access to the arts is just a smoke screen - he wants his own way and wants to put more power into the Assembly Government. Yes, we've lost confidence in him and his position is certainly under threat. But even if he's replaced, would a new Culture Minister have different ideas of how to run things? That would remain to be seen. Alan Edmunds, editor of the Western Mail- As a paper we have taken Alun Pugh to task over his decision to pursue a questionable agenda and to sack the Arts Council of Wales chair, Geraint Talfan Davies. Many in the arts world agree with our stance. But rather than take us on over the substance of the argument, Mr Pugh called the paper's serious coverage "a bit of a joke". Well done Mr Pugh. When you are losing the argument in the classroom, then why not resort to calling your opposite number a nasty name in the playground? As the Culture Minister takes such a dim view of the quality of the Western Mail, we, not unnaturally, informed him his new weekly column would be withdrawn. His predictable response to our decision to stand up to him was to call us "censorial" and "thin-skinned", ready to dish out stick but unwilling to take it. But we'll take whatever you want to throw at us over the substance of the argument, and you won't shut us up by undermining us and trying to deflect readers from the real issues with cheap shots. It's not the quality of the Western Mail that is at issue here. The crucial question for all artists and art lovers is this: Is your livelihood or passion safe in Mr Pugh's hands? Let's get real Mr Culture Minister and make sure you listen to the fears being expressed across Wales. |
| The Western Mail web site: icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0900entertainment/0050artsnews/tm_objectid=16634893%26method=full%26siteid=50082%26headline=why%2dwe%2dre%2dstanding%2dup%2dto |
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Friday, January 27, 2006 |
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