Pop Art
Wed, 31 July 2002, 01:18 pmcrgwllms12 posts in thread
Pop Art
Wed, 31 July 2002, 01:18 pmAn article in the New York Times today claims that the number of arts festivals happening nationwide over there has reached a record high of about 3000, drawing audiences of around 130 million.
I roughly estimate those attendances as being about 45% of the USA's population, although it doesn't account for the fact that obviously a much smaller arts-going population must be attending multiple events to give that sort of box office estimate.
And also, that's still only 1 festival every 96,000 head of population.
I wonder what percentage of our population attends arts events? How many festivals do we have in Australia, compared to our population?
And I wonder what sort of similar comparison could be made with the people who attend our traditional form of culture - sporting events?
Is it possible to increase the general status of arts events in Australia? Are we hindered or helped by our smaller population?
Food for thought.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/30/arts/30SUMM.html?pagewanted=1&todaysheadlines
Cheers,
Craig
[%sig%]
I roughly estimate those attendances as being about 45% of the USA's population, although it doesn't account for the fact that obviously a much smaller arts-going population must be attending multiple events to give that sort of box office estimate.
And also, that's still only 1 festival every 96,000 head of population.
I wonder what percentage of our population attends arts events? How many festivals do we have in Australia, compared to our population?
And I wonder what sort of similar comparison could be made with the people who attend our traditional form of culture - sporting events?
Is it possible to increase the general status of arts events in Australia? Are we hindered or helped by our smaller population?
Food for thought.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/30/arts/30SUMM.html?pagewanted=1&todaysheadlines
Cheers,
Craig
[%sig%]
Re: Pop Art
Sat, 3 Aug 2002, 07:11 amHi all,
This is my first post here, and I'd just like to say that I'm happy to be here. I just wanted to add that I think Tomas had a point when referring to the way bands need to find a style, or a niche that can attract their audience. I feel that Australian theatre has a horrible habit of recycling old plays and, even worse, trying to find the easy way on to the stage. So many people, myself included, just try to step up there and tell a story without really considering what we're trying to do when we do get on stage. We see a basic end result nthat involves a big audience and lots of clapping and never take the time to consider why we're up there, what processes we need to go through to get there, and what stories are really worth telling.
Anyway, I'm not a writer or anything, and, when you consider the way the great theatre companies in the past have worked, philosophised and trained, I'm a pretty lazy actor too. But if you look around at the successful smaller companies, they all have something going for them that's uniquely theirs. They've all developed a technique and a purpose and they are all incredibly talented performers.
Maybe we just need to get off our lazy backsides and learn more about our art, or craft, or whatever name you want to give it.
I think this is also where the major discrepancy between music, sport and theatre occurs too. Musicians train for most of their lives to do what they do. Professional sportspersons do the same. Your average, run-of-the-mill theatre group consists of a writer who's not Australian but is dead, a director who probably doesn't even realise that their role has only officially existed for about 100 years, a stage manager who actually believes that their job is to yell at the cast, and a group of actors who are coasting along on natural talent - be it perceived or actual. Is it any wonder then that we have to pay to perform while everyone else gets paid? Is it any wonder that we can't attract the audiences?
Sorry if that was all a bit negative but I think we do need a wake up call. Please feel free to tell me if you think otherwise.
Well, that was fun, I hope to hear from you all soon. I might make this a habit. Good practice for writing your manifesto. Now that's something that's been missing. Crazy manifestos. Get to work people.
AJ
p.s. is this a predominantly west australian group, or does it just look that way?
Thou bawdy fool-born flap-dragon!
This is my first post here, and I'd just like to say that I'm happy to be here. I just wanted to add that I think Tomas had a point when referring to the way bands need to find a style, or a niche that can attract their audience. I feel that Australian theatre has a horrible habit of recycling old plays and, even worse, trying to find the easy way on to the stage. So many people, myself included, just try to step up there and tell a story without really considering what we're trying to do when we do get on stage. We see a basic end result nthat involves a big audience and lots of clapping and never take the time to consider why we're up there, what processes we need to go through to get there, and what stories are really worth telling.
Anyway, I'm not a writer or anything, and, when you consider the way the great theatre companies in the past have worked, philosophised and trained, I'm a pretty lazy actor too. But if you look around at the successful smaller companies, they all have something going for them that's uniquely theirs. They've all developed a technique and a purpose and they are all incredibly talented performers.
Maybe we just need to get off our lazy backsides and learn more about our art, or craft, or whatever name you want to give it.
I think this is also where the major discrepancy between music, sport and theatre occurs too. Musicians train for most of their lives to do what they do. Professional sportspersons do the same. Your average, run-of-the-mill theatre group consists of a writer who's not Australian but is dead, a director who probably doesn't even realise that their role has only officially existed for about 100 years, a stage manager who actually believes that their job is to yell at the cast, and a group of actors who are coasting along on natural talent - be it perceived or actual. Is it any wonder then that we have to pay to perform while everyone else gets paid? Is it any wonder that we can't attract the audiences?
Sorry if that was all a bit negative but I think we do need a wake up call. Please feel free to tell me if you think otherwise.
Well, that was fun, I hope to hear from you all soon. I might make this a habit. Good practice for writing your manifesto. Now that's something that's been missing. Crazy manifestos. Get to work people.
AJ
p.s. is this a predominantly west australian group, or does it just look that way?
Thou bawdy fool-born flap-dragon!
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