making theatre "mainstream"...

Joan Littlewood spent a great many years attempting to make the UK government feel responsible for helping to support the genuinely working class theatre she was attempting to create at Stratford east in London. As the area has become increasungly afro caribbean a still struggling but none the less vital theatrical tradition has become established and the Government has finally spent some money there. We have never really had a tradition of major govt funding for the performing arts except where politicians can get milage out of one off grants. Under the SA Dunstan Govt we came close in SA but now it's gone. There is no real difference between either shade of politics in this area either so your vote won't help financially in this area. It's my feeling that Govt should find a way of funding arts experiences and not just at the top end. Local companies both amateur and semi pro do a lot in local areas with no assistance that I am aware of and could do so much more with quite small funding assistance. The trouble is that not even local government helps much any more, I guess they don't have as much money as they used to and they feel that we are elitist. Maybe we are. Anyone got any figures on what percentage of the populace actually goes to live theatre even just once a year? Anyway, roll on a perfect world where we all get what we need.