Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford Prefect
Because the arts will never be supported adequately by a free market economy, and I think the arts are a vital part of a nation's fabric. Maybe not to the same degree as health, education and social services, but still vital. Cultural events, like the Stampede, are infinitely more capable of supporting themselves in a free market, so let them. Am I being arbitrary and employing double standards? Totally. But that's the way I'd call it if I were emperor.
The tough question is where is the dividing line between a cultural event and the arts. For example, where does a music festival fall? That's the grey area.
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If arts/cultural events aren't profitable on their own then either they're not being run efficiently enough or its not important enough to their patrons and sponsors to adequately fund them.
Either way, why should they receive money from the government to prop them up? If they are in fact THAT important they'll receive more funding from private sources or streamline their business models and reduce their cost.