Sent this to the Daily Post in response to this:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-arts-organisations-must-8393431
Sir
In an attempt to justify the Labour and the Conservatives austerity agenda and future cuts to the Arts, Deputy Minister for Culture, Media and Sports, Ken Skates AM, says that Arts organisations should look at Crowd-Sourcing as a funding revenue (Daily Post January 7 2015).
Crowd funding is not an innovative concept. However the most common term for it is taxation. If we want to see a healthy, vibrant, and equal society it is important to have a progressive tax system that enables everybody to contribute fairly according to their means and for the benefit of all.
The dangerous conclusion to Mr Skates’ argument is what David Cameron and the Conservatives want to see, which is an opt-in / opt-out tax system, where individuals can choose which projects they want to fund. This would lead to the death of the NHS, free education and the welfare state. Under these proposals the Arts would become dependent on philanthropists and charities, which, on its own will kill any artistic innovation and limit risk.
Labour’s lurch to the right is complete.
Sincerely
Mabon ap Gwynfor
Plaid Cymru – The PartyOf Wales, Clwyd South
Mabon ap Gwynfor 