Arts Council - statement in support

Statement in support of the Arts Council

I'd just like to acknowledge receipt of the Arts Council information sheets "Arts Investment in Your Constituency 2008-09". I was amazed at the range of activities assisted by the Arts Council in our local area. For instance, I was particularly impressed that over 1,100 people in the West Midlands benefited from the "Take it away" scheme for interest-free loans for the purchase of musical instruments. I was delighted to see that five schools in the Stourbridge and Quarry Bank area have received "Artsmark" awards for commitment to the arts - including an "Artsmark Gold" for Greenfield Primary School which my middle son and my stepdaughter attended. I was also pleased to see that seven Stourbridge primary schools and one secondary school are participating in the "Creative Partnership" scheme, including Redhill School, where my eldest son went, and Gig Mill Primary, where my youngest son went. So in a way my whole family is covered! I know the arts is a controversial area politically, but I am convinced that widespread participation in the arts is vitally important for the health of our society, and I believe that a thriving Arts Council is a necessity, not a luxury.

Chris Bramall