Why would these projects be considered bizarre and taking the piss? This looks like standard arts funding to me.

Art is designed to challenge and inspire, not be cosy and comfortable.

This should really be in the politics forum - you've linked to a press release from a National Party Blog referencing a hyper partisan lobby group.

BlinkyBill:

 

Why would these projects be considered bizarre and taking the piss? This looks like standard arts funding to me.

 

Art is designed to challenge and inspire, not be cosy and comfortable.

 

Yes I agree. A list presented like this is totally meaningless, it needs significantly more context.

OP may not like, or appreciate, the art funded but that doesn't make it without merit.

Sorry this was emailed to me by a work colleague, i didn't know it was "from a National Party Blog referencing a hyper partisan lobby group"

😄

But even the most stoney faced observers would have to chuckle at stuff like...

"Towards writing a novel about the collapse of democracy in an association of alpaca breeders.
AWARDED: $26,000"

"Towards development of a movement technique that guides and empowers the participants in becoming specialists in their own body.
AWARDED: $4,530"

That is straight out of Monty Python

Access to easy cash is hardly suffering for your art ?

🤣

What was the reasoning behind the grants?

freitasm: Jesus. A link to an article based on a Tax Payer's Union list.

OP did you really read the article before posting?

That assumes facts are a underlying concern. It was nothing more than a rant/dig. We'll be heading down to very dangerous territory if arts funding is decided based on perceived aesthetic value/artistic merit, especially when measured against a conservative and majoritarian tendency.

freitasm: Jesus. A link to an article based on a Tax Payer's Union list.

OP did you really read the article before posting?

It's probably better not to read it - the comments on that blog post are, at best, toxic.

dejadeadnz:

 

That assumes facts are a underlying concern. It was nothing more than a rant/dig. We'll be heading down to very dangerous territory if arts funding is decided based on perceived aesthetic value/artistic merit, especially when measured against a conservative and majoritarian tendency.

 

Agreed, we see this play out with people snarking on rugby all the time, but this is really the same thing but in reverse. It basically boils down to "The thing you like is too blue-collar therefor it is not a valid expression of culture" vs.  "The thing you like is made for chinless wonders who reside up their own arses and has no relevance to the masses".

I believe modern academics now argue the very fact that something exists makes it valid and worth studying, which matters more than perceived high/low-brow, audience size or relevance. 

Just because I personally may not feel there's a need for a sixteen act play exploring the inherent male violence in the reproductive cycle of the Upper East South Greater Western Pygmy Albatross, that doesn't mean it has no cultural value at all, nor should funding decisions be based solely on whatever appeals to the majority of the unwashed masses alone. 

@ilovemusic:

 

Sorry this was emailed to me by a work colleague, i didn't know it was "from a National Party Blog referencing a hyper partisan lobby group"

 

Now you know.

A little off topic, but seems appropriate.  From "We go to the gallery" :

ROFL. Taxpayers union running a poll on Twitter. Obviously "Wellington Weirdos" is winning so far (screenshot of results as of now, 21 hours before end of poll):

freitasm:

 

@ilovemusic:

 

Sorry this was emailed to me by a work colleague, i didn't know it was "from a National Party Blog referencing a hyper partisan lobby group"

 

 

Now you know.

 

yup. my bad

😆

God, the Taxpayers Union. That Jordan prick and his bunch of cronies. No thanks.

https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/18-07-2017/an-invoice-to-the-taxpayers-union-on-behalf-of-annoyed-new-zealanders/

https://thespinoff.co.nz/unsponsored/25-10-2018/dirty-politics-2018-nicky-hager-assesses-the-jami-lee-ross-saga/

 

But last week’s revelations about Jami-Lee Ross bring it all back. Another young protégé of Slater and Lusk, Jordan Williams, now of the “Taxpayers Union”, had no problem getting information for Slater from a woman he was sleeping with. In chat logs leaked to me by the hacker Rawshark he is revealed offering to get information off her to help Slater “doing god’s work against the unions and Helen Kelly”. Willliams wrote of the source of the information: “She’ll no doubt want to root me tomorrow. I’ll have to take one for the team to get the details out of her.”

 

😣